Browsing: African women in Agriculture

Tanzania President Samia Hassan delivers speech with US Vice President Kamala Harris when the latter visited the US in April 2021. Photo/CFR
  • According to the US review has maintained a solid macroeconomic foundation, sound fiscal policies, and rich natural endowments.
  • The report credits Samia’s administration for its ‘strong regulatory framework, sound macroeconomic fundamentals and creation of a vibrant financial market.’
  • the US recognizes Tanzania’s favorable investment policies under president Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan promised reforms to improve the country’s business climate when she came into power in 2021 and singled out attracting foreign investment as a key priority. Suluhu’s shift in policy to attract investment will be part of the discussion with US Vice President Kamala Harris who visits the country this week as part of a three-state visit by Harris.

“This commitment to increasing investment has continued throughout her tenure and economic issues remain at the forefront of the administration’s policies, strategies, and goals,” notes the U.S. Department of State.

Absa Bank Africa Financial Markets Index 2022 …

Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced at the Africa Food Summit in Dakar, Senegal, that the state will give 11,000 acres to the youth for agricultural production. Photo/Ikulu
  • Tanzania launches Youth Guarantee Scheme and Loan Facility
  • Special scheme to give 11,000 acres to its youth for agriculture
  • Youth empowerment initiative to be overseen by the Agricultural Input Trust Fund

Tanzania is giving land to the youth to boost agricultural productivity and create employment. 

While speaking at the Africa Food Summit in Dakar, Senegal, Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced that the state will give 11,000 acres to it's youth for agricultural production. 

Suluhu explained that the decision is part of the country’s ‘Building a Better Tommorrow’ (BBT) initiative. Through a special programme, the Tanzanian government has announced that it will give qualifying youth access to land ownership as part of the country's ongoing initiative to secure economic empowerment for its youth, the largest part of its population.

The move is part of an ongoing national agricultural development initiative that is meant to develop the sector for economic empowerment. 

Despite economic slowdown, cashew nuts market is growing world wide but research show Africa is still lacking reinvestment in agriculture to reap the benefits and boost poverty reduction.

To combat climate change and to mitigate its effects, Africa must adopt modern agriculture technologies, machine innovations and engineering for resilient crop varieties. Modern agriculture technologies help to manage farmers’ risks and even improve product quality which in turn brings about better prices.

Also, when it comes to modern agriculture technologies, there is renewed attention towards value addition, agro-processing and post-harvest management. These factors add to the need for increased investment in agriculture because they all translate to increased income and creation of employment opportunities.

This brings us to the question of funding. Where are countries supposed to get the money to invest in agriculture? To answer this question, African countries, almost all 55 of them, signed the 2003 Maputo Declaration, pledging to dedicate 10% of their annual budget to agriculture, but to date, few have done so.…

Equipping African women in Agriculture

Standard Bank and UN Women have come together to equip African women in agriculture with skills and resources to grow their businesses for long term success.

In October last year, the two organisations partnered to empower more than 50,000 women in South Africa, Uganda, Malawi and Nigeria through modern and environmental friendly farming technologies that increase incomes and productivity.

Local farmer organisations and cooperatives, women farmers and authorities are now able to address structural inequalities in rural economies in Africa, beginning with difficulties that women face in securing tenure for quality farmland through the Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) collaboration.

Funding worth $3 million has been provided by Standard Bank as well as ongoing support through financial literacy and other programmes.

“The CSA project supports Standard Bank’s drive to create a gender-equal Africa and aligns with our purpose of driving the continent’s growth. We believe it will meaningfully contribute to the …