Climate Change has cut Global Agricultural Productivity by 21% since 1961
The University of Maryland (UMD) has collaborated with Cornell University and Stanford University to quantify the man-made effects of climate change on global agricultural productivity growth for the first time. In a new study published in Nature Climate Change, researchers developed a robust model of weather effects on productivity, looking at … Continue reading Climate Change has cut Global Agricultural Productivity by 21% since 1961
There is a food shortage, not food crisis – Ghana’s Deputy Agric Minister
The Deputy Minister for Agriculture has dismissed claims that the country is faced with a food crisis. Mr Yaw Frimpong Addo speaking on JoyNews on Wednesday admitted that currently there is a shortage of foodstuff on the market, however, that … Continue reading There is a food shortage, not food crisis – Ghana’s Deputy Agric Minister
Unlicensed palm oil producers and processors to face the law by next year
The government of Ghana is set to arrest and prosecute unlicensed and illegal artisanal palm oil producers and processors in the Country by next year. The move is to drive away bad operators from producing unclean and unhealthy palm oil … Continue reading Unlicensed palm oil producers and processors to face the law by next year
ILRI and India’s Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying discuss priority areas for livestock sector development
In late August this year, Habibar Rahman, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) regional representative for South Asia met Shri Parshottam Rupala Ji, minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAH&D) in India, to submit a letter to impress upon the … Continue reading ILRI and India’s Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying discuss priority areas for livestock sector development
Are smallholder farms or medium-scale farms more productive in Nigeria?
In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), support for smallholder-led agricultural strategy has been motivated by the stylised fact that smallholder farmers are more productive. This stylised fact is known as inverse relationship (IR) between farm size and productivity, which has been widely … Continue reading Are smallholder farms or medium-scale farms more productive in Nigeria?
Promoting women’s participation in collective livestock marketing: Reflections from community conversations in Ethiopia
Smallholder livestock keepers face many market challenges such as low prices, weak bargaining power, lack of market information, high transaction costs, lack of group actions, distance to markets, lack of marketing infrastructure, erratic and unorganized markets, and lack of market … Continue reading Promoting women’s participation in collective livestock marketing: Reflections from community conversations in Ethiopia
Dynamic drivers of land use change in Zimbabwe
What are the drivers of land use change and how do they interact over time? Are the changes, uni-directional and linear, or are the dynamics more complex? This is the question we posed for our study site in Mvurwi in … Continue reading Dynamic drivers of land use change in Zimbabwe
Supply and delivery of antimicrobials in smallholder livestock production systems in Uganda
Access to quality veterinary drugs is a significant challenge for smallholder livestock keepers in low- and middle-income countries. Moreover, livestock producers who have access to over-the-counter animal drugs, including antimicrobials, often misuse them in food producing animals, which can produce … Continue reading Supply and delivery of antimicrobials in smallholder livestock production systems in Uganda
Bridging the livestock feed gap through improved feed and forage options
Ethiopia is known for its large livestock population. The livestock sector in Ethiopia contributes about 46% of the country’s agricultural GDP. Livestock is primarily kept on smallholdings where it provides draught power for crop production, manure for soil fertility and … Continue reading Bridging the livestock feed gap through improved feed and forage options
Kenya: Kisii Agricultural Training Centre receives banana processing machines
The Banana Processing Plant located at Kisii Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) on the outskirts of Kisii town has received the first batch of machines worth Sh24 million to enable processing of bananas. Speaking during the inspection of the machinery at … Continue reading Kenya: Kisii Agricultural Training Centre receives banana processing machines
Supporting the development of today’s young people
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant setbacks for the prospects of young people all over the world, but particularly in developing countries. Even before the COVID crisis there were significant challenges, with a third of all young people globally not … Continue reading Supporting the development of today’s young people
Kenayan farmers eyeing bumper maize harvest from Usueni Irrigation Scheme
Kitui farmers are expecting a bumper maize harvest from the Sh300 million Usueni Irrigation Scheme in Tseikuru, Kitui County. The scheme operated by the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) in August 2021 procured Sh6 million farm inputs to support farmers in … Continue reading Kenayan farmers eyeing bumper maize harvest from Usueni Irrigation Scheme
Kenya: Farmers receive training on soya bean production
Migori County Government has held a training session for farmers from different sub-counties in Migori to help them increase soya bean production after several tobacco processing factories pulled out of the region. Speaking to the press at Agriculture Training College … Continue reading Kenya: Farmers receive training on soya bean production
Calls for halt to funding for industrial agriculture
Civil society organisations have called on influential donors to stop funding industrial agriculture programmes, which they say harm smallholder farmers and the environment. The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) — which represents 200 million small-scale food producers — along with 165 organisations from … Continue reading Calls for halt to funding for industrial agriculture
Africa’s green revolution initiative has faltered: why other ways must be found
In July, the United Nations sounded alarms with its 2020 hunger report, which documented a 25% increase from 2019 to 2020 in the number of severely undernourished people in the world. Sub-Saharan Africa saw a similar spike with an estimated 44 … Continue reading Africa’s green revolution initiative has faltered: why other ways must be found
African farmers and agribusinesses need fair access to markets in face of climate change
Southern and Eastern Africa face the twin challenges of growing agricultural production to meet food demand while adapting to extreme weather. And climate change makes addressing these challenges extremely urgent. Southern Africa is a climate change hotspot. Eastern Africa is projected … Continue reading African farmers and agribusinesses need fair access to markets in face of climate change
Snail production: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research calls for greater investment in snail farming
The Deputy Director-General of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Ghana (CSIR), Professor Paul Bosu, has called for substantial investment in snail farming to position Ghana as the chief snail producer and supplier on the continent. He said redirecting significant … Continue reading Snail production: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research calls for greater investment in snail farming
Re-greening Africa: World Vision Ghana provides small ruminants to farmers in Bawku West
A Christian humanitarian and development organization, World Vision Ghana, has provided 220 small ruminants to 110 farmers in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region to rear as economic empowerment venture for improved livelihoods. The beneficiaries, with each … Continue reading Re-greening Africa: World Vision Ghana provides small ruminants to farmers in Bawku West
General Agricultural Workers’ Union cautions public not to expect bumper harvest this year
General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers’ Union, Edward Kareweh, has advised the public not expect a bumper harvest this year. According to Mr Kareweh, several factors including shortage of fertiliser will significantly affect the produce of farmers. He explained that … Continue reading General Agricultural Workers’ Union cautions public not to expect bumper harvest this year
India reiterates commitment to support rural agriculture development in Ghana
The Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Sugandh Rajaram, has reiterated India’s commitment to the development of rural agriculture in the country. The High Commissioner is currently on a one-week official and maiden visit to the Upper West Region. In … Continue reading India reiterates commitment to support rural agriculture development in Ghana
