April 26
South Africa: Mopane Worm and Termite Sales Relieve Poverty in Rural South Africa - Studies Explore the Impact
South Africa's Limpopo province borders Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique. It is one of the poorest provinces in the country. This is due to a combination of historical… Read more »
April 10
South Africa: South Africa's Farmers Aren't Yet Replacing Chemical Fertilisers With Sustainable Alternatives - This Is Why
The growing use of toxic agricultural chemicals including fertilisers is also driving a scaling up of sustainable agrochemical alternatives. Read more »
Africa: Embryo Fossil Found in South Africa Is World's Oldest Proof That Mammal Ancestors Laid Eggs
Between 280 and 200 million years ago, a group of animals evolved which would eventually give rise to mammals, including humans: the therapsids. They were first described more than… Read more »
April 09
Africa: Magic Mushrooms - New African Species Sheds Light On the History of the Famous Fungus
"Magic mushrooms" are consumed recreationally and for medicinal purposes around the world. These fungi gained their fame as "magic" because they produce chemical compounds (called… Read more »
April 01
Africa: Superbugs On Your Plate - How Antimicrobial Resistance Spreads Through Food
From the moment raw ingredients are harvested to when you cook and eat a meal, an invisible process is taking place: the growth of antimicrobial resistance. This happens when… Read more »
March 30
Nigeria: Violent Conflicts Are Reshaping What Nigerian Farmers Grow - What This Means for Food Security
Agriculture is the backbone of Africa's economy. It provides livelihoods for over 70% of the rural population and contributes to national food security and economic development. Read more »
March 25
Nigeria: Cocoa Farmers Cut Down Trees for Short-Term Gain, but Keeping Them Is Important - Here's Why
The price of most chocolate bars has gone up worldwide in the past year, after cocoa bean prices rose dramatically in 2024. Read more »
March 23
South Africa: Striped Mice Survive Harsh Drought By Slowing Down and Not Getting Stressed
For decades, ecologists lumped everything bad for animals under one word: stress. But what if animals don't experience harsh environments as stressful at all? What if it is the… Read more »
March 18
Africa: Climate Change Could Pose a Major Risk to Cassava in Africa - Study Sets Out What Can Be Done Now
Cassava is a starchy, tuberous root, introduced to sub-Saharan Africa by Portuguese traders centuries ago. It is a nutrition lifeboat for over 800 million people worldwide. Read more »
March 08
Africa: Hunger Crisis Is Set to Get Worse in West and Central Africa - Why and What to Do About It
Countries in west and central Africa are facing a food crisis with multiple causes. Estimates in late December 2025 suggested that 41.8 million people were already in crisis or… Read more »
March 05
South Africa: Women Farmers in South Africa Pay the Cost of Broken Irrigation Systems - the Story of One Cooperative
The South African government makes a great deal of the fact that it supports women's empowerment in agriculture. Read more »
February 19
Africa: Fish Use More Energy to Stay Still Than Previously Thought
Many fish appear to hang effortlessly in the water while they wait for prey, defend a nest or pause between bursts of activity. But our research shows that this quiet stillness is… Read more »
February 18
Sudan: How Warring Factions Gained Influence in the Country's Food System - and What It Means for the Current Conflict
Militaries play a major role in the politics of many countries. They determine whether elections can occur and who can compete. From Egypt to Pakistan and Myanmar to Uganda, the… Read more »
February 17
Africa: Coffee Crops Are Dying From a Fungus With Species-Jumping Genes - Researchers Are 'Resurrecting' Their Genomes to Understand How and Why
For anyone who relies on coffee to start their day, coffee wilt disease may be the most important disease you've never heard of. This fungal disease has repeatedly reshaped the… Read more »
February 16
South Africa: South Africa Is Moving Away From Coal - How Mines and Power Stations Could Be Used for Green Energy and Farming
Globally, nearly 7,000 coal mines, more than 2,400 coal-fired power plants and hundreds of coal rail networks, trucks and port terminals all make up the world's coal industry. When… Read more »
February 15
Africa: Climate Change Could Expose 1.1 Billion People to Hunger By 2100 (But There's Good News Too) - AI Modelling Study
More than 295 million people globally experienced hunger and starvation in 2025 because of conflict, displacement, climate change and economic disasters. Read more »
February 12
Africa: African Indigenous Foods That Fight Inflammation May Help People With Diabetes - Research
African indigenous food groups present an exciting area to explore when it comes to taste and nutrition. They may even offer potential as nutritional therapy for people with health… Read more »
February 04
Zambia: Zambia's Farmers Are Working in Dangerous Heat - How They Can Protect Themselves
Farming is central to life in Zambia, with about 60% of the country's labour force relying on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihood or income. Seasonal rains shape planting and… Read more »
February 03
South Africa: Cape Town Project Tests What Hydroponic Farming Can Do in Urban Spaces
Imagine a world where fresh vegetables and herbs sprout in the heart of our cities without the need for sprawling farms. Read more »
January 23
Africa: Are Meat Eaters Really More Likely to Live to 100 Than Non-Meat Eaters, As a Recent Study Suggests?
People who don't eat meat may be less likely than meat eaters to reach the age of 100, according to a recent study. But before you reconsider your plant-based diet, there's more to… Read more »
January 28
Africa: Small-Scale Farmers Produce More of the Rich World's Food Than Previously Thought - New Study
Who grows our food? This seemingly simple question is getting harder to answer in a world where our food crosses borders to get to our plate. Read more »
West Africa: Indigenous Trees Might Be the Secret to Climate Resilient Dairy Farming in Benin, Says This New Study
In the drylands of Benin, west Africa, livestock farming is under growing pressure. Read more »
January 25
Africa: Global Demand for Shea Butter Is Growing - but It's Not All Good News for the Women Who Collect the Nuts
Shea butter has become a highly sought-after ingredient in cosmetics and food manufacturing worldwide. Since the early 2000s its use as a substitute for cocoa butter has driven a… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigerian Farmers Talk About How Climate Change Is Affecting Staple Food Crops - and What Can Help
In Nigeria, agriculture contributes about 40% to national gross domestic product and supports the livelihoods of about 60% of the population. Finding ways to farm through climate… Read more »
January 07
West Africa: Sahel Farmers Do Better When They Combine Innovations Rather Than Using Them One By One
Smallholder farmers in west Africa's Sahel face a harsh and worsening climate. Rainfall is erratic, temperatures are rising, soils are degrading, and droughts have become more… Read more »
