Regional Updates MIDDLE EAST/MEDITERRANEAN COMMENTS Egypt has advised that fuel prices will be reviewed every three months after recent increases of up to 30 percent. The subsidized fuel prices there will be based on world fuel prices as well as the value of the Egyptian pound against the USD. Reports in Egypt say that poultry prices will have to increase due to the higher costs of cooling/heating poultry houses and transporting grain from the port to farms. However, the government says that bread prices will not rise. Egypt is setting up a National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) to “improve regulatory oversight and efficiency in the food system.” It is expected to “play a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of the g...
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.
Kiwengwa/Pongwe Forest Reserve Kiwengwa/Pongwe Forest Reserve is located on the northeast coast of Unguja, 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the Town. The reserve is an important biodiversity spot in the coral rag zone. The forest reserve is rich both in faunal and floral species. The faunal species r...
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