I’ve been blessed to travel me Africa with my passion for fish farming
Africa with my passion for fish farming
Africa with my passion for fish farming and in doing so have been lucky to meet
and in doing so have been lucky to meet
and in doing so have been lucky to meet up with many many small-scale farmers
up with many many small-scale farmers
up with many many small-scale farmers but because of the growing interest in
but because of the growing interest in
but because of the growing interest in fish farming I also get to interact with
fish farming I also get to interact with
fish farming I also get to interact with a lot of people a young entrepreneur
a lot of people a young entrepreneur
a lot of people a young entrepreneur came to see me not so long ago when he
came to see me not so long ago when he
came to see me not so long ago when he wanted to build a fish farm in the
wanted to build a fish farm in the
wanted to build a fish farm in the village where he’s from so I said to him
village where he’s from so I said to him
village where he’s from so I said to him do you still have family living in the
do you still have family living in the
do you still have family living in the village and he said yes so I said to him
village and he said yes so I said to him
village and he said yes so I said to him how does your family at home eat and he
how does your family at home eat and he
how does your family at home eat and he looked at me somewhat bewildered and
looked at me somewhat bewildered and
looked at me somewhat bewildered and confused I said him how do they get food
confused I said him how do they get food
confused I said him how do they get food onto the table said will they buy it
onto the table said will they buy it
onto the table said will they buy it took my cell phone out of my pocket and
took my cell phone out of my pocket and
took my cell phone out of my pocket and I said no they don’t they get it from
I said no they don’t they get it from
I said no they don’t they get it from this and that leads us to feeding rural
this and that leads us to feeding rural
this and that leads us to feeding rural communities through technology what if
communities through technology what if
communities through technology what if we could feed the world via a simple
we could feed the world via a simple
we could feed the world via a simple message a simple SMS that would change
message a simple SMS that would change
message a simple SMS that would change lives daily while we are ready doing
lives daily while we are ready doing
lives daily while we are ready doing that to some extent and let me explain
that to some extent and let me explain
that to some extent and let me explain how this particular young man i said to
how this particular young man i said to
how this particular young man i said to him say you get a SMS from your mother
him say you get a SMS from your mother
him say you get a SMS from your mother at home where she’s living the store
at home where she’s living the store
at home where she’s living the store some of your siblings what is that
some of your siblings what is that
some of your siblings what is that message say it’s a very simple message
message say it’s a very simple message
message say it’s a very simple message it says there is no food at home now
it says there is no food at home now
it says there is no food at home now he’s confused by the statement because
he’s confused by the statement because
he’s confused by the statement because his family are small-scale farmers they
his family are small-scale farmers they
his family are small-scale farmers they must be food at home so he sends a reply
must be food at home so he sends a reply
must be food at home so he sends a reply to his mother it says I don’t understand
to his mother it says I don’t understand
to his mother it says I don’t understand this message of yours there’s no food at
this message of yours there’s no food at
this message of yours there’s no food at home she’s thinking I made many
home she’s thinking I made many
home she’s thinking I made many sacrifices i sent my son to a good
sacrifices i sent my son to a good
sacrifices i sent my son to a good school he’s been to university why can
school he’s been to university why can
school he’s been to university why can he not understand my message but let me
he not understand my message but let me
he not understand my message but let me translate it for him so she sends the
translate it for him so she sends the
translate it for him so she sends the translation there’s no money at home
translation there’s no money at home
translation there’s no money at home with a sad face we live in a community
with a sad face we live in a community
with a sad face we live in a community and a society now we’re sending money
and a society now we’re sending money
and a society now we’re sending money around the world is very simple so he
around the world is very simple so he
around the world is very simple so he decides I’m going to send my mother a
decides I’m going to send my mother a
decides I’m going to send my mother a hundred grand and I’m lucky that I got
hundred grand and I’m lucky that I got
hundred grand and I’m lucky that I got out of that rule situation that I live
out of that rule situation that I live
out of that rule situation that I live in the city I live in a nice house
in the city I live in a nice house
in the city I live in a nice house I have a good job i drive a fast car and
