Zimbabwe declares drought a disaster, joining Malawi and Zambia

Zimbabwe’s president declared a state of national disaster over a drought that’s curbed farm output in the southern African nation. The announcement follows similar declarations last month in neighbouring Zambia and Malawi, where poor rainfall has cut production of the staple corn and other grains and contributed to higher food prices that have hurt poor…

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FAO, West African Nations To Tackle Flood Impacts On Food Security

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and representatives from West African nations have converged on Abuja to explore diverse ideas to better handle flood risks affecting food security in the sub-region. The goal is to foster a collective approach towards more proactive flood risk mitigation with shared knowledge from different actors…

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ZPHCA grassroots women building back communities devastated by disasters

The Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA), through working closely with grassroots women, is taking a leading role in building back their families and communities affected by climate change in Zimbabwe. On the 25th of March 2024, 24 grassroots women affected by climate change gathered in Harare for a Reflection, Planning, and Consultative Forum…

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Mashonaland West targets to surpass 45 000 hectares of Winter Wheat

Writes Elvis Dumba Banket – Mashonaland West Province intends to surpass 45,000 hectares of irrigated wheat as the winter wheat season for 2024 beckons. This was revealed by Mashonaland West Province Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon Marian Chombo during an agricultural stakeholders interactive meeting on agricultural programs held at Banket Sports…

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Gene editing: Time for SA to embrace plant breeding innovations

Plant breeding innovations have significant benefits to offer South Africa. Innovative breeding technologies can help to protect and grow our agriculture and retail sectors, which will also lead to further job creation and economic revenue. These technological advances in plant breeding can also provide enhanced food security at a time when economic and geopolitical realities have…

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Gastronomy heritage promotes a healthy and sustainable society: Tourism Minister

Cookout Competitions introduced by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa are in line with the President’s vision of making Zimbabwe an empowered upper-middle-income economy by 2030 so gastronomy heritage is a powerful enabler of a healthy and sustainable society, Hon Barbra Rwodzi, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry has said. Hon Rwodzi made the remarks during…

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Scientists at LUANAR say genetically-modified maize has shown resistance to fall armyworm

Scientists at Lilongwe University of Agriculture  (LUANAR) say trials have shown that Genetically Modified (GMO) maize seeds are resistant to insects, particularly fall armyworms which affect maize yields in Malawi. The trials for the GMO maize are being done at LUANAR’S Bunda Campus and according to scientists, leaves for maize plants that have transgenes are…

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Accountability.Fish Takes On Fisheries, Oceans Secrecy with New Campaign

Writes Ryan Orgera WASHINGTON: Is today’s fisheries management system capable of taking on a bigger role in the future of ocean governance?  Or, is it even effectively managing the sustainability of the world’s marine wildlife today? From Accountability.Fish’s perspective, the answer to both questions is no – and the transparency advocacy group is launching a…

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Schools feeding program: Government acquires borehole rigs for nutrition gardens

Writes Elvis Dumba Zvimba – The government has acquired 40 state-of-the-art borehole rigs which will be used to ensure clean water provision for schools in the country. Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Hon Torerayi Moyo said the borehole rigs will help in the setting up of nutrition irrigation gardens in schools which will help…

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SCS Global Services Approved as First Certification Body for Pioneering New Feed Certification

SCS Global Services, the world’s leading 3rd party certification body, has become the first auditor accredited to provide certification for the Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC) Feed Standard. The certification represents a significant step forward in promoting greater environmental and social responsibility within the aquaculture industry. As the leading 3rd party certification body, SCS Global Services (SCS) brings its…

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Japanese MPJ Group tours Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe, represented by the Zimbabwe Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, is facilitating a familiarisation tour of Zimbabwe by 13 members of Millennium Promise Japan (MPJ). This is a Japanese-based Non-profit organization that was formed in April 2008 and is involved in education, food and material assistance, and disaster response to affected countries across the globe. The…

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Symposium empowers young people in agro-ecology to address climate change

The youth bear the brunt of vulnerability to climate change hence engaging and empowering them in promoting agro-ecology, sustainable farming practices, and advocating for climate justice is crucial for building resilient and sustainable food systems in the country. This emerged today at a symposium by the Young Volunteers for the Environment (YVE) in partnership with…

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Rwanda Finally Passes Law On GMO – What Next?

