ADAMA, BASF, Corteva Agriscience, Nufarm and Syngenta join forces to further improve the way crop protection products are handled by promoting the use of closed transfer system (CTS) technology. The companies are now each piloting the CTS ‘easyconnect’ in selected countries to benefit operators, farmers and the environment. The easyconnect system consists of two components: a unique screw cap – pre-fitted on the containers – and a coupler, which together establish the CTS.
By 2021/2022, a broad range of containers is planned to be equipped with the standardized pre-mounted screw cap and offered to farmers in Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, with other countries likely to follow. “A CTS, such as easyconnect, allows crop protection products to be directly transferred from their original container to the spray tank and to accurately measure the volume of the chemical being transferred. This significantly reduces operator exposure and environmental risks from splashing or spilling,” explained Livio Tedeschi, Senior Vice President Agricultural Solutions EMEA and CIS, BASF SE. “The introduction of a CTS on a broad range of products will have real benefits for the environment by significantly reducing the risk of spills during handling products. Further advantages are seen in the integrated rinsing system, which makes it easier to clean and rinse packaging,” said Xavier Leprince, Head of Business Sustainability EAME at Syngenta. “Today, there is a lot of interest in efficiency on farm. To maximize the time spent in the field on good spraying days, spray operators wish to reduce their loading time without reducing safety. CTS, and in particular easyconnect, help with that. We are convinced farmers will find it beneficial,” said Louise Brinkworth, Product Stewardship Manager Northern Europe, Corteva Agriscience.
Bertrand Lombard, Vice President, ADAMA South Europe, added: “It is a significant benefit for the farmer when the CTS is simple to use; the easyconnect technology reduces the lifting of cans and thereby minimizes the handling of products.” “We would be delighted to see farmers adopting CTS. That is why five of the biggest industry players are now taking a further step to independently test the easyconnect system more broadly and to continually improve the way crop protection products are handled,” said Karina von Detten, Head of Portfolio Solutions EuMEA at Nufarm. Developed by BASF in collaboration with third-party equipment manufacturers, easyconnect has been extensively tested on-farm in selected countries since 2015. Based on farmers’ feedback, the system has been steadily improved in terms of handling and speed, making the filling faster than via the commonly used induction hopper. Further industry players in the agrochemical sector, equipment manufacturers or any other parties interested in joining the launch of easyconnect in the countries mentioned above are welcome to contact any of the five companies for more information.
Agricultural industry leaders join forces to introduce closed transfer system technology for farmers
Violence puts free election in doubt advocates say
Political advocacy groups and electoral elites are expressing concern about the lack of security in some parts of Ethiopia. They say it could hinder the upcoming election. The government says there are no plans to postpone the 2020 election even though some areas of Ethiopia are under command post control while others have been disabled from attacks.
During a recent dialogue organized by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung under the title: ‘election and political parties proclamation of Ethiopia’ senior members of NEBE expressed their concern that if more steps weren’t taken ensure a peaceful climate, it could negatively impact the next election.
The way things are now is making it difficult for all sides to get their views heard, members of the civic association said, adding that the instability affects the election process and fair competition.
The civic society members appreciate the government’s decision encourage civic society to be active in the election process, which was suspended after the 2005 election. They are happy to play a role in a free and fair election process to improve the democratization process. According to them, the peace issue affects their ability to contribute to the election.
Some of the minority parties say the recently amended electrical proclamation is a challenge for them. The proclamation requires national parties to come up with at least 10,000 signatures to get on the ballot. Smaller parties argue that the unstable conditions make it difficult for them to get 10,000 signatures, a dramatic increase from the previous number of 3,000.
Since the proclamation was amended during the extraordinary meeting at the parliament last summer, some of the small parties say that the rules create a rigged system where they can’t compete on the same playing field. However, other parties are happy with the rules.
