Blog posts

Africa Food Systems Forum Summit 2024: Advancing gender equality and nutrition for sustainable agriculture

sara.gustafson — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 20:29:48 +0000

Africa Food Systems Forum Summit 2024: Advancing gender equality and nutrition for sustainable agriculture

The Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) has consistently served as a pivotal platform for shaping agricultural policies and practices across the continent. By convening a wide array of stakeholders, the AFSF fosters discussions that promote inclusive and sustainable food systems and address key issues such as gender equality and nutrition. This year’s AFSF Summit, held September 2-6 in Kigali, Rwanda, revolved around the theme “Innovate, Accelerate, and Scale: Delivering Food Systems Transformation in a Digital and Climate Era.”

sara.gustafson Tue, 11/19/2024 - 15:29 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

From risk to resilience: How strategic government partnerships can enhance access to insurance-linked credit for smallholders in Zambia

Brice.Tchinde — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:00:06 +0000

From risk to resilience: How strategic government partnerships can enhance access to insurance-linked credit for smallholders in Zambia

Smallholder farmers across the globe produce over a third of the world’s food supply, yet they receive a disproportionately small share of global climate finance. A 2020 report released by the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) shows that less than 2% of international climate finance, amounting to approximately $2 billion, was allocated to smallholder farmers in 2017/2018.

Brice.Tchinde Thu, 11/07/2024 - 11:00 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Unleashing the potential of Generation Z for food system transformation in Africa

Brice.Tchinde — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:58:47 +0000

Unleashing the potential of Generation Z for food system transformation in Africa

Africa’s population is the youngest of any region, with more than 400 million young people aged 15 to 35 out of a total of 1.5 billion. But even though rising numbers of this cohort—a “youth bulge”—enter the labor market every year, African economies are still struggling to create opportunities for them, leading to high rates of youth unemployment across the continent. One-third of young people are unemployed, another third are vulnerably employed, and only one in six have wage employment.

Brice.Tchinde Thu, 10/31/2024 - 05:58 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Challenges Remain for Trade Integration in West Africa

sara.gustafson — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 18:07:18 +0000

Challenges Remain for Trade Integration in West Africa

Since its establishment in 1975, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been a regional economic community (REC) success story, enabling free movement of people and enhancing trade integration across its 15 member states. When it comes to the movement of agricultural goods, however, ECOWAS continues to be hampered by regional conflict, political instability, corruption, poor infrastructure and logistical capabilities, and the lack of a common regional currency.

sara.gustafson Thu, 09/26/2024 - 14:07

Enhancing milk quality in Uganda: Challenges and innovations in the dairy value chain

sara.gustafson — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 13:29:38 +0000

Enhancing milk quality in Uganda: Challenges and innovations in the dairy value chain

Over the past few decades, Uganda’s dairy sector has transformed from mostly subsistence activities into a dynamic and modern industry—a shift enabled by government initiatives, private sector investments, and the introduction of better technologies and practices. But the industry still faces challenges, particularly in establishing a market for high-quality milk.

sara.gustafson Wed, 09/11/2024 - 09:29 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

SSA Continues to Face Increasing Acute Food Insecurity: 2024 GRFC Mid-Year Update Released

sara.gustafson — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 16:26:53 +0000

SSA Continues to Face Increasing Acute Food Insecurity: 2024 GRFC Mid-Year Update Released

Africa south of the Sahara has continued to face alarmingly high levels of acute food insecurity in 2024, according to the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) Mid-Year Update. This includes populations in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) food insecurity in Sudan, South Sudan, and Mali, with famine plausible in some areas of Sudan.