I have a good job i drive a fast car and
I have a good job i drive a fast car and I can afford the hundred Rand does that
I can afford the hundred Rand does that
I can afford the hundred Rand does that hundred ran really buy food what does it
hundred ran really buy food what does it
hundred ran really buy food what does it get spent on well the first thing it’s
get spent on well the first thing it’s
get spent on well the first thing it’s going to do is buy transport because we
going to do is buy transport because we
going to do is buy transport because we need to get from our village to the
need to get from our village to the
need to get from our village to the convenience store where we going to buy
convenience store where we going to buy
convenience store where we going to buy this food so we now arrive at the
this food so we now arrive at the
this food so we now arrive at the convenience store and at the top of our
convenience store and at the top of our
convenience store and at the top of our shopping list again it’s not an item of
shopping list again it’s not an item of
shopping list again it’s not an item of food its air time because next week I’m
food its air time because next week I’m
food its air time because next week I’m going to have to send another message to
going to have to send another message to
going to have to send another message to some member of my family to say there’s
some member of my family to say there’s
some member of my family to say there’s no food at home we can now get into
no food at home we can now get into
no food at home we can now get into buying food and obviously we need to buy
buying food and obviously we need to buy
buying food and obviously we need to buy something staple something that will
something staple something that will
something staple something that will fill the stomachs and so we buy super
fill the stomachs and so we buy super
fill the stomachs and so we buy super white refined maize meal some of our
white refined maize meal some of our
white refined maize meal some of our children will the siblings are still at
children will the siblings are still at
children will the siblings are still at school so they need to be healthy they
school so they need to be healthy they
school so they need to be healthy they need to get the right balance of
need to get the right balance of
need to get the right balance of vitamins and minerals so the next
vitamins and minerals so the next
vitamins and minerals so the next purchase on our list would be vegetables
purchase on our list would be vegetables
purchase on our list would be vegetables what vegetables are we buying we’re
what vegetables are we buying we’re
what vegetables are we buying we’re buying rape and spinach and cabbage
buying rape and spinach and cabbage
buying rape and spinach and cabbage tomatoes and onions so which of these
tomatoes and onions so which of these
tomatoes and onions so which of these can we buy this week this will now leave
can we buy this week this will now leave
can we buy this week this will now leave us with 20 ran to buy protein or meet
us with 20 ran to buy protein or meet
us with 20 ran to buy protein or meet with 20 round what cuts of meat can we
with 20 round what cuts of meat can we
with 20 round what cuts of meat can we buy the cheapest the chicken heads and
buy the cheapest the chicken heads and
buy the cheapest the chicken heads and feet the tripe I macrina the pig’s head
feet the tripe I macrina the pig’s head
feet the tripe I macrina the pig’s head the cheapest poorest quality processed
the cheapest poorest quality processed
the cheapest poorest quality processed meats that we can afford is what we’re
meats that we can afford is what we’re
meats that we can afford is what we’re going to be eating this week and while
going to be eating this week and while
going to be eating this week and while this situation seems rather tragic the
this situation seems rather tragic the
this situation seems rather tragic the bigger picture will evolve 10 or 20
bigger picture will evolve 10 or 20
bigger picture will evolve 10 or 20 years from now all of this convenient
years from now all of this convenient
years from now all of this convenient shopping like I said even a simple
shopping like I said even a simple
shopping like I said even a simple product like maize we don’t have to plow
product like maize we don’t have to plow
product like maize we don’t have to plow anymore we don’t have to plant anymore
anymore we don’t have to plant anymore
anymore we don’t have to plant anymore we don’t have to water we don’t have to
we don’t have to water we don’t have to
we don’t have to water we don’t have to grow we don’t have to harvest we don’t
grow we don’t have to harvest we don’t
grow we don’t have to harvest we don’t have to pound we don’t have to sift it
have to pound we don’t have to sift it
have to pound we don’t have to sift it comes in a convenient pack from a
comes in a convenient pack from a
comes in a convenient pack from a convenience store
convenience store
convenience store there’s not more telling of the soil
there’s not more telling of the soil
there’s not more telling of the soil normal hurting of animals we just need
normal hurting of animals we just need
normal hurting of animals we just need to send an SMS get the money go to the
to send an SMS get the money go to the
to send an SMS get the money go to the shop and buy the food so 10 or 20 years
shop and buy the food so 10 or 20 years