Sudden attacks and instability have occurred in various parts of Ethiopia. Last week there were killings in SNNP and Afar. Some political parties are reluctant to campaign in towns where unrest may occur, which also presents a challenge for future elections
The election is expected to be held during May 2020. Following the massive reform operation by the ruling EPRDF almost all parties who were also categorized as terrorist organizations have entered the country to compete peacefully.
Mobile banking finally
According to World Bank Findex Report 2018 only 35 percent of Ethiopians have an account at a financial institution. This figure is even smaller for young adults ages 15-24 (28 percent) and the poorest 40 percent of Ethiopians. The top reasons why people don’t have a bank account are because the financial institution is too far away (20 percent), and lack of sufficient funds to open an account, to accomplish this mobile money providers have a defining role to work on financial inclusion.
Mark Duffy is CEO of MOSS powering, which is the technology provider of M-birr.
Mark has over 30 years of experience in international financial services. He previously led the rescue and turn around creating Ireland’s first new bank in a generation. He was also Chairman of the group’s global Fintech group focused on applying new technologies to gain a competitive advantage.
Capital met with Mark, to talk about on the Fintech as part of financial inclusion and his company MOSS.
Capital: Tell us about MOSS?
Mark Duffy: MOSS is not a financial institution we are a company that provides financial institutions with the technology, skills and sometimes training to do so, we are enabling MFI’s to do this their own networks jointly or individually, with six MFI’s We distribute the social PSMP.
Capital: How do you evaluate your journey so far as you enter Ethiopia to provide the technology for mobile money?
Mark Duffy: It is most interesting and a very positive connotation because of political changes and growth in the economy, Ethiopia is on the march but MOSS is not on the march. I see Ethiopia is the second biggest country in Africa, the economy is booming the population has a desire to move on and capitalize on the positive macro-economic changes for, a business person experienced in the banking industry for several years and the MOSS professional CEO, personally, aspiring to make the industry to push in to the next stage. For the over the next three of five years we hope we build on the success and made a bigger contribution for Ethiopian society.
Capital: What has MOSS contributed to Fintech in Ethiopia so far?
Mark Duffy: I think the unique contribution about MOSS is we are ready to go to the next stage making investment in people and new technology now we got that stage and we need put that investment to wrap up to grow the business to un leash that potential MOSS contribution for Ethiopia is, MOSS is the first Mobile money provider, the second thing is it has a unique focus that has been working mainly in rural Ethiopia, when you are looking at expanding the banking community and expanding in general, we are looking our competitors which is very important for the industry to succeed, others are hugely concentrated in urban areas which is easy to do business but, we chose to work on 80-85 percent of the population of Ethiopia live and work, in a countryside because I know what rural society works as I was from the rural part of my little Ireland and farmers all over the world are more or less the same. Moss is the biggest in rural Ethiopia in providing Mobile money service through six MFI’S which is a huge contribution. It is not much easier to do business in rural areas. It is a lot easier in cities, so our plan is to be a key player in those areas. We have more than 1.5 million registered customers we have over 12 thousand branches, agents through MFI’S network to work with so the main difference between MOSS and other competitors, we are rural focused What we look is to expand our network and grow our huge presence through MFI’S that helps to balance the rural and urban Ethiopians.
Capital: Moss is working with six MFI’s is there any plan to scale up to the other MFI’S because there are nearly 40 MFI’s now?
Mark Duffy: Yes, what we need is to decide to do this, we arrived with a suitcase-an idea with private technology so we moved from that beach land in to the grass and established a business to do, and now we move on to the grass, for the last few years we have developed a good relationship with NBE and other government organs, we have the technology. First, we invested in the people to bring us to the next chapter of development, to build business in rural Ethiopia, deliver more balance by getting more, customers to do in JV in MFI’S and another financial institutions to be at the back to enable them to do business efficiently and help to expand their customer base. In the next three to five years, we hope it multiplies our customers as we back MFI’S to do so.
Capital: Have you received any governmental support in your effort to create fintech?