As in previous years and reported in the April release of the GRFC, conflict, extreme weather events, economic shocks, and forced displacement of large populations have driven worsening food and nutrition security outcomes across the continent.

sara.gustafson Sat, 09/07/2024 - 12:26

More than 30 Million Need Urgent Food Aid in Southern Africa

sara.gustafson — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:43:23 +0000

More than 30 Million Need Urgent Food Aid in Southern Africa

More than 30 million people in southern Africa will need significant food aid through the upcoming lean season, according to a new report from FEWS Net. This represents an increase of 50 percent from the 2023-2024 lean season. Conflict and extreme weather are the major drivers of the region’s growing humanitarian needs.

sara.gustafson Tue, 09/03/2024 - 10:43

Trade can support climate change mitigation and adaptation in Africa’s agricultural sector, new data shows

sara.gustafson — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 18:49:07 +0000

Trade can support climate change mitigation and adaptation in Africa’s agricultural sector, new data shows

The latest Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor (AATM) indicates that intra-African agricultural trade has already reached a new high of US$ 17 billion, finally surpassing its previous 2013 peak, which was reached after a tripling of growth the decade prior. This recent surge, despite the disruptions and aftereffects of COVID-19, must be further accelerated through additional policy and infrastructure support, as well as intra-regional trade facilitation, argue the authors.

sara.gustafson Sun, 09/01/2024 - 14:49 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Reducing food loss and waste for climate outcomes: Insights from national consultations in Bangladesh, Malawi and Nepal

sara.gustafson — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 19:01:47 +0000

Reducing food loss and waste for climate outcomes: Insights from national consultations in Bangladesh, Malawi and Nepal

Reducing food loss and waste (FLW) is crucial to improving food security, reducing malnutrition, and providing livelihoods for food system workers. But such efforts are also key to combating climate change. FLW has significant environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in both the production of food that is later lost and in waste management.

sara.gustafson Sun, 08/25/2024 - 15:01 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Youth "Agripreneurship" Can Drive Higher Incomes, Improved Food Security

sara.gustafson — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 18:43:20 +0000

Youth "Agripreneurship" Can Drive Higher Incomes, Improved Food Security

As many as 440 million youths (defined as people under the age of 30) are expected to join Africa’s labor market by 2030. If the labor market cannot support this enormous population with adequate employment and livelihood opportunities, it poses serious threats to the region’s stability, economic development, and food security.

sara.gustafson Sun, 08/25/2024 - 14:43

Sudan’s catastrophe: farmers could offer quick post-war recovery, if peace is found

sara.gustafson — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 12:47:19 +0000

Sudan’s catastrophe: farmers could offer quick post-war recovery, if peace is found

More than a year of conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has weakened the country’s fragile economy. This is in addition to triggering a humanitarian crisis, loss of lives, property destruction and income disruptions.

Even before the current conflict, Sudan ranked among the poorest countries in the world. The proportion of those without access to basic necessities such as education, healthcare and proper living conditions was estimated at 52.3% of the population.

sara.gustafson Thu, 08/15/2024 - 08:47 ∙

Source:

The Conversation

Training Ugandan coffee farmers on agronomy practices more than pays for itself

sara.gustafson — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:38:11 +0000

Training Ugandan coffee farmers on agronomy practices more than pays for itself

Average crop yields in much of Africa lag far below their agronomic potential. This is the case for coffee grown by smallholders in Uganda—agronomy experts estimate they could more than double their yields by applying optimal management practices. Increased coffee production is a key strategy of the government of Uganda for boosting both national earnings of foreign exchange and improving the livelihoods of the country’s 1.8 million small-scale coffee farmers, who produce nearly all of the country’s coffee.

sara.gustafson Wed, 08/07/2024 - 10:38 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Famine Plausible in Parts of Sudan, According to IPC Famine Review Committee

sara.gustafson — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 18:57:25 +0000

Famine Plausible in Parts of Sudan, According to IPC Famine Review Committee

Areas of North Darfur, Sudan are very likely facing famine conditions, according to a new report from the Famine Review Committee (FRC) of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The committee’s findings come after careful plausibility review of recent IPC analysis by FEWS Net and the Sudan IPC Technical Working Group.

