Uloma Mezie-Osuocha

Farmer Field Schools take on El Niño induced drought in Zimbabwe

The ACP-MEAs 3 project brings hope to the farmers in Zimbabwe, who are facing the challenges of climate change head-on and are determined to adapt to these challenges using nature-based solutions. In a region where about 70 per cent of the population depends on agriculture, the frequency of El Niño occurrences in Southern Africa surpasses the norm, resulting in erratic weather patterns that significantly impact food security. With the return

Compendium of forgotten foods in Africa: A companion publication for Integrating Africa’s forgotten foods for better nutrition

The “Compendium of Forgotten Foods in Africa”  is a remarkable publication which has emerged to shed light on a treasure trove of forgotten foods scattered across the African continent. This publication serves as a beacon of hope, offering a roadmap for integrating these neglected gems into the culinary landscape for improved nutrition and sustainable development. This Published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), this compendium is a testament to

Radio Programme: Challenges forest and farm producers face in Zambia and the way forward

As part of the YenKasa Africa radio initiative, we are thrilled to share this week’s feature, which delves into the vital topic “The challenges forest and farm producers face in Zambia and how to tackle these”. Read our feature to discover valuable insights and expert advice, and then listen to recorded program on the YenKasa Africa website in the local language, Nyanja. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and

A learning framework for inclusive, integrated and innovative public policy cycles for family farming

Public policies for family farming – when done appropriately – provide a perfect match between different policy areas related to productive, economic, social, environmental and cultural dimensions of sustainable food systems. The Learning framework for inclusive, integrated and innovative public policy cycles for family farming was developed under the framework of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (2019–2028) to support policymakers, family farmers’ organizations and other relevant stakeholders to

Special Feature: International Women’s Day 2024 - Invest in Women: Accelerating Progress.

The world unites this International Women’s Day 2024 under the theme Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress. As the United Nations emphasizes, investing in women is not just the right thing to do. It is essential for solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Across Africa, women are leading the charge in various sectors, from agriculture and business to climate action and social justice. Yet, they continue to face significant

Radio Programme: Learning from Experts and Peers- How Smallholder Garlic Farmers Manage Weeds and Pests in Tanzania

As part of the YenKasa Africa radio initiative, we are thrilled to introduce a new feature every Wednesday, highlighting a single radio program. This week, we delve into the vital topic of managing weeds and pests in Tanzania. Discover valuable insights and expert advice by reading our feature and then dive deeper by listening to the recorded program on the YenKasa Africa website in Swahili. Don’t miss this opportunity to

The Eighth Global Meeting of the Farmers’ Forum: 12 - 13 February 2024

The Farmers’ Forum is a bottom-up dialogue on rural development and poverty reduction between farmers’ organizations, IFAD and governments. The Forum guides IFAD operations and identifies opportunities for partnerships. Established in 2005, global meetings are held every four years, with regional meetings organized in between which inform the global meeting. The first cycle of regional meetings took place between 2017 and 2019 in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America, while the second

World Radio Day 2024: Empowering communities through rural radio initiatives in Africa

YenKasa Africa celebrates World Radio Day (13 February) with its Rural Radio initiative for sustainable agriculture and rural development. The theme for this year is “Radio: A century of information, entertainment, and education”.  The Rural Radio Initiative of YenKasa Africa 2023 was conducted in a participatory approach. Community and associative media, development institutions, and farmers’ organizations actively participated in radio programming from program conception, theme definition, and selection of interviewees

The future of family farming

Discussion Why is family farming persisting? Hybrid event 23 January 2024 2 pm to 5 pm (Rome time) FAO HQ and Zoom In the complex scenario of agrifood systems increasingly threatened by interconnected and mutually reinforcing challenges, the often-predicted disappearance of family farmers appears both unrealistic and undesirable, given the productive, social, cultural, and environmental functions that this production model provides. Small-scale family farmers indeed continue to exist and develop innovative,

FAO and YenKasa Africa participatory video training in agri-food systems and digital environments

In November 2023, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) joined hands with several organizations to host a groundbreaking 5-day virtual training workshop on participatory video for Africa in November 2023. This event, attended by over 30 participants from different farmers’ organizations, academia, and advocacy groups, marked a significant step toward harnessing the potential of PV as a tool for sustainable development. Most of the participants came from countries with