Byron Adonis Mutingwende As the world heads towards COP 29, the issues of climate finance and a fossil fuel phase-out towards a just energy transition are ever more critical for climate action. The upcoming UN General Assembly, the UN Summit of the Future, and the Global Renewables Summit all taking place one after the…
Writes Marlvin Ngiza Suicide has become a major public health challenge, with more than 700,000 deaths each year globally, a situation which has aroused governments, individuals and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to embark on several investments and awareness initiatives towards suppressing the threat. These worrisome statistics have seen nations around the globe through the World Health…
Writes Christopher Mahove Unpublished Africa, a creative hub that supports Emerging African visual artists, will this month launch the third cohort of the Creative Business Studio, its flagship program. The Creative Business Studio, which seeks to equip participants with skills to better their creative businesses, will run from September 23 to October 31 and will…
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has brought early Christmas cheer to eight winners of the company’s 2023 Christmas promotion, with each lucky customer receiving a brand-new residential house fully equipped with a home solar system and Econet Smart Home security. The grand prize giveaway ceremony, held at Penrose Estate in Nyabira, about 30km north-west of Harare…
The 6th Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), led by President Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira, held the traditional pre-sitting meeting with the African ambassadors accredited to the Republic of South Africa on Thursday. The Bureau briefed African diplomats on the status of preparations for the Sitting of the Permanent Committees and other Organs of the…
Murare Car Rental is one of the exhibitors at the annual Sanganai Hlanganani World Tourism Expo in Bulawayo from 12 to 14 September 2024. The award-winning Zimbabwean mobility market leader is exhibiting its wide mobility offerings in Hall 04 at stand 105. Zimbabwean tourism continues to grow with international and domestic visitors expressing the…
OWN CORRESPONDENT Cuiabá (Brazil) – African Union Commissioner Josefa Correia Sacko today defended the need for climate-resilient agricultural practices, climate information services, and agricultural insurance programmes to support farmers in Chapada dos Guimarães in central Brazil, 62 km from the city of Cuiabá, capital of the state of Mato Grosso. Speaking at the G-20…
The Summit of the Future will enhance cooperation on critical challenges build peaceful, just, and inclusive societies, and ensure the lasting protection of the planet and its natural resources. These were sentiments captured in the keynote address by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Honourable Dr. Frederick M. Shava, at the stakeholder…
Today, Friday 13 September 2024, climate activists are mobilising across the globe in more than 150 events, spanning over 50 countries on all continents, calling on their governments to urgently implement a fast, fair, and funded phase-out of fossil fuels to prevent further climate catastrophe. Wellington Madumira, the coordinator of Climate Action Network Zimbabwe…
Hon Richard Tusabe, the Minister of State in Charge of the National Treasury for Rwanda has said there is a need to finance the agriculture sector on the African continent to ensure food and nutrition security. He was speaking during a side event for parliamentarians that was moderated by Dr. Fatimata Lovetta Sesay, the…
His Excellency Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, in his capacity as a Special Envoy to South Sudan, met with two members of the African Union (AU) Panel of the Wise, for them to brief him on their regional diplomacy efforts to build consensus and support for the Government of the Republic of South Sudan in…
The Word Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a contribution of US$1 million from the Republic of Korea to meet the nutrition needs of 22,000 people adversely impacted by the El Niño-induced drought, which has exacerbated food insecurity across Zimbabwe. An estimated 5.9 million people living in rural Zimbabwe and 1.7 million in urban areas are…
The Southern African Council of Non-Governmental Organizations (SAf-CNGO), also known as the SADC Council of NGOs, has officially announced the appointment of Mr. Lebogang Kenneth Mabotho as the Acting Executive Director. In this role, Mr. Mabotho will provide critical oversight and direction to the organization, working closely with the secretariat and its staff to ensure…
In a significant gathering at the Rainbow Towers in Harare yesterday, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development for Zimbabwe, Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka, delivered a powerful address at the Zimbabwe Agriculture Resilience Symposium and Drought Action Committee (DAC) feedback report meeting. The event brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, representatives…
During the 2024 Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, Spiked Online Media caught up with Ainembazi Rodgers – a male Ugandan Entrepreneur, Youth Mentor, and Agribusiness Practioner, a business incubator at expert level 1 from African Agribusiness Incubators Network. Rodgers holds a bachelor’s degree of science in planning and community development from Mbarara…
