Africa’s horticultural exports surge on

Africa’s horticultural exports surge on

By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency An upsurge in demand for horticultural products across global markets, particularly in Europe, spurred a significant increase in agricultural export revenues for several African countries last year. Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz), reported via his blog that South Africa's agricultural exports surged to a record US$13.2 billion in 2023, a 3% increase from […]

March 12, 2024 23

Africa

Dry weather hits southern Africa’s farmers, putting key maize supplies at risk: how to blunt the impact

By Wandile Sihlobo, Stellenbosch University South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe have recently published reports indicating a potential decline in grain harvest because of intense El Niño-induced dryness. These developments could put the entire Southern Africa maize supply chain at risk, with Zambia and South Africa hard hit by heatwaves and dryness. The neighbouring small producers such as Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia are also struggling with dryness. […]

March 7, 2024 27

Environment

Locals at the mouth of the Amazon River get a salty taste of climate change

A boat carrying potable water from Macapá city, Amapá’s capital, by the government is stranded because of the siltation of the Amazon River in front of Livramento community. Image by Rodrigo Pedroso. By Rodrigo Pedroso and Rudja Santos via Mongabay From the balcony of his two-story wooden house, Aurélio Marques gazes out over the Amazon River, flowing like a mere thread. The middle-aged boat pilot calculates how long it will take […]

February 27, 2024 10

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 […]

February 22, 2024 24

Environment

Building a resilient farming business

By Hanks Saisai, Technical Advisor: Crops & Poultry Farmers in Namibia face numerous challenges including climate change. This is evident in the form of erratic rainfall, recurring droughts, crop, and livestock losses, which have continuously led to financial losses for farmers across the country. As we navigate through the early days of 2024, farmers are encouraged to create resolutions that can transform their farming businesses into resilient enterprises. […]

February 1, 2024 26

Namibia

NamWater and the City of Windhoek enforce water saving measures

NamWater and the City of Windhoek have announced that they plan to put strict measures in place to save water in the central area. This is because three major dams—Omatako, Von Bach, and Swakoppoort—have not received any new water and currently have only 22.2% capacity. This is much less than the 39.9% they had at the same time last year. NamWater CEO Abraham Nehemiah.

January 29, 2024 76

Environment

Climate change made 2023 Amazon drought 30 times more likely, scientists say

The river that supplies water to the Kokama Indigenous People of the Porto Praia community was mostly dry in October of 2023. Image © Marizilda Cruppe / Greenpeace. By Carla Ruas via Mongabay Global warming was the main driver of the severe drought that parched the Amazon River Basin in 2023. That is the alarming conclusion of a new report from World Weather Attribution (WWA), a team of international climate scientists […]

January 29, 2024 17

Namibia

Oshana Governor Encourages Utilization of Government Subsidies for Agricultural Gains

Governor Elia Irimari of Oshana has urged residents to take advantage of government subsidies provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform. He emphasized the importance of maximizing harvest outcomes, particularly through the use of available tractors. The region has 30 operational tractors distributed among its 11 constituencies. Irimari highlighted that three constituencies have received three tractors each, while the remaining eight constituencies share the rest. To enhance […]

January 26, 2024 11

Namibia

Oshakati, Ondangwa register nearly 13 000 people for drought relief

The persistent drought situation has not only affected farmers and rural communities but has also had a significant impact on urban areas, Oshana Region Governor Elia Irimari said on Monday. He was speaking during the handing over of food parcels by the Oshana Regional Council to the three local authorities of the region. Irimari said many families are facing challenges in accessing sufficient food and basic necessities, leading […]

January 16, 2024 17