Making agro-ecology and its products more consumer-centric

Writes Charles Dhewa The fact that agroecology and other sustainable food production practices are gaining ground against industrial agriculture practices is no longer debatable. However, there is still a lot of work to make agroecology products more consumer-centric. That means proponents of agroecology and sustainable consumption have to re-invent creative ways of promoting agroecology products…

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Ukheshe rebrands to EFT Corporation to lead fin-tech innovation

In a bold step towards redefining the future of financial technology, Ukheshe has announced its official rebranding to EFT Corporation. The move consolidates Ukheshe’s pioneering digital solutions with EFT Corporation’s extensive reach and expertise under one unified brand, positioning it as a leading catalyst for financial inclusion in Africa. The rebranding of Ukheshe to EFT Corporation follows Ukheshe’s…

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Young Women blazing hot for their space in mining

Writes Gracious Masendu Young women in the mining sector ranging from 18-35 years drawn from diverse rural locations in Zimbabwe recently converged in Harare to deliberate on issues affecting them. At a breakfast meeting comprising of the Parliamentary Portfolio on Mines, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)  including the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) and…

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Third woman and second Kenyan wins 10th Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation

A solar-powered tool using AI and machine learning-enabled cameras to swiftly detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases has won Africa’s largest prize for engineering innovation Esther Kimani is the third woman and the second Kenyan innovator to win the Africa Prize, receiving £50,000 Her tool reduces crop losses for smallholder farmers by up to…

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Breakthrough in agricultural technology: Azerbaijan boosts grain yield with Innovation

In the modern world, agriculture is one of the key sectors playing a crucial role in ensuring food security and sustainable development. The rapid development of technology and the introduction of innovations have significantly changed agricultural practices, including methods of growing grain crops. Currently, agriculture in Azerbaijan is undergoing significant changes. To increase productivity and ensure the…

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EcoCash launches new, intuitive mobile App with enhanced security, more features

EcoCash, Zimbabwe’s leading mobile money platform, has launched an all-new mobile app, with enhanced security and a vastly improved and intuitive user interface, which includes several more features compared to the old app. The new application, which was launched in Harare today (Thursday, June 13, 2024), now allows EcoCash customers to send money to multiple…

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AfDB appoints Chioma Onukogu as Director of Board Affairs and Proceedings

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has appointed Chioma Angela Onukogu as the Director of Board Affairs and Proceedings in the Office of the Secretary-General and the General Secretariat, effective 16th April 2024. Onukogu, a Nigerian national, brings over 25 years of expertise in corporate governance and international development cooperation. Her extensive experience includes maintaining the…

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Apple introduces ChatGPT to iPhone in AI overhaul

Writes Joseph Waring Apple delivered on market expectations it would ramp up its AI capabilities, unveiling at WWDC 2024 a personal intelligence system integrated in the operating systems of a range of devices as well as a Siri upgrade with major AI-centric features including support for OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system…

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Afreximbank disburses $40 million to support Fidelity Bank’s acquisition of Union Bank UK

With this acquisition, Fidelity Bank can birth a new pan-African financial institution capable of providing correspondent banking and offshore banking services to banks in Africa   African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has announced the disbursement of a US$40-million Intra-African Investment Facility to Fidelity Bank Nigeria Plc (“Fidelity”) to support Fidelity Bank’s acquisition and recapitalization of…

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DHL Global Forwarding appoints Shabnum Dawood to helm its South Africa operations

With over 20 years of experience in logistics, Shabnum Dawood brings a sound understanding of unique logistics challenges and industry insights across South Africa DHL Global Forwarding, the leading international provider of air, sea, and road freight services, has appointed Shabnum Dawood as the new Country Manager for its South Africa operations. With over 20…

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Climate Action Network’s take on the Bonn talk shop

Bonn, Germany – Proper progress is urgently needed at the UNFCCC climate negotiations this week as, with each day passing, the talks are turning into a cesspit of inaction. Underscoring this is how divorced Bonn is fast becoming from real-world conversations, while long-standing inequities within the UNFCCC process, and between and within countries, are worsening. Providing…

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AU, ILRI collaborate to make informal food markets in Africa safer

An estimated 70 percent of Africa’s urban households buy food from informal sources, such as street vendors, kiosks, and traditional market sellers, recent studies have found. Now, the African Union and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), are joining forces to design the first-ever guidelines to help African governments improve food safety in informal food…

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Climate action a responsibility for all: Prof Prosper B. Matondi

Writes Tatenda Mutasa Bonn, Germany  Climate change is a threat that affects every person in Zimbabwe, Prof, Prosper B. Matondi, the Secretary for Environment, Climate, and Wildlife has said. He made the remarks in the Bonn Negotiating Rooms for the Climate Change Conference running from 3 to 13 June 2024 where parties are discussing lessons…

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Nozizwe: The Name that inspired a philanthropic journey

