insert_link Environment Baobab trees all come from Madagascar – new study reveals that their seeds and seedlings floated to mainland Africa and all the way to Australia By Andrew R. Leitch, Queen Mary University of London There are eight species of baobab in the world, and they have a surprising distribution. Six are found in Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean; one is found on the continent of Africa; and the last is far away in Australia. The origin of this group of plants has fascinated people for a long time. […] today7 June, 2024
insert_link Business / Economics By not mining vital minerals, NZ is ‘offshoring its own environmental footprint’ – is that fair? Getty Images By Martin Brook, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau When Resources Minister Shane Jones recently unveiled his draft strategy for mineral mining, it was quickly criticised by the Labour opposition as “taking New Zealand backwards”. One environmental group even called it a “love letter to mining companies”. But the government’s ambition to double the sector’s export value to NZ$2 billion by 2035, with flow-on effects […] today5 June, 2024
insert_link Environment Climate Change threatens Namibia’s Agricultural Sector The agricultural sector is vital for sustaining livelihoods in Namibia but faces significant climate change challenges. Namibian farmers frequently experience adverse rainfall seasons, leading to floods, droughts, and pest and disease outbreaks. Droughts, occurring every other year with varying severity, have particularly harmed crop and livestock farmers, reducing productivity and income due to poor yields, livestock performance, and market prices. Technical Advisor of Livestock and Rangeland from […] today4 June, 2024
insert_link Africa Nearly 25% of land in Africa has been damaged – what’s to blame, and what can be done By Mlungele M. Nsikani, South African National Biodiversity Institute Land degradation is a huge issue across the continent of Africa. One of its biggest drivers is biological invasions. This is when invasive species (species that aren’t naturally found in the area) arrive and produce large numbers of offspring which spread over long distances. Mlungele Nsikani, a land restoration specialist and environmental scientist, explains how […] today4 June, 2024
insert_link Environment How many giraffe species are there? Understanding this is key to their protection By Laura Bertola, Leiden University Giraffes, with their distinctive body shape and variations in coat patterns, have long been an example in evolutionary biology teachings. They are a textbook example of how species adapt to their surroundings and survive under harsh conditions. Despite this, scientists and conservationists still grapple with understanding the evolutionary history of giraffes. Giraffes occur throughout most of the savannah landscapes […] today3 June, 2024
insert_link Environment ‘Cape of Storms’ – climate researchers explain Cape Town’s recent extreme weather By Sabina Abba Omar, University of Cape Town and Stefaan Conradie, University of Cape Town A severe storm hit South Africa’s Western Cape province between 6 and 9 April 2024, with extreme winds gusting at up to 135km/h. The storm left a trail of destruction across Cape Town and surrounding areas – at least 1,500 people were left homeless after the high winds fanned fires […] today3 June, 2024
insert_link Africa Malawi faces a food crisis: why plans to avert hunger aren’t realistic and what can be done By Joachim De Weerdt, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Jan Duchoslav, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Malawi is heading towards a severe food crisis later this year. Drought brought on by the El Niño weather pattern has affected the harvest of maize, the staple food grown by nine out of 10 farming households in the country. The government declared a state […] today3 June, 2024
insert_link Business / Economics Agribank introduces credit life insurance product The Agricultural Bank of Namibia (Agribank) is pleased to announce the introduction of a Credit Life Insurance product, effective 1 June 2024. The Credit Life Insurance serves as a financial security and protection against unforeseen events, tailored exclusively for Agribank clients. The Agribank credit life insurance offers benefits beyond covering death and protecting a client’s estate. If a client becomes permanently or temporarily disabled, is diagnosed with […] today30 May, 2024
insert_link Environment Analysis: Michelin’s no-deforestation claims in Indonesia rubber plantation a stretch Rubber manufacturer Michelin claims to have avoided millions of tons of carbon emissions and saved thousands of hectares of primary forest in a sustainable rubber plantation project in Indonesia. Michelin joined the project in 2014 after buying a stake in the Indonesian rubber company RLU, which in 2018 raised $95 million in green bonds. In 2022, Michelin became RLU’s sole shareholder, and repaid the green bonds raised by the project. […] today30 May, 2024