By Sibiri Sylvain Herve Ouedraogo, Programme Officer, FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) The Regional Capacity development workshop in Zimbabwe Agriculture is at the heart of Africa’s economy, providing livelihoods for nearly 60% of the population. However, inefficiencies in agrifood systems—ranging from poor infrastructure to climate vulnerability and weak market access—have limited the…
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the African Union (FAO), has pledged to continue to work with the African Union in promoting food and nutrition security on the African continent. Speaking to Spiked Online Media on the sidelines of the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) Capacity Development Workshop running in Harare, Zimbabwe from 17…
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA – At least 15 billion dollars a year up to 2030 is the amount the continent needs to increase its capacity to adapt to and mitigate climate change, outgoing African Union Commissioner Josefa Correia Sacko said. The Ambassador, who made a name for herself during two terms in the Department of…
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United United Nations (FAO) Regional Office for Africa (RAF) is holding a two-week long training workshop on administrative, finance, and operational matters in Harare. Speaking to Spiked Online Media ahead of the meeting today, Dr. Patrice Talla, the FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, said the training was…
Addis Ababa – 16 February 2025 – Angolan Josefa Correia Sacko, outgoing African Union Commissioner for the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, was honoured in Addis Ababa, with a medal of honour of merit, by the President of the Republic, Mohamed Oud Ghazouani. Th honour came on the sidelines…
Addis Ababa 14 February 2025 – Women are the backbone of Africa’s agri-food systems, contributing immensely to production, processing, distribution, and family livelihoods, outgoing African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment Josefa Correia Sacko said in Addis Ababa. The Angolan diplomat at the end of her mandate at the…
A ‘very rich’ legacy built up during the last eight years at the head of the continental body’s Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) portfolio is her gift to the new African Union Commissioner, the outgoing Commissioner of the African Union, Josefa Correia Sacko has said. The diplomat said this during…
The Government of Eswatini has hailed the election of former Cabinet Minister, Mr. Moses Vilakati, as the Commissioner for the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) in the African Union Commission. This achievement follows a highly competitive election held at the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where…
Commissioner of the African Union’s Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Josefa Correia Sacko said in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) that although agriculture is an important sector, most farmers on the continent practice rainfed agriculture, which is highly vulnerable to climate change. The Diplomat, who made these remarks at the International…
Over the past 30 years, extreme events such as wildfires, droughts, floods, and heat waves have multiplied due to the warming climate. According to climate models and research conducted by the IPCC, NASA, and other scientific institutions, their frequency, intensity, and duration are expected to grow in the future. Apart from the dramatic toll…
Writes Dr Tapiwa Mashakada The land reform program which started in 2000, sought to address historical injustices and imbalances in land ownership and distribution patterns. Before 2000, fertile agricultural land was owned by only 4500 white farmers while the black African majority were confined to tribal trust lands where the land was rocky,…
Dr. John Basera, a leading candidate for the position of Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment of the African Union Commission (AUC) has highlighted his vision, experience, and plans to strengthen agricultural development and the blue economy across Africa. Speaking to Spiked Online Media, Dr Basera demonstrated that he is a…
The continent is still not exploiting the full potential of its animal resources, largely because it is failing to fully utilise the opportunities available and address key challenges such as animal feed and health, African Union Commissioner Josefa Correia Sacko said in Addis Ababa. The diplomat, who was speaking at the launch of the…
About 67.4 million people in the Horn of Africa are food insecure, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, said in a joint report. This is a rise from 64.8 million at the end of November 2024, the institutions said,…
