insert_link Africa Inflation in Nigeria is still climbing while it has slowed globally: here’s why By Stephen Onyeiwu, Allegheny College Just as Nigerians were gradually digging out from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were hit by high inflation. The Nigerian economy contracted by 6.1% at the peak of COVID in the second quarter of 2020. Unemployment rate rose from 27% in the second quarter of 2020 to 33% in the fourth quarter of the same year. The World Bank estimated […] todayMarch 14, 2024 27
insert_link Namibia Concerns Raised by Business and Economics Researcher Over Agriculture Allocation in National Budget In a recent interview with Future Media News, Independent Business and Economics researcher Josef Sheehama commended the overall national budget but expressed concerns about the allocation to the Agriculture ministry. Despite a commendable 45% allocation to youth, the meager 1.9 billion dedicated to agriculture raised eyebrows. todayMarch 12, 2024 9
insert_link Namibia Spotlighting employment opportunities in the agricultural sector By Josef Kefas Sheehama Namibia still desperately needs to improve agricultural production systems and tackle the threats of climate change and uncertainty. Agriculture remains the backbone for sustained economic growth, to provide quality livelihoods, and high living standards for the population. The Agriculture, Land Reform, and Water Ministry have been allocated N$1.9 billion which is not sufficient. This includes N$50 million dedicated for land purchase to address the plight of […] todayMarch 6, 2024 42
insert_link Namibia Government committed to addressing land redistribution challenges: Schlletwein Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlletwein, said that the Revised National Resettlement Policy 2023-2033, shows the government's commitment to addressing land redistribution challenges in a more coordinated, inclusive and transparent manner. He told Parliament on Tuesday that the revision reminded the ministry of the importance of continual review of existing policies to ensure they remain responsive to the prevailing needs and expectations of the Namibian people. 'Therefore, […] todayMarch 6, 2024 6
insert_link Local Agra celebrates triumph with PMR Africa Diamond Arrow Awards, 2024 On Tuesday, 5 March 2024, Agra Limited proudly stood in the spotlight once again, receiving prestigious accolades at the PMR Africa Diamond Arrow Awards. Recognized as setting thebenchmark in the Agriculture sector over the past year. Once again Agra's unwavering commitment to stimulating economic growth and development in Namibia earned the company five coveted Diamond Arrow Awards, namely: - Suppliers of Agricultural Equipment and Products - Agriculture (Game) - Agriculture […] todayMarch 6, 2024 11
insert_link Environment Nile Basin farmers grow food forests to restore wetlands and bring back a turtle By David Njagi via Mongabay In the 44 years Naomi Rita Sitati has lived in Bukirimo village in western Kenya, she has known only one system of farming, which her community has depended on for generations. Cultivating sugarcane as the only crop in large plots is a common practice in the region, which is part of the larger Nile Basin, and Sitati was happy with it. Apart from creating jobs for […] todayFebruary 29, 2024 28
insert_link Africa Climate change, extreme weather & conflict exacerbate global food crisis Global food insecurity has risen substantially since pre-pandemic times, exacerbated by extreme weather, climate change, war and conflict. What the U.N. World Food Program calls “a hunger crisis of unprecedented proportions” plays out differently around the world. In this story, three of Mongabay’s Y. Eva Tan Conservation Reporting Fellows detail the local situation in their region – from rising inflation and flooding in Nigeria to diminished local food […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 24
insert_link Videos Food security ‘vital part of national security’, Sunak tells farmers Rishi Sunak has told farmers that food security is a vital part of national security as he set out support for the sector. Speaking at the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) annual conference, the Prime Minister outlined a doubling of the amount going to technology and innovation schemes such as robotics, roof-top solar and agricultural research, to £220 million, helping farmers to increase productivity. The money is part of the Government’s […] todayFebruary 21, 2024 8
insert_link Environment In Brazil’s soy belt, community seed banks offer hope for the Amazon By Ana Ionova Not too long ago, the plot of land that Maria Ivonete de Souza inherited was barren, the soil hardened by years of cattle ranching. When the family had arrived to the Amazon from southern Brazil four decades earlier, her father had swiftly cleared the dense rainforest to make way for pasture. “He razed it all by hand, with a saw and an ax,” Souza […] todayFebruary 20, 2024 12