COP29: Climate finance negotiations come to a standstill

Wellington Madumira, the National Coordinator of Climate Action Network (CAN) Zimbabwe has said as we reach the midpoint of COP29, it is deeply disturbing to witness the climate finance negotiations come to a standstill. He said developed nations continue to display a disturbing level of apathy, viewing vital climate finance as mere investments rather than…

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Leaders Commit to Creating Pathways for Transformative Education, Skill Development for Children in Southern Africa

Writes Sirak Gebrehiwot 16 November 2024, Victoria Falls – A historic gathering of seven Southern African leaders, international representatives, over 7000 children, and youth took place at Baobab Primary School in the resort town of Victoria Falls to commemorate regional World Children’s Day. The event, attended by dignitaries from across the southern Africa region, emphasized…

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Zimbabwe Parliament at COP29: Parliamentary involvement critical in climate change dialogue

Parliamentary involvement is critical in the climate change dialogue and to demonstrate this, the Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Advocate Jacob F.N. Mudenda is leading the legislative delegation from the Southern African country in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the parliamentary meeting on the occasion of COP29.   The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Advocate J.F.N Mudenda,…

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ZIMSOFF exchange visits help farmers improve agro-ecological practices

Writes Lloyd Rabaya  Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers’ Forum (ZIMSOFF)’s recent exchange visit in Shashe, Masvingo, has proved to be of great importance to farmers as they taught each other various agroecology elements. During the two-day visit, farmers had the opportunity to watch and learn from other practicing farmers on best sustainable practices that include water…

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The Imperative of Upholding Climate Agreements for Local Communities and LMICs

Writes Ebrima Jarra, Soil Scientist and Civil Actor from The Gambia A Path Toward Equitable and Sustainable Development by “The Soil Solution” (NGO) Abstract As climate change accelerates, its impacts disproportionately burden local communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These communities, often with minimal contributions to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, face severe challenges,…

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Climate change threatens Africa’s developmental gains

African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Ambassador Josefa Correia Sacko reaffirmed in Baku, Azerbaijan, that climate change poses a threat to Africa’s economies and jeopardises the continent’s developmental gains.   Amb Josefa Sacko, who was speaking at the United Nations event on Africa’s climate achievements and the importance of…

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USAID supports youth innovation programmes in Zimbabwe

Writes Wallace Mawire The Youth Engagement for Accountability in Zimbabwe (YEAZ) Project Flexible Initiatives to Support Youth Innovations (YEAQZ)’s Explosion! Innovators Pitch Deck held on November 8, 2024, in Harare, Zimbabwe seeks to enhance youth participation in sustainable community leadership, resource governance, and social accountability. The project has capacitated partners to use new and creative…

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Honour commitment to eliminate cholera by 2028: CWGH urges government

Writes Community Working Group on Health (CWGH)   The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) commends the government for taking bold and tangible measures to address major public health challenges through its supreme law, the Constitution, the Public Health Act, and indeed other legal and policy frameworks. There have also been corresponding structural arrangements in…

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Jacob Mutisi

Zimbabwe needs an Independent Complaints Commission now

Writes Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi   The recent bribery scandal involving two police officers in Mabvuku, Harare, has once again highlighted the urgent need for reform within Zimbabwe’s law enforcement agencies. This incident is emblematic of a broader pattern of misconduct that has plagued the police and military, raising serious concerns about accountability and public…

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FAO workshop focuses on supporting agri-food system transformation in Southern Africa

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Subregional Office for Southern Africa convened a Multidisciplinary Team meeting to discuss and agree on how FAO can better support agrifood system transformation in Southern African countries.   The meeting was held today 11 November 2024 at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, Zimbabwe.  …

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COP29: A test of wealthy countries’ commitment to securing a liveable planet

OWN CORRESPONDENT As COP29 opens in Baku, Azerbaijan, tomorrow, ActionAid International’s Global Lead on Climate Justice, Teresa Anderson, says: “Frontline countries who have done almost nothing to cause the problem are being pushed deeper into debt by the climate crisis. Yet they are the ones getting stuck with an escalating climate bill as they bear…

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Rural women take the lead in Zimbabwe’s food sovereignty

Writes Lloyd Rabaya With the sharp voices of the Zvamahande Primary School pupils cutting through the air echoing the food sovereignty message with their poems, the farmers from various provinces who were gathered at Shashe Agroecology School celebrating the International Day of Rural Women, which was preceded by International Food Sovereignty  Day, lauded and ululated…

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Africa Energy Expo: a platform for advancing Africa’s energy and utilities industry

KIGALI, Rwanda, November 8, 2024 – As the first-ever Africa Energy Expo (AEE) wrapped up at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda, delegates and participants alike expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to collaborate to find solutions to the continent’s energy and utilities challenges and leverage its immense opportunities. Organised by Informa Markets (www.InformaMarkets.com) and…

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Tinubu reappoints Mustapha as DG National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency

Writes Toyin Omozuwa   The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the reappointment of the Director General of the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA), Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha for a second tenure of 5 years.   His reappointment was conveyed in a letter signed by the…

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The Bipartisan Appeal of Kamala Harris and the Limits of American Progress in the 2024 Presidential Race

Writes Lukong Stella Shulika (Institute of the Future of Knowledge, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa)   The 2024 presidential election was touted as a landmark moment for American democracy, promising to challenge both political ideologies and societal norms. Kamala Harris, with her clear, inclusive vision and unprecedented candidacy as the first woman of colour…

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The role of baseline studies in anchoring local solutions and resilience

Writes Charles Dhewa   In addition to unearthing community resilience and coping mechanisms, baseline studies can be good at identifying relevant partners and local expertise. A lot of market infrastructure in many African countries has remained unused because construction has not been adequately informed by baseline studies. The absence of baseline data also leads to…

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All Set for LitFest Harare International Literature Festival 2024

Zimbabwe’s premier literature festival, LitFest Harare International Literature Festival makes its highly anticipated return from November 27 to 30, 2024. This year’s festival, marking its 11th edition, runs under the theme, “Stories: The Measure of Life,” and will celebrate the power of storytelling and its profound impact on our lives and communities.   The festival…

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COP16 Biodiversity Summit: Delayed crucial agreements may hamper Global Biodiversity Framework implementation

Dr. Christian K. Tiambo, Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH) – International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)   Progress at COP16   The “People’s COP”, COP16 summit concluded on the 2nd of November in Cali, in the Valle del Pacífico Event Center, the second largest and most modern event space in Colombia and the…

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Addressing emerging and legacy diseases: Africa needs locally manufactured vaccines

Writes Sakhile Khaweka   Prioritizing local vaccine manufacturing, distribution, and rollout remains crucial to addressing some of the challenges that are faced by the African continent’s health systems. Making sure that vulnerable communities have access to life-saving health innovations is not only going to ensure that millions of people live longer but will also yield…

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Conference spotlights strategies to eliminate hunger by 2025

A high-level political forum on global action against hunger is underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with stakeholders seeking to achieve this goal, importantly in Africa where a large proportion of the population is food insecure annually and increasingly goes hungry.   These were the sentiments for His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,…

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PARM Stories Challenge: Winners speak at 20th CAADP PP, 15th ADFNS

The winners of the Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM) Stories Challenge were sponsored by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to attend the commemoration of the 15th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS), the 20th edition of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform (PP) and the associated Malabo…

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United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework aligns with NDS1

The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) aimed at achieving economic growth and stability, food and nutrition security, structural transformation, and value chains among many common priorities. These were the sentiments of Mr. Spencer Dube, the Acting Chief Director of Political Affairs in the Ministry of…

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A Food Security Statistics Project is Enhancing Food Security Data across Africa

Reliable food security statistics are essential for informed decisions on food access, quality, and affordability.   Recognizing this, a regional collaboration between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Statistics Norway, funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), has supported eight African nations in strengthening their food and nutritional security…

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NetOne, Salutem Launch Dollar-a-Month Medical Cover

NetOne, Zimbabwe’s state-owned mobile network operator, has partnered with Salutem International Medical Fund to launch an innovative healthcare product aimed at increasing access to primary healthcare services across the country. The Salutem One Health product, accessible through NetOne’s mobile money platform OneMoney, offers essential medical coverage for just US$1 per month. Speaking at the launch…

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Religious Freedom Violation and Intolerance Spark International Controversy

South Korean local government cancels international event with 30,000 participants from 78 countries, causing international damage   On October 29th, an administrative decision by a South Korean government agency sparked international controversy, raising concerns about religious freedom and causing substantial financial loss.   The “Religious Leaders Forum and Graduation Ceremony,” a joint initiative by two…

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Pan African Youth Forum: Empowering Youth Through Education for Climate Resilience

On November 2, 2024, at the Pan African Youth Forum in Oran, Algeria, the event titled “Empowering Youth through Education for Climate Resilience” brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including youth leaders, educators, and policymakers, to address the urgent need for climate education. This gathering underscored the pivotal role that young people can play…

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Agri-Food Systems: Inclusive education and skills training empower women and youth

On the 30th of October 2024, Ash-Gric held a side event at the African Union’s  20th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Partnership Platform (CAADP PP) and the 15th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) under the theme “Inclusive Education & Skills Training: Empowering Youth and Women for Resilient Agri-Food Systems.”   The event…

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Biennial Review Reports: Member states off-target on achieving CAADP commitments

The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Progamme (CAADP) Biennial Review Reports have shown that countries have missed targets on enhancing investment finance in agriculture, ending hunger, halving poverty, boosting intra-African trade, enhancing resilience to climate variability, and promoting mutual accountability by 2025 as espoused in the commitments that support the Malabo Declaration. This was revealed by…

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50/50 Women on Boards Launches Inaugural African Chapter in Nairobi

