Agriculture

China launches anti-dumping probe into EU pork imports

By Oliver HOTHAM and Matthew WALSH China said Monday it had launched an anti-dumping investigation into pork imports from the European Union, the latest step in a mounting trade stand-off between the bloc and its largest economic partner. Pork is China's most popular meat and a staple of diets in the world's second most populous nation. Imports of pork and pork by-products from EU nations […]

17 June, 2024

Africa

Malawi farming experiment shows how simple changes can boost maize yields and improve soil

By Alan Dixon, University of Worcester Malawi’s increasingly unpredictable rainfall and higher than usual temperatures are causing problems for smallholder farmers. Soil erosion has increased, causing soil fertility and water availability to decline. Crops often fail. Farmers are already struggling financially. Many farm only one crop: maize. They can’t easily afford chemical fertilisers that would boost the soil’s fertility and sustain yields. Agriculture accounts for just […]

13 June, 2024

Africa

Farming with a mixture of crops, animals and trees is better for the environment and for people – evidence from Ghana and Malawi

Moving away from intensive farming practices comes with many benefits. Nikada By Laura Vang Rasmussen, University of Copenhagen; Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong, University of Denver; Ingo Grass, University of Hohenheim; Marney Isaac, University of Toronto, and Rachel Bezner Kerr, Cornell University Farming just one kind of crop in a field at a time, and using a lot of chemicals, poses a risk to both people and nature. This simplified […]

10 June, 2024

Local

Partnering for prosperity: Nedbank Namibia’s commitment to strengthening Namibia’s agriculture sector

Namibia's agricultural sector is a cornerstone of its economy, yet it faces a myriad of challenges that threaten its sustainability and growth. Agriculture contributes over 8% to Namibia’s gross domestic product (GDP), with about 70% of the population dependent on it for income and food security. Additionally, agriculture is the largest employer in the country, accounting for over a fifth of the local workforce. Despite its economic significance, the […]

10 June, 2024

Namibia

African Insurance Organization’s 50th Conference in Namibia Pivots Focus to Climate Change Financing

Namibia is hosting the 50th Conference and Annual General As-sembly of the African Insurance Organisation (AIO), which focuses on the insurance industry’s financial contribution to climate change catastrophes. According to Sanlam Namibia Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tertius Stears, the conference seeks to promote insurance education that is relevant to African markets, specifically the financing of climate risks, agriculture and the devel-opment of sustainable businesses across […]

4 June, 2024

Environment

Agriculture Minister addresses World Water Forum

The Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, is attending the 10th World Water Forum under the theme “Water for Shared Prosperity” in Indonesia, Bali. The Minister addressed the Forum where he underscored Africa's commitment to water supply and sanitation, but on par with commitments to continental and global agreements. According to Schlettwein, Namibia is grappling with the worst drought it has faced in 100 years, threatening the country’s water security, […]

21 May, 2024

Namibia

Water Minister Attends 10th World Water Forum in Bali

The Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform minister, Calle Schlettwein, is representing Namibia at the 10th World Water Forum in Indonesia, Bali, themed "Water for Shared Prosperity." The Forum seeks to advance the outcomes of the UN-Water Conference in New York from March 2023, with Namibia's participation aiming to enhance water management and sharing with neighboring countries nationwide. Ministry spokesperson Simon Nghipandulwa.

21 May, 2024

Africa

More than half of Zimbabwean population needs food aid

Zimbabwe’s cabinet has revealed that more than half of the nation’s population of about 15 million people will immediately need food aid until March next year, as the country reels from the impact of the El Niño weather phenomenon that’s already slashed corn output and led to a national state of disaster being declared. Bloomberg reports that the southern African nation’s rural areas are the most affected with 6 million […]

16 May, 2024

Africa

Ghana’s forests are being wiped out: what’s behind this and why attempts to stop it aren’t working

By John Tennyson Afele, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Ghana has around 7.9 million hectares of forested land (35% of the total land area), according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Around 7.6 million hectares are primary or naturally regenerated forest, and around 297,000 hectares are planted forest. In 2022, Ghana lost 18,000 hectares of primary forest, a nearly 70% increase from […]

15 May, 2024