USAID, WFP food assistance partnership targets 700 000 needy people during lean season

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has today contributed US$36.7 million on behalf of the American people to help the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) provide food assistance at the peak of the lean season between October and March next year. In a year marked by COVID-19, climatic shocks, food and fuel…

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Chief Chundu jerks government to address challenge of veld fires

By Nhau Mangirazi Harare – The Zimbabwe government has agreed to take punitive measures to curb veld fires after Chief Chundu raised the issue with information minister Monica Mutsvagwa who promised action to address the major challenge affecting the environment. Chief Abel Mbasera Chundu said this during the Senate sitting under Oral Answers to Questions…

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NEAP must recognise wetlands as mainstay of water bodies

By Nhau Mangirazi Hurungwe –  National Environment Action Plan (NEAP) must recognize wetlands as the mainstay of water bodies, helping communities and biodiversity. Karoi Residents Trust (Karest) director, Travo Chiwanga said there is a need for local authorities to protect the wetlands in rural, towns, municipalities, and cities in the country. Of late, a majority of…

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FAO integrates biodiversity into agriculture to ensure food security

By Hillary Munedzi The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has underscored the critical importance of mainstreaming biodiversity across agriculture sectors to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There were calls to place emphasis on SDG 2 on Zero Hunger, SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production, SDG 13 on climate change,…

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Desperate for knowledge and action that will take them to the promised land: case of young Africans

By Charles Dhewa Poor economic performance over the past few years has seen tensions between the old and young generations in Africa rising to a boiling point. This has been worsened by the fact that most African governments have continued to hold onto bureaucratic systems inherited from colonialism. For instance, young people are questioning property…

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Why the lifting of the GMO ban in Kenya spells doom to millions of smallholder farmers

By Zachary Makanya Many of us have been cautioning Kenyans not to embrace GMOs for a long time and we thought our reasons were clear to all. We were very happy that the Government of His Excellency Hon Mwai Kibaki listened and respected the wishes of the Kenyan farmers and consumers to ban the commercialization…

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Zimbabwe making substantial achievements in CBD implementation

Zimbabwe is making substantial achievements in the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) treaty whose three main objectives are the conservation of biological diversity; the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. This was revealed…

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Renewable energy to cushion industry and agricultural sectors from power crisis

By Sowell Chikwari Industry and agriculture sectors have been urged to optimise resources by adopting clean energy solutions as a panacea to the power crisis which has paralyzed large-scale industrial operations and commercial farming. In an agro-based economy experiencing acute power challenges, renewable energy-powered irrigation infrastructure is crucial for agricultural productivity. Zimbabwe has average solar…

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Prioritise the right of all people to food, and nutrition security

By Ms. Farayi Zimudzi – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in Ethiopia On 16 October 2022, Ethiopia joined the rest of the world to commemorate International World Food Day under the theme– “Leave no one behind. Better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life”. The theme calls…

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Global hunger, carbon emissions could both spike if war limits grain exports

If Russia’s invasion and the ensuing war significantly reduce Ukrainian grain exports, surging prices could increase food insecurity and carbon dioxide emissions, as marginal land is pushed into crop production. That’s the chain reaction predicted by modeling from a research team that includes Amani Elobeid, a teaching professor of economics at Iowa State University.

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‘Trees For Tourism’ as the world is rethinking post-COVID-19 recovery strategies

The Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry for Zimbabwe, Hon. Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu today officiated at two tree-planting events on the sidelines of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo which were hosted by Insukamini and Hugh Beadle Primary Schools in Bulawayo. “My coming here at Insukamini highlights the importance of planting trees. Even though…

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A billion hungry people: conflict, Covid and climate change could leave many close to famine

Caroline O’Doherty A cocktail of conflict, climate change and Covid has brought “catastrophic” food shortages to 44 countries. Almost one billion people across the world are going hungry, at levels categorised as “alarming” in nine countries and “serious” in 34 others. Experts are warning the situation could “significantly worsen” next year if current pressures continue….