shop and buy the food so 10 or 20 years from now after all this has been
from now after all this has been
from now after all this has been happening what’s going to happen when we
happening what’s going to happen when we
happening what’s going to happen when we develop cities like Johannesburg and
develop cities like Johannesburg and
develop cities like Johannesburg and Pretoria with populations of 50 million
Pretoria with populations of 50 million
Pretoria with populations of 50 million people who is going to feed those cities
people who is going to feed those cities
people who is going to feed those cities the same rural farmers that have now
the same rural farmers that have now
the same rural farmers that have now divorced themselves from the farming
divorced themselves from the farming
divorced themselves from the farming practices I’d like to leave you with
practices I’d like to leave you with
practices I’d like to leave you with some thoughts around food food supply
some thoughts around food food supply
some thoughts around food food supply food on African continent currently
food on African continent currently
food on African continent currently Africa is spending 25 billion dollars a
Africa is spending 25 billion dollars a
Africa is spending 25 billion dollars a year importing food this is a continent
year importing food this is a continent
year importing food this is a continent with vast resources fertile land rain
with vast resources fertile land rain
with vast resources fertile land rain farmers everything we need to grow our
farmers everything we need to grow our
farmers everything we need to grow our own food the country like Ghana which
own food the country like Ghana which
own food the country like Ghana which has a coastline and has vast freshwater
has a coastline and has vast freshwater
has a coastline and has vast freshwater resources or spending six hundred
resources or spending six hundred
resources or spending six hundred million dollars a year just on the
million dollars a year just on the
million dollars a year just on the importation of fish after oil the next
importation of fish after oil the next
importation of fish after oil the next biggest import in America is fashion we
biggest import in America is fashion we
biggest import in America is fashion we have trawlers in our oceans that have
have trawlers in our oceans that have
have trawlers in our oceans that have nets that could accommodate 13 747s or
nets that could accommodate 13 747s or
nets that could accommodate 13 747s or 500 tons of fish in one hole of one net
there are billion people in the world
there are billion people in the world who are reliant on fish as their major
who are reliant on fish as their major
who are reliant on fish as their major source of protein and for centuries now
source of protein and for centuries now
source of protein and for centuries now we’ve been dragging all of this valuable
we’ve been dragging all of this valuable
we’ve been dragging all of this valuable resource out of out of our oceans out of
resource out of out of our oceans out of
resource out of out of our oceans out of our legs such as Lake Malawi Lake
our legs such as Lake Malawi Lake
our legs such as Lake Malawi Lake Tanganyika Lake Victoria Africa now is
Tanganyika Lake Victoria Africa now is
Tanganyika Lake Victoria Africa now is the only continent in the world with a
the only continent in the world with a
the only continent in the world with a per capita of fish consumption has
per capita of fish consumption has
per capita of fish consumption has decreased because we exporting it all
tilapia is a fantastic fish it occurs in
tilapia is a fantastic fish it occurs in 36 species it’s far from Cape Town to
36 species it’s far from Cape Town to
36 species it’s far from Cape Town to Cairo it is now the fourth most farmed
Cairo it is now the fourth most farmed
Cairo it is now the fourth most farmed fish in the world is accepted at every
fish in the world is accepted at every
fish in the world is accepted at every every level of our society
every level of our society
every level of our society Walmart’s Marks & Spencer Emirates
Walmart’s Marks & Spencer Emirates
Walmart’s Marks & Spencer Emirates Airlines all used to live here now as a
Airlines all used to live here now as a
Airlines all used to live here now as a fish on their menus and yet in Africa
fish on their menus and yet in Africa
fish on their menus and yet in Africa the production and farming of tilapia
the production and farming of tilapia
the production and farming of tilapia stagnated while in the rest of the world
stagnated while in the rest of the world
stagnated while in the rest of the world there’s 85 countries exploiting this
there’s 85 countries exploiting this
there’s 85 countries exploiting this resource for their own benefit the
resource for their own benefit the
resource for their own benefit the president of Zambia a few weeks ago
president of Zambia a few weeks ago
president of Zambia a few weeks ago opened up a new fish bowl and that’s
opened up a new fish bowl and that’s
opened up a new fish bowl and that’s only the second phone that I’ve seen
only the second phone that I’ve seen
only the second phone that I’ve seen developed in my 30 years in the industry
developed in my 30 years in the industry
developed in my 30 years in the industry in sub-saharan Africa at this particular
in sub-saharan Africa at this particular
in sub-saharan Africa at this particular opening somebody said to him mr.
