Kawthar Ben Hania’s “Four Daughters,” a portrait of a Tunisian mother and her four daughters living in a society wracked by extremism won the inaugural Asharq Documentary Award.
The winning entry was announced during the 2023 Red Sea International Film Festival hosted in Jeddah, November 30-December 9.
The awards are named after Saudi Research and Media Group’s Arabic free-to-air channel Asharq Documentary.
The new channel aims to provide a platform for creators to showcase their stories and productions, the company said in a statement.
Seven other films were in the running for the award. They were: Iraq’s ‘Hiding Saddam Hussein,’ ‘Iraq’s Invisible Beauty’ and ‘The Dalkurd Story,’ Morocco’s ‘The Mother of All Lies,’ Libya’s ‘Donga,’ the UK’s ‘Copa 71’ and Ireland’s ‘In the Shadow of Beirut.’
Besides, “My Father Killed Bourguiba,” a documentary project by Fatma Riahi, was awarded at the Red Sea Souk Project Market, organised in conjunction with the festival.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
Nairobi – Over 6,500 farmers across Narok, Kajiado, and Taita Taveta counties in Kenya have received training in forage production under the Integrated and Climate Smart Innovations for Pastoralist Economies and Landscape (ICSIAPL) project. This initiative, a collaboration between Kenya Agricultural Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) – Kenya, aims to enhance livestock productivity and resilience against climate change.
According to Kenya News Agency, Director of KALRO’s Arid and Rangeland Research Institute (ARRI), the four-month training covered the entire production cycle of fodder crops. Topics included preparation, sowing, weeding management, harvesting, feed conservation, and business development around fodder production. Starting in 2021, over 20 different fodder crops were introduced for arid and high rainfall areas.
Dr. Kuria highlighted the project’s objective to address feed scarcity, noting the high cost of feed, which constitutes 70-75% of production costs. The European Union-funded project, totaling Ksh. 53 million, is nearing completion after three years.
Demonstration plots established during the project served as training centers, showcasing 10-12 different fodder varieties. The training, spread over three seasons from 2021 to 2022, culminated in farmers evaluating and selecting suitable varieties for commercial production. The project also demonstrated beef finishing techniques using a mix of grasses and legumes, showing that farmers could commercially raise sheep, goats, and cattle for market.
Key forages introduced include Cenchrus ciliaris, Enteropogon macrostachyus, Brachiaria camello, and various legumes. The project’s success is marked by a 40% adoption rate of these technologies among farmers, significantly higher than the usual 20%.
Elizabeth Nasaas from Mulot Gugos Dairy in Narok County shared her positive experience with the project, noting increased milk production from her cows. Similarly, Danson Mwashigadi, a livestock farmer from Voi Sub County, emphasized the benefits of the training in improving livestock health and productivity.
The project’s comprehensive approach included technology transfer, validation of commercial fodder production, and promotion of pasture seed bulking, aiming to improve cattle health and yield through better feeding regimens and access to high-quality feed.