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Forestry remains a mainstay of tourism, a pathway to fight climate change

By Hillary Munedzi Zimbabwe’s forests are arguably the mainstay of tourism, especially in protected areas, which would in turn create jobs in rural areas, diversify and produce finished products that will improve environmental resilience in the face of climate change. Speaking during the COMESA’s all-stakeholder climate meeting, Mr. Abedinigo Marufu, the Forestry Commission Zimbabwe director-general,…

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Investing in Climate Adaptation and Resilience as a Bulwark Against Conflict

By International Crisis Group Climate change is increasing the risk of conflict across the Horn of Africa. Intensified droughts and floods render land unusable, force people from their homes and compel them to compete for resources. They also raise the stakes in transboundary water disputes. The climate-conflict link is evident in Kenya, where four consecutive…

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Mainstreaming gender a key aspect of climate change adaptation

By Hillary Munedzi As developed countries fail to meet their pledges in relation to climate and development finance, women in Africa have suffered more and have been forced to invest more time in meeting family needs. The continent relies heavily on natural resources and rain-fed agriculture. This calls for urgency in meeting commitments to climate…

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AFC providing insurance for smallholder farmers

The AFC Insurance Company has now accelerated the provision of various short-term insurance products through a rapid expansion strategy across the country. The recently licensed entity has already made significant headway towards ensuring that insurance cover is made available to millions of households across the country, with a deliberate focus on agriculture insurance, in a…

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Farmers urged to brand cattle against theft, diseases

By Nhau Mangirazi HURUNGWE – The Department of Veterinary Services has challenged farmers to brand their cattle to guard against stock theft and illegal movement in disease-prone areas. Mashonaland West provincial veterinary director, Thokozani Mswele, made the passionate appeal on Thursday in Tengwe under Chief Mjinga Ward 2 during the official opening of a dip…

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Zimbabwe to commemorate World Cotton Day amid slump in crop production

By Wallace Mawire At a time smallholder farmers globally and especially in Africa are clamouring for favourable market prices for the cotton crop, Zimbabwe will today (7 October 2022) join other countries globally in commemorating World Cotton Day. The  Cotton Company of Zimbabwe will host the world cotton day conference in Harare. The conference is…

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What Climate Change Means For Africa’s Food Crisis

By Emily Barone The African continent is no stranger to famine. In the 1970s and ‘80s, countries across the Sahel plunged into a drought-induced food crisis. In the mid-80s, an estimated one million people died from food shortages in Ethiopia. Somalia faced widespread famine in the ‘90s. Both those countries, along with neighboring East African…

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Nestlé injects one billion Swiss francs into regenerative agriculture

By Hillary Munedzi Nestlé has invested over one billion Swiss francs in the Nescafé Plan 2030 which seeks to help coffee farmers to transition to regenerative agriculture, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve farmers’ livelihoods in seven countries. The food giant will be working with coffee farmers to test, learn and assess the effectiveness of…

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FAO hosts business forum to discuss critical issues in Zimbabwe’s livestock sector

By Wallace Mawire The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Subregional Office for Southern Africa hosted a livestock business forum under the theme ‘Making Markets Work for Smallholder Livestock’ on 28 September 2022 to discuss critical issues affecting the sector in Zimbabwe. The forum brought together representatives and key stakeholders in the livestock sector. Through the…

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Poor coordination makes it difficult to see where African food systems are going

By Charles Dhewa Even when sufficient funding is made available, African countries may fail to feed themselves and produce excess food for exporting in a consistent manner. A major reason for this predicament is disorganized and uncoordinated food systems.  In most cases, markets have no idea how much is being produced in which areas and when…

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US35 000 equipment, wheat and homesteads up in smoke in runaway veld fire

By Elvis Dumba Raffingora – Irrigation equipment worth US39 000 and 45 hectares of ready-to-harvest wheat were destroyed as a result of a runaway veld fire at Dalston Farm near Raffingora. The fire also rendered some Zvimba families homeless and without food after destroying homes. A man in Zvimba North Constituency who was clearing his…

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AFC drives food security by providing accessible, inclusive financial services

Access to affordable finance and farming equipment remains pivotal for the progression of agriculture in Zimbabwe. AFC Holdings has accelerated its support of Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector through its one-stop offer of financial and agricultural support services. The Holding company which boasts of a Commercial Bank (former Agribank), a DFI- the Land and Development Bank, AFC…

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President commissions Industrial Fattening Pens and Medicinal Feed Factory

By Elvis Dumba President Emmerson Mnangagwa has commissioned Chinhoyi University of Technology’s (CUT) Industrial Cattle Fattening Pens and Medicinal Feed Factory at the CUT Farm near Chinhoyi. Officially opening the Industrial Park this Friday afternoon, President Mnangagwa said other universities should imitate CUT which has shown that it is a trailblazing institute in advancing technologies…

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Pathways for repurposing resources are long overdue in developing countries

By Charles Dhewa Private property laws that many African countries adopted from colonialism have had both positive and negative aspects. One positive is that the privatization of property has encouraged investors to make long-term investments in infrastructure and other developments that create reliable employment. On the negative side, once property like land becomes private, the…