opening somebody said to him mr.
opening somebody said to him mr. president do you realize that most of
president do you realize that most of
president do you realize that most of the tilapia that is being consumed in
the tilapia that is being consumed in
the tilapia that is being consumed in Zambia is being imported from China and
Zambia is being imported from China and
Zambia is being imported from China and he wanted to know how did we allow such
he wanted to know how did we allow such
he wanted to know how did we allow such a valuable resource to be taken out of
a valuable resource to be taken out of
a valuable resource to be taken out of Africa worked with in terms of genetic
Africa worked with in terms of genetic
Africa worked with in terms of genetic improvement production facilities farmed
improvement production facilities farmed
improvement production facilities farmed overseas and re-exported back to Africa
overseas and re-exported back to Africa
overseas and re-exported back to Africa we should be exporting this fish to the
we should be exporting this fish to the
we should be exporting this fish to the rest of the world so we need farmers
rest of the world so we need farmers
rest of the world so we need farmers both commercial farmers and small-scale
both commercial farmers and small-scale
both commercial farmers and small-scale farmers if we are to feed ourselves and
farmers if we are to feed ourselves and
farmers if we are to feed ourselves and if we are to feed the world Africa is
if we are to feed the world Africa is
if we are to feed the world Africa is going to be the place to do that the
going to be the place to do that the
going to be the place to do that the greatest asset we have in Africa is our
greatest asset we have in Africa is our
greatest asset we have in Africa is our farmers the greatest investments we can
farmers the greatest investments we can
farmers the greatest investments we can make in Africa are in agriculture and
make in Africa are in agriculture and
make in Africa are in agriculture and that’s at all levels whether that’s
that’s at all levels whether that’s
that’s at all levels whether that’s training resources equipment technology
training resources equipment technology
training resources equipment technology marketing processing all of those
marketing processing all of those
marketing processing all of those opportunities exist for us we just have
opportunities exist for us we just have
opportunities exist for us we just have to take them so the next time you sit
to take them so the next time you sit
to take them so the next time you sit down and have a meal there’s a couple of
down and have a meal there’s a couple of
down and have a meal there’s a couple of things I’d like you to think about the
things I’d like you to think about the
things I’d like you to think about the first one is is how easy has it been for
first one is is how easy has it been for
first one is is how easy has it been for you to get that meal on the table
you to get that meal on the table
you to get that meal on the table through our convenient shopping what’s
through our convenient shopping what’s
through our convenient shopping what’s time and energy and money have you saved
time and energy and money have you saved
time and energy and money have you saved by being able to do that I would also
by being able to do that I would also
by being able to do that I would also like to you to give thanks to the
like to you to give thanks to the
like to you to give thanks to the farmers who grow those crops who tend
farmers who grow those crops who tend
farmers who grow those crops who tend those that livestock and whilst a forum
those that livestock and whilst a forum
those that livestock and whilst a forum like this and many many other forums
like this and many many other forums
like this and many many other forums that we speak at or invited to and we
that we speak at or invited to and we
that we speak at or invited to and we share ideas
share ideas
share ideas the major problem that we have is that
the major problem that we have is that
the major problem that we have is that whilst we are talking and sharing these
whilst we are talking and sharing these
whilst we are talking and sharing these ideas there’s a lot of food that’s still
ideas there’s a lot of food that’s still
ideas there’s a lot of food that’s still not being produced and there are still
not being produced and there are still
not being produced and there are still millions of people around the world that
millions of people around the world that
millions of people around the world that will go to bed hungry tonight
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