| 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE 2024) |
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The triennial International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE-2024), centered on the theme “Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems,” is scheduled from August 2–7, 2024, in New Delhi, India. The conference offers a distinctive platform, providing a golden opportunity for agricultural academic institutions and researchers to convene in person, exchange knowledge, and actively contribute to the global agricultural research community. This International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE) flagship conference attracts about a thousand colleagues from around the world. Read more
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| Building Resilient Food Systems Through Regenerative Agriculture And Sustainable Practices |
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A globalized food system has its obvious benefits staring at us from the grocery store shelves: fresh red strawberries no matter the season and flash-frozen seafood available thousands of miles from bodies of water. Access to seasonal and regional ingredients, no matter where we are, is so convenient it can be easy to overlook the negative impacts. The list of drawbacks is long: mono-crops depleting our soils and driving a loss in biodiversity; complex, petroleum-intensive supply chains; and produce bred to survive long-haul trucking rather than provide taste or nutrition. But there are solutions, however challenging they may be. Shifting to global agricultural practices that help regenerate the Earth while still nourishing people around the world will require a combination of regenerative solutions, innovations, and the right types and amounts of funding. Read More
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| African Development Bank, African Union, United States Government, International Fund for Agricultural Development, CGIAR advance ties to boost Africa’s food production |
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Top development organizations have pledged to forge partnerships to expand the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS), an initiative aimed at building resilient African food systems based on diverse, nutritious, and climate-adapted crops grown in healthy soils. On the sidelines of the African Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi, the African Union’s Commissioner for Rural Development and Agriculture, Ambassador Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, African Development Bank Group Vice President Dr. Beth Dunford, and other leaders called for African countries to join the VACS strategic partnership by aligning with the African Development Bank’s flagship initiative, Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT). Read more
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| Advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies in Africa |
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The World Bank Board of Directors approved an additional $40 million in IDA grants to the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa project (AICCRA), a significant step towards advancing climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies and addressing critical gaps in climate resilience and food security in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, and Zambia. The new financing, allocated to CGIAR centers through the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), will facilitate the validation and dissemination of CSA technologies and methods in the beneficiary countries, which represent various agro-ecological zones vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. With this operation, farmers and livestock keepers will be equipped to predict and prepare for climate-related events more effectively, along with improved access to climate advisories directly connected to actionable response measures. This will enable communities to protect their livelihoods and the environment more successfully. Read more
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| Unlocking Africa's $1 trillion food economy: The role of global aid and sustainable technology |
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Global aid is crucial to realizing Africa’s $1 trillion food economy. It can help promote sustainable growth by targeting obstacles, enhancing resilience, and unleashing the continent’s agricultural capabilities. Global aid is also vital for nurturing trade and economic integration, which are fundamental to Africa’s agricultural development agenda. The African Development Bank forecasts a potential surge in the food and agriculture market from $280 billion annually to $1 trillion by 2030. Read more
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| OCP Africa’s Mission to Nourish a Food-Secure Future for Africa |
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Across Africa, discussions are brewing on how to rapidly transform food systems and ensure long-term food security. The meeting of senior officials of the 33rd session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa (ARC33) concluded with a resounding call for urgent action to transform the agri-food systems across the continent. Hosted by Morocco, ARC33 served as a platform for deliberations among senior officials, ministers, technical specialists, and development partners, all focused on charting a course towards sustainable agricultural development. Read more
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| The destiny of the planet lies in African agriculture – why aren’t we investing in it? |
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Africa has a common political vision for African agriculture that must be supported. The recurring divides in narratives opposing climate and agricultural development, as well as the agendas of countries of the North and those of the South, make any attempt at political alignment complex. Nowhere can a trace of a shared vision be found supporting African priorities – which are clearly defined in the declarations of Malabo (2014), Nairobi (2024), and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.Read more
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| New Grants for Agricultural Development in Africa: Open to NGOs, Companies, and Individuals |
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A range of grants are available to foster agricultural development across Africa, including the Climate Action Window 2nd Call for Mitigation Proposals, offering $3-$5 million per project with a July deadline; the Africa Agri-Food Development Programme, encouraging Irish-African agri-food partnerships with an August deadline; the Conservation, Food and Health Foundation Grants, focusing on environmental protection, food production, and public health with a January deadline; the Africa Food Prize, awarding $100,000 for significant agricultural contributions with a June deadline; the Agribusiness Challenge Fund, aiding SMEs to scale and create employment with a November deadline; and WE4F’s Open Call for Innovations, promoting sustainable water and energy usage in food security, gender, and poverty reduction with applications accepted on a rolling basis. These initiatives aim to catalyze sustainable growth and economic advancement in the African agricultural sector. Read more
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| Is the agricultural sector ready for advanced Automation in Africa? |
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Agriculture is the backbone of Africa's economy, employing over 60% of the continent's workforce and contributing significantly to its GDP. The cultivation of various raw food items such as rice, tomato, yam, cassava, etc. has increased the economic growth of Africa as a continent. According to the African Development Bank the Africa's agribusiness sector is estimated to reach $1 trillion by 2030. Read more
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| African farmers look to the past and the future to address climate change |
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From ancient fertilizer methods in Zimbabwe to new greenhouse technology in Somalia, farmers across the heavily agriculture-reliant African continent are looking to the past and future to respond to climate change. Africa, with the world’s youngest population, faces the worst effects of a warming planet while contributing the least to the problem. Farmers are scrambling to make sure the booming population is fed. With over 60% of the world’s uncultivated land, Africa should be able to feed itself, some experts say.Read more
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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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