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Court okays Kadoma Agricultural Show

By Lovemore Chazingwa The highly anticipated 109th edition of the annual Kadoma Agricultural show event set for tomorrow until Saturday is going on as planned, a court decision has been endorsed. Substantive show society executive chairman Patson Madera made the revelation in an interview at Kadoma showgrounds. “This year’s officially endorsed Kadoma Agricultural Show is…

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Ignoring Africa’s small-scale food producers at COP27 will imperil their survival

By Alliance for Food Security in Africa (AFSA) Africa’s small-scale farmers risk being disregarded and shut out at international climate negotiations (COP27) in Egypt this November, warns Africa’s largest civil society movement, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa. AFSA represents over 200 million small-scale farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, and indigenous peoples. The warning comes after…

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‘My Food is African’ campaign launched at the National Seed Fair

Zimbabwe launched the My Food is African campaign at the National Seed Fair which was graced by the Guest of Honour, Dr. George Kembo, the Director-General of the Government’s Food and Nutrition Council (FNC). Zimbabwe’s National Seed Fair is hosted by the Zimbabwe Seed Sovereignty Programme (ZSSP), which the Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zimbabwe…

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IFRC warns of deepening global hunger

By Baboloki Semele Gaborone, Botswana – The warning lights are flashing on high: armed conflict, climate-related emergencies, economic hardship and political obstacles are leading to a growing wave of hunger in countries around the world. The misery for millions will deepen without immediate urgent action, warns the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent…

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The Joshua Generation International Network: Financial solutions hub for youths

The Joshua Generation International Network (TJGIN) is assisting youths in marginalized communities to access operating capital for the smooth running of their enterprises, thereby solving a myriad of challenges that are bedeviling the African continent. The organisation that has spread its wings across Africa has assisted youths to be financially independent through empowerment programs and…

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Removing cross-border trade barriers boosts African food security: IFPRI experts

Pursuing continental self-sufficiency may not be an appropriate remedy for Africa’s weak position in agricultural supply chains, experts at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have warned. African countries must improve their transnational transport infrastructure or risk remaining vulnerable to shocks in global food supply chains, the team of experts has warned following the…

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TJGIN embracing joint-venture partnerships for youth empowerment, economic development

The Joshua Generation International Network (TJGIN) is embracing joint-venture partnerships in its programming in order to guard against shortcomings associated with dealing with individuals in its quest to promote youth empowerment and economic development for young people globally. This was revealed in Zimbabwe’s eastern border town of Chipinge yesterday by Pastor Xavier Mzembi, one of…

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AU year of Nutrition: Calls for upscaled efforts towards food security

By Baboloki Semele Calls have been made for increased effort in upscaling food and nutrition security by African Union member states in order to realise development outcomes as espoused in the AU’s Agenda 2063. Although the African region seems to have witnessed a decrease in malnutrition of its population by about 13.5%, from 35.5% in…

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How regenerative agriculture can increase Africa’s food production

As global stakeholders work towards COP27, the next climate change conference, and accelerate efforts to confront the climate crisis, there has been increasing focus on “regenerative agriculture” – a term that is widely used but not always well understood. How it is defined globally will have a major impact on how it is applied. To…

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Heifer International promoting literacy as a human right

By Heifer International September 8 is International Literacy Day, a day to recognize the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights. Around the world, more than 770 million people lack basic literacy skills, most of whom are women and people in rural areas. At Heifer International, we offer learning opportunities in…

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PELUM-Zimbabwe capacitates Mazvihwa community on water harvesting techniques

By Wallace Mawire A four-day farmer exchange visit facilitated by the Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM-Zimbabwe) in Mazvihwa community in Zvishavane from 10 to 13 August 2022 has capacitated local farmer organizations to learn and share knowledge, information, and ideas to promote water harvesting in the wake of climate change, especially in the arid…

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Africa should build resilient food systems: President Mnangagwa

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called on Africans to focus their attention and responsibility towards shaping pathways and solutions to the challenges that confront the continent by building resilient agricultural food systems. He made the remarks while opening the Plenary Session of the African Green Revolution Forum titled “Accelerating Food Systems in a time of Crisis”…

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AfDB: African Green Revolution Forum’s top-tier partner

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) returns as a top-tier partner of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) – Africa’s largest agriculture conference – taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 6-9 September 2022. On Monday, the Bank kicked off its AGRF 2022 activities by co-organizing a pre-forum side event focused on the African Emergency Food Production Facility…

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