October 26, 2022
Somalia: Four Lessons From Past Experience of Dealing With Famine
Since 1990 the world's famines have been classified as small - with the glaring exceptions of Somalia in 1991-92 and 2010-12. Now the UN's World Food Programme says that nearly… Read more »
October 24, 2022
Africa: From Water Conservation to Crop Selection, How Farmers CAN Take Action Against Drought #AfricaClimateHope
As climate change accelerates, many countries around the world are increasingly facing the risk of drought. Water scarcity has become one of the major constraints of food… Read more »
Africa: Growing Plants On Buildings Can Reduce Heat, Produce Healthy Food in Cities
Persistently high temperatures and related heat stress are a big problem for people living in cities, especially in slums and informal settlements. It's a problem that is expected… Read more »
October 16, 2022
Somalia: Famine Should Not Exist in 2022, Yet Somalia Faces Its Worst Yet. Wealthy Countries, Pay Your Dues
More than a quarter of a million people died of hunger in Somalia in 2011 - half of them children younger than five. The situation in Somalia in the coming months could be a great… Read more »
October 17, 2022
Africa: Towards Zero Hunger - Five Steps To Achieve Food Security for the Continent
Global food systems have been battered by overlapping crises in recent years. Key among these are the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russo-Ukraine war and extreme weather events resulting… Read more »
October 11, 2022
South Africa: Small-Scale Farmers Still Can't Find a Place in the Food Value Chain
Value addition is a central theme in agriculture. The concept involves adding value at every step, from production to delivery of a product. This creates opportunities for farmers… Read more »
September 19, 2022
Africa: South Africa's Farm Exports Are an Economic Lifeline - With Weak Spots
International trade has been at the core of South Africa's agricultural progress since the early 2000s. Since 1994, the country has excelled in opening up new markets, as evidenced… Read more »
September 15, 2022
Somalia: Somalia On the Brink of Famine - Aid Efforts Risk Failing Marginalised Communities Yet Again
Somalia is facing a humanitarian crisis of enormous severity and magnitude. This follows four failed rainy seasons, protracted conflict, political instability and the impact of… Read more »
September 14, 2022
Africa: Climate Change Threatens Food but Microscopic Algae Offer Answers
In 2021 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued the first volume of its latest authoritative report on climate change. The United Nations secretary-general branded its… Read more »
September 12, 2022
Kenya: Maize Price Has Doubled in a Year - 6 Ways to Avoid a Staple Food Shortage
The elections in August offered Kenyans a temporary distraction from some of the challenges the country is facing. At the top of these challenges is food insecurity. In 2022, the… Read more »
September 07, 2022
Kenya: Lamu Port Was Meant to Deliver Great Things. But, As the Story of Local Fishermen Shows, It Hasn't
For nearly two decades, successive Kenyan governments have promoted mega infrastructure projects as a pathway to development. The Lamu Port has been one of them. Read more »
September 06, 2022
South Africa: Despite What Farmers Think, Local Honey Bees Can Pollinate Blueberries
Next time you see a bee hovering around a fruit tree, you're probably witnessing pollination in action. Pollination is what enables a plant to produce seeds and fruit - and, as… Read more »
August 31, 2022
South Africa: Foot-and-Mouth Disease - the Gaps in South Africa's Efforts to Keep It Under Control
In mid August, South Africa's minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development Thoko Didiza responded to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease with a nationwide ban on the… Read more »
August 29, 2022
Africa: Farming and Fertilisers - How Ecological Practices Can Make a Difference
Agriculture involves a difficult balance between food production and environmental impact. For example, fertilisers can help to achieve good crop yields, but over-using them… Read more »
August 25, 2022
Africa: Storing Cattle Feed Can Improve Milk and Meat Yields - Why Farmers Aren't Doing It
Africa's cattle feed production is a boom-and-bust cycle. Most of the continent's grazing lands are lush and green in the rainy season, only to wither into dry scrublands in the… Read more »
August 24, 2022
South Africa: South African Citrus - New EU Rules Are Unjust and Punitive
In mid-July 2022 the European Union imposed new restrictions on South African citrus imports. The new phytosanitary requirements were meant to address False Codling Moth, a citrus… Read more »
August 21, 2022
Nigeria: Nigerians Feel the Pinch As Food Prices Continue to Spiral. There Aren't Easy Solutions
Nigeria is grappling with rising food prices, as reflected in the spike in inflation. The annual inflation rate accelerated for a sixth straight month to 19.64% in July 2022, the… Read more »
August 11, 2022
South Africa: The Right to Food - Activism and Litigation Are Shifting the Dial in South Africa
Even before the pandemic and the recent global rise in food prices, millions of South Africans were hungry. In 2019, nearly 18% of households could not access enough nutritious… Read more »
August 02, 2022
Africa: Subsidies for Farmers - We've Designed a Tool to Guide Spending Decisions
One of the hardest decisions a government must make is who to support with the limited public funds at its disposal. In recent years the largest countries in sub-Saharan Africa… Read more »
July 28, 2022
Zambia: Zambia Can Meet Growing Food Demand - How to Fix What's Standing in Its Way
African countries face great challenges in adapting to climate change to meet growing demand for food. The current drought in East Africa is the latest manifestation of changing… Read more »
South Africa: Shining Fluorescent Light On Bee Sperm Could Help Explain Colony Survival
Form follows function. This is the principle that the design or shape of something - whether made by humans or in nature - should serve a purpose. Read more »
July 24, 2022
Africa: Russia/Ukraine Grain Export Deal Promises Major Benefits for Poor Countries. If It Holds
If Russia keeps to the deal it has signed with Ukraine allowing for the resumption of grain exports, much needed relief will be provided to importing countries, including many in… Read more »
July 18, 2022
Ghana: Genetically Modified Cowpea Clears Its First Hurdle, but There's a Long Way to Go
Genetically modified (GM) cowpea has cleared the first of the three regulatory hurdles in the way of commercialisation in Ghana. If it is commercialised, it will be the first GM… Read more »
July 14, 2022
South Africa: Amazing Ting - Sorghum Must Be Reinvigorated As a Key Food Before It's Lost
The world's food systems have developed in a way that is not serving health and sustainability. Read more »
July 11, 2022
Africa: Space Agriculture Boldly Grows Food Where No One Has Grown Before
Whether to spend money on outer space exploration or to apply it to solve serious problems on Earth, like climate change and food shortages, is a contentious debate. But one… Read more »