News Archives -

Dr. David Amudavi: Agricultural land under organic farming is steadily increasing.

Over the last two decades, the development of Organic Agriculture has gained momentum in Africa. Agricultural land under organic farming is steadily increasing according to data released by FiBL. Dr. David Amudavi, the BvAT Director, said this when he spoke at the Biofach Session on the Global Organic Market Overview attended by over 200 people. The session looked deeper into the market developments and reflected about trends and strategic market positioning following presentation of new statistic figures on the first day of the fair. Presenting on the African perspective, he noted that according to the latest FiBL data, Africa had almost 2.1 million hectares of agricultural land under organic farming in 2017, which is 0.2 percent of the continent’s total agricultural area and 3 percent of the global organic agricultural area. This is an increase of about 255,000 hectares or 14 percent compared to 2016, and it increased by more than 2 million hectares from the 52,000 hectares in 2000. The current organic size area is from 44 countries that […]

The BvAT ED attends Berlin International Green Week

The Biovision Africa Trust executive director, Dr. David Amudavi, was among thousands of participants from different countries and across different sectors that attended the Berlin International Green Week (IGW), supported by BMZ. The event took place from 18th to 27th January 2019 in Berlin, Germany. Founded in Berlin in the Golden 20s (1926), IGW is a one-of-a-kind international exhibition of the food, agriculture and gardening industries. IGW is the origin of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA). This is where over 80 international ministries and food producers meet – their displays reveal the fascinating world of the food and beverage industries. Dr. Amudavi attended this event courtesy of the BMZ support. The event brought together; Over 1,700 exhibitors with over 100,000 products from all over the world. 300 technical conferences. Food industry representatives, wholesalers, retailers, caterers. Agricultural importers. International specialists from all fields of agriculture, forestry, horticulture and commercial fishing. Agricultural policy and administration experts. During his participation in the event, Dr. Amudavi had positive interactions with the […]

BvAT to take lead as the coordinating organization for the BMZ supported Knowledge Hub for Organic Agriculture in Eastern Africa

German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is set to support a network of regional knowledge hubs for organic farming in Africa through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The new organic knowledge centers will be based in Eastern, Western and Southern Africa with an already established Organic Hub in Egypt, North Africa. Biovision Africa Trust based in Kenya is set to take lead in the coordination, establishment and running of the BMB/GIZ supported Knowledge Hub for Organic Agriculture in Eastern Africa with its consortium of regional partners – IFOAM OI, CIAT, ICIPE and Access Agriculture for a period of 5 years. The project will be implemented in 6 countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. This comes after BvAT with its consortium of partners submitted a convincing and comprehensive proposal for setting up the Eastern Africa regional hub and went through all the approval stages of initial screening, due diligence assessment by independent assessors and further institutional assessment by GIZ and BMZ. BvAT passed the test. […]

SSNC’s General Secretary’s Visit to BvAT

Biovision Africa Trust played host to SSNC’s General Secretary Ms. Karin Lexen at their offices on January 22nd, 2019. The main aim of her visit was to understand BvATs work especially the programmes supported by SSNC and understand other areas that the 2 organizations can establish partnerships in the future. During her visit, she was welcomed by BvAT staff who held intensive discussions to give her an in-depth understanding of BvATs work in Kenya and the rest of Africa. Ms. Karin was taken through the overall work of BvAT and the work BvAT is doing through one of its key main programmes, the Farmer Communications Programme (FCP) by Ms. Pauline Mundia the Outreach Manager of FCP. Ms. Mundia explained that FCP program funded by Biovision Foundation is implemented through 4 communication channels of Farmer Outreach Centres, The Organic Farmer Magazine, The Organic Farmer Radio and Infonet data base. Ms. Karin was also taken through the work BvAT is doing under the Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative (EOA-I ) by Ms. Venancia […]

Urban Farming Through Agroecological Technologies

In every food conference today, there is a tract on urban farming; there are participants and speakers referring to themselves as urban farmers. If you google “urban agriculture”, you will find thousands of results. Urban farming is clearly in the mind and eyes of many individuals, community groups, environmentalists and even NGOs. That’s great, but what does it all mean, what is urban farming and why all the interest now? The term “Urban farming” may sound like an oxymoron, but the concept has gone from being unimaginable to a real solution food security. Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) has been at the core of promoting this emerging solution to food security through its trainings on agroecological practices and that forms the basis for our story of the week. We focus on Mrs. Gaudensia Musanga, a business lady residing with her family on a small plot at the Shibuye market center in Shinyalu, Kakamega County. Living in a predominantly farming community, Musanga felt disadvantaged having to buy food when most people got […]

