News

Egypt, Germany sign £36-million deal for agricultural cooperation

12-10-2019 | 14:04:00

Egypt and Germany have signed a £36-million grant agreement to guarantee high quality of agricultural production.

[Kenya] Screening cycle for Maize Lethal Necrosis virus set to begin in in January 2020

12-10-2019 | 12:05:00

The maize lethal necrosis (MLN) artificial inoculation screening site in Naivasha, Kenya, will begin its phenotyping (screening/indexing) cycle of 2020 at the beginning of January 2020.

One-third of all irrigated crops face extremely high water stress, World Resources Institute

12-10-2019 | 12:00:00

Competition for water resources is increasing as agriculture, municipalities and industries pull from the same scarce freshwater sources.

African Plant Breeders Association launched in Ghana

12-10-2019 | 07:37:17

The African Plant Breeders Association (APBA) was launched recently to bring together plant breeders from several African nations to work towards achieving food security in Africa through breeding.

Land degradation, volatile climate patterns creating a world food crisis, Global Food Security Index

12-10-2019 | 07:23:00

The recently released Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2019, examines the state of food systems across 113 countries.

OPEC Fund signs $20m loan to finance Burkina Faso’s Agricultural Support Project

12-09-2019 | 14:00:00

The Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development, Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa has signed a US$20 million development loan to help finance Burkina Faso’s Agricultural Value Chain Support Project.

[Angola] FAO set to certify Huila Province beekeepers's honey opening up formal markets for them

12-09-2019 | 12:20:00

Honey produced in Huila province will be certified by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in February 2020.

Climate change set to devastate regional fisheries

12-09-2019 | 12:15:00

Unabated climate change could cause coral reef tourism revenue losses of over 90%, while some West African countries are forecast to see fish stocks decline by 85%.

Reduced soil tilling helps both soils and yields, Stanford researchers

12-09-2019 | 07:15:00

Agriculture degrades over 24 million acres of fertile soil every year, raising concerns about meeting the rising global demand for food.

[South Africa] Western Cape launches farmers’ register

12-09-2019 | 07:08:00

Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape minister of agriculture, has launched the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) Western Cape’s Producer/Farmer Register.

New dam set to benefit 250,000 Burkina Faso farmers with improved irrigation

12-06-2019 | 10:05:00

Saudi Fund for Development has partnered with the government of Burkina Faso to inaugurate a $130 million dam that is set to benefit 250,000 farmers with improved irrigation and land reclamation.

[Angola] Government furthers mechanization drive with award of 40 more tractors to agriculture operators

12-06-2019 | 07:15:00

Six agricultural operators in the municipalities of Lubango, Matala, Chibia and Caluquembe of Huila Province have received 40 tractors and their agricultural implements.

World food prices jump to record high in November, FAO Food Price Index

12-06-2019 | 07:08:00

World food prices rose significantly in November, reaching their highest point in more than two years, driven by jumps in the international prices of meat products and vegetable oils.

IFC, GAFSP invest in Uganda’s Grainpulse to boost farmers’ access to fertilizer and markets

12-05-2019 | 13:49:00

IFC and GAFSP announced a $11 million loan to Ugandan agribusiness company Grainpulse to support its expansion and strengthen its farmer supply chain, increasing food production and economic growth in the country.

Eni, SNDP sign MoU to assess, extend experimental castor cultivation to produce sustainable biofuels in Tunisia

12-05-2019 | 10:32:00

Eni and SNDP signed an MoU at the Tunisian Ministry of Industry on joint collaboration, through a joint company, to cultivate castor at a semi-industrial level used to produce sustainable biofuels.

[Column] John Kufuor: Africa’s smallholder farmers are the linchpin to economic success

Food is the most basic of needs. It decides not just the health of individuals but also the health of communities which affects the health of our economies ...read full column here

[Column] Nixon Gecheo: Role of digital agricultural tools during pandemic

Covid-19 has exposed the vulnerabilities of agricultural and food systems in the world but particularly in low and middle-income countries. ...read full column here

[Column] Roux Wildenboer: Farmers, Ferraris and harvesting good investments in Africa

Agriculture for the most part has been a shining light for the continent and the investor community and governments have recognised that agri is a driver of a couple of key aspects... read full column here

INTERVIEWS.

[Interview] Antonio Loureiro, Founder, A Cozinha, Portugal

António Loureiro together with his wife, Isabel, started the restaurant A Cozinha in Portugal in 2016. Fiercely committed to sustainability and zero waste, A Cozinha was recognized in 2021 by the United Nations as one of the … read full interview here.

[Interview] Mario De Alwis, Founder, North Lanka Family Foods, Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan entrepreneur, Mario De Alwis, is founder and Managing Director of North Lanka Family Foods, a subsidiary of Ma’s Kitchen, acknowledged by the United Nations in 2021 as one of the 50 Best Small Businesses in … read full interview here.

[Interview] Marina Rakotondrasoa, CEO, Massöva, Madagascar

Massöva, fondée en 2018 par Marina Rakotondrasoa, est une entreprise agricole reconnue par les Nations Unies comme l'une des 50 meilleures petites entreprises … lire l'interview complète ici.

[Interview] Dexter Tangocci, Co-Founder, Integrated Aerial Systems, South Africa

Dexter Tangocci co-founded Integrated Aerial Systems (IAS) in 2016 and the company since built up a strong presence in the agriculture sector. Recognized in 2021 by the United Nations as one of the 50 Best Small Businesses in the world, IAS is one of only three licensed … read full article here.

[Interview] Ariestelo Asilo, Co-founder, Varacco, Philippines

Ariestelo Asilo, together with co-founder Kath Manto, started Varacco in 2018. The company was in 2021 recognized by the United Nations as one of … read full interview here.

[Interview] Claudia Isabel Barona, Co-Founder, Lifepack, Colombia

Claudia Isabel Barona is a Colombian entrepreneur that co-founded Lifepack, an enterprise producing 100% biodegradable ecological products made from natural fibers and seeds. Lifepack was recognized by the United Nations as … read full article here.

[Interview] Augustine Sensie Bangura, CEO, Sierra Agri Foods, Sierra Leone

Augustine Sensie Bangura is the entrepreneur behind Sierra Agri Foods, an agricultural food processing business selected by the United Nations as one of the 50 Best Small Businesses in the … read full interview here.