Headlines

African scientists trained in cutting-edge technology to adapt agriculture to climate change

Climate change is making it harder to grow enough nutritious food, but a unique programme is training African scientists in harnessing cutting-edge breeding tools to adapt agriculture to new threats. The African Plant Breeding Academy, a programme for top plant breeders to upgrade their skills in advanced crop breeding, is training 11 doctorate-level scientists from…

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The Water Project deepens its commitment to clean water in Vihiga county, Kenya

On January 20th, the County of Vihiga in Western Kenya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The Water Project, a U.S.-based NGO building sustainable water projects to bring clean, safe, and reliable water to the communities of Vihiga County. “The signing of the MOU represents a continuation of the strong working relationship between Vihiga…

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The Road Ahead for the Private Sector: Outlook from Davos 2023

By International Finance Corporation   At the 53rd World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos last week, the term polycrisis weaved its way into the conference rooms to define the compounding crises that have entangled the world and slowed global growth. For the private sector, the headwinds of rising inflation, economic slowdown, and increased debt burdens, are threatening to roll…

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Feed Africa Summit: AfDB commits $10 billion to enhance continent’s agriculture productivity

The African Development Bank Group will commit $10 billion over the next five years to boost Africa’s efforts to end hunger and become a primary food provider for itself and the rest of the world. Bank Group President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, announced Wednesday at the Dakar 2 Africa Food Summit in Diamniadio, east of the…

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Israeli atrocities continue on Palestinian city of Jenin

Heinous crimes of assassination were committed by the Israeli apartheid occupation forces against at least 9  Palestinians and while injuring dozens of others during an invasion of the city of Jenin, northern occupied West Bank. It was reported that the Israeli occupation forces prevented ambulances from reaching the wounded by shooting at medical personnel. The…

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PAP Bureau, AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry discuss synergies

Present at the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa in preparation for the 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU, the Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) met with H.E. Albert M. Muchanga, AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry. The working meeting explored synergies to promote the AU…

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Minister Mhona embraces ATWUZ recommendation on suspended Rimbi, Zebra Kiss buses

By Chris Mahove The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development has advised the public that it has lifted the suspension of the licence for operation of all omnibuses belonging to Tashllyt Investments trading as Zebra Kiss. The lifting of the suspension follows the submission of comprehensive measures that have been put in place by Tashllyt…

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FITUR 2023: UNWTO investing in diverse, sustainable future for tourism

At FITUR 2023, UNWTO served as the bridge between public and private leaders to advance plans to build a more diverse, resilient, and sustainable tourism sector.   With the latest UNWTO data pointing to a return to pre-pandemic arrival levels in some world regions in 2023, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili once again joined His Majesty King Felipe VI of…

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Family Planning 2030 report shows steady rise in demand for contraception

Report finds women’s preferences have changed over time, with a growing preference for long-lasting methods; highlighting the need to mobilize domestic resources to meet demand According to a new report published today, the use of modern contraception is soaring around the world, with an estimated 371 million women of reproductive age in low- and lower-middle-income…

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Pan African Parliament marks return to full processes of the AU

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), led by its President, H.E Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira has arrived at the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for preparatory meetings related to the 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council (Ministerial Session) and the 36th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly (Heads of State and Government Session), scheduled to take place…

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Government urged to address rising Penhalonga mining deaths

By Clayton Masekesa MUTARE – Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are calling on the government to show commitment to investigate the increasing deaths of people in mining incidences at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga. The CBOs include Centre for Research and Development (CRD), Penhalonga Youth Development Trust (PYDT), Zivai Community Empowerment Trust (ZICET), Penhalonga Service Delivery Committee (PSDC),…

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Petronella Mukanganwa: New gospel star shining from the east

By Clayton Masekesa   MUTARE – Talented gospel artiste Patronella Mukanganwa has released an album called Murapi Aripano that features gospel music heavyweight, Togarepi Chivaviro whose theme is to win souls through praise and worship. The debut album was released early this month and it carries four calming and heartening songs that are set to…

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CIFOR-ICRAF scientists caution not to abandon forest carbon offsets

Carbon offsetting is a popular strategy for individuals and companies looking to offset their carbon footprint and mitigate the effects of climate change. One way to do this is through planting forests or trees. While this approach has its benefits, it also has its drawbacks Forest carbon offsets and REDD+ can help reduce deforestation and…

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Destination Zimbabwe successfully marketed at FITUR 2023: ZTA’s Winnie Muchanyuka

The curtain came down on a successful 43rd Edition of the Feria Internacional de Turismo/International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, Spain on Sunday. The fair which kicked off last week on Wednesday and ran for five days saw Zimbabwe Tourism Authority exhibiting and showcasing the destination to the global travel market. Zimbabwe Tourism Authority…

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Ambassador gravely concerned about executions of Palestinians by Israel

The Ambassador of the State of Palestine in Harare, HE Tamer Almassri has condemned in the strongest terms, apartheid Israel’s pursuit of the ‘shoot-to-kill policy under the instructions of the military commanders and high-level political leaders that have turned its soldiers and settlers into mere machines to kill Palestinians.’ The Ambassador told Spiked Online Media…

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A ready market is more important than food hand outs and free inputs