IPC defines famine conditions as “. . . when at least one in five (or 20 percent) people or households have an extreme lack of food and face starvation and destitution, resulting in extremely critical levels of acute malnutrition and death.”

sara.gustafson Fri, 08/02/2024 - 14:57

Revisiting development strategies under climate uncertainty: Insights from Malawi

sara.gustafson — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:00:45 +0000

Revisiting development strategies under climate uncertainty: Insights from Malawi

Climate change is transforming the global landscape, creating unprecedented challenges for developing countries. These challenges are particularly acute in regions where economies heavily depend on agriculture, such as sub-Saharan Africa, where climate impacts such as droughts and extreme weather are increasingly disrupting farming economies and food systems. One of the critical questions facing policymakers is how to best navigate these challenges to ensure sustainable development: Does the threat of climate change significantly undermine strategies focusing on agriculture?

sara.gustafson Sat, 07/20/2024 - 11:00 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Evaluating impacts: Lessons from food systems interventions across Africa and Asia

sara.gustafson — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 14:48:34 +0000

Evaluating impacts: Lessons from food systems interventions across Africa and Asia

Food systems play an important role in shaping our diets. Recently, there has been growing attention to food systems transformation, which involves changing different components of global food systems to make nutritious foods more accessible to consumers. At the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, more than 100 countries pledged to transform their food systems, a clear recognition of the importance of healthy diets in preventing all forms of malnutrition worldwide.

sara.gustafson Tue, 07/16/2024 - 10:48 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Conflict Continues to Drive Food Crisis in Congo

sara.gustafson — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 20:58:01 +0000

Conflict Continues to Drive Food Crisis in Congo

Forty percent of the population of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently facing IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above food insecurity, according to a new IPC country report. Continuing conflict, extreme weather events and other natural disasters, and displacement of large swathes of the population have all contributed to protracted food insecurity in the country.

sara.gustafson Tue, 07/09/2024 - 16:58

Malawi Continues to Face Potential Food Crisis

sara.gustafson — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 20:26:11 +0000

Malawi Continues to Face Potential Food Crisis

Malawi continues to face a looming food crisis, according to the latest alerts from IPC and FEWS Net.

sara.gustafson Mon, 07/08/2024 - 16:26

Sudan’s food crisis deepens as conflict intensifies

Brice.Tchinde — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:21:41 +0000

Sudan’s food crisis deepens as conflict intensifies

After 14 months of escalating internal conflict, Sudan is now confronting its most severe food security crisis on record. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, released June 27, reveals a grim picture: More than half the population is facing acute food insecurity, with a high risk of famine in multiple regions if immediate action is not taken.

Brice.Tchinde Mon, 07/01/2024 - 12:21 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Resilience in Rwanda: New Brief Looks at Impact of Economic Shock

sara.gustafson — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:10:13 +0000

Resilience in Rwanda: New Brief Looks at Impact of Economic Shock

On January 12, 2024, trade between Rwanda and Burundi came to a halt when the border crossing was unexpectedly closed. Food prices in Rwanda may have been expected to fluctuate more than normal as a result—both falling prices for commodities typically exported to Burundi that instead began flooding local markets and rising prices for commodities typically imported from Burundi that faced suddenly limited local supply.

sara.gustafson Thu, 06/27/2024 - 12:10

Leveraging the Potential of Ghana's Food System

sara.gustafson — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 17:08:55 +0000

Leveraging the Potential of Ghana's Food System

Malnutrition—including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—poses a staggering challenge to health, food security, and economic growth outcomes around the world. In Ghana, an estimated 256.1 million people experienced hunger and 240 million were undernourished in 2018. At the same time, rates of obesity and diet-related NCDs in the country have risen significantly—from just 10 percent of Ghanaian adults in 1993 to 40 percent in 2015.

sara.gustafson Tue, 06/25/2024 - 13:08

Sudan food emergency: Unpacking the scale of the disaster and the actions needed

Brice.Tchinde — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 13:52:30 +0000

Sudan food emergency: Unpacking the scale of the disaster and the actions needed

The United Nations recently warned of the risk of famine in Sudan. The war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has killed civilians and devastated livelihoods on a massive scale. Around 18 million people are already acutely hungry, including 3.6 million children who are acutely malnourished.