The African Union Commissioner recognised in Addis Ababa that the efforts that have been made in food security, sustainable environmental practices, rural development, and the blue economy have had a tangible impact on the entire continent. Josefa Sacko, who was speaking at a meeting with members of the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue…
Rwanda is set to launch a major irrigation development project in Gisagara District following the signing of a concessional financing agreement with China on Wednesday, January 22. The initiative, dubbed the Giseke Dam and Irrigation Project, is expected to benefit over 915 households by providing irrigation infrastructure to support crop cultivation. Gisagara District, known…
A new era in livestock marketing has dawned through the African Pastoral Markets Development Platform (APMD), which represents a groundbreaking initiative hosted by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR). Speaking during the APMD launch, Mohamed Omar, a renowned pastoralist leader, said the platform implementation will reflect the shared commitment to the transformations…
Berlin, Germany – The continent needs to address the structural challenges that are impeding economic transformation in Africa, which are deeply intertwined with food systems, African Union Commissioner Josefa Correia Sacko reiterated in Berlin. The Diplomat, who was speaking at the Eleventh German-Africa Conference that takes place from 17-21 of this month, assured that…
Writes Charles Dhewa Decades after independence from colonial masters, most African countries continue to perpetuate colonial urban planning approaches that were designed to exclude and marginalize the majority of poor Africans and their markets from urban areas. For instance, why should it be acceptable for urban dwellers to keep cats, dogs, and horses but…
Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has said the Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government on the Post Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) agenda in Kampala, Uganda signifies a commitment to transforming the African agricultural sector. In a statement read on his behalf by Dr. Anxious Masuka,…
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) said despite some progress in addressing food insecurity, Africa still faces several challenges and obstacles to the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) including climate change and inadequate funding of the agricultural sector. This came to the fore during an interactive…
KAMPALA, UGANDA – Stakeholders have been urged to embrace policy and institutional support measures to ensure the successful implementation of the post-Malabo agenda for a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system. These were the sentiments of Dr. Tshilidzi Madzivhandila, the Chief Executive Officer of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) …
KAMPALA, UGANDA – Dr. Bright Rwamirama, Uganda’s Minister of State for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has underscored the importance of animal protein in food and nutrition security. He was speaking during a Livestock Side event at the Margins of the African Union Heads of States Extraordinary Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development…
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is proud to announce the appointment of Alice Ruhweza as its next President, effective March 1st, 2025. This appointment follows a thorough and comprehensive selection process in partnership with Spencer Stuart. The incoming president, Alice Ruhweza will succeed Dr. Agnes Kalibata, who has successfully led AGRA…
The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Group of Non-State Actors has shared a common position on food systems with members of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee of Rural Agriculture, Water, and Environment as well as the Heads of State and Government of the African Union during the ongoing African Union Extraordinary Summit in…
KAMPALA, UGANDA – Evidence-based policies and strategies are essential to drive sustainable food systems transformation, without which stakeholders would not be able to successfully implement the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and deliver the African transformation, HE Jakaya Kikwete, the former President of Tanzania has said. He made the remarks in his keynote…
KAMPALA, UGANDA – Zimbabwe’s Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Hon. Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka has said multi-stakeholder collaboration is the best way of developing Africa’s agricultural advancement. He was speaking during a side event of the African Union Extraordinary Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Programme ((CAADP) in Kampala, Uganda…
KAMPALA, UGANDA – The Africa Union-led development of a new 10-year Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan: 2026-2035 whose vision is to build resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for a healthy and prosperous Africa, is in line with the aspirations of Agenda 2063. There were the remarks today by H.E….