By Charles Dhewa Food hand-outs and free inputs have been over-used to address poverty and food insecurity in most developing countries, yet providing a ready market for existing commodities could be a better solution. In communities where local food like indigenous chickens, goats, sheep, small grains, and wild fruits like baobab are major socio-economic drivers,…

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Hon Chombo joins hands with farmers, Zvimba authorities in road rehabilitation

By Elvis Dumba Commercial farmers who use the Banket-Raffingora Road have joined hands with the Department of Roads, Zvimba North Constituency Legislator Marian Chombo, and Zvimba Rural District Council in the rehabilitation of the road. The rehabilitation of the 46 km Banket-Raffingora road comes at a time the farmers are preparing for the marketing season…

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Zimbabweans participate at prestigious Sony Artist Camp in Ghana

By Point Black Sony Music Publishing recently concluded its inaugural songwriting camp in Accra, Ghana which ran from January 5 to January 12, 2023. The first-of-its-kind camp for the publisher saw it bringing in some of the most prominent African acts from across the continent for one week, including two of Zimbabwe’s most decorated artists…

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Africa Supports Sultan Al Jaber as the Right Leader for COP28 in Abu Dhabi

By NJ Ayukn (Executive Director, African Energy Chamber) The renewable energy company that Al Jaber leads, Masdar, is a model of the important role the petroleum industry can take in moving the world closer to widespread renewable energy usage The backlash in recent days about the selection of Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of the…

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Survey Shows continued increase of confidence in Victoria Falls

By ‘We Are Victoria Falls’   Our 2022 “Future Traveller Sentiment Survey Report” shows that surveyed international, regional and local agents and trade continue to have increased confidence in Victoria Falls. An overall 94% of respondents have confidence in booking Victoria Falls, compared with 79% in 2021 and 52% in 2020. What will the future…

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CSOs blast delimitation process, general political environment ahead of 2023 elections

On January 17, 2023, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) hosted a Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Indaba on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and cast an aspersion on the Delimitation Process and the general political environment ahead of the 2023 general elections. The CSOs Indaba interrogated the technical aspects of the 2023 general elections as…

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MultiChoice Talent Factory welcomes Class of 2023: Next Generation of Storytellers

Two Zimbabweans are among the 60 students selected for the MultiChoice Talent Factory programme for 2023, both of them hoping to help boost the ranks of trained professionals in Africa’s growing world of film-making. Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe, said Marvellous Matswimbo and  Simbarashe Nyahwa of Harare had joined 58 other students…

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Computer labs for Bulawayo Province spur growth of ICTs sector

In the quest to provide an enabling environment for the growth of the ICTs sector, the government has deployed computer laboratories for schools in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. This came to the fore when Dr. Jenfan Muswere, the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services presided over the official launch of Schools’ ICT labs in…

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Africa’s economic growth to outpace global forecast in 2023-2024: AfDB Biannual Report

Africa is set to outperform the rest of the world in economic growth over the next two years, with real gross domestic product (GDP) averaging around 4% in 2023 and 2024. This is higher than projected global averages of 2.7% and 3.2%, the African Development Bank Group said in Africa’s Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook (http://bit.ly/3iLJF4C)…

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Dr Phillip Chiyangwa funds community empowerment projects

By Elvis Dumba Zvimba South – Flamboyant Zvimba South Constituency Lawmaker,  Dr. Phillip Chiyangwa who is also the National Chairman for ZANU (PF) fundraising projects, poured ZWL$11 million dollars for community empowerment projects in the area. In an interview, Dr. Chiyangwa said the money is intended to boost the already different income projects in the…

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Tourism set to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023: UNWTO

After a stronger-than-expected recovery in 2022, this year could see international tourist arrivals return to pre-pandemic levels in Europe and the Middle East. Tourists are nonetheless expected to increasingly seek value for money and travel closer to home in response to the challenging economic climate. Based on UNWTO’s forward-looking scenarios for 2023, international tourist arrivals…

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Rockford High’s Form 1 student passes O’ Level Cambridge examinations

A student at Rockford High School, Joseph Livingstone Matimba, aged 14, impressed his parents and teachers when he wrote Ordinary Level Cambridge in 2022 and came out with flying colours despite his tender age. Timothy Mutizwa, a teacher at Rockford High School who shared the good news with Spiked online Media said Joseph’s academic achievement…

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2023 Ashden Awards: prize seeks African organisations powering a fairer future

Entries are open for the 2023 Ashden Awards. The eight awards announced today will supercharge climate innovation creating a fairer future, particularly widening access to clean energy. The awards are seeking trailblazing, empowering initiatives in low-income countries and the UK. There are five awards open to African organisations, with one focused purely on solutions from the…

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Large-scale HIV vaccine efficacy study stopped

AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) reports that the Mosaico study, a large-scale HIV vaccine efficacy study also known as HVTN 706/HPX3002, was stopped early for non-efficacy. The study took place in several countries in North and South America and Europe to test the safety and efficacy of the adenovirus26-based vaccine regimen among 3,900 cis-gender men…

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Time to use mass food markets and seed fairs in decolonizing gene banks

By Charles Dhewa A very important step in decolonizing African food systems is re-defining and contextualizing the meaning of a gene bank. The conventional scientific notion of a gene bank[1] as a type of bio-repository that preserves genetic material ignores the socio-cultural dimension of genetic material. For instance, scientific gene banks for plants are built through vitro storage, freezing…

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