Africa

A group of former commercial farmers in Zimbabwe recently lodged a R1,9 billion compensation claim against the South African government and presidency for presiding over the dissolution of the South African Development Community’s [SADC] regional human rights court, the SADC Tribunal.

If countries in Africa had biosafety risk assessment systems in place it would open up opportunities for trade in genetically modified (GM) crops on the continent.

Governments and international aid organisations are still trying to take stock of the full extent of the damage caused by Cyclone Idai, which recently tore through central Mozambique and parts of neighbouring Zimbabwe and Malawi, resulting in devastating flooding across the region.

The Namibian Dare to Care Disaster Fund is currently standing at R2,2 million. Ryno van der Merwe, president of the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU), said the fund had made it possible to subsidise more than 40 000 bags of animal feed to date.

Solidaridad Network Trust, an international organisation working towards achieving sustainable regional production of agricultural commodities, has announced that it would be expanding its programme for smallholder sugar cane producers to other countries in Southern Africa.

The rise in global food insecurity is a serious cause for concern, given the ever increasing global population, especially on the African continent.

Danene van der Westhuyzen, president of the Namibia Professional Hunters’ Association (NAPHA), was recently elected to serve on the international organisation Dallas Safari Club’s (DSC) newly formed Conservation Advisory Board (CAB).

Red meat producers in Namibia are finding themselves in the midst of a perfect storm, due to relentless drought in that country and the outbreak of foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease in South Africa.

It is expected that the loss of the Lesotho wool and mohair clip, due to new legislation in that country, would have a negative impact on the bottom line of wool traders in South Africa.

The ruling party in Zimbabwe, Zanu-PF, has admitted that its "fast track" land redistribution programme, launched in 2000, was riddled with corruption and conflict over farm ownership.

Next year, Zimbabwe will pay US$53 million (R742 million) in compensation to white farmers whose farms were confiscated over the past 18 years and reallocated to black Zimbabweans.

Nearly 200 veterinary epidemiologists in Africa are scheduled to undergo training intended to help them better combat animal diseases at grassroots level.

Agriculture in Namibia presents great opportunities for economic growth, employment creation, food security and poverty eradication.

Following a failed court bid to force the government of Lesotho to withdraw the recently gazetted Agricultural Marketing (Wool and Mohair Licensing) Regulations of 2018, wool and mohair producers in that country are appealing to industry stakeholders in neighbouring countries for assistance.

The Harare Agricultural Show, Zimbabwe’s biggest farming exhibition, started on 27 August 2018, with 575 local and foreign exhibitors participating.

At least 10 000 pangolins are trafficked out of Africa every year, according to Catherine Ritchie, marketing and communications manager of the newly launched NGO, Pangolin.Africa.

The Tanzanian Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) has announced that it was lifting the ban on meat and meat products imported from South Africa.

As part of the ‘My Hippo Story’ competition the manufacturers of Hippo Mills, ABC Hansen, asked Hippo hammer mill owners to share their stories of how Hippo had impacted their lives in terms of creating work and opportunities, not only for themselves, but their entire community or village.

The Fall Armyworm Agri Tech Prize, aimed at finding digital solutions to identify, track and protect crops in Africa against fall armyworm, has attracted more than 200 entries.

It appears that only a handful of farmers will be able to cash in on the new opportunities generated by Zimbabwe’s legalisation of cannabis production for medicinal and scientific purposes.