IFPRI Research Fellow Oliver Kiptoo Kirui, who co-authored the recent IFPRI-UNDP Sudan National Household Survey report—conducted in the midst of war—provides insights on the scale of the country’s food emergency.

What’s the food security situation in Sudan?

Brice.Tchinde Fri, 06/14/2024 - 09:52 ∙

Source:

theconversation.com

Acute Food Insecurity Expected to Rise in West Africa and the Sahel

sara.gustafson — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 15:16:27 +0000

Acute Food Insecurity Expected to Rise in West Africa and the Sahel

Food insecurity is escalating in West Africa and the Sahel region, according to the latest Regional Report on Food Security and Nutrition in West Africa and the Sahel (RRSAN) from the Food Security Information Network (FSIN). Between June and August 2024, as many as 50 million people across 16 countries could face CH Phase 3 (Crisis) or above food insecurity.

sara.gustafson Tue, 06/11/2024 - 11:16

Political Commitment to Improved Nutrition Grows in Africa But Significant Challenges Remain: 2024 GFPR Released

sara.gustafson — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 19:10:24 +0000

Political Commitment to Improved Nutrition Grows in Africa But Significant Challenges Remain: 2024 GFPR Released

The transformation of African food systems to support healthy, sustainable diets presents a significant challenge, according to the 2024 Global Food Policy Report released in May. Cereal production remains the key driver of the region’s domestic food systems, while more nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, pulses, meat, and dairy remain unaffordable for much of the region’s population. Africa also faces a double burden of malnutrition, with both undernutrition and overnutrition (overweight/obesity) rates increasing.

sara.gustafson Fri, 06/07/2024 - 15:10

Responding to Malawi's Looming Food Crisis

Brice.Tchinde — Fri, 31 May 2024 20:56:41 +0000

Responding to Malawi's Looming Food Crisis

Malawi is heading towards a severe food crisis later this year after an El Niño induced mid-season dry spell—the worst in the last hundred years—affected the harvest of maize, the staple food grown by nine out of 10 farming households.

Brice.Tchinde Fri, 05/31/2024 - 16:56 ∙

Source:

massp.ifpri.info

Increasing Resilience in the Face of Climate Shocks: Evidence from Somalia

sara.gustafson — Sun, 26 May 2024 15:52:02 +0000

Increasing Resilience in the Face of Climate Shocks: Evidence from Somalia

In October 2023, the Baidoa district of Somalia experienced severe flooding, impacting more than 120,000 people, including nearly 100,000 internally displaced people. In a new IFPRI learning brief, researchers explore how this extreme weather event affected households in the area and how the country’s Ultra-Poor Graduation (UPG) intervention can play an enhanced role in protecting vulnerable populations from future shocks.

sara.gustafson Sun, 05/26/2024 - 11:52

Food Crisis in Sudan: New Report Provides Policy Recommendations for Recovery

sara.gustafson — Sat, 18 May 2024 15:10:18 +0000

Food Crisis in Sudan: New Report Provides Policy Recommendations for Recovery

Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, Sudan has seen deteriorating food security and economic activity, disrupted markets and agrifood systems, and a steadily building humanitarian crisis. According to a new policy note from IFPRI’s Sudan Strategy Support Program, if steps are not taken to protect livelihoods and food security, 4 million people could fall into poverty and an additional 2 million could face food insecurity and malnourishment by 2028.

sara.gustafson Sat, 05/18/2024 - 11:10

Soaring cocoa prices: Diverse impacts and implications for key West African producers

Brice.Tchinde — Fri, 10 May 2024 10:31:37 +0000

Soaring cocoa prices: Diverse impacts and implications for key West African producers

