Taking agri-tech skills to Africa: Apply for Funding
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, has up to £2 million from the Global Challenges Research Fund to support knowledge transfer partnerships between UK researchers and researchers and businesses based in Republic of Ghana, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Kenya or Republic of South Africa. READ MORE
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Award spotlights conflict, climate change and coronavirus as drivers of a deepening global hunger crisis. READ MORE
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How $1 scratch cards are helping farmers invest for the future
Africa’s smallholder farmers are on the front line of climate change, facing a warming world and increasingly frequent droughts. Their produce feeds the continent, but they often lack the finance to invest in vital seeds and fertilizer to make their fragile agricultural holdings sustainable. Many of them struggle to feed their own families. READ MORE
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Reflections on the winners and losers in livestock commercialisation in northern Kenya
In Kenya, pastoralism accounts for up to 80% of household income in arid and semi-arid areas, for approximately 8 million people that depend on pastoral production for their livelihood. The centrality of livestock production to the well-being of pastoralists has attracted considerable investments and transformation in livestock marketing in northern Kenya, with greatly increased levels of trade, partly pushed by the sustained efforts of the government and donors through increased investments as a potential pathway to reduce poverty and promote development in the region. READ MORE
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Inside Ethiopia’s agricultural success story
Ethiopia’s rapid economic and agricultural growth over the past two decades is a well-known African success story. In 2000, Ethiopia ranked as the second-poorest country in the world, according to Oxford University’s Global Multidimensional Poverty Index. Then, thanks in large part to sustained investments in the agricultural sector, the economy grew and poverty fell. Ethiopia was the third-fastest growing country in the world from 2000 to 2018 based on GDP per capita, according to World Bank data. READ MORE
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Mapping a better future for Africa’s farmers
Global positioning system (GPS) technology was originally developed to track nuclear submarines during the Cold War. For years, it has helped to prevent drivers everywhere from getting lost. Today, GPS tools have the potential to document the land of millions of subsistence farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa, thus protecting them from possible land grabs and removing a significant barrier to the region’s economic development. READ MORE
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How green innovation can transform African agriculture
For sub-Saharan Africa, the negative impact of climate change has made thinking about better farming practices more important than ever. Massive shifts in rainfall patterns over the years have forced countries in this region to be net food importers, meaning that the continent imports more food than it exports. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa spent USD64.5 billion importing food, and this is projected to rise to over USD110 billion by 2025, should there be no interventions. READ MORE
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Gendering Agriculture so Women Take the Lead in Feeding Africa
Africa’s hopes of feeding a population projected to double by 2050 amidst a worsening climate crisis rest on huge investments in agriculture, including creating the conditions so that women can empower themselves and lead efforts to transform the continent’s farming landscape. As we celebrate the 2020 International Day of Rural Women, Africa needs to reflect more on the role women play in food and nutrition security, land and water management. READ MORE
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Agroecology must be based in reality, not romanticism
Agroecology is both a science and a movement, merging the broad goal of maintaining biodiversity in agricultural systems to benefit farmers with an ideology that aims to transform society and food systems. Its components were defined by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in its 10 elements of agroecology. READ MORE
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Exploiting the next revolution in agriculture
Africa’s economy needs a vibrant sustainable and resilient agricultural sector to thrive. And if properly harnessed, the sector will advance exponentially. Therefore, Africa must focus on agriculture as its most definitive path to growing inclusive economies.” – Asue Ighodalo, Chairman, Sterling Bank. Recently, the bank held a virtual 3rd annual agriculture summit under the theme; Fast forward agriculture: Exploiting the next revolution. READ MORE
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