Spotlight

PAFO Women's Colleges: Empower, strengthen rural women, influence
Gender and youth

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, it is essential to reflect on the progress made in gender equality, particularly in critical sectors for global sustainability, such as agriculture. The commitment of PAFO to gender inclusivity in agriculture is a commendable step towards a more equitable and resilient future. By establishing the Continental Women’s College within PAFO, the pan-African organization aims to amplify the voices of rural women, ensuring they

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

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

A call for cases on pluralistic extension and advisory services in Africa
Spotlight

Background Agricultural extension and advisory services (AEAS) consist of all the different activities that provide the information and services needed and demanded by farmers and other value chain actors in rural settings to assist them in developing their own technical, organizational and management skills and practices to improve their livelihoods, as well as promote a more sustainable agriculture. The Public EAS systems are commonly facing challenges in terms of accessibility,

From foliage to fortune: The empowerment of women in Zondoma through non-timber forest products (NTFPs)
Gender and youth

In the heart of Burkina Faso, a silent yet powerful revolution is taking shape, transforming the lives of rural women and redefining the management of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). This is the story of the Association for Development through Existing Resources and Services in the Sahel (ADRESSE), an organization that has made the valorization of NTFPs in the Zondoma province a model for sustainable local development and women’s empowerment. This

“Women can do it too!” Young women in trades supported in first quiz day
Gender and youth

The cheers erupting from more than 500 students filling the auditorium at Kumasi Technical Institute in Ghana could be mistaken for cheers inspired by a football match. But instead of a football match, the cheers were in support of student participants in the first TVET Quiz competition, which took place on Jan. 18 and 19, 2024. The event was part of an effort to encourage young women in technical and

Launch of “AGRINNOVATORS.ORG”: A hub for African Agri-food Innovators
Spotlight

PAFO-COLEAD announce the launch of Agrinnovators, a platform for African entrepreneurs passionate about innovation and sustainability in the agri-food sector. This initiative is a collaboration between COLEAD and PAFO.  The Agrinnovators blog will feature stories, insights, and tips from successful agripreneurs who are transforming the food system in Africa through their creativity, resilience, and vision. The Agrinnovators blog aims to inspire, inform, and connect African entrepreneurs striving to make a

Farmer’s interests at the heart of the Agricultural Policy Dialogue
Producers' Organizations

At the initiative of the Andreas Hermes Akademie (AHA), and on the sidelines of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin (GFFA), an exchange session, placing farmers’ interests at the forefront of the agricultural policy dialogue, was organized with the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment of the African Union Commission (ARBE). The focal point of this dynamic collaboration was the exploration of strategies

Informing, empowering, educating: Celebrate World Radio Day and broadcasting excellence
Communication and ICTs

What: Virtual event — World Radio Day Celebration 2024 When: Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 at 4 p.m. GMT, 5 p.m. WAT, 7 p.m. EAT Register now: Webinar Registration – Zoom Join us on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 to celebrate World Radio Day as we announce and honour the 2024 winners of the Farm Radio awards! In this year’s bilingual event, meet the winners of the George Atkins Communication Award and the Liz

Ugandan broadcaster wins award for radio documentaries on Nature-based Solutions
Spotlight

In 2023, Uganda news anchor Martin Amaiyko Kigongo took on a new challenge—creating 20-minute radio documentaries for Farm Radio International’s “On-Air for Gender-Inclusive Nature-based Solutions” project. Used to delivering news bites, Mr. Kigongo struggled with the unfamiliar format and the difficulties of trying something new. Mr. Kigongo’s persistence paid off in November when he won a national Population Media Award for the best radio program on population and development. Judges

The agricultural awakening of Africa: The Berlin meeting paves the way for a sustainable future
Producers' Organizations

Africa, a land of agricultural opportunities, today faces unprecedented challenges. To address these challenges, a major initiative is currently underway in Berlin: the meeting of the 5 Regional Farmer Organizations (RFOs) members of the Panafrican Farmer Organisation (PAFO). This meeting has a key objective: to establish a process for the organizational development (OD) of these farmer organizations, a decisive step towards the consolidation and efficiency of their actions for the