Mark Duffy: Yes, we have huge support from the Prime Minister’s Office, in financial inclusion as there is the possibility to combat corruption, particularly in deliberate solutions in the areas it is extremely difficult for regulators. I have worked in the public service and I have worked with them together not in dispute or as an enemy and delivered regulators all over the world to tackle the enormous challenge.
Capital: What are the challenges and opportunities for Fintech in Ethiopia?
Mark Deffy: Increase the mobile telephone penetration.
Mobile technology is very important, additional operators in telecom opens to door to enable more people to have a telephone hopefully more people will use mobile money. I will persuade them to Use MOSS tech services like M-Birr ,I think the biggest challenges are 70 percent of the population is un banked ,that is an opportunity and challenge and the MFI’S learn new skills, just like the National Bank of Ethiopia there are challenges that they work with stake holders to get over all those challenges in my view 70 percent of an unbanked society is the most amazing opportunity. That is why you have five credible competitors, that the bank use mobile money ,it is the quickest way to bank and reduce the unbanked societies in relation to financial inclusion and useing mobile money is not only for financial inclusion and I think it is an accepted fact in economics the greater the financial inclusion, the grater the wealth. There are big challenges like structural challenges lot of things going on. Ethiopia’s adoption of technology really surprised me and that is a tremendous opportunity.
Capital: What do think the government can do to improve infrastructure or legal frameworks to facilitate a cashless society?
Mark Duffy: My experience working for 7 international markets shows that in banking industry needs clear polices in order to motivate local business regulators (NBE) in this case I found complete absence in Ethiopia changing polices. The pro fin-tech, the pro mobile money, and they have been a huge help for the national bank which is learning new technology to allow us to advance our business. This is one of the key reasons because of easy access to pro fin-tech mobile money. We have to help each other because it is a new learning experience, as these are new concepts in which the government has to make sure about digital inclusion. The regulator is there, for us these are fantastically opened and make progress. If I was the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, or the governor of NBE, I could get four of five players, and these players would bring more advanced technology and transfer the technology to Ethiopian companies those companies who are running the majority of the profit in the transaction and Ethiopians are up to scale in managing those companies and having such enormous effect in banking rural Ethiopia, existing players don’t and it doesn’t cost Ethiopia hugely. So it’s a positive reaction. Breathe the fresh air I have to say.
Capital; Ethiopia will have additional telecom operators in the near future, how will it affect FinTech?
Mark Duffy: It is great news to have more than two potential telecom operators. It means there are competitors to deliver affordable and quality service. Each of them will take the ethio telecom already announced to begin Mobile money components, why do they do this? Because they have Mobil coverage, technology, business and know how, that it is very natural very natural to increase the government values that benefits every Ethiopian. This means Moss is the first and leading provider of mobile money and it means opportunities for to picking up one of the three operators in the box which benefits more Ethiopians to have more telephones, which means Mobil money operators will work on it, as it is the quickest way to an unbanked the society that is why I said it is good news not only for the companies but also for the country as a whole. MOSS hopes to play a small role.
AFRICAN WOMEN LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Films have been known to begin trends and even create a true sense of “woke” as seen with Wakanda, which many claim are responsible for the recent rush into Africa by many in the Diaspora desiring to reconnect with the Motherland. YEAR OF RETURN Campaign in Ghana can attest to this phenomenon. A new film, Harriet, opens to the public on November 1st. It’s about a real life hero of the 19th century, Harriet Tubman, a little known name to most Ethiopians and continent for that matter. The movie introduces the fearless female credited for taking approximately 13 missions to free scores of enslaved Africans to freedom from the southern states in the USA through the Underground Railroad, a system of secret paths and “safe houses through Buffalo New York across the water into Canada. Born in 1822 into slavery, this wonder woman would also become a Civil War scout and spy for the Union Army, seeking to end the brutal system of slavery. Tubman would also go on to become a leading activist in the women’s suffrage movement, as even white women had no rights in America during this period. Harriet is played by Nigerian-British actress Cynthia Eriva a Tony Award winner for the 2015 Broadway rendition of The Color Purple.
