Agriculture

Cocoa beans are in short supply: what this means for farmers, businesses and chocolate lovers

By Michael E Odijie, UCL A shortage of cocoa beans has led to a near shutdown of processing plants in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, the two countries responsible for 60% of global production. With chocolate makers around the world reliant on west Africa for cocoa, there is significant concern about the impact on the prices of chocolate and the livelihood of farmers. Cocoa researcher Michael Odijie explains […]

20 March, 2024

Africa

El Niño threatens Zimbabwe’s corn production

Zimbabwe has warned that farmland planted with corn has shrunk by 12% because of scorching El Niño weather patterns, threatening the nation’s food staple and potentially triggering surging prices and social unrest. We contacted Eddie Cross an economist from Zimbabwe for his comment.

14 March, 2024

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 […]

14 March, 2024

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.

12 March, 2024

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 […]

6 March, 2024

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, […]

6 March, 2024

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 […]

6 March, 2024

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 […]

29 February, 2024

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 […]

22 February, 2024