Spotlight

Young women and men in Somalia are embracing technology to promote peace
Communication and ICTs

A short yet perilous seven-kilometre road connects the towns of Buufow and Shalanbood in southern Somalia. The once-prosperous agricultural area that produced fruits and vegetables for the region has experienced decades of conflict and destabilization. Just like most parts of the country, the region is severely affected by the ongoing drought. The two communities have had to cope with the increasing scarcity of natural resources from which to derive their

Creating opportunities for youth and women with digital agriculture
Gender and youth

Agriculture, including fisheries and forestry, is facing many challenges that stem from a range of factors, including erratic weather patterns, changing demographics, turbulence in the global economy and conflicts. These factors exert unprecedented pressure on the world’s agrifood systems. Small-scale producers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly those in Small Islands Developing States (SIDS), are among the most vulnerable groups. Without sustainable agricultural production, many countries are unable to

Video: Farmers, the green soldiers of the nation
Indigenous Peoples

Farmers are the green soldiers of the nation, feeding the planet and safeguarding our environment.  Farmers, often referred to as the green soldiers of the nation, are the unsung heroes whose daily toil sustains the world. These dedicated men and women, with their calloused hands and unwavering commitment, ensure that we have food on our tables while also playing a pivotal role in protecting and nurturing the environment. The Pan-African

Free farmland, for free trees
Resilience and climate change

Walk just a little bit outside the community of Gamoa Onyadzie in the Central Region of Ghana, and you’re likely to come across government-owned forestation projects — tracts of land where the government is planting trees to establish forests. The community is host to a large-scale partnership with the Forestry Commission of Ghana that, if successful, could redefine how forestation projects are done in the country. For years, the community

Rural women: Strengthening leadership and influence
Gender and youth

The leadership program dedicated to francophone rural women, launched last year, recently held its second edition. From May 27 to 31, 2024, in Munich, Germany, an intensive workshop brought together rural women from the 5 regions members of PAFO and their German counterparts from the German Rural Women’s Association (Dlv). Designed as an interactive training session, the workshop aimed to strengthen women’s decision-making skills within farmers’ organizations. Participants had the

EAFF and e-granary in the rural and digital finance ecosystem
Communication and ICTs

The Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) has undertaken a significant project with the deployment of its integrated digital farmer services platform, e-Granary. This initiative, launched in partnership with AGRA’s Financial Inclusion for Smallholder Farmers in Africa (FISFAP) program, aims to transform agricultural services for smallholder farmers in Eastern Africa. This learning brief captures the key lessons learned from the project, providing valuable insights for practitioners, researchers, and funders involved in

Tanzanian radio station runs competition. The prize? Trees!
Spotlight

When Hamida Ally Hoza learned she had won 20 tree seedlings for her participation in a radio program, she heard the news in the excited voices of her children, neighbours, and relatives. Mrs. Hoza, a 40-year-old farmer, lives in Ngulwi village in the lush landscape of Lushoto District in Tanzania’s Tanga Region. She tends to her half-acre farm, filled with various fruit-bearing trees. She says: “As an environmentalist, I was

Agroecology in fragile contexts in sub-Saharan Africa
Spotlight

Emerging evidence shows how agroecology, as a holistic approach, can improve the resilience of food systems and strengthen communities’ livelihoods towards food security. To what extent can this compelling approach offer responses before, during and after multiple types of crises? This online event is addressed towards humanitarian and development actors aiming to explore opportunities and limitations of inspiring agroecological best practice cases in fragile contexts. Date: 12 JUNE Time: 11:00

Special feature: International Day of Potato 2024 – Harvesting diversity, feeding hope
Communication and ICTs

The International Day of the Potato 2024, May 30, is celebrated under the theme “Harvesting diversity, feeding hope,” bringing together innovation, resilience, and hope across Africa. YenKasa Africa celebrates this day by showcasing various potato stories, highlighting the continent’s diverse efforts to improve agriculture and food security. Potatoes are a key crop across diverse farming systems globally. As the third most consumed food crop globally, they contribute to the food

Planting trees in their own backyard
Spotlight

When Eva Abiba walks out her front door, there’s a tree planted in front of her house. Eva’s house is not unique in Shelanyili, where she lives, but it is unique compared to many communities in Ghana. Typically when afforestation projects are undertaken in Ghana, they involve large, dense plantations of trees next to farms or rural communities. But in Shelanyili, a small village in the Karaga District of the Northern Region,