| Professor A.G. Daramola, A TRIBUTE |
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So the time has come, so the end has come. When I decided to write this tribute after your departure, I changed my mind twice. First, I thought it would be vital for me to focus on the considerable footprint you have had on the African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE) and the underlying impact on the agricultural economics profession and professionals in our discipline on the continent. On second thought, I was tempted to dedicate the note to the friend and brother that you were to me. Professor, Adebiyi Gregory Daramola, you were an active member of the African Association of Agricultural Economists. Between 2010 and 2013, you served as Editor in Chief of the journal of the association, the African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AfJARE). Read more
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| What changed when Ugandan farmers rated input quality and local vendor services |
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Each agricultural season, small-scale maize farmers in southeastern Uganda face the same dilemma. Should they shell out a few extra shillings and buy commercial maize seed from the nearby agro-input shop, or should they just plant seed saved from the previous harvest? The advantages of the first strategy are obvious. The small investment in commercial seed can substantially increase future income from maize. About 28,000 UGX (roughly US$8) buys enough seed to plant half an acre, and can yield an additional 1.25 to 2.5 bags of maize – an extra income of between 88,000 and 176,000 UGX ($25-50). Read more
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| South Africa’s $2 Billion Citrus Industry Sours With Lost Exports to Russia |
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South Africa is the world’s second-largest citrus exporter and farmers are scrambling to find other markets before the fruit spoils. South Africa normally sends about 10% of its annual two billion dollars in citrus exports to Russia. That’s now on hold because of sanctions imposed after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Following two years of export disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, unrest, and cyberattacks on the ports, the loss of the Russian market is another blow to South African farmers. Justin Chadwick the CEO of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa says, “Our markets are very susceptible to oversupply. And because the product obviously can’t be stored for any length of time, if there’s too much in the market, it either has to be seriously discounted to move the fruit quicker or it just wastes eventually,” he said. Read more
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| These African States Can't Afford the Current Food Crisis |
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Experts are watching for signs of political distress in the Middle East that are heavily dependent on food imports from the Black Sea region, and often provide generous subsidies to the public. And Egypt, the world's largest buyer of wheat, is already seeing enormous pressure on its huge subsidy program for bread. The country recently set a fixed price for unsubsidized bread after prices spiked and is trying to secure wheat imports from countries like India and Argentina instead. Droughts and conflict in countries like Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Burkina Faso have created a food security crisis for more than a quarter of the continent's population, the International Committee of the Red Cross said this week. The situation risks getting worse in the coming months, it continued. Political instability has already been building in parts of the continent. A series of coups have taken place in West and Central Africa since the start of 2021. Read more
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| Farmers seek government help as fall armyworms destroy crops |
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Farmers in the western part of the country and parts of Rift Valley are staring at losses after fall armyworms invaded their farms. The worms have invaded farms under maize, sorghum, beans, finger millet and other crops in Kakamega, Homa Bay, Kericho, Busia and Bungoma. Mr Peter Ambani, a farmer in Eshimichini village in Lurambi, said they had been adversely affected by the worms for a week now. "I am a dejected farmer, I have sprayed my two-acre farm at least three times, but the worms appear resistant to pesticides... they fall from stems and start moving on the ground during spraying,” he said. Read more
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| Climate Change has Made Storms in Southern Africa Worse |
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Analysis from the World Weather Attribution group also showed that Climate change fuelled heavier rainfall during a series of storms that battered southern Africa earlier this year. The devastating storms began in January when storm Ana caused widespread damage in Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi. Dozens were killed with tens of thousands cut off from assistance as roads and bridges had been washed away. In the study the scientists analysed weather patterns today compared to the past, however they say, "the precise contribution of climate change to the event could not be quantified, due to the absence of comprehensive historical records of rainfall in the region". They say that just four of the 23 weather stations in affected areas of Mozambique had data going back to 1981, while neither Madagascar no Malawi had any weather stations with suitable data for the study. Read more
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| Agricultural Productivity Growth, Resilience, and Economic Transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa |
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The most urgent need for all African countries is to recover from the economic and social setbacks of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Stabilization and recovery are current priorities in most African countries. Recovery will be easier in the LMICs, where development has built supportive political and economic institutions. Meanwhile, countries already in default on their debts and countries at high risk of debt default will require support to get needed fiscal space for recovery-inducing public spending. In the medium run, the overarching goal remains accelerated economic transformation and resilience through agricultural productivity growth, AFS transformation, non-agricultural sector growth, and improvements in governance, public service delivery, and education. Read more
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| How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is tearing apart the global food system |
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The global food system is under threat as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine puts one of the world’s major breadbaskets in jeopardy. Here are the latest developments and their far-reaching impacts: Food Inflation - The Ukraine war threatens staple crops from Europe’s key grain-growing regions, which means escalating food prices that have already been plaguing consumers about the world could get worse, raising the threat of a full-blown hunger crisis. The UN warned that already record global food costs could surge another 22% as war stifles trade and slashes future harvests. Read more
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| Hives help secure crucial wildlife corridors in Kenyan park |
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Across the sweeping savanna at the periphery of Amboseli National Park in Kenya, hives hang from acacia trees like pieces of artwork. The hives are painted in varied colours while some bear images of elephants, bees, and Mount Kilimanjaro whose snow-capped peaks are visible in the background. Joyce Tokore a member and secretary of Inkasotuak Women Group, which owns some of the hives says that beekeeping has brought more benefits than they had thought possible. “Beekeeping has helped restore the tree cover in the area and is also empowering us, women,” she says. Read more
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| Postdoctoral Researcher in Agricultural Development Economics |
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The Center for Development Research (ZEF) of the University of Bonn is looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Agricultural Development Economics (TVL-E13, 100%, three-year renewable contract) to work on global food systems, sustainable diets, and agricultural development. The position is part of ZEF’s Department for Economic and Technological Change headed by Professor Matin Qaim. Further details. 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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