Writes Panashe Gwesu Avian veterinarian, Mr. Rinesu Muzori of the Department of Agritex urged farmers and animal breeders to prioritize their understanding of poultry health, particularly concerning diseases that affect chicks saying that ignorance may put livelihoods of these animals at risk. Speaking at a workshop held at Prince Alfred’s Christian College in…
Dr. Fanuel Songwe, a Researcher and Lecturer in the Department of Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology of the Midlands State University from Zimbabwe has been appointed to the Research Ethics Advisory Committee of the African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium. The Africa Genetic Biocontrol Consortium (the Consortium) was established as an agreement among member organizations committed to…
Writes Charles Dhewa The way African territorial mass food markets reproduce and strengthen the natural relationship between seed and food clarifies the differences between agroecology and industrial food systems. These markets demonstrate the extent to which indigenous seed and food have multi-purpose uses from seed to food and beverages, among other uses. While the…
In the heart of Highfield, a vibrant suburb of Harare, the soulful sounds of the mbira have long been a staple of the community’s traditional tapestry. Among the talented musicians who have kept this tradition alive is Durrel Nyazika, a gifted new-generation mbira player whose passion for the instrument has recently garnered international attention. Durrel’s…
Ambassador of the state of Palestine to Zimbabwe, Dr Tamer Almassri condemns in the strongest terms the large-scale brutal massacre committed by the Israeli occupation state against displaced people’s tents in Khan Younis at dawn today resulting in 40 martyrs and injuring many in a new war crime within the ongoing campaign of genocide and…
In an era where social media has become a powerful tool for education and advocacy, Setfree Mafukidze, a Zimbabwean nurse based in the UK, is making a significant impact by using digital platforms to raise awareness about diabetes. With a growing following, Mafukidze has reached thousands of people in Zimbabwe and beyond, helping many receive…
Prof Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR) System Board Chairperson has said that the institution’s vision for adopted crops and soils for Africa is to build resilient agrifood systems by leveraging opportunity crops and building healthy soils to enhance agricultural resilience to climate change and improve diets. She was…
Writes Liapeng Raliengoane LESOTHO, Quthing – Parents from Mphaki area agree that they do not talk to their children about menstruation due to several reasons including cultural norms and fear of talking about sex-related matters. An interview with the Ministry of Health Lesotho Adolescent Health Program Manager ‘Mathato Nkuatsana revealed that there is…
Writes Elvis Dumba Cairo, Egypt – The COVID-19 pandemic has taught Zimbabwe the crucial need for public health investment, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon. Marian Chombo, revealed at the ongoing Pharmoconex Conference in Egypt. The conference, one of Africa’s largest events for the medical manufacturing industry, brings together pharmaceutical industries from…
Dr. Agnes Kalibata, the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has urged ministers responsible for agriculture on the African continent to drive real change in the food systems in the face of climate challenges. She raised the issue during a ministerial roundtable held on 4 September 2024 at the…
The 2024 Africa Food Systems Forum has emerged as a mechanism for the implementation of various initiatives and a tool for action in pursuit of achieving improved agricultural production and productivity and attaining food and nutrition security on the continent. This was revealed by Dr. Agnes Kalibata, the President of the Alliance for a…
Dr. Lawrence Haddad, the Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has said nutrition is a story that can change a lifetime. Speaking on the progress of food systems in Africa during the launch of the Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR), Dr. Haddad said stakeholders on the continent have lots of…
Investing in gender-sensitive policies and regulatory frameworks that encourage investment in women agripreneurs is central to the future of agrifood systems in Africa. This was revealed by Nana Amoah, AGRA’s Director of Gender, Youth, and Inclusiveness during the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda on Thursday 5 September 2024 during a deal room knowledge…
Writes Lloyd Rabaya It’s 11:00 PM on the streets of Harare. The only sound comes from bass-heavy echoes from nearby nightclubs and intermittent hushed drives. On the pavement of one building, a group of young people hurdle together while some cover themselves in cardboard boxes to ward off the cold despite it being summer. This…
In a significant stride towards improving healthcare delivery in Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), today commissioned the newly completed NatPharm warehouse in Masvingo. The state-of-the-art facility, which was funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (Global Fund), is expected…
Writes Charles Mangwiro MAPUTO (Mozambique) – The United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Mozambique, Dr. Catherine Sozi has called for peaceful Mozambique general elections due on October 9 to choose the country’s next president and 250 members of parliament. “A peaceful and democratic electoral process is essential for the prosperity and…