Writes Dr. Antony Chapoto I am representing ANAPRI at the AU Extraordinary Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action, taking place in Kampala, Uganda, from January 9 to 11, 2024. Our network is dedicated to supporting the AU and member states by providing essential data and evidence to guide…
The United Arab Emirates has distributed 1,000 food baskets to Sudanese refugees in Chad who are facing dire conditions due to the ongoing crisis in Sudan. This initiative aligns with the UAE’s commitment to addressing the priorities of affected Sudanese communities and ensuring effective aid delivery to those in urgent need. The distributed food baskets…
Stakeholders are geared for the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Summit to mark the adoption of a new 10-year Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan: 2026-2035, as well as the Kampala CAADP Declaration to be held in Uganda from 9 to 11 January 2025. In her remarks for the African Union…
Writes Lloyd Rabaya The sun is just rising above the horizon at Elizabeth Mpofu’s homestead in Shashe as farmers are running up and down preparing to board the morning coach to Masvingo town. Smiles on their faces as they appear eager to implement what they had learned the past two days during an exchange visit…
Writes AGRA For over a decade, AGRA has been at the forefront of promoting innovations in the agriculture space. These innovations have fuelled growth in the agriculture sector in Africa. In under 10 years, the agricultural GDP in Africa has seen significant growth. In 2022, agriculture, forestry, and fishing contributed around 17% of Sub-Saharan…
Writes Felicidade Banze MAPUTO (Mozambique) – Mozambique’s National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) has begun the distribution of more than eighty tons of food products to people affected by hunger in the country’s central province of Sofala where more than 13 000 people are facing acute hunger. INGD’s delegate in Sofala, Aristides…
Writes Zvikomborero Machinga Gender-based violence (GBV) remains one of the most pressing social issues of our time, affecting individuals and communities across all sectors. Defined as harmful acts directed at individuals based on gender, GBV encompasses physical, mental, sexual, and economic harm. Globally, 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence in their…
National Environment Awareness Trust (NEAT) in partnership with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, donated food and new clothes to two orphanage homes as an early Christmas gift to the underprivileged members of the community. The event, held on Saturday, was a celebration of community spirit and generosity led by the Church…
The importance of school feeding programs and conducive learning environments took center stage during a key breakout session at the Continental Education Conference, which kickstarted on December 9, 2024, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, with experts highlighting the transformative potential of integrated approaches to education in Africa. Dr. Hameed Nuru, Director of the World Food Programme (WFP)…
Chedonje Primary School has received a significant boost to its agricultural projects, thanks to the generosity of a local businessman who has funded the drilling of a borehole on the school’s premises. The borehole will provide a reliable source of water for the school’s agricultural projects, including crop cultivation, animal husbandry, and environmental conservation. …
The World Aquaculture Society (WAS) has awarded Blessing Mapfumo, a Zimbabwean based in South Africa, with the Africa Honorary Award 2024, an award which is “conferred upon an identified individual who has made a longstanding and significant contribution within the WAS”. Mr. Mapfumo, a long-serving aquaculture professional, led the establishment of the WAS…
Libreville, Gabon 6/12/24 – Experts in the field of sanitary and phytosanitary issues from the continent reiterated in Libreville (Gabon) the need for harmonisation and the adoption of African standards to deal with the integration of good practices at the global level. These positions were taken at an African Union coordination and consultative forum…
Libreville, Gabon 4/12/24 – The policy framework of the African Union’s sanitary and phytosanitary systems seeks to strengthen the efficiency of intra-African trade within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), senior AU programme coordinator Chiluba Mwape said in Libreville, Gabon. Chiluba Mwape, who was speaking at the fifth coordination session…
Agriculture drives economic growth across Africa, but most smallholder farmers still rely on outdated tools, leading to low yields and profits. Digital technologies offer a solution by streamlining processes, improving access to data, and boosting productivity. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the “Fostering Digital Villages through Innovative Advisory and Profitable Market Services…
African Union Commissioner for the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Ambassador Josefa Correia Sacko reaffirmed in Dakar that the Africa Soil Initiative and the mechanism to finance the action plan provide a clear path to achieving sustainable agricultural productivity and food sovereignty in Africa. The diplomat, who was speaking…
Writes Dr Mathew M. Abang Grown in more than 135 countries in the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, Oceania and Africa, bananas and plantains are staple crops for the food security of some 400 million people. With around 15 percent of global production exported, the total trade value of bananas was about USD 7.5 billion…
The African Agri Investment Indaba which took place in Cape Town and was organised by the African Agri Council, addressed sub-Saharan Africa’s worst food crisis in decades. With over 800 participants from 20+ countries, the event focused on tackling the urgent food scarcity affecting millions. Over 16 million people in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe…