On 15 October 2024, the 50/50 Women on Boards (WOB), the global nonprofit advocating for gender balance and diversity on corporate boards, is thrilled to announce the launch of its inaugural African chapter in Nairobi, Kenya. This marks a significant expansion of the organization’s mission to promote gender equality in corporate governance and leadership across…

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Epi App Takes Top Honors at Cimas HIT Healthathon: A New Era in Healthcare Innovation

Writes Kundai Marunya Harare, Zimbabwe – At the Cimas HIT Healthathon 2.0, held yesterday at Borrowdale Office Park, the future of healthcare innovation took center stage with a spotlight on the groundbreaking Epi App, which clinched the grand prize. The event drew nine talented innovators from various tertiary institutions, all eager to showcase their revolutionary…

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AUDA-NEPAD and PARM contributing to agricultural risk management in Africa

The Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) shared knowledge of the approaches and opportunities for effective agricultural risk management (ARM) in Africa.   Speaking during a side event titled “Accelerating Investments for Inclusive and Holistic Agricultural Risk Management in Africa” on the sidelines of the commemoration of the…

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NetOne takes connectivity, environmental stewardship to Honde Valley

NetOne Zimbabwe’s leading mobile network operator has hailed its collaboration with the local and many other stakeholders in Mutasa Rural District Council by actively participating in the National Clean-up Day and bin installations in its efforts to fulfill its mandate on corporate social responsibility and environmental conservation. Also aligned with its mission to develop communities…

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Research and Innovation: Catalysts for Agricultural Transformation under under CAADP

As stakeholders gathered in Harare to commemorate two decades of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme(CAADP), it emerged that there is a need to reflect on the vital role that research plays in this transformative journey.   In a speech on his behalf during a side event at the 20th CAADP Partnership Platform titled “Research…

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Commissioner Sacko urges action on implementing the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan

H.E Ambassador Josefa Sacko, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment at the Africa Union Commission, has urged urgent action on the implementation of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan.   She made the call during a side event at the 20th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP PP)…

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AGRA, FAO hail CAADP Partnership Platform: Aligning efforts to drive Africa’s agricultural agenda

The Alliance for a Green Revolution Africa (AGRA) has hailed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform (PP) as stronger than ever, with a renewed focus on inclusivity and collaboration.   Speaking during the official opening of the 20th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP PP) and the 15th Africa Day for Food…

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African governments tasked to prioritise investment in biotechnology

African governments have been urged to prioritise investment in biotechnology research and development to address pressing challenges in the sector, including climate change, pests and diseases, and declining soil fertility.   The call was made to African Ministers from six countries, including Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Eswatini, during a ministerial roundtable held on the…

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AUDA-NEPAD, donors renew commitment to building resilient and inclusive food systems

The 20th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the 15th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) held under the theme “CAADP Agenda Two Decades-on: Cultivating the Nexus of Nutrition, Agrifood Systems, and Education for Africa’s Growth” marked an opportunity not only to reflect on the achievements of the past 20 years but…

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AGRA, AUDA-NEPAD and IFPRI event spotlights Strategic Pathways to Agrifood Systems Transformation

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in partnership with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) will be holding a side event during the 20th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the Africa day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) in Harare, Zimbbwe. This session…

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Africa needs to develop human capacities and innovative practices to achieve resilient agri-food systems

African Union Commissioner Josefa Correia Sacko reaffirmed in Harare, Zimbabwe, the need to develop human capacities and innovative practices to accelerate the implementation and expansion of successful models to achieve resilient agri-food systems in Africa.   Josefa Sacko, who was speaking at the commemoration of the fifteenth African Day for Food Security and Nutrition and…

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CAADP Non-state actors enhancing accountability, knowledge dissemination in agriculture

Non-state actors play a key role in realising the aspirations of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) by promoting accountability among stakeholders and disseminating knowledge and information to the grassroots, especially smallholder farmers.   This emerged yesterday during the first day of the 15th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) Commemoration and…

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Agriculture risk management contributes to Africa’s food security: PARM, AUDA-NEPAD

The Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM) and the African Union Development Agency of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) are co-organising the side-event “Accelerating Investments for Inclusive and Holistic Agricultural Risk Management in Africa” on the sidelines of the commemoration of the 15th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS), the 20th…

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CAADP processes register tremendous progress in transforming agriculture

Since the birth of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) through the Maputo Declaration of 2003 followed by the Malabo Declaration of 2014, tremendous progress has been made by the member states in transforming agriculture despite facing various challenges including the effects of climate change, pandemics, geo-political conflicts, and global recession, a senior government…

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Agriculture: To what extent can a few beneficiaries transform a whole community?

Writes Charles Dhewa   Due to limited resources, among other reasons, development interventions often work with a few targeted beneficiaries hoping that new knowledge or practices can trickle down to the entire community. For instance, in a community of more than 1000 households, an intervention can support 50 households to do sustainable agriculture. Some interventions…

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