Rwanda, on February 21, published in its Official Gazette a law governing biosafety, which seeks to ensure that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are handled, transferred, and used safely in the country. According to the purpose of the law, it establishes an adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer and use of living…

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Uganda’s NARO Licenses More Seed Companies to Boost Agriculture and Exports

In a significant move aimed at bolstering the agricultural sector, the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) in Uganda has recently expanded its network of licensed seed companies. With the addition of 10 new licenses, the total number of seed suppliers in the country has surged to 23. This strategic initiative is poised to enhance the…

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Zimbabwe Theatre Academy Empowers Artists for Social Change

Writes Shingirai Manyengavana Harare, Zimbabwe – The Zimbabwe Theatre Academy, in collaboration with DOS Exchange Alumni Lonesome Kudzai and Jonathan Walters of Hand2Mouth Theatre, recently organized a practical skills workshop aimed at equipping theatre practitioners with the tools for impactful storytelling, community engagement, project development, and social entrepreneurship. Jonathan Walters, the international programs director of…

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The counter-productivity of fragmented investments in African food systems

Billions of dollars have gone into African agriculture and food systems over the past few years but the main challenge remains the absence of a coordinated framework for deploying such resources. Resources that are squandered through fragmented investments by development organizations, government, and the private sector are more than what is needed to address challenges…

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“Sinners Reloaded” to premiere at Theatre in The Park

Zimbabwean theatre audiences starved of good theatre would be pleased to note that a new play “Sinners Reloaded” written by Patrick Chisaya is set to premiere on 20th February 2024 at Theatre in the Park. Directed by veteran Peter Churu and produced by Daves Guzha for Rooftop Promotions, the sequel to “Sinners”, “Sinners Reloaded” will…

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EcoSure rewards “Titambire Sethule” promotion winners with holiday packages

EcoSure, a micro-insurance brand under Econet Life, has rewarded lucky customers with holiday packages, following their participation in its “Titambire Sethule” promotion. The recent promotion, which ran between September and December 2023, was open to new and existing EcoSure customers who subscribed to the company’s USD Basic ($1), Standard ($2), or Premium ($5) plans, and…

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African Development Bank Backs Mozambique with $33 Million for Food Security and Climate Resilience

In a significant move to bolster food security and climate resilience in Mozambique, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed $33 million to support agricultural and meteorological initiatives in the region. This investment, approved by the AfDB’s board in January, is part of a larger $150 million program co-financed with the Mozambican government and other…

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Spaza Shop Indaba: A New Chapter Unfolding Through Rebranding

Spaza Shop Indaba! Wear Your Brand Foundation is thrilled to announce a comprehensive rebranding initiative aimed at enhancing the Spaza shop’s presence and redefining the shopping experience for the township community. With the magnitude of more than 150,000 spaza shops in South Africa at an estimated market size of R178billion. Over the years, Spaza Shops…

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$15M additional funding to tackle food waste around the world

Nairobi/Cape Town, 31 Jan 2024) Work tackling the huge environmental cost of food waste has been given a massive boost this year, as international climate action NGO WRAP receives catalytic funding from the Ballmer Group. The $15M funding will support essential work by WRAP and our partners in tackling food loss and waste through existing Voluntary Agreements in Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, and South…

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How to stem the turbulent tides of food insecurity across Africa

Food insecurity in Africa is off track. The situation keeps becoming aggravating as soaring food prices, inflation, conflict, and climate change are plunging parts of the continent into a severe and enduring food crisis, magnifying hunger and malnutrition. This extreme situation is hitting great swathes of Africa in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel particularly…

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Science module on communicating genome editing under review

A science module on communicating genome editing – a powerful tool that holds immense potential in revolutionizing the field of biotechnology to optimize African agriculture, is under review in Harare this week. Addressing participants in his welcome remarks today, Dr. Leonard Madzingaidzo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre…

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Food Security: Experts Advocate Adoption Of Technology And Innovation

Experts and agricultural researchers have advocated the adoption of technologies and innovation to produce intensive agriculture and bridge the yield gap between Africa and other continents so as to ensure food security in the continent.  The researchers, from different research groups including the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), WorldFish,…

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WCPFC Refusal to Address Compliance Secrecy Calls Sustainability into Question

WASHINGTON: “90% transparency is not transparency.” That was the verdict from Accountability.Fish Global Director Ryan Orgera, who yesterday blasted the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission for failing to address continuing secrecy issues in WCPFC’s compliance processes during its Annual Meeting earlier this month. “The WCPFC and its cheerleaders in the industrial fishing community have been…

