| AI's potential in African agriculture, energy and climate action – GSMA |
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A new GSMA report puts forward the huge potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to support Africa's socio-economic growth, particularly in sectors like agriculture, energy, and climate action. The report titled AI for Africa: Use Cases Delivering Impact identified over 90 AI use case applications in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, with 49% related to agriculture, 26% to climate action, and 24% to the energy sector. Read more
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| Tanzanian women farmers emerge as leaders in quality seed production and higher rice production |
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Good quality seed leads to good yield and produce, but it can also be a form of empowerment for others. In the coastal region of Pwani in Tanzania, the Twaweza (which means “we can” in Swahili) Women Group (TWG) is making waves in the Bagamoyo Irrigation and Development Project (BIDP) scheme. Comprised of 15 women rice farmers from Sanzale Ward, Magomeni Division, Bagamoyo District, TWG has significantly improved Bagamoyo’s rice production under the leadership of its chairperson, Ms. Barce Shabani. Read more
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| CALL FOR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS |
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Climate Research and Education to Advancing Green Development in Africa (CREATE-GreenAfrica)
Date of release of the Call: 24th July 2024 Deadline for submission of application: 6th September 2024
Background of the Project The European Union (EU), under its Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme, has provided funding to support the training of graduate students in African universities under the “Climate Research and Education to Advancing Green Development in Africa (CREATE-GreenAfrica)” project. The project is a mobility programme comprising six African partner institutions and one EU technical partner. This project aims to increase climate-oriented skills and qualifications across the African continent through mobility and experience sharing. CREATE-Green Africa will significantly contribute to advancing the knowledge and skills of students, trainees, consortium staff, and other non-consortium members on climate change adaptation and mitigation by ensuring the participation of women and girls, and the disadvantaged groups in the African continent in general and the consortium in particular. Apply here |
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| How a mix of old and new techniques produced a superior maize harvest in a dry part of South Africa |
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New research into rural small-scale farms in South Africa’s North West province has found that climate-smart farming techniques lead to a better maize yield, a more regular supply of food for the farmers and a wider variety of crops. Small-scale farmers often produce primarily for their own consumption, but many also sell produce in local markets. Because small-scale farmers rely on their crops both to survive and as their only form of income, they are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Read More |
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| Eswatini turns to nuclear technology to transform agriculture, health care, energy |
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Eswatini has launched an initiative to achieve sustainable development by harnessing the power of nuclear technology in such sectors as agriculture, health and energy planning. The plan was developed with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The aim of the Country Program Framework, or CPF, launched two weeks ago by Eswatini Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Prince Lonkhokhela, is to leverage nuclear technology for social and economic development. Its key focus areas are energy security, food security and human health, aligning with the country’s National Development Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.Read more
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| Announcing the 10th Edition of Science by Women Program |
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10th Edition of the Science by Women program
Women for Africa Foundation is excited to announce the launch of the 10th edition of the Science by Women program. This initiative, known for its dedication to empowering African women in the scientific community, offers a unique opportunity for African women researchers to conduct their postdoctoral research in prestigious Spanish research centers. Since its inception in 2014, the Science by Women program has aimed to promote African women’s leadership in scientific research and technology transfer. This year, the program continues to expand, offering fellowships in key areas such as health, biomedicine, sustainable agriculture, food security, water, energy, and climate change. The application period is now open, and we invite qualified candidates to apply by September 30th, 2024. Read more
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| 'Agri-influencers' drive growth in Senegal's agriculture sector |
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Agriculture represents roughly 16% of Senegal's gross domestic product (GDP), but the industry suffers from chronic underperformance. The new government has prioritized attaining food sovereignty to create more jobs in a country plagued by youth unemployment. Senegal imports almost 70% of its food requirements, despite 60% of the labor force growing food crops, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Social media also allows farmers to share and monetize technical expertise, said Helene Smertnik from research firm Caribou Digital, which studied the use of social media in Senegalese agriculture in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation.Read more
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| Advancing climate-smart agriculture in Malawi-Zambia TFCA |
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The German funding agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has renewed its commitment to enhancing green agriculture in the Malawi–Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), a pivotal region in IFAW’s Room to Roam initiative. This extension of support, running through December 2025, marks a significant step forward in ensuring sustainable farming practices and conservation, enabling both animals and people to thrive. Read More
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| Corporate or community-led? Africa’s agricultural future at a crossroads |
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Late last month, officials from across the continent gathered in Zambia to discuss the next decade of Africa’s agricultural policy. Yet what was marketed as an “inclusive multi-stakeholder consultative process” bringing together a diversity of African voices was instead a contentious process driven by external influences and corporate agendas. The African Union (AU) body coordinating the talks – the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Development (DARBE) – is severely underfunded and understaffed. Consequently, much of the facilitation and funding was outsourced to USAID-backed agencies and organizations like the influential Gates Foundation-funded Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Throughout the meeting in Lusaka, the sway of these Western entities in driving the process was palpable, overshadowing the voices of African farmers, civil society, and grassroots organizations.
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| Workshop to unify Africa's food safety standards, enhance agricultural trade |
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Experts gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, to discuss harmonizing food safety standards across Africa, a step towards accelerating the continent's agricultural trade and realizing its full potential. The two-day dissemination workshop on trade and food standards brought together more than 200 delegates to review cooperation between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in creating a system of international food standards to enhance trade in Africa. Read More
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Becoming an AAAE member: The African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE) is a nonprofit association serving the professional interests of those working in agricultural and broadly related fields of development economics. Becoming a member of AAAE brings together people who work in the same industry and/or share common interests and goals. Please subscribe today and become a member to help in advocating for our shared purpose. |
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African Association of Agricultural Economists c/o University of Nairobi, C.A.V.S, Upper Kabete Campus Loresho Ridge Road, Nairobi, Kenya |
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