December 4, 2024 | No. 65 |
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| Transforming Africa’s agriculture through innovation |
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The recently released Africa AgriFood Tech Investment Report 2024 sheds light on the evolving landscape of agrifood technology investment across the continent. Despite global economic uncertainties and reduced deal activity, Africa’s agrifood tech sector demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability. The report captures both the challenges and opportunities that define the sector, offering crucial recommendations for stakeholders aiming to enhance food security, sustainability, and economic growth. Agribusiness marketplaces, which connect farmers to buyers, suppliers, and financial services, have emerged as critical enablers of efficiency in the sector. These platforms reduce transaction costs, improve market access for smallholder farmers, and foster greater transparency in pricing. Similarly, fintech solutions tailored for agriculture are transforming how farmers access credit, insurance, and payments. By addressing financial exclusion, these technologies empower farmers to invest in inputs, adopt new practices, and mitigate risks, ultimately enhancing productivity and resilience. Read More
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| Annual Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge |
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Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge
Deadline: 6th January ,2025
The Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge, hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and funded by the Seeding the Future Foundation, aims to inspire groundbreaking innovations to address the challenges of providing safe, nutritious, affordable, and sustainable food for a growing global population.
Scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and multidisciplinary teams from various sectors—including NGOs, universities, and small enterprises—are encouraged to submit ideas with potential for significant, scalable impact.
The Challenge focuses on solutions that enhance: - Nutritious food for a healthy diet.
- Sustainable production methods.
- Accessibility, affordability, and consumer trust.
Seeding the Future envisions a global food system that ensures equitable access to food while promoting planetary health. Their mission is to support innovations that transform food systems to be more nutritious, regenerative, and equitable.
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| Call for Case Study Proposals - INCLUDE Research Programme : Green Jobs for Youth in a Just Food Systems Transition in Africa |
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CALL FOR PROPOSALS - CLOSING SOON!
Green Jobs for Youth in Africa INCLUDE is launching a new research programme: "Green Jobs for Youth in a Just Food Systems Transition in Africa."This initiative invites researchers, organizations, and youth-led groups to contribute case studies and insights into building sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems in Africa. Focus Areas: - Youth employment in sustainable food systems.
- Institutional frameworks and climate justice in food system transitions.
- Gender disparities and digital technologies in green agriculture.
Who Can Apply: Applications are open to individuals, organizations, and African knowledge institutions, with a special focus on youth-led initiatives.
- Deadline: 9 December 2024 (in English or French). Apply Now
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| Togo: African Development Fund to provide a partial credit guarantee to support the financing of green and social projects |
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The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved a EUR 200 million partial credit guarantee (PCG) to support Togo’s inaugural sustainable financing to implement green and social projects. The Togolese government will allocate the proceeds to eligible projects and initiatives in sectors aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the country’s Sustainable Financing Framework. These include: preservation of land and water biodiversity; climate adaptation; sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries; pollution prevention and control; access to carbon-free, reliable and affordable energy; food sovereignty and security; educational services; support for employment, financial inclusion and economic empowerment; connectivity and digital inclusion; and social safety nets and poverty reduction. Read More
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| Investing in Agriculture in Africa Has an Information Problem |
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Agriculture employs the most people in Africa and contributes 30—40% of gross domestic product. Its apparent importance notwithstanding, the practice of and investments in agriculture in Africa suffer the most from a deficit of information compared to most other sectors on the continent. From AgBase’s The State of AgTech in Africa 2024 report, commercial and non-commercial investors often work together to jointly assess and make investments-even though this is declining. It is not exactly news that African agriculture suffers from a severe lack of comprehensive information systems. Along with the liberalisation wave in the 1980s, a slew of programs including publicly-funded radio broadcasts and multiple donor-led market information systems were funded and built to address the data gap in African agriculture. They typically focused on distributing news related to agriculture and as virtual extension services, and this approach continues to this day.Read more
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| Robert Zougmore: A Pioneer of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa |
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African agriculture stands at a crossroads, grappling with challenges such as climate change, low adoption of innovation and ineffective agricultural policies. At the heart of the movement to address these issues is Dr. Robert Zougmoré - Principal Scientist at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and Director of AICCRA (Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa). He is dedicated to transforming the continent's agricultural landscape amidst the detrimental effects of climate change: "It is essential that our agriculture becomes more productive while remaining sustainable and resilient" he asserts, emphasizing the importance of an agroecological perspective for Africa's future. Read More
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| Regenerative Agriculture Project in South Africa |
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Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming approach that aims to improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, and promote ecological resilience while also producing food. The basic principle of regenerative agriculture is to work with the natural systems rather than against them. It is an effective way of reducing greenhouse gases by turning the soil into a carbon sink and removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
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| VACANT POSITION: Assistant Professor, Quantitative Methods for Agricultural Economics |
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Assistant Professor, Quantitative Methods for Agricultural Economics
Location: Guelph, CA, N1G 2W1 Primary Category Page: Faculty, Librarian and Veterinarian Division: OAC Guelph Campus Requisition ID: 919 Position Title / Rank: Assistant Professor, Quantitative Methods for Agricultural Economics, Tenure-Track Department: Food Agricultural and Resource Economics Position Description: The Department of Food, Agricultural, and Resource Economics (FARE) at the University of Guelph invites applications for a Tenure-Track Appointment as an Assistant Professor.
Qualifications We seek a collaborative and dynamic individual who complements the department’s expertise. Applicants must have or be close to completing a PhD in agricultural economics, economics, or a related field, with expertise in quantitative methods, econometrics, data science, operations and supply chain management, and finance. The applicant must demonstrate the application of quantitative methods to issues related to food, agriculture and natural resource economics. The successful candidate must demonstrate a strong existing or emerging publication record, as appropriate since completion of their PhD. Evidence of the potential to become a high-quality post-secondary instructor is also required. The successful candidate will have clear ability to mobilize and transfer their knowledge to a broad community of stakeholders through outreach activities. Read More and Apply Now
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| Green tech pioneers in controlled-environment agriculture and urban farming from Rwanda |
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"As the founder of Greenrev Gr, a company pioneering agricultural innovation through controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) and urban farming in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Central African Republic and Malawi, I’ve seen firsthand how we can drive transformative change in LLDCs." said Joseph NIYOMUKIZA Founder of Greenrev Gr. Significant opportunities lie in the agricultural sector, specifically through CEA and urban farming. This entails managing factors such as temperature, humidity, light, carbon dioxide levels and nutrient supply to create ideal conditions for crops, often in enclosed or semi-enclosed structures like greenhouses or vertical farms. While in the open field we call it Semi-CEA where we only manage factors such as humidity and nutrients. These technologies have the potential to revolutionize food security and sustainability in LLDCs like Rwanda, Uganda, the Central African Republic and Malawi, where the agriculture sector is vital. By leveraging CEA, we can ensure year-round production of high-value crops such as horticulture and cereals, which are essential for both local consumption and export. Read more
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| ZARI promotes climate-smart agriculture to strengthen research excellence, innovation, and sustainability |
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The Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) has undergone a significant transformation, fueled by a strategic subgrant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through the Africa Dryland Crop Improvement Network (ADCIN). This support has led to the modernization of ZARI’s research facilities, improved irrigation systems, and enhanced data management capabilities, positioning the institute as a leader in climate-smart crop research. Key advances include speed breeding and controlled drought research, which have led to higher crop yields and better adaptation to climate challenges. These improvements have not only strengthened Zambia’s agricultural research capacity but also fostered regional collaboration and knowledge sharing, benefiting farmers, scientists, and institutions across Southern 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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