February 20, 2025 | No. 69 |
|
|
| Africa has a bold plan for agriculture: now is the time to implement it |
|
|
|
Africa’s food sector is at a crossroads. A new continental vision for building resilient and sustainable agrifood systems—the Kampala Declaration—was agreed at an African Union summit of heads of state held in Kampala, Uganda, from 9th to 11th of January 2025. The summit endorsed a new 10-year strategy of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) for 2026 to 2035. Through the Kampala Declaration, our African leaders committed to take decisive action to address perennial challenges that have led to food insecurity, environmental degradation, high dependence on food imports, vulnerability to climatic and socio-economic shocks, and marginalization of key groups such as women and youths in our continent. Read More
|
|
| Bill & Melinda Gates is Hiring! |
|
|
|
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is Hiring!
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is hiring for multiple positions across Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Ethiopia, offering exciting opportunities for professionals passionate about global health, R&D advocacy, and policy engagement.
These roles focus on strengthening health systems, regulatory frameworks, and local manufacturing to drive impactful change in Africa’s healthcare landscape. The foundation is looking for experts to collaborate with governments, donors, and research institutions to advance equitable health innovations.
|
|
| Harnessing frontier technology for food security in Nigeria |
|
|
|
2024, Earth’s hottest year on record, saw a spate of unrelenting droughts, storms, and floods that made it harder for small-scale and subsistence farmers worldwide. Such challenges resonate particularly with Nigeria, home to more than 200 million people. 70% of its rural population depends on agriculture for a living. As part of broader efforts towards food security, the African nation has improved its capacities in agricultural monitoring, disease identification,, and yield prediction, especially since joining the CropWatch Innovative Cooperation Programme —led by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)—in 2021. One of the main features of the program is the CropWatch cloud system, which provides real-time agro-climatic and agronomic assessments, including crop conditions, acreage, and yield predictions, as well as early warnings for pests and drought. With this customizable system, Nigeria can generate high-resolution crop indicators at both national and local levels without incurring hefty IT infrastructure costs. Read More
|
|
| Better prospects ahead for South Africa’s agriculture sector, but risks remain |
|
|
|
Following an estimated 4.8% output contraction in the agriculture sector in 2024, Bureau for Food and Agriculture Policy executive director and commodity markets manager Tracy Davids expects a 3% growth rate this year. However, the key risks of extreme weather events such as drought, hail, and flooding; animal disease and lack of biosecurity; the state of critical infrastructure and services; barriers to international trade and rising protectionism; and exchange rate volatility remain. The agriculture value chain constitutes more than 14% of the country’s GDP, with its total contribution including all value-adding activities linked to agriculture and agroprocessing, rather than the mere 3% of primary agriculture’s contribution to GDP.
|
|
| Rwanda: 100,000 cassava farming households to strengthen food security and climate resilience |
|
|
|
INGABO Syndicate Farmers, a producer organization and the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) today signed a US$2 million project to enhance food security, improve livelihoods and build climate resilience for over 100,000 cassava farming households across 10 districts in Rwanda. Women will make up more than half of the participants, and almost one in five will be young farmers. "Small-scale farmers are the backbone of Rwanda's food system, and their resilience is critical to our nation's food security. This project recognizes the vital role of these farmers and their organisation and empowers them with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to thrive. By improving production, enhancing market access, and building resilience to climate change, we are not only increasing food production but also strengthening the livelihoods of thousands of Rwandan families," Said Kantarama Cesarie, the President, INGABO Farmers’ Syndicat. Read more |
|
| Safaricom & NGO Launch AI Farming Solutions to Kenyan Agriculture |
|
|
|
Safaricom PLC and Opportunity International, a global non-governmental organization, have developed FarmerAI in Kenya, an innovative AI chatbot that will provide smallholder farmers in underserved communities with real-time, relevant farming best practices. As per a 2022 report from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the agricultural sector contributes roughly 22.4% to the country’s total GDP, and smallholder farmers make up around 5.6 million of the overall farmer population.With an initial test running from now to August, coinciding with the potato crop cycle, the project intends to enroll 800-1,000 farmers throughout major regions of Kenya by the end of the year.FarmerAI combines generative AI with localized agricultural insights, delivering vital information on topics like weather patterns, fertilizer application, pest management, and market prices. Unlike other solutions that rely on a field agent network, FarmerAI will go directly to farmers through accessible channels such as SMS and WhatsApp. Safaricom’s DigiFarm service, which digitally connects thousands of farmers, will provide the platforms needed for farmers to interact seamlessly with the AI chatbot.
|
|
Gatsby Africa is Hiring Senior Leaders in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda & Rwanda!
Gatsby Africa is seeking Senior Managers and Deputy Directors to lead economic transformation across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. If you're a strategic, commercially driven leader eager to make a lasting impact, this could be the perfect opportunity. We focus on high-potential sectors—including aquaculture, textiles, forestry, livestock, and water services—unlocking investment, innovation, and sustainable growth. These leadership roles offer the chance to shape sector strategies, forge key partnerships, and drive real change. If you have experience in consulting, investment, startups, or private sector strategy, we want to hear from you.
|
|
| Empowering Africa’s Youth in Agriculture: Apply for the FAO-PAFO Youth Mentorship Program |
|
|
|
🌱 FAO-PAFO Youth Mentorship Program—Now Open!
Are you a young professional passionate about agriculture, agribusiness, or rural development? The FAO-PAFO Youth Mentorship Program is your chance to gain personalized mentorship, skill development, and networking opportunities with industry leaders!
📌 Benefits: ✅ One-on-one mentorship from top agricultural experts ✅ Training in agribusiness, finance, leadership & innovation ✅ Global networking opportunities ✅ Certification upon completion 📅 Deadline: March 3, 2025
|
|
| African Development Banks inks agreement with Mauritania to improve livestock sector |
|
|
|
Mauritania has one of the largest livestock populations in Africa, with 2.3 million cattle, 14.6 million sheep, 9.4 million goats, and 1.5 million camels. Given the grass-fed nature of production and the unique breed characteristics of Mauritanian livestock, the country’s meat is highly sought after in regional markets. In 2021 alone, Mauritania exported approximately 750,000 heads of cattle, primarily to Senegal and The Gambia, generating around $120m. Despite this potential, the sector remains constrained by structural inefficiencies that hinder growth, productivity, and competitiveness on international markets. Key challenges include inadequate feed and water resources, poor animal health services, and a heavy reliance on natural pastures that are increasingly under threat from desertification. Read more
|
|
| African Development Bank 2022-2026 country strategy for Benin sends very positive signals at halfway point |
|
|
|
Rice production in Benin has almost doubled in the space of three years, heading north from 406,000 tonnes in 2020 to nearly 712,000 tonnes in 2023 and thereby exceeding the initial target of 700,000 tonnes. Maize production rose to 1.7 million tonnes in 2023, compared with 1.5 million tonnes three years earlier. At the same time, the share of Benin’s cashew nut production that is processed inside the country more than doubled from 19 percent to 40.26 percent, thanks to processing operations at the Glo-Djigbé industrial zone. The Glo-Djigbé zone is supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group to support economic reforms in Benin. The impressive output results for rice and maize were also achieved thanks to the Bank’s support. Read More
|
|
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. |
|
African Association of Agricultural Economists c/o University of Nairobi, C.A.V.S, Upper Kabete Campus Loresho Ridge Road, Nairobi, Kenya |
|
|
