Browsing: Food Security

• Digital solutions offer sustainable food security options for Africa.
• African governments must invest in agri-tech to boost productivity.
• Kenya’s Shamba Shape Up cited as a viable agri-tech solution. 

Agriculture digital solutions have the power to transform agri-food systems in emerging markets by bringing efficiency across all value chains.

“Technology, when applied to agriculture, results in higher income for farmers, increased output, and improved food security…these are among the benefits of utilizing digital tools in an agricultural setting,” said Prof. Mark Natoloi, in a recent research report that reviewed digital solutions for African farmers.

Governments could assist farmers and other agriculture stakeholders by deploying digital tools for important tasks, such as distributing subsidies to farmers or managing the inventories in storage facilities.

“When used as part of a national agricultural-transformation program, digital tools could help raise the incomes of smallholder farmers, increase crop output, and support food security,” reads the report …

• Food security, livelihoods, and economies are threatened as extreme weather conditions hit Africa hard.
• Citizens are now calling for bold action from their governments and the global community to combat this worsening crisis.
• Over 82% of Africans advocate for measures to protect communities against extreme floods, droughts, and environmental degradation.

 As climate change tightens its grip, the African continent is bearing the brunt of extreme weather conditions that have profoundly impacted food security, livelihoods, and economies.

A recent Afrobarometer survey paints a stark picture of the hard reality for millions of Africans: worsening droughts and crop failures are threatening their very survival. Citizens are now calling for bold action from their governments and the international community to combat this worsening crisis.

A decade of declining agricultural yields

Over the past decade, the majority of Africans report an alarming increase in the severity of droughts and crop failures. According to Afrobarometer…

• Food security in Africa has been elusive due to unpredictable weather and slow adoption of technology
• The first is research from the Food and Agriculture Organisation which highlights the priority areas for production of cereals in Africa
• Although Africa’s population has doubled in the last 30 years, food production has not kept pace with yields often below the global average.

According to research released by Oxfam in 2023, seven people across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan will die of hunger-related causes in the time it takes the average reader to complete this article.

It is imperative that all stakeholders in the food and agriculture sectors recognise that there can no longer be a “business as usual” approach. Something has to change, and quickly.

SOS Sahel’s Africa Days Forum taking place on 27th and 28th June 2024 in Senegal will this year is focused on “Lost Crops, New Opportunities: …

Africa’s agritech potential is immense. Agriculture can help solve various issues, including food security, poverty reduction, and economic transformation. However, technology is needed to revolutionise agriculture and solve farming and agricultural challenges.…

• Agriculture is one of the leading causes of climate change.
• Without action, emissions from food systems will rise even further, with increasing food production.
• Climate-smart agriculture offers a holistic approach to end food security.

It may surprise many that agriculture and its activities are, in fact, one of the leading causes of climate change. Agriculture is reported to be responsible for some of the highest emissions of greenhouse gases, making the sector one of the main contributors to global warming.

It strikes the environment with a double-edged sword, emitting greenhouse gases on one hand and destroying forests and marine ecosystems on the other.

According to the World Bank, agriculture is the primary cause of deforestation, threatening pristine ecosystems such as the Amazon and the Congo Basin. With the global population exploding, there is an inevitable need to increase food production, which can only be achieved by expanding agricultural activities.

This …

• The African Development Bank has donated $20 million to Senegal to enhance food security and support small producers post-COVID through the PRESAN-PC project.
• Infrastructure development, including agricultural boreholes and solar-powered systems, aims to increase farm production and resilience to climate change.
• The project benefits vulnerable women and youth, includes contributions from various sources, and impacts 31,000 households across multiple Senegalese regions.

In an ambitious move to ensure food security and enhance the livelihoods of its small producers, Senegal has received a significant financial boost. On a notable day in March 2024, the African Development Bank Group allocated a $20 million donation to the nation for the Post-Covid Food and Nutrition Security Enhancement Project (PRESAN-PC).

The initiative aims to transform Senegal’s agricultural landscape, benefiting vulnerable women and young people through increased farm production and income.

African Development Bank’s $20 million donation to Senegal 

The African Development Bank’s generous donation comes from …

• Since ascending to office in September 2022, President Ruto has remained relentless in his bid to boost Kenya’s agricultural productivity.
• Agriculture remains the bedrock of the country’s development and the key to creating equitable and sustainable growth for its citizens.
• President Ruto has focused on implementing policies and programs to enhance productivity, improve farmers’ incomes, and ensure food security.

Agriculture as a bedrock of Kenya’s economic prosperity

Kenya has made impressive economic strides in innovation and entrepreneurship, private sector enterprise, infrastructure, and human skills development. However, agriculture remains the bedrock of the country’s development and the key to creating equitable and sustainable growth for its citizens. The importance of agriculture has been highlighted in Kenya’s Vision 2030

Moreover, research has demonstrated that agriculture remains a major driver of economic prosperity for most African countries. In addition to driving economic growth, agriculture creates jobs for most rural communities and is essential …

In recent years, Africa has gained increasing attention in the climate change dialogue, especially its role in the global carbon offset market. But what exactly does this mean for the continent and the world? This article delves into the concept of carbon offsets in Africa, explores the benefits, assesses Africa’s contribution to global emissions, and examines the leading countries in carbon trading.…

A considerable gap exists between symbol and substance regarding an African climate change approach. Foreign leaders often nod to how Africa accounts for only four per cent of global emissions but bears the brunt of the devastating climate change effects. Rising temperatures, extreme weather conditions, and ecosystem disruptions threaten millions of Africans’ livelihoods.

For many communities across the continent, the climate threat is already existential. With 18 per cent of the global population, Africa has 16 of the 20 countries most vulnerable to climate change, according to Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative.…

Kenya has bagged three green investment deals at the recently concluded Africa Climate Summit. The sustainable trade investment deals will see the East African nation partner with Sweden, South Africa and Hong Kong to enhance food security and air travel in the country. The parties involved announced the three deals during a sideline event of the 2023 Africa climate summit in Nairobi.…