| IAAE Elections: Vote for Joshua Ariga to IAAE Board of Directors |
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Between Monday, June 24, 2024, and Sunday, July 14, 2024, all eligible IAAE members will be able to vote electronically for the members of the new IAAE Board of Directors who will take office for three years at the close of the upcoming ICAE 2024 in New Delhi, India. The Nominations Committee, chaired by Past-President Nick Vink, has nominated several candidates for these positions. Dr. Joshua Ariga, the current AAAE President, is among the eight (8) nominees for Members-at-Large. Only three (3) will be elected to this position. If you are a member of IAAE, in good standing, and have registered for the ICAE 2024 conference, you are eligible to vote. To cast your vote for Joshua, click here.
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| 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE 2024) |
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Countdown Alert! 35 Days to go!
The 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE) will be held in India from August 2 to 7. The event will bring together experts, scholars, practitioners and early-career researchers from around the world to discuss the latest advancements in agricultural economics. The conference's theme, "Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems," emphasizes the need for innovative approaches to enhance food security, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and address the socioeconomic issues affecting rural communities. Through a series of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and research presentations, attendees will explore strategies to foster resilient and equitable food systems crucial for achieving global sustainable development goals. The ICAE 2024 aims to inspire collaborative efforts and policy solutions that will shape the future of agriculture in an increasingly interconnected and environmentally conscious world. Read more
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| Cultivating Hope: Ivorian Cocoa Farmers' Path to Empowerment |
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In Cote d’Ivoire, most smallholder farmers acquire fertilizers through informal credit, cooperatives, and microfinance institutions, driven by the hope for increased crop yields. However, improper application of these fertilizers often leads to disappointments, with harvests and incomes falling short of expectations. The holistic approach, combining fertilizer use with good agricultural practices, aims to improve productivity and empower farmers in Côte d'Ivoire. As an innovative financial solution, the trade credit guarantee seeks to unlock access to quality, affordable fertilizers, fostering a thriving agricultural landscape across Africa. Read more |
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| Transforming The Gambia's Agriculture: From Subsistence to Market-Oriented Farming |
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Modernization in the Gambia’s agriculture sector is evident through the development of new infrastructure, for example, improved irrigation systems, agro-processing platforms, and agro-logistic centers to serve as marketing infrastructure. These progressions are used on farms across the country to enhance better irrigations systems and machinery. A component of the project competitively selected 19 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) out of 127 applicants and provided them with additional financing. In total, the project provided $3.9 million, while the SMEs themselves contributed a total of $2.6 million from privately mobilized capital and their own funding. The overall investment was used by the SMEs to finance infrastructure and equipment so that they can modernize and expand agribusiness operations. Read More
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| African agriculture thrives with Chinese technology, market access |
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In recent years, agricultural cooperation between China and Africa has flourished under the frameworks of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative. From local fields to global e-commerce platforms, China’s efforts have significantly boosted African agricultural productivity and modernization through technical assistance, industry chain development, and market access.
Platforms such as the China International Import Expo, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, and the African Goods Online Shopping Festival have become crucial showcases for African agricultural products, enhancing their international visibility. Read more
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| 5 ways that free trade can boost sustainable agriculture in Africa |
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Africa has the potential to become the world’s powerhouse in the coming years. The continent is undergoing unprecedented changes, with the implementation of the African Continent Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to eliminate trade barriers and boost intra-African trade, projected to represent a single market of 1.7 billion people and $6.7 trillion in consumer and business spending for the region by 2030. AfCFTA is widely seen as a key step in implementing the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063, which aspires to create a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development. This includes specific goals such as creating a high standard of living for all citizens, a healthy and well-nourished populace, and modern agriculture for increased productivity and production. Read more
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| Bundled Digital Services: Precision Agriculture and Farm Management |
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Smallholder farmers worldwide play an important role in global food systems, producing around 35 percent of the global food supply and 80 percent of the food supply in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. According to FAO, the bulk of the growth in food productivity needed to meet increasing global demand for food will have to come from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Common bundles of farm management technologies and services provide a valuable opportunity to apply precision agricultural methods to smallholder farms and increase overall yield and efficiency Read more
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| Million dollar initiative aims to combat pollution from agriculture |
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In April this year, a US$379M initiative was launched to combat the devastating impacts of pesticides and plastics in agriculture The project, which involves a collaboration between the governments of Ecuador, India, Kenya, Laos, Philippines, Uruguay, and Vietnam, aims to address the significant risks that these chemicals pose both to human health and the environment. Highly hazardous pesticides and mismanaged agricultural plastics release toxic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that don’t break down in the environment and contaminate air, water, and food. These inputs, being cheaper than sustainable alternatives, gives farmers little incentive to adopt better practices. Read more
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| From Zambia to Nigeria: Cashing in on Africa’s agriculture opportunities |
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Agriculture in Africa is dominated by millions of small-scale farmers who cultivate modest parcels of land. Smallholder farming on the continent is often synonymous with low yields, limited use of quality seeds and fertilizers, minimal mechanization, and general hardship and poverty. Yet, one company, Good Nature Agro (GNA), has tapped into the latent potential of Africa’s smallholder sector, establishing a business with $10 million in revenue by collaborating with farmers in Zambia. At its core, GNA contracts over 20,000 small-scale farmers to grow legume seeds and commodities – such as cowpea, soya bean, and groundnuts, and then purchases these products from the farmers to sell at a profit. Read more
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| Kenyan wins Sh8.1m for her pest-detecting innovation |
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A Kenyan woman, Esther Kimani, has won the prestigious Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation organized by the Royal Academy of Engineering. Ms. Kimani becomes the third woman in Africa and the second woman in Kenya to win such a prestigious award after Edmund Wessels alongside Anatoli Kirigwajjo from South Africa, who were named joint winners in 2023. Her solar-powered innovation uses artificial intelligence and machine learning and can easily detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases at farms. 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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