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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African Leadership: World Must Double Down on Climate Adaptation to Secure Africa

Africa Adaptation Summit outlines a 5-point “Adaptation Delivery Breakthrough” for the key UN climate conference in Egypt (COP27) this November and $55 million of new funding to mobilize over $5 billion in climate adaptation action projects for Africa   Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Sep 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — African and global leaders joined the Africa Adaptation…

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Climate change weighing on agriculture

Among the many difficult challenges facing grain, executives are assessing climate change impacts. The headline of a special Fitch report, published in June, provided a stark reminder of the massive stakes associated with climate change: “Developing countries are more challenged by climate change adaptation.” The report’s focus was on “the stark differences across the world…

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13th AUC Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development convenes in Botswana

By Baboloki Semele The 13th African Union Commission (AUC) Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development (ATFFND) meeting will be held on 7-9 September 2022 in Gaborone, Botswana, culminating with a High-level National Launch of the theme of the Year on Nutrition, as a cascade of the launch performed during the 35th Ordinary Session of…

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Summit lays foundation for an adaptation breakthrough for Africa at COP27

The Global Center on Adaptation, together with the African Union, African Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, Africa Adaptation Initiative, and the Climate Vulnerable Forum, are convening the Africa Adaptation Summit to lay the foundation for an adaptation breakthrough for Africa at COP27, in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. The Deputy Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism,…

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Mechanising value chain nodes could make a difference in African food systems

By Charles Dhewa The seasonal nature of African food systems implies there are times when particular food commodities are out of season and other times when so much some food is abundant that preservation or semi-processing would increase shelf life by several months. While the absence of value addition is more visible in fruits like…

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ZAS: President Masisi affirms need for agricultural development and food security

His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi, the President of the Republic of Botswana has reiterated the importance of agricultural development and food security on the  African continent. He made the remarks today in Harare in his keynote address during the official opening of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show where he was the Guest of Honour. “First and…

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ZAS: AFC Holdings commits to supporting the 2022/23 Summer Cropping Season

AFC Holdings, the one-stop shop for development finance, commercial banking, insurance, and leasing with a special focus on agriculture development is committed to supporting the 2022/23 summer cropping season. Speaking to Spiked Online Media today during the ongoing Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS) in Harare today, Mrs. Priscilla Munyeza, the Managing Director at the AFC Land…

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ZAS 2022: TelOne introduces climate-smart agriculture crop monitoring service

The leading provider of voice and broadband services, TelOne, has introduced a new product onto the market – Crop Monitoring Service, in a move anticipated to position the company in the smart agriculture sector and transform remote farming. In an interview with Spiked Online Media at the ongoing Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS) in Harare yesterday,…

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NetOne’s OneHealth platform has potential to ensure mining industry health and safety

With the country recording an increase in mining-related fatalities, NetOne’s e-Health platform – OneHealth, a digital, mobile phone-based health solution that can be accessed via USSD to provide health tips, health-based loans, and insurance at a very low cost, is a possible game-changer and a panacea to the challenge. NetOne is one of the leading…

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ZARNet considers synergies to offer ubiquitous digital solutions

The Zimbabwe Academic and Research Network (ZARNet) has said it enjoys synergies with organisations like NetOne and Telecel in a bid to attain its mandate of providing reliable and sustainable Internet and other ICT Solutions to the academic, research, and educational institutions and any other government establishments in the country. ZARNet is a grant funded…

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ZAS: NetOne commends partnerships in transforming lives of people with albinism

State-owned mobile telephony giant, NetOne, is participating at the 112th edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS) and has commended multi-stakeholder partnerships in addressing challenges faced by people with albinism. “At the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, we continue to collaborate with organisations like Albino Charity Organization of Zimbabwe, where as usual, we donate sun-screen creams, lip…

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ZAS: Econet offers customers 3D gaming, music and great entertainment

Econet Wireless is back in full force at the Zimbabwe Agriculture Show (ZAS) this year, after not being able to fully participate at the popular trade event over the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The leading telecommunications company did participate at ZAS with limited staff and a scaled-down exhibition in October last year, due…

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Global warming to boost wheat yield, drive up price volatility: Study

Global warming is likely to boost crop yields in some countries, helped in part by higher carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, which increases plant growth and helps them become more efficient in using water. The results may seem hopeful, given the current surge in food prices globally. But there’s a catch – despite higher yields, future global…

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Workshop equips PAP with knowledge on nutritional resilience and food security

By Baboloki Semele The Pan African Parliament (PAP) has been oriented on the AU Theme for 2022: “Strengthening nutritional resilience and food security on the African continent: strengthening Agri-food, health, and social protection systems for the acceleration of the development of human, social and economic.” Held on 24 August 2022 at the headquarters of the…

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Where does agriculture begin and end? Natural Ecosystems have Rights too!

By Charles Dhewa That food systems are more than agriculture is no longer debatable. However, what is worrying in most countries that depend on agriculture is the extent to which biodiversity and natural ecosystems are being destroyed in favor of agriculture. Conversely, the past few years have seen an increase in the volume of wild…

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Farmers must prioritise smart agricultural techniques

By Hillary Munedzi Farmers are being urged to venture into integrated farming and the planting of local varieties that are self-producing in their natural regions, in adjusting to the new normal of record high fertilizer prices. With Africa faced with a fertilizer crisis, supply chain woes, and climate change impact, experts in the agricultural business…

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Mutasa district agricultural shows resume after prolonged COVID-19-induced hiatus

By Wallace Mawire Rural farmers in Mutasa district in Manicaland province are elated following the resumption of agricultural shows which had taken a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  The ward 20 Mutasa 2022 District Agricultural Show which attracted at least 23 exhibitors, mostly women and other interested stakeholders held at Mutasa Primary School…

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Kenya’s KALYA driving climate-smart agriculture research through promotion of peace

With one of Africa’s powerhouses, Kenya, encountering challenges in the promotion of peace, especially among its diverse cultural and ethnic people as witnessed in the aftermath of the 2007 elections, the KALYA initiative is a panacea towards the promotion of food security and peace. Kalya M.D who works for Kabarak University in Kenya as a…

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Nestlé empowers young farmers in the COMESA region

By Hillary Munedzi Young farmers in the East and Southern African region (ESAR) walked away with mentorship and coaching opportunities totaling $30 000 in the Nestlé Needs Youth Initiative held in Johannesburg, South Africa recently. In celebrating International Youth Month, the Nestlé Needs Youth Agri Competition, which ran from June to July 2022 received over…

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