Rwanda: Electrical Installations in Prisons Need to be Reviewed - Minister

The Minister for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Seraphine Mukantabana, has asked prisons officials to review their electrical installations as a precaution against fire incidents.   The minister was speaking, yesterday, after handing over an assortment of materials worth about Rwf4.5 million to inmates whose personal effects were burnt in Sunday's fire at Nyarugenge Prison.   Mukantabana noted that some prisons are old and were built without considerations of.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 29th December 2016

Tanzania: New Prices for Natural Gas to be Set

Tanzania will next week start setting indicative prices for natural gas to guide potential investors.   Currently the prices of natural gas are negotiated between the buyer and the government-owned Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), which is the seller.   The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) is expected to announce the first list of the prices for 2017 by December 30.   Ewura's director for natural gas Charles Omujuni said.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 29th December 2016

Ethiopia: New Dam Doubles Country's Power Generation Output

In another otherwise difficult year filled with political turmoil, Ethiopia has scored one huge win by inaugurating the Gilgile Gibe III Hydroelectric Dam over the Omo River which almost doubles the country's power generation output.   The Omo River Basin, located in the southwestern part of the country, is one of 11 basins. The Omo River valley is grown into full force from the steams and brooks of the mountains of Amhara. The Oromia region flows down to the Jimma zone and.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 29th December 2016

Ethiopia: Government Buys Fertilizer From Moroccan Firm

The Ethiopian Agricultural Business Corporation (EABC) said it has purchased 936,430 tonnes of fertilizer at a cost of 6.4 billion Br. Seventy pc of the purchased fertilizer was bought from OCP, a Moroccan based global market leader of phosphate and its derivatives.   The fertilizer is being imported via the port of Djibouti and Port Sudan. "The importation of the fertilizers via Port Sudan will reduce the transportation cost and time needed to reach the northern part of.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 29th December 2016

Ethiopia: Local Farmers to Get Aid from U.S. Program

Feed the Future Ethiopia Commercial Farm Services Project is set to provide funding for 20 entrepreneurs and farmers' cooperative unions to open new farm service centers in Ethiopia's four major regions. Each recipient is to receive over one million Birr, to establish a farm service center in their area. Feed the Future is a U.S. supported global initiative to improve agricultural development and food security in 19 countries in need including Ethiopia.   Seven of the.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 29th December 2016

Ethiopia: Two Additional Dams Planned to Ease Water Shortage

The planned dams are part of GTP II.   The Awash Basin Authority (ABA) plans to build two additional dams which could help prevent water shortage at the region that has over 18 million inhabitants.   Authority Director General Getachew Gizaw said the dams, part of GTP II, would also help prevent flooding at the middle and lower Awash areas.   Previously, three dams, namely Koka, Kesem and Tendaho were built on the 1,250 -kms long and_4.6 billion cubic meters.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 29th December 2016

Ethiopia: Research Center Discovers New Crops, Animal Fodder Species

The new varieties could improve production and productivity.   The Bako Agricultural Research Center announced that it has submitted its research findings of nine varieties of improved crops and animal fodder species to the National Species Endorsing Committee.   Center Oil and Cereals Crops Team Leader Solomon Bekele said the species included three types of sesame, two species of millet and a pea. It took five years to finalize the research on the species, he.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 29th December 2016

Tanzania: Farmers Pocket Over $1 Million in Cashew Sales

Lindi — Cashew nut farmers from five villages in Lindi Region have pocketed 2.6bn/- from Mnolela Primary Society in the region after selling their produce in three auctions this year.   An official of the society, Hassan Kongwa told reporters here yesterday that the farmers earned the money after selling 488 tonnes of raw cashew in the first auction, 120 tonnes in the second auction and 232 tonnes in the third auction.   He said there were still some more.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 29th December 2016

East Africa: Storage Management Key to Reduction of Postharvest Losses

Smallholder farmers can reduce post-harvest losses and improve income by adopting better storage management practices and technologies.   According to Food and Agriculture Organisations (FAO) about one third of the food produced globally is lost or wasted representing a loss of 1.3 billion tonnes of food per year.   In Tanzania, results from different research studies demonstrate that farmers lose up to 40 per cent of the harvest through post-harvest.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 29th December 2016

Tanzania: Over 1 Trillion SH Allocated to Electrify Villages Countrywide

Over 1trn/- has been allocated for implementation of the Rural Energy Agency (REA)'s phase III projects, which are expected to electrify all villages in the country.   According to Energy and Minerals Minister, Professor Sospeter Muhongo, 543.3bn/- out of the 1trn/- budget, will be sourced internally with the remaining amount coming from donors.   Professor Muhongo, speaking to Mara residents during his tour of the region to inspect execution of REA phase II projects.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 28th December 2016

Rwanda: Kigali Roads Expansion Project to Begin in January

The much anticipated roads expansion project across the city is set to commence in January, according to officials from the City of Kigali.   The roads expansion project is set to cover about 54 kilometres, mainly targeting expanding roads to a dual carriage way with two lanes on each side.   Chinese firm, China Road Bridge Corporation, has been contracted to do the work.   The project is expected to address traffic jams, especially during peak hours (mornings and.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 28th December 2016

Kenya: Over 2,500KM Roads to be Built Next Year

The government will launch the construction of 2,500 kilometres of roads before the next General Election, Transport Principal Secretary John Mosonik has said.   Mr Mosonik said it was part of the "10,000 programme" of low volume traffic road.   "A total of 2,327 kilometres of roads in 30 counties are being built while an additional 2,500 kilometres are under evaluation and will be launched in early 2017 to cover other counties," Mr Mosonik said in a.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 28th December 2016