By Japhet Laizer, AGRA Program officer Agriculture in Africa has the potential not only to satisfy its own domestic food needs but also those of the rest of the world. Agriculture remains one of the driving sectors for the continent, supporting the majority of the population and accounting for 14% of GDP in sub-Saharan Africa. As agriculture becomes more…
Summary The new program to strengthen Zanzibar’s horticulture market is expected to substantially increase economic opportunities in horticulture sector Zanzibar. The US government in partnership with Zanzibar have unveiled a new programme to strengthening Zanzibar’s horticulture market systems and promoting. Dubbed Feed the Future Tanzania Kilimo Tija Activity, the project is expected to increase economic opportunities in horticulture, with…
Summary Key development projects to be executed include expanding irrigation infrastructure to stimulate agricultural productivity and economic growth Dar es Salaam. The government will spend Sh198 billion more on agriculture development projects in the next financial year after increasing its total budget for the sector to Sh970 billion. Key development projects to be executed include expanding irrigation infrastructure to…
Summary The government is continuing inspecting warehouses and shops to identify other harmful pesticides Dar es Salaam. The government has banned the use of 44 pesticides that are harmful to human health and the environment, deputy Agriculture minister, Anthony Mavunde, told the Parliament yesterday. He was responding to a question from Special Seats MP, Asha Abdullah Juma, who sought…
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, March 17th, 2023 – Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, has officially launched Africa’s Food System Forum 2023, the premier platform for advancing the agriculture and food systems agenda in Africa. The launch, which took place at State House, Tanzania, emphasized the importance of including youth and women…
Madam Asseta Diallo, Senior Programmes Officer at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Ghana says the country’s dependence on organic fertilisers for soil nutrients may not help achieve food security. She explained that Ghana had a poor fertility status where about 65 per cent of agricultural land was depleted or severely degraded due to human activities…
By Anthony Muchoki Dr. Agnes M. Kalibata, President of AGRA, has commended the Tanzanian government for taking a significant step towards enabling youth to participate in food system transformation. A strong advocate for youth empowerment in agricuture, Dr Kalibata believes that “the younger generation needs to have productive, meaningful lives. Let’s give them the technologies and opportunity to be…
Source | Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA (Nairobi) Tanzania will host the AGRF 2023 Summit, the announcement was made by Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, the president of the United Republic of Tanzania and H.E Hailemariam Dessalegn, the Chair of the AGRF Partners Group on the sidelines of the U.S. Africa Leaders’ Summit currently taking place in…
*50 Potential Outcomes for Tanzania The AGRF Food Systems Forum will take place in Tanzania in 2023. John Muchoki and John Beda will examine the potential outcomes of the Summit on agriculture in Tanzania, building on the efforts made by various stakeholders to improve the sector. The Summit seeks to advance the progress of the Malabo Declaration and prioritize…
Tanzania will host the AGRF 2023 Summit, the announcement was made by Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, the president of the United Republic of Tanzania and H.E Hailemariam Dessalegn, the Chair of the AGRF Partners Group on the sidelines of the U.S. Africa Leaders’ Summit currently taking place in Washington, DC. The AGRF, Africa’s Food Systems Forum, is the…
Kigali: September 7, 2022 – Eric Yirenkyi Danquah was today announced thewinner of the 2022 Africa Food Prize at the AGRF2022 Summit in Kigali, Rwanda. The Africa Food Prize is the preeminent annual award that recognizes outstandingindividuals or institutions that are leading the effort to change the reality of farmingin Africa.Eric Yirenkyi Danquah has been celebrated for his outstanding…
Improved agriculture business enabling environment needed for faster agro-industrialisation uptake Dar es Salaam, 07/08/2022 Tanzania under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan has placed agriculture at the top of the agenda, thus it’s paramount for the ongoing efforts toward the implementation of the Tanzania Agro-industries Development Flagship (TAIDF) to be hastened, according to Dr Barney Laseko, a policy…
The meeting, to be held on 27, 28 and 29 July in Costa Rica, will outline the role of Africa and the Americas in global food and environmental security. It will provide opportunities for bi-regional cooperation in science, technology and innovation, with a view to building resilient and sustainable food systems. San Jose / Nairobi, 19 July 2022 (IICA/AGRA/AUDA-NEPAD)…
