insert_link 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 […] todayJune 13, 2024 16
insert_link 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 […] todayJune 10, 2024 24
insert_link Local Bank of Namibia hosts public lecture on financial inclusion in rural areas The Governor of the Bank of Namibia, Mr. Johannes !Gawaxab, delivered a public lecture at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Eenhana, Ohangwena region. The lecture, under the theme "Unlocking Opportunities for Rural and Informal Sector Development through Financial Inclusion," highlighted the critical role of financial inclusion in transforming Namibia's rural economy. In his address, the Governor drew lessons from the Bank's 2023 Annual […] todayMay 31, 2024 11
insert_link World Development finance: how it works, where it goes, why it’s needed By Abdul Latif Alhassan, University of Cape Town and Bomikazi Zeka, University of Canberra Development finance is the invisible glue that connects public and private financing for projects that have social, economic and environmental outcomes. These include improved infrastructure, better waste management and sanitation, financial inclusion, clean energy and sustainable agriculture. The goal of development finance is to create positive social, economic or environmental outcomes through […] todayApril 17, 2024 39
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 9
insert_link Business / Economics Innovating for Impact: driving positive change through financial solutions By Mignon du Preez, Group Marketing, Public Affairs and Sustainability Executive, Old Mutual Namibia In Namibia, making a real impact with financial solutions is a shared endeavour that requires collective action, innovative thinking, and a deep understanding of our people's needs. As a united force within the financial services industry, we bear a collective responsibility to lead the way toward a better future for everyone. At the forefront […] todayFebruary 1, 2024 2
insert_link Local The Agriculture Bank of Namibia and KfW Development Bank collaborate to support Namibian Farmers and MSMEs in the agriculture sector On 14 December 2023, the Agricultural Bank of Namibia (Agribank) and KfW Development Bank entered into a historic agreement, signing a first concessional loan of just over 400 million NAD. This collaboration aims to empower farmers operating in both communal and commercial, as well as other agricultural or food-processing MSMEs in Namibia. Agribank will on-lend the funds for the target group of small scale farmers as well as the […] todayDecember 15, 2023 13
insert_link Africa African countries at COP28: several big wins and a united voice By Bamidele Olajide, University of Lagos African countries entered the recent COP28 negotiations on climate change in high spirits. Before this conference, in September, African government leaders, policymakers, activists and other groups from the continent met at the African Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. The African position and expectations for COP28 were shaped at this summit by the adoption of the Nairobi Declaration. Africa’s main agenda at COP28, hosted […] todayDecember 14, 2023 10
insert_link Africa Africa’s rich biodiversity offers a wealth of carbon offset projects for Gulf investors By Seth Onyango, via bird story agency Africa is a prime target for new multimillion-dollar carbon offset projects as companies increasingly seek to blunt the effects of their carbon footprints. In September, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced plans to shell out US$450 million to secure carbon credits from various carbon offset initiatives on the continent. Already, carbon offset firms are snapping up new deals. Eco Netix, a measurement, reporting […] todayDecember 12, 2023 6