Cocoa bean prices have been rising since the last quarter of 2023, hitting a record high of $10.97 per kilogram on April 19 (Figure 1). The price spike is due to a significant drop in bean production by major global suppliers—four key producing nations in West and Central Africa account for more than 60% of the world's supply of cocoa beans: Cote d’Ivoire (with 38% of the global production in 2022), Ghana (19%), Nigeria (5%), and Cameroon (5%).1

Brice.Tchinde Fri, 05/10/2024 - 06:31 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Soaring cocoa prices: Diverse impacts and implications for key West African producers

sara.gustafson — Thu, 09 May 2024 18:50:29 +0000

Soaring cocoa prices: Diverse impacts and implications for key West African producers

sara.gustafson Thu, 05/09/2024 - 14:50 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Acute Food Insecurity Remains Alarmingly High in SSA: Global Report on Food Crises Released

sara.gustafson — Wed, 01 May 2024 16:43:34 +0000

Acute Food Insecurity Remains Alarmingly High in SSA: Global Report on Food Crises Released

Despite some marginal improvements at the country level, Africa south of the Sahara remains mired in acute food insecurity and escalating food crises, according to the 2024 Global Report on Food Crisis (GRFC). Conflict, extreme weather events, economic shocks, and forced displacement continue to drive up rates of food insecurity and malnutrition throughout the region, with the outlook for 2024 equally grim.

Central and Southern Africa

sara.gustafson Wed, 05/01/2024 - 12:43

Act now to address Malawi’s looming food crisis

sara.gustafson — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 20:25:13 +0000

Act now to address Malawi’s looming food crisis

Malawi is facing a severe drought crisis linked to the El Niño climate phenomenon. On March 23, President Lazarus Chakwera declared a state of disaster in 23 of Malawi’s 28 districts in anticipation of a poor harvest and appealed for more than $200 million in humanitarian assistance.

sara.gustafson Fri, 04/12/2024 - 16:25 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Southern Africa drought: Impacts on maize production

sara.gustafson — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 16:29:22 +0000

Southern Africa drought: Impacts on maize production

Parts of Southern Africa have been experiencing a severe drought since late 2023, fueled in large part by the ongoing El Niño Southern Oscillation. Falling harvests have led to disaster declarations in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe and affected countries across the region. In particular, maize yields have fallen sharply, threatening food security for millions of households depending on this key staple for a significant share of total calories consumed on a daily basis (Figure 1).

sara.gustafson Wed, 04/10/2024 - 12:29 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Mitigating Climate Change in Ethiopia: Policies and Priorities

sara.gustafson — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 20:08:55 +0000

Mitigating Climate Change in Ethiopia: Policies and Priorities

Ethiopia is in the midst of the worst drought in the past 40 years, with six consecutive failed or below-average rainy seasons in the country’s pastoral areas. At the same time, flooding in other regions has disrupted livelihoods and caused widespread damage to lands and infrastructure. Climate shocks like these have been a major contributing factor to Ethiopia’s recent economic reversals, says a new report from the World Bank Group, and strong government action is needed to prepare for and adapt to an uncertain climate future.

sara.gustafson Fri, 04/05/2024 - 16:08

Global cocoa market sees steep price rise amid supply shortfall

Brice.Tchinde — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 21:45:16 +0000

Global cocoa market sees steep price rise amid supply shortfall

Cocoa bean prices have climbed to record nominal levels over the past six months, more than doubling since August 2023 (Figure 1). This price spike has largely been driven by weather-related diseases that have reduced cocoa production in key West African countries accounting for almost three quarters of world supplies.

Brice.Tchinde Wed, 04/03/2024 - 17:45 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Sudan Faces Risk of Widespread Famine, Says New IPC and FEWS Net Alerts

sara.gustafson — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:56:24 +0000

Sudan Faces Risk of Widespread Famine, Says New IPC and FEWS Net Alerts

As conflict worsens in Sudan, the country is facing unprecedented levels of acute food insecurity and malnutrition, according to a new alerts from both Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and FEWS Net.

sara.gustafson Wed, 04