Writes Panashe Gwesu Iris Nozizwe Mhlanga, a Zimbabwean woman deeply rooted in the Anglican faith, has harnessed the inspiration behind her given name to create a profound impact on vulnerable communities across Zimbabwe. Nozizwe, a name bestowed upon her by her father, Jonathan Temba Mhlanga, meaning “Mother of Nations,” has been the driving force behind…

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Appoint women to positions of decision-making and politics: SADC Ministers responsible for Gender

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Committee of Ministers Responsible for Gender and Women`s Affairs met virtually on 07 June 2024 to review progress in the implementation of the SADC Gender Programme. The Ministers encouraged Member States to prioritise the appointment of women in political positions and key decision-making positions. The Ministers discussed and made…

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A thousand boreholes a month achievable: PGI

Writes Lloyd Rabaya  The countrywide presidential borehole drilling scheme has set a target of 1,000 boreholes a month as the government intensifies efforts for clean water supply countrywide. Yesterday, some of the contractors, Prevail Group International (PGI), led by Dr. Paul Tungwarara were at Muganwinwi High School in Bulawayo, where a business unit is being…

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Freotech Refrigeration offers lifeline through vocational training

Writes Wellington Zimbowa In the past, traditional pathways focused more on academic success and popularized the degree syndrome but that was more relevant then. Today, a highly informalized economy has seen a skyrocketing unemployment rate in the country. More than 2,8 million men of working age are unemployed according to the official Zimbabwe National Statistics…

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SADC humanitarian appeal: FAO pledges USD10 million to ameliorate El-Nino-induced drought

The SADC region faces a humanitarian crisis because of the ongoing El Niño induced drought and floods that are negatively impacting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the region. According to the SADC El Nino Appeal, an estimated 60 million people in Southern Africa are food insecure. Across the southern half of…

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H.E Edward Kallon rallies environmental sustainability, climate action and food security

HE Edward Kallon, the Zimbabwe UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, has rallied stakeholders to ensure environmental sustainability, climate action, and food security as part of efforts to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). This emerged at the 2024 SADC Regional Commemoration of World Environment Day Theme: “Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience” held at the Geo…

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Call to action: Save 30 million people affected by El-Nino induced drought

More than 30 million people across Southern Africa have been affected by a severe drought. Millions could be pushed into acute hunger unless support is urgently mobilised to scale before the next lean season, warn the United Nations (UN) and partners. The joint call was made yesterday by the UN, NGOs, regional and national authorities,…

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Korea-Africa Summit: President Mnangagwa shares progress and perspectives on developing Zimbabwe

In his address to Zimbabweans based in the Republic of Korea during a diaspora engagement meeting at the Korea-Africa Summit yesterday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa shared progress as well as perspectives on developing the country. He said over the years, since the advent of the Second Republic, he took it upon himself to always engage with…

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Action needed to address fast-degrading environment, increase in desertification and drought

Writes Amkela Sidange (Environmental Education and Publicity Manager for EMA) The 5th of June is World Environment Day, which is a day that was set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness of environmental issues and provide solutions to environmental challenges that we are experiencing both at a national and global scale. The 2024…

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World Environment Day: cleaning our environment starts at individual level

Today, June 5th, marks World Environment Day – an annual event established by the United Nations to encourage awareness and action for the protection of the environment. This year’s World Environment Day campaign focuses on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. While global issues like climate change, pollution, and biodiversity…

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SADC urged to harness CAADP’s transformative impact to develop the agricultural sector

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been urged to ride on the success story of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), with its transformative impact on the agricultural sector, to draw invaluable lessons that can be applied in the pursuit of food security to spur progress and development in the region. This was…

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Kwedu Township Tourism initiative launched by enterprising Zimbabwean youth

Writes Wallace Mawire  A small group of innovative youths under the age of 35, led by Rumbidzo Mawoyo and Hillary Mandaba, in partnership with Kukura Business Accelerator (KBA), have launched the Kwedu Township Tourism initiative in Dzivarasekwa Township of Harare in Zimbabwe in a bid to promote tourism in and empower local communities in the…

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Zimbabwe’s Gastronomy Heritage: A Key to Healthy Living

Writes Catherine Murombedzi  In nature’s nurture, open your eyes to see the healthy habits from the past. Before the 1960s, lifestyle diseases were minimal. People grew their own food and lived healthy lifestyles. They worked in the fields. They were physically fit. Sedentary work was also taken when shelling nuts after harvest. Grandmothers were the…

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25,000 people in Bikita to benefit from USAID food assistance grant

In response to the El Niño-induced drought in Zimbabwe, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded CARE Zimbabwe with a US$3 million grant to support 25,000 people in Bikita district in Masvingo province from June to November. According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment 2023 Report, 2.7 million people in Zimbabwe are in dire…

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World Environment Day 2024: Celebrating Sustainability and Climate Action

