One thing I don’t think you’ll ever find me doing is calf roping. I may as well jump off a building as a horse after roping a calf. That is, if I could even swing the rope and ride at the same time. These guys make it look like a piece of cake though. It’s still relatively early here in …
Meeting Callaway
I don’t mean the golf company. Maybe you don’t know Callaway yet but I do. She’s a very young singing star and will be performing tonight at the National Appaloosa Show. She’s on the left in case you didn’t figure that out. I’ll let you figure out who’s on the right. Callaway will be performing a benefit concert for the …
Ag Secretary Ed Schafer Urges Private Investors to Develop Africa
Investment in Africa is spurring economic innovation and growth throughout the continent. There’s no question about that for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer. “Make no mistake about it,” Schafer said. “Investment in agriculture, investment in the structure of agriculture to move food to the market, is an investment in Africa’s future.” Schafer urged private sector investors to build …
These Girls Are Cowboys
The Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls are performing at the National Appaloosa Show for two nights. According to Executive Director, Jennifer Nicholson, they’ll be doing their choreographed lasso dance and acrobatic trick riding. This morning I got to talk with them so in the interview you can hear from each of the girls here, ages 9 to 17, with Jennifer in …
Real Data, Real Solutions, Real Impact on Africa
The poorest of Africa spend 70 percent of their income on food. That’s the reality the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development Africa Bureau put before the 300 attendees of the 2008 U.S. Africa Agribusiness Forum this week. That’s the reality that Franklin Moore wants the public and private sectors in the U.S. and Africa to …
Millennium Challenge Taking Up the African Challenge
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an organization dedicated to reducing poverty worldwide. Ambassador John Danilovich, CEO of MCC, says a large part of the MCC mission lies in Africa. He says the MCC is partnered with 17 countries around the globe in an effort to reduce poverty through sustainable economic growth. Ten of those countries are in sub-Sahara Africa, drawing …
Appaloosa On The Move
This week’s ZimmCast is a little late I know but I wanted to wait until I got to Jackson, MS and the National Appaloosa Show so we could learn about how they’ve handled a major move to a new city with a show that’s been held in another location for a long time. So this week you can hear Appaloosa …
Nigeria to Declare State of Energy Emergency
The energy sector is, as Nigeria’s Honorable Peter Odebunmi puts it, “the bane of our non development.” Peter is a Representative of the Federal Repbulic of Nigeria. He says Nigeria lacks an adequate energy supply, which increases costs and makes domestic goods uncompetitive in the global market. That’s why, he says, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua plans to declare a state …
A New Vision for Africa
Changing the African vision from one of short-term pay-offs to that of long-term success was one of the key issues for panelists at the “Education and Knowledge Building in Animal Agriculture” breakout session. The session was one of fifteen being offered at the 2008 U.S. Africa Agribusiness Forum. The workshop, sponsored by Novus International, featured a panel of experts that …
Nigeria an Emerging Market for Agriculture
There is money to be made in Nigeria. Dr. Isa Yugada, Executive Governor of the Bauchi State in Nigeria assured every potential investor of that at the 2008 U.S. Africa Agribusiness Forum. Isa highlighted Nigeria’s natural habitat for a diverse selection of crops including tomatoes, sorghum, maize, millet, rice, cassava, beans and more. He added that Nigeria possesses poultry, livestock, …