Mbabane: The National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard) is giving away E15 000 to young people who will come up with a Logo and Siswati name for Agricultural Marketing Information System (AMIS).
AMIS is the hub for all important information that helps agribusiness in the country.
In a statement sent to this publication, NAMBoard has set aside E15 000 prize money for a young and creative graphic designer who will come up with the best logo and a young creative who will come up with the most suitable Siswati name for the AMIS platform. The best Logo will get E10 000 cash prize and the best Siswati name will get E5 000 cash prize.
NAMBoard stated that the eligibility criteria are young people between the ages of 18 and 35 years and they should be registered on AMIS. Interested creative young people are expected to submit digitally their work on [email protected] The closing date for submissions is 30 July 2021.
According to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Siphephiso Dlamini, this is the strategic thrust of NAMBoard aimed at driving youth participation in the value chain of agribusiness and economic growth. He highlighted that this is positioning of agribusiness as a solution for the future and is based on the awareness that Eswatini has as a competitive advantage in some crops, which NAMBoard is currently upscaling as they are in high demand in other African countries and continents.
“A patient development of the agro-industry in the country is imperative to ensure that key efficiencies are acquired to enable Eswatini farmers to compete against the best in the world market,” said Dlamini.
Economic Development
Agriculture remains an essential driver of economic development and Agribusiness is an area of great opportunity for young people in Eswatini. New opportunities with new kinds of technologies are being pursued with the intent to ultimately achieve food security in the Kingdom.
AMIS remains the hub for important Agribusiness information in the country. In line with their mandate, NAMBoard, endeavors at all times to promote locally produced products for exports to enhance the livelihoods of the local farmers.
NAMBoard stated that it was important that farmers understand in detail the AMIS before deciding to offer a particular product, to increase their chances of successfully selling what they have produced. Farmers can register and upload information regarding plantings, forecast harvesting yields, dates. This will also assist NAMBoard with gathering the key evidence needed to control the importation of those crops or animal products that are projected to be in over-supply locally.
AMIS
The AMIS platform provides key data on production processes and availability of produce, livestock, or poultry products to various industry players including buyers, input suppliers, farmers, marketers, and researchers. The AMIS website is aimed at supporting farmers with critical market-related information for decision-making purposes. It is expected to add value to Eswatini’s agricultural landscape, bringing under one umbrella all intelligence relating to the demand and supply of fresh produce and animal products. It gives buyers an overview of what is available in terms of projected production and guides farmers on what is already in over-supply or high demand. By subscribing to the AMIS, farmers can forecast their production and notify buyers beforehand of the expected availability for each crop or animal product. The system is hosted by NAMBoard on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and is supported by other stakeholders who contribute to maintaining its statistical integrity for farmers. The AMIS Web Portal can be accessed at www.amis.co.sz
NAMBoard stated that the agricultural industry has been dramatically transformed to be technology-driven and this is a familiar domain for the youth. The future of food production is very much dependent on the growth of youth participation in the sector.
Exciting ways that youth must think about is how to get into the marketing aspect of Agribusiness to be able to provide branding and communication services. Information management is also an interesting field that young people can get into which is also about supporting farmers and providing relevant information.
Further opportunities also exist in the value chain; from packaging, design, multimedia services, drone technology, and even farm input supply delivery.
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