The 7th Africa Tourism Leadership Forum, held on Wednesday in Gaborone, Botswana highlighted the urgent need to remove visa restrictions, reduce airfares, and enhance connectivity to unleash Africa’s vast tourism potential. Stakeholders emphasised that these strategies, which aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), were crucial to boosting intra-Africa travel and fostering…
Tinotenda Mhiko, the Chief Executive Officer of the Agriculture and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) has said the implementation of the revolutionary agricultural science-based Vision 2030 (V30) accelerator model has won him the prestigious 2024 Africa Food Prize. He was addressing journalists at a press conference at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) in Rwanda yesterday…
Tinotenda Mhiko, the Chief Executive Officer of the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) has won the coveted US$100,000 Africa Food Prize that celebrates Africans who are taking control of the continent’s agriculture agenda. The prize puts a spotlight on bold initiatives and technical innovations that can be replicated across the continent to create…
At least 4.4 million hectares of productive land are lost to desertification every year, leading to the malnutrition of some 68 million people in Africa, African Union Commissioner Josefa Correia Sacko said today in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The diplomat, who was speaking at the Tenth Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the…
The 2023 Seed Sector Performance Index (SSPI) Status Report for Africa was disseminated at the African Food Systems Forum’s 2024 Summit on 2 September in Kigali, Rwanda. The SSPI is a new, single score-based measurement tool that provides “a bird’s eye view” of the health of national seed systems across the continent. The SSPI was…
Writes George Marechera (AGRA – Head of Digital Systems and Solutions for Agriculture) New technologies and digitalisation are transforming agriculture and offering new opportunities for transformative agriculture development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Digital agriculture is a new and emerging field that has the potential to help address the productivity, sustainability, resilience, market, and trade…
Zimbabwe demonstrated a scalable innovative food system policy through its 1-hectare irrigation model during a plenary session on the official opening yesterday of the Africa Food Systems Forum running from 2 to 6 September 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda. Addressing participants during a room discussion on scalable innovative food systems policies and the financing needed…
H.E. Amb. Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment of the African Union Commission has called for increased investments in agricultural research and development. She was speaking through the Director of her Department, Dr. Godfrey Bahiigwa, during the official opening of the Africa Food Systems Forum that is running…
Building productive, nutritious, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable African food systems accelerates the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. This was revealed today by Hon Ildephonse Musafiri, Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources during the official opening of the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFS Forum) 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda. He…
In her keynote address during the official opening of the Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Forum in Bali, Indonesia on 1 September 2024, Her Excellency, Dr. Puan Maharani, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, said there is a need for strategic cooperation between Indonesia and Africa in the arena of renewable energy, food…
The provision of extension services tied to research and development will improve the capacity of smallholder farmers to increase agricultural production and productivity. This came to the fore yesterday during a side meeting of extension base actors held at the Lemigo Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda at the African Food Systems Forum running from the…
In the continent’s journey towards transforming agrifood systems through preserving and conserving vegetable biodiversity and sustainable use, the Africa Vegetable Biodiversity Rescue Plan (AVBRP), was launched today during the first day of the Africa Food Systems Forum under the session ‘Harnessing our Vegetable Heritage. In his keynote address during the launch, Dr Clement Adjorlolo,…
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is spearheading transformative investment in rural women and youth entrepreneurship in agrifood systems. Addressing participants during a side event of the ongoing Africa Food Systems Forum that kicked off today 2 September 2024 and will run until 6 September 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda held under…
Accelerating food systems transformation, particularly in a changing climate within a digital era, requires careful consideration of the needs, priorities, and capabilities of a diversity of men and women to contribute and benefit from agrifood systems. These were the remarks of Deogratius Magero, the Youth Engagement Manager at the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience…