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: June 2, 2022 Tanzania is racing to be East Africa’s rice hub by meeting in totality the regional need for the food crop. The 4th largest producer of rice in Africa and the second-largest in Eastern & Southern Africa, has put in place adequate plans and measures to increase rice production annually, set to reach…
By DR. AGNES KALIBATA The food price crisis of 2007-2008, Covid-19, the Russia – Ukraine War, and climate change have exposed the fragility of food systems. The greatest risk lies in refusing to learn from lessons of the past. At the start of 2022, we were already facing the prospect of a food crisis. Even before the first Russian…
*Workable input distribution networks key to technology adoption, sustainable and improved food systems Dr Joseph Mhagama is a Member of Parliament for Madaba Constituency in Tanzania, chair of parliamentary committee on Law and Constitution and the CEO of RUCODIA (Ruvuma Commercialization and Diversification of Agriculture)” a vocal civil society about commercialization and diversification of agriculture as a pathway to…
A report evaluating the work of AGRA in Ghana has commended the organization for its contribution to improving agriculture in the country. The report by US-based data science company Mathematica, assessed the impact of AGRA’s Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA) initiative. It concluded that the public policy environment for agricultural development has been enhanced as a result…
President Samia will witness the unveiling of ‘Ajenda 10/30’ tag coined by the ministry to rally efforts of both public and private sectors to turn around the fortunes of thousands of people eking out a living from the agricultural value chain. Dar Es Salaam. About 3,000 people are expected in Dodoma today to witness the government embark on an ambitious…
AGRA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enhance the agricultural transformation in Africa to create jobs, boost trade, strengthen resilience, and transform economies. Through the MoU, AGRA and USDA intend to collaborate across several areas including: coordinating research on seed, soil and water technologies; training to ensure farmers have the…
African civil society organizations meet and adopt a joint declaration ahead of FAO Regional Conference for Africa (ARC32) The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and other shocks hit the food security status and livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations the hardest – that was the central theme in a declaration at the end of a two-day regional consultation by civil…
A pre-plant, pre-emergence treatment herbicide that effectively controls resistant wheat crop weeds JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Corteva Agriscience has brought its latest crop protection solution, Aubaine® 518 SC herbicide, to South African wheat farmers. Aubaine® 518 SC provides pre-plant, pre-emergence, or early post-emergence control of wheat crop weeds, particularly in regions that experience widespread winter rainfall. The product contains active ingredients…
Implementation of District Agricultural Development Plans huge impetus to accelerating agricultural transformation in Tanzania Tanzania has made a new stride in the drive to accelerate agricultural transformation by formulating, developing and implementing District Agricultural Development Plans (DADPs). According to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, proper implementation of DADPs will bring a lasting solution to many challenges that have been adversely…
PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has directed the Ministry of Finance and Planning to prioritize the execution of District Agriculture Development Plans (DADPs) including raising funds to facilitate their implementation. The Premier issued the directives yesterday at the launch of DADPs in Dodoma calling upon financial institutions to put in place a system that will allow title deeds for farmers…
Mbeya, Tanzania: February 16, 2022 – Boosting production of strategic crops, such as soybean, for local and international markets, as well as industrial raw materials, is the way forward for Tanzania’s agriculture, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania H.E. Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, has said. H.E Kikwete, who is a member of the Board of AGRA (the…
Iringa, Tanzania: February 15, 2022 – Alliance for a Green Revolution (AGRA) lead Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA) initiatives in Tanzania has increased agro-led industrialization-drive momentum. Agro-dealers, farmers organizations, aggregators and processors have increased uptake of their respective activities and production along the agriculture value chain, according to testimonies shared to former President of the United…
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania: February 14, 2022 – Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has embarked on a week-long field tour of agriculture projects that are supported by AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) and partners in the country. During the tour, Dr Kikwete, who is also an AGRA board member,…