Such bio-pics bring us closer to the lives of Black s/heroes, many times buried in books on library shelves and dusted off in February, Black History Month, for mere moments. Harriet, directed by female African- American Kasi Lemmons, will help us understand the passion that drives women when faced with situations that are near impossible to navigate, yet realize that freedom cannot be compromised. I hope this story of sheroism and leadership will encourage African women, in particular to find their strength.
Fast forward to another no nonsense woman trending, in the 21st century, with almost 50,000 signatures on a petition for her reinstatement as the African Union Rep to the USA, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao. CNN has joined the numerous African news agencies and bloggers swirling stories about the unceremonious and ambiguous termination letter by her boss, AU Chairperson, Chadian Moussa Faki Mahamat on October 7th giving 3 weeks to clear out of office. A successful medical doctor, Chihombori- Quao has been in the post since 2017 but a delegation dispatched by the Chairperson’s office including his Deputy Chief of Staff, Budget and Finance, Legal Council and Faki’s Spokesperson were sent to DC on the 17th to “…ensure a smooth transition…” according to the leaked Interoffice Memo. Hmmm doesn’t sounds like “normal diplomatic practice…” according to the press release issued by the Faki’s Spokesperson, Ebba Kalondo. The first sentence in the published communiqué reads, “The African Union Commission is aware of reports circulating on social media making claims surrounding…the recall…” Nice to know social media influenced the AU’s press release, but curious that there was no response to the plethora of African lawyers, educators, business people, students, artists and activist bombarding the AU with calls and emails demanding her reinstatement and/or at least rationale for the prompt termination. Gil Scott Herron sang, “The revolution will not be televised…” I say the revolution will be tweeted.
So how does this tie into art and culture? The outspoken yet polished and poised Good Dr. Arikana, a successful medical doctor from Zimbabwe, openly and passionately called for the return of centuries old artifacts stolen by several colonial powers including France. This incident has led to Ghana’s past President Jerry Rawlings weighing in, stating her removal came from “French controlled minds.” Many times the voices of our leaders in these esteemed positions are dimmed by the prestige and benefits of the post. Dr. Arikana put it all on the line and erred on the side of the best interest of Africans, those at home and those abroad, in the hopes of creating awareness as to what is really going on and how we can be part of successful campaigns for the return of our cultural heritage, avoiding the pitfalls of the past in the future. We will see what happens next, but knowing the good doctor, as I do, and I consider her a Sister and colleague, after years serving the interests of the Diaspora; like Harriet’s story may help us find our strength, may this fiasco help us find our voices, ensuring our heritage and wealth is never again pillaged.
Another powerful Sistar, my mentor and former boss, Dr. Nana Rita Marley O.D., wife of reggae icon Bob Marley, taught me lots about strength under fire. From our community activism in the 80’s in the Rastafari Movement to professional accomplishments when I served her as Managing Director of the Bob Marley Foundation, Mrs. Marley exemplifies strength and an incredible voice sending us message music over the decades of African resilience, unity and pride. With Bob’s 75th Birthday coming in a few short months, I had Nana on my mind. Recovering wonderfully from a stroke several years ago, the Reggae Matriarch who calls Ethiopia her spiritual home, sent a big ‘HARAMBE…I LOVE YOU” over the phone. Yearning to return to Africa as soon as possible, particularly her residence in Ghana, her decision to bring African Unite, Bob’s 60th Birthday to Ethiopia almost 15 years ago, remains the largest international music event in Ethiopia. All said and done, we look forward to a bright future where strong African women lead by example and whose voices are supported by men who know that the revolution may not be televised but will certainly show up on your newsfeed. Get ready!
Dr. Desta Meghoo is a Jamaican born
Creative Consultant, Curator and cultural promoter based in Ethiopia since 2005. She also serves as Liaison to the AU for the Ghana based, Diaspora African Forum.
