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Agriculture, like every other continent, is an important aspect of the African economy and plays an important role in providing food security for the region’s rising population.
Despite several hurdles, Africa has demonstrated its ability to grow in agriculture with the emergence of new developments. There is always something occurring in the realm of African agriculture, from advancements in agricultural practices to government policies geared at supporting agriculture.
That is why Farmwella Insider is dedicated to giving you the latest updates in Agriculture.
In this article, we will highlight the top five African agriculture news for the week. Let’s find out what has happened over the week.
1. Is Nigerian cassava the next big thing in the US food market?
A research group called IMARC has recently released a report stating that the worldwide cassava starch market is expected to reach US$6.5 billion by 2028.
However, Bello, an expert in the field, believes that this number could be significantly increased by creating new and innovative products that can compete with potato-based items and gain a larger share of the market. Read More
2. International support for Africa’s plan to transform agriculture hits $50 billion
Africa’s efforts to transform its agriculture and become a major food producer are getting a lot of support from around the world. Recently, development partners pledged over $50 billion to help with this plan, which was launched just two months ago. Read More
3. Tackling the Impact of Climate Crisis on Conflict in Zimbabwe
A recent UN report has found that Zimbabwe’s economy is more likely to experience a downturn when its agricultural sector is struggling. The report notes that high temperatures and low rainfall, possibly caused by climate change, can contribute to decreased agricultural productivity, which in turn can lead to economic shocks and increase the risk of civil war.
A recent report from Oxfam has revealed that parts of Zimbabwe are experiencing the lowest levels of rainfall since 1981, which has resulted in over 5.5 million people facing extreme food insecurity.
Similarly, Zambia’s maize-growing region has been severely affected, resulting in export bans and leaving over 2.3 million people in a food-insecure state. The situation is worsening not only in Zimbabwe and Zambia, but also in Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar, and Namibia. Read More
4.Somalia Is on the Brink of Famine Due to Unprecedented Drought
Somalia is on the brink of famine due to a historic drought caused by five consecutive failed rainy seasons, rising food prices, and escalating conflict.
7.85 million people in Somalia are already impacted by food shortages and displacement due to the incidences. 5 million of the citizens are experiencing acute food insecurity, with 96,000 individuals facing catastrophic starvation.
The situation is expected to worsen between April and June 2023, with 6.5 million people facing acute food insecurity, including 223,000 individuals facing catastrophic hunger. Read more.
5. FAO Director-General and his UNIDO counterpart meet To Launch Agrifood Transformation Acceleration
The FAO and UNIDO have launched the Agrifood Systems Transformation Accelerator (ASTA), aimed at improving the efficiency, inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability of agrifood systems in the least Developed Countries.
The program aims to generate public-private investments and partnerships to support the development of value chains, market systems, business models, and inclusive finance in the world’s poorest countries, with the goal of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read more.