The high-ranking officials who participated in the virtual event. Ministers of Agriculture of Africa and the Americas committed to working together to develop a cooperation agenda, and agreed that the two continents face common challenges and opportunities with respect to transforming their agrifood systems to make them more sustainable and inclusive. The agreement was reached during the First High-Level Roundtable…
The Agriculture ministry will today host the fourth Intergovernmental Forum for Agriculture (IGFA) that deliberates on policy matters and appraise sector performance at a time when the industry is grappling with unprecedented challenges.The IGFA, which Cabinet secretary Peter Munya has convened is co-chaired by the Council of Governors chairman. The forum brings together county bosses, CECs in charge of…
In Kenya, like in many other countries, bees are under threat. Loss of habitat and intensive farming practices including the use of pesticides have led to a drastic reduction in the population of polinators in the last 30 years. The consequences can be catastrophic as bees play a vital role in the food chain. The most serious challenge is…
The online application system re-opened yesterday, 28 December 2021, and will close at midnight on 28 January 2022 CAPE TOWN, South Africa. The Delegated Authority has announced the re-opening of the Online Application System for the Fishing Rights Allocation Process (FRAP) for registered users and current applicants only. The reopening of the system does not apply to new applicants. The…
By Anthony Muchoki and Ms Stella Clara Massawe Tanzania’s 6th phase government is intensely focused on accelerating private sector development, the Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS), Prime Minister Office Mr Kaspar Mmuya has assured. He said the government, through the Second Agriculture Sector Development Programme (ASDP II), has articulated the central role of the private sector in agriculture. According to…
She tasked the Ministry of Agriculture to closely monitor its implementation to ensure that the multibillion project is not mismanaged KAMPALA, Uganda, The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has broken ground for the construction of Shs71billion Acomai irrigation scheme in Kamutur Sub-county in Bukedea District. The project, which is under the Agricultural Value Chain Development Programme being implemented…
Stakeholders Validation Workshop Friday, 17th December 2021, supported by AGRA, World Bank and FAO
Documentary to air on Africanews and Afrique Media TV this December DAKAR, Senegal, The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-idb.org) will be releasing a series of four (4) short documentaries that showcase the depth of ITFC’s interventions in the Groundnut sector in Senegal. Called The ITFC Groundnut Project: Full Cycle, the documentary will air on Africanews from 16th to 31st December…
New study from FAO highlights lessons learnt and practical options as African SIDS face impacts of climate change ACCRA, Ghana, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warns that urgent, transformative action is needed in Africa’s six Small Island Developing States (SIDS) due to poverty, vulnerability to temperature and rainfall variations, and the increased risk of…
New report on soil shows 55 percent of countries surveyed lack adequate capacities for soil analysis ROME, Italy, As it marks World Soil Day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has highlighted the threat posed by soil salinization to global food security and warned that many countries still lack adequate capacity for soil analysis. “Soil is the…
The project will help improve the food and nutritional security of 144,800 people, particularly women and children BAMAKO, Mali, The Government of Sweden, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a four-year programme to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities affected by…
The virtual Forum unveiled Recipes for success: policy innovations to transform Africa’s food systems and build resilience KIGALI, Rwanda, The Malabo Montpellier Panel at AKADEMIYA2063 (www.AKADEMIYA2063.org) recently concluded the 9th edition of the biannual Malabo Montpellier Forum (https://bit.ly/3rykPXW) to offer a roadmap of policy innovations for food systems transformation, building resilience and adapting to climate change. The 9th Meeting of the Malabo…
New Report Sheds Light on African AgriFood Industry Organizations (AFIOs) NAIROBI, Kenya: The “Agri-Food Industry Organizations (AFIOs) as Change Agents” report has been launched today during a webinar organized by AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and NewForesight. AFIOs are member-based entities that integrate different value chain actors, represent the collective …
FAO Director-General joins high level participants at the 17th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Partnership Platform meeting ROME, Italy, — To make them more sustainable, the transformation of agrifood systems across Africa needs a “cross-sectoral, holistic, coherent and coordinated policy environment,” QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today at a high-level African Union (AU)…