On June 5th, 2024, countries around the world will come together to observe World Environment Day. This annual event, first established by the United Nations in 1972, aims to raise awareness and inspire action on critical environmental issues. The theme for World Environment Day 2024 is “Regeneration: Ecological Restoration for People and Planet.” This theme…

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SADC Regional Technical-Level Consultation deliberates on CAADP Post-Malabo Agenda Process

Stakeholders are gathered in Lusaka, Zambia to deliberate on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Technical-Level Consultation which is the third in a series of five regional dialogues on the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) Post-Malabo Agenda Process. When African leaders adopted the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, CAADP, as Africa’s policy framework…

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100 Most Influential Africans of 2024 Award opens avenues for Engineer Edzai Kachirekwa

Engineer Edzai Kachirekwa, the Executive Director of energy concern, Power Giants, has said receiving an award as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2024 has opened avenues for his career and company. Engineer Kachirekwa received the award at a glamorous event in Harare on 30 May 2024 that was graced by dignitaries including…

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Who’s investing in climate adaptation for smallholder farmers?

Writes Jennifer Marston Climate adaptation is underfunded globally but especially so in emerging markets. Developing countries alone need some $212 billion per year by 2030 to adapt to increasingly inhospitable growing conditions in agriculture, according to a recent report from AgFunder and ISF Advisors. But it can be a challenging space to invest in, say investors….

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Critical Minerals Africa (CMA) 2024 to Explore Translating Mineral Policy into Tangible Projects

The Critical Minerals Africa Summit will take place from 6–7 November in Cape Town Global demand for critical minerals is projected to grow threefold by 2040, highlighting a strategic opportunity for African producers to increase output and the development of untapped mineral deposits. A shift in focus by global players towards African projects has created…

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Tanzania Elected Chair of the African Committee of Climate Change Experts and Ambassadors

Dr. Richard S. Muyungi, Tanzania’s Special Adviser to the President on Climate Change and Environment, has been unanimously elected as the Chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) for the Dialogue on Climate Change in Africa for the years 2025-2026. This committee has the specific responsibility of overseeing climate change negotiation matters on behalf…

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RFMO Accountability Tracker Highlights Actions at Indian Ocean Tuna Commission

As part of its effort to promote transparent and open ocean governance, Accountability.Fish has released the results of the 28th Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission held in Bangkok, Thailand on May 13 -17. The results can be found at: https://accountability.fish/meeting/iotc -2024 “Once again, as the IOTC doesn’t report out the actions taken by…

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African Development Bank unveils new Ten-Year Strategy 2024–2033

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has unveiled its new Ten-Year Strategy 2024–2033 (https://apo-opa.co/4aKxNom), a blueprint to confront Africa’s pressing challenges and to help put the continent firmly back on track towards sustained economic growth and prosperity. Unveiling the strategy during the Bank Group’s Annual Meetings in Nairobi, Kenya, African Development Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina…

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Use of any private or personal motorcade illegal: ZRP

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has clarified the position on the use and provision of motorised escorts and said in terms of the country’s laws, only the State Presidium will be provided with motorised escorts or a state motorcade. A concerned citizen, Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi had written an open letter expressing his deep concern…

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Media essential agents to safeguard climate change challenges

Writes Elvis Dumba Kariba – The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has described journalists as an essential ingredient in contributing towards solutions for environmental challenges being encountered in the face of climate change. Assistant Commissioner Nyazema,  Police Officer Commanding Mashonaland West Province said this in a speech read on his behalf at the belated World Press…

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Roadmap towards reversing Biodiversity Loss in the Pungwe River Basin Ecosystems

…a lifeline for People, Wildlife, and the Economy The Pungwe River basin, shared by Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is rich in plant and animal diversity. However, the ecosystem is now under threat from human activities. In 2023, Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA) commissioned an Environmental Flow (EFlows) assessment to understand how the Pungwe River Basin…

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Urgent action needed to save Cleveland Dam: CBOs

A grouping of community-based organisations (CBOs) has said there is an urgent need to save Cleveland Dam, one of internationally-recognised wetlands under the Ramsar Convention. Cleveland Action Alliance, Manyame Conservation Trust, Network for Environmental and Climate Justice, and Residents Against Land Degradation have joined hands in condemning environmentally-degrading activities at the dam. The CBOs expressed…

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World No Tobacco Day: YADD against manipulative tactics of tobacco industry

On this World No Tobacco Day, Youth Against Alcohol and Drug Dependency (YADD) in Zimbabwe has said it stands united against the manipulative tactics of the tobacco industry on children. “As YADD, We are committed to protecting our generation and future ones from the harmful effects of tobacco and vaping. We call on governments to…

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Tracking and Influencing African Development Bank Energy Investments in Southern Africa

On the 30th of May 2024, Action 24 the Southern Africa Node Coordinator for ACCESS Coalition launched the report analyzing the funding provided by the African Development Bank (AfDB) for energy projects in Zimbabwe between 2014 and 2021. The report aimed to present relevant findings and recommendations with key stakeholders and explore ways of catalyzing…

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