Das ist für deutsche Sprecher. BvAT war in den Schweizer Medien

The Biovision Foundation marked its 20th anniversary of supporting people in developing regions and providing real help. During these celebrations, Biovision used the 3rd week of November 2018 to reflect on its work in Africa. Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) work also featured and it was trending in the Swiss media. This is an article that featured in the Swiss media Article about Biovision Projects

BvAT and Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) collaboration grows stronger

From L to R: Robert Nyikuli (BvAT Finance Manager), Kinyua Nyamu (CBA, Treasury), Peter K. Mwaniki (Relationship Manager, Corporate Business), Judy Mbethe (Senior Relationship Manager, Corporate Banking), Dr. David Amudavi (BvAT Executive Director) and Raphael Agung’ (Treasurer, Kenya Treasury) In the recent past, the Bank – NGO relationship hadn’t been one of the best with many NGOs being distrustful of how banks operate. However, there is growing urgency for the two institutions to work more closely together to add value to the services they render to their clients given their common niche in the arena of economic and sustainable development. Since its inception in 2009, Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) has had a principal financial partner in the Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA). A partnership that has seen BvAT conveniently carry out its transactions such as paying its staff, converting currencies and transferring funds to partners implementing collaborative project activities across several countries in Africa. This relationship has kept growing and improving over time. On the 24th of October 2018, BvAT […]

Combating Climate Change With Agroforestry

“The best time to plant trees was 20 years ago, but the send best time to plant trees in now” so goes the adage. The current challenges faced in the agricultural sector emanate from the effects of climate change which are directly linked to deforestation. Mitigating and even reversing this dangerous trend is inevitable if we must save our food production systems keep the world food secure. Aping from the president Kenyatta’s directive on a 1.8 billion national tree planting drive, Biovision Africa Trust and PELUM Kenya recently held a workshop to; i. Enhance the capacities of smallholder farmers and extension agents on agroforestry practices in Western Kenya ii. Establish a strategy on establishing community nurseries. The agroforestry project is implemented under the auspices of SSNC and it is aimed at ‘Improving sustainable farming practices of smallholder farms in Western Kenya through enhanced integration of agroforestry practices by 2019’. The workshop was conducted after a due diligence was conducted and participating groups identified. The project works with groups to maximize […]

Biovision Africa Trust Holds the West Africa Key Stakeholders Workshop for the Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative in Cotonou, Benin.

Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) as an Executing Agency of the Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative in Africa is hosting the second 5-day workshop for 40 participants from Western Africa (Nigeria, Mali, Senegal and Benin) from 13th -17th August, 2018 at the Riviera Hotel, Cotonou, Benin. This follows a successful recent workshop held in Machakos, Kenya for partners and stakeholders from Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania). In his welcome remarks Professor Simplice Davo Vodouhe, from the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonou, thanked the participants for coming and hoped the opportunity would provide a productive and engaging session with the West African partners to share experiences and learn from each other. Mr. Bokonon Ganta Aimé, the Chair of the Benin EOA National Steering Committee welcomed the participants too to Benin and to the workshop and looked forward to a successful workshop. Dr. David Amudavi the Executive Director of Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) also gave his opening remarks and was glad to see good representation from the participating West African […]

Why We Need to Tell Success Stories; BvAT Executive Director Dr. David Amudavi

“Success stories are about our dreams,” he begun, “Dream of what you can do to change a farmer and his/her family positively by either increasing production, improving nutrition, improving the environmental condition, improving his/her welfare or the general happiness of the farmer.” According to Dr. David Amudavi, the Executive Director of BvAT, success stories are proof that you have something to offer to the farmer. It is an innovative way of telling others what we are doing as an organization. His advice was, one should dream and act to realize the story because success stories do no happen by accident or chance but rather by design. Dr. Amudavi advised that one should come up with or tap into innovations, necessary technologies and new ideas to help achieve one’s dream. Harmoniously, success stories are not a waste of time but rather a powerful way to carry out extension work, and such stories help farmers to reduce risks in decision making. Success stories help shorten the learning curve, invites support to what […]