By Vianey Rweyendela President Samia Suluhu’s reaffirmation at COP26 that Tanzania is fully committed to mitigating the effects of adverse climate change across all key sectors (including agriculture) is very commendable. President Samia addressed the 26th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), at Glasgow, Scotland, in the UK. It is great news for over 22,407,487…
The system will help the government to channel support to the intended farmers and inform future policies MASERU, Lesotho,– It is a sunny afternoon in Berea, a district west of the capital Maseru. Ramokhitlane Matlapaneng, a data collector, is at ‘Me Letuka’s home to collect data of her household including, the names of all the family members, area of…
Government of Tanzania to Improve Plant Health Surveillance with Support from EU and FAO FAO is implementing the project in tandem with the Ministry of Agriculture DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, November 19, 2021/ –The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the European Union (EU) and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania…
BY BY HAILEMARIAM DESSALEGN Building more resilient food systems will require a mix of approaches from agroecology to the latest crop and soil science, writes the chair of AGRA. At the 2018 Alliance for a Green Revolution Forum. Credit: Paul Kagame. When Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) was founded in 2006, it was out of a…
AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) is analysing the expanding profile of Village-based Advisors (VBAs), to inform the development of AGRA’s 2030 strategy as it seeks to reach even more smallholder farmers. ‘’As we design our next strategy we want to make sure it will be informed by what we are learning from important partners such as…
KNA The introduction of the innovative Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) by the government in the agriculture sector has increased lending in the sector, a move that has seen small scale farmers reap maximum benefits from their produce. For a long time, small scale farmers have been facing challenges of accessing loans from financial institutions as only 5 per cent…
Community-held lands sequester over 250 billion metric tonnes of carbon, and lack of secure rights threatens release of much of this carbon into the atmosphere through deforestation GLASGOW (6 November 2021) — New research released at the UNFCCC COP reveals that 958 million hectares (mha) of Indigenous and community territories contain over 250 billion metric tonnes of carbon. However, these communities only…
AGRA President H.E. Dr. Agnes Kalibata has today been conferred with the Distinguished Award for Meritorious Service by the African Plant Breeders Association (APBA) at the second Plant Breeders Conference (#APBACONF2021), currently taking place in Kigali, Rwanda. The award recognizes Dr. Kalibata’s contribution to the transformation of Africa’s agricultural and food systems. In his citation, APBA President H.E. Prof. Eric Yirenkyi…
* Dar es Salaam, 1st August 2021 Tanzania preparations to participate in the forthcoming United Nations Food Systems Summit are in full gear. So far, about 11 broad-based and inclusive food systems dialogues have been convened to rally stakeholders to develop a comprehensive summary of recommendations and commitments for Tanzania that will be presented at the UN 2021 Food…
New Report Finds Ten Years On, African Countries that Embraced Agriculture Saw Food Production, GDP and Nutrition All Improve On cusp of historic agriculture summit, analysis builds a case for betting big on African farmers while bluntly warning of many challenges that lie ahead NAIROBI, KENYA (6 September 2016)—A decade of intense domestic attention to farmers and food production…
“Tanzania is a priority country for AGRA. Since 2006, AGRA has funded 96 grants to support agriculture valued at over USD 51m” Mbeya, August 7, 2016 The Alliance for A Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has called for greater adoption of technology in agriculture for smallholder farmers for assurance of continued national food security and surplus production for the…
“For the last nine years, AGRA has worked extensively in Tanzania. We have cultivated a broad alliance of public and private sector partners who are all working to unlock the potential of Tanzania’s smallholder farmers and help them move beyond subsistence to earn an income from their hard work,” said Dr Kalibata. Dar es Salaam- The Alliance for a…
By Anthony Muchoki It’s a hot sunny afternoon deep in Ibumila, a village nestled deep in the Njombe Region. Mrs Huruma Aron Mhapa lights a candle, and igniting a smile across her face. The candle isn’t to celebrate her birthday, but it does mark the birth of a new beginning. She says she has learnt something that will change…
US$15.5 million programme aims to reduce food insecurity and increase incomes for 730,000 smallholder farmers by 2018 NAIROBI The Nairobi-based Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and The MasterCard Foundation today announced a new US$15.5 million programme designed to improve the productivity and incomes of almost 730,000 smallholder farmers in Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania. The programme will accelerate…