Spotlight

A gift for conservation helps reduce conflict between humans and wildlife
Gender and youth

Chipo Munsaka explains that her first name means “a gift” in her language. “A gift for conserving wildlife,” the young Zimbabwean adds radiantly. That neatly sums up her commitment and contribution to addressing the growing problem of conflict between humans and wildlife. Chipo works as a Resource Monitor in northern Zimbabwe with the Mucheni Community Conservancy, which is being established with support from the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme. In

Harnessing innovation: FAO’s webinar series on innovative agricultural extension models in Africa
Communication and ICTs

In the face of rapidly evolving agricultural challenges, the role of extension and advisory services (EAS) is more crucial than ever. Smallholder farmers, agribusinesses, and rural communities require tailored support by combining suitable EAS with inclusive rural communication services (RCS) to adopt new technologies and sustainable practices. Recognizing this need, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is launching a three-part webinar series to explore innovative extension

Rice-fish farming in the Land of Milk and Honey: South-South Cooperation is revolutionizing agriculture in Uganda
Gender and youth

Anastasia Mwamula roots weeds from her quarter-of-an-acre paddy field barefoot. It’s a back-breaking exercise. But, at 51 years of age and with eight children to feed, she’s gotten used to hard work. Every morning, Anastasia and her 58-year-old husband, Zakaria Wapali, leave their red-brick home on the edge of a tiny village known as Scheme View to tend to this and other crops on their 15-acre field, a two-kilometre walk

International Day of Forests 2025: Forests and Foods
Communication and ICTs

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March as the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. Each year, countries worldwide organize local, national, and international activities to highlight the role of forests, including tree-planting campaigns, educational initiatives, and policy dialogues. In 2025, the theme for the International Day of Forests is “Forests and Foods”, underscoring the indispensable

Empowering African Rural Women Leaders in Kigali, Rwanda
Gender and youth

A group of 20 rural women leaders from 13 African countries and Germany gathered in Kigali for the second session of the “Women Lead: Leadership for Rural Women” program. PAFO organized the initiative in partnership with the Andreas Hermes Akademie (AHA) and the German Rural Women’s Association (dlv) to strengthen women’s leadership in agriculture and equip them with the skills needed to drive positive change in their communities. Building Leadership Skills The program provided a

International Women’s Day 2025- For all women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment
Communication and ICTs

On March 8, the world celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD). This year, the celebration is under the theme “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”, focusing on unlocking equal rights, power and opportunities for all. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation of youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls as catalysts for lasting change. Progress in Women’s Rights in Agriculture and Rural Development In recent years,

Agricultural Transformation and Resilience: Assessment of the FO4ACP Project in Chad
Producers' Organizations

Launched in October 2019, the FO4ACP project in Central Africa, initiated by PROPAC and its member NPOs, has shown significant progress during its second phase, which began in 2023. The first phase, lasting four years, had revealed financial shortfalls; however, the IFAD supervision mission in October 2023 highlighted crucial improvements. The 2024 PTBA launch workshop in Douala identified strategies for optimizing performance , such as implementing the TOP UP phase , improving technical reports and capitalizing on experiences . The PROPAC Regional Coordination undertook field visits to monitor, support and evaluate the progress of the OPNs in implementing

FAO-PAFO youth mentorship programme: Call for mentors
Gender and youth

Empowerment of Young Agricultural Producers in Africa through inclusive mentorship Program (EYPA) The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Pan-African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) invite experienced agriculture, agribusiness, leadership, and rural development professionals to join the FAO-PAFO Youth Mentorship Program. This program will equip young African agricultural producers with skills, knowledge, and connections to thrive in agri-food. Mentors will provide capacity-building workshops, guidance, and networking opportunities to 50 selected young farmers

Farmer-Led Climate Adaptation in Africa: Top Practices
Resilience and climate change

During the Food, Agriculture, and Water Day at COP29, the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) and the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), with the support of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and the Pan African Farmers Organization (PAFO), released a report presenting ten case studies on climate-smart agriculture (CSA) initiatives led by farmers across Africa. The case studies featured in the report were selected from various regions across Africa, representing nine different countries (with two studies selected

Harvesting Hope: Empowering Women Farmers for Higher Healthy Food Production in Northern Ghana
Gender and youth

In Ghana, access to key agricultural productive assets, such as seeds, fertilizers, water and land, is critical to agricultural productivity and food security, especially for women and youth. This disparity is particularly pronounced in some parts of Ghana, where traditional norms and cultural practices often restrict women’s access to agricultural inputs and tools, relegating them to secondary roles in agriculture despite their significant contributions to food production and household nutrition.