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2nd Food Safety Conference for Africa takes off in Accra

The African Continental Association for Protection (ACAFP) is organising its 2nd Food Safety Conference for Africa under the theme “Towards A Safer Food Supply for Africa”. The conference is taking place from December 12-14, 2023 at Erata Hotel, East Legon, Accra. This aligns with the sustainable and safe food production and supply initiatives in Africa. The…

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Grain Industry Insights in Africa

The grain industry is a cornerstone of food security in Africa, serving as a staple for millions across the continent. With a burgeoning population and socioeconomic transformations, understanding the volume of grain production and consumption is pivotal for ensuring the resilience of food systems in Africa. The data obtained from IndexBox shows that the largest countries in…

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Training provides regulatory frameworks for application of Genome Editing

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPA) is holding training to create awareness among in-country regulators drafting and implementing policies and regulations critical for shaping communication and advocacy narratives on genome editing. In a speech on behalf of Mr. Willard Munango, the Deputy Chief Secretary for the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mrs. Anna Tinarwo,…

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AI-Powered Solutions for Agriculture in Africa

In this rapidly modernizing World, the slow blending of technology with AI Development is painting a new reality that is quite unimaginable. Apart from this collaboration, AI is catching up with agriculture too much and taking it to the next level. Regions like Africa, where agriculture is the cornerstone, face the scope of development. In…

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Kenya Develops Innovative Hermetic Bags to Revolutionize Grain Storage

The Kenyan government has been working in partnership with private sectors to develop new technologies to ensure that farmer’s harvest were well preserved during storage to avert losses. Hermetic Storage Technology Bags are able to preserve stored grains while restricting the existence of cereal pests by depleting oxygen levels. The air-tight bags prevent air or…

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Southern Africa Fertilizer Program a game-changer for farmers

Writes Dr. Mathew M. Abang Agriculture is the backbone of most economies in Southern Africa. However, overall the sector is not performing well due to low agricultural productivity which is partly attributed to the under-use of oftentimes poor quality fertilizers. The poor performance of the agriculture sector is posing a serious constraint to economic growth,…

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University of Edinburgh and the International Livestock Research Institute Renew Partnership

In order to further advance collaboration in livestock systems research, the University of Edinburgh and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), a CGIAR centre, have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding, further strengthening their decades-long partnership. This strategic alliance, announced at ILRI’s Nairobi Campus in Kenya on 29 November 2023, underscores a shared commitment to deepen…

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Drought claiming livestock in Matebeleland South

Own Correspondent Rural communities in Matabeleland South have raised calls of despondency following the depletion of water sources and grazing plains which has resulted in the death of livestock which include cattle and donkeys.  The prevailing harsh climatic conditions have precipitated an erratic start to the 2023/2024 rainy season currently being experienced in most parts…

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Researchers predict climate change-driven reduction in beneficial plant microbes

Bacteria that benefit plants are thought to be a critical contributor to crops and other ecosystems, but climate change may reduce their numbers, according to a new study by an international team of researchers. They published their findings in Nature Food. The collaboration, including Francisco Dini-Andreote, professor of plant science at Penn State, characterized the abundances…

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AMR poses threat to public health and sustainable food production

Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) poses an increasingly serious threat to public health and sustainable food production, necessitating an effective response involving all sectors of government and society, stakeholders attending the World AMR Awareness Week in Zimbabwe have said. Addressing delegates during the official opening ceremony of the 5th Continental World Antimicrobial Awareness Week for Africa in…

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Minister Chombo praises Grace Gaidzanwa for impressive agricultural enterprise

Writes Elvis Dumba Chinhoyi – A Chinhoyi-based young woman has caught the eyes of Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon Marian Chombo after she turned an urban piece of land into a vibrant agriculture enterprise boasting of a fish farming project. Grace Gaidzanwa erected a small dam from the harvested…

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Zimbabwe Hosts the World AMR Awareness Week 2023, 18-24th November 2023

The Quadripartite partners consisting of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), in partnership with African Union agencies, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and African Union Inter-African Bureau for…

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AfDB supports small livestock farmers in Zambia to adapt to climate change

With 96.7% of households adopting new production practices for milk, the nutritional benefits for adults and children have also improved The Climate Resilient Livestock Management Project, implemented by the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) in Zambia between 2017 and 2022, has helped to equip small livestock farmers to adapt to climate change. In particular, the percentage…

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