Africa

Mastercard recently launched its 2KUZE project, a digital platform that connects smallholder farmers, agents, buyers and banks in East Africa. This was according to a Mastercard press release.

Widespread rainfall in Zimbabwe has increased the national dam level average, which had dropped to as low as 42% in 2016.

The European Union (EU) has announced funding of €35 million (about R507 million) for agricultural development in Liberia, as well as support for the country’s General Auditing Commission (GAC).

Zimbabwe is currently battling an outbreak of armyworm that has affected seven of the country’s eight rural provinces.

The shortage of a variety of fresh produce, much of it usually imported from South Africa, is due to a self-imposed import ban.

Acting on behalf of 40 local environmental organisations, the Namibia Chamber of Environment has sent an open letter to the Chinese embassy in Windhoek, bemoaning the fact that some Chinese nationals continue to show a blatant disregard of Namibia’s legal and environmental values, said organisation CEO Dr Chris Brown.

Good rains were reported in Namibia during the first week of January, but the rains were sporadic and some parts of the country remained desperately dry, said Sakkie Coetzee, CEO of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) CEO.

Zambeef Products, Zambia’s largest integrated agribusiness and food processing company, has entered what chairperson, Dr Jacob Mwanza, described as a ‘new era’ of doing business.

Cold Storage Company (CSC), a meat processing and distribution parastatal, and ZimTrade, the national export promotion agency, have launched a training programme in Zimbabwe aimed at educating farmers on boosting goat production for exports.

South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, called on all stakeholders to support Africa’s vision of making the continent the breadbasket of the world.

According to Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde, agriculture in Africa offers massive opportunities.

Tanzania wants to revive cotton production to stimulate economic growth in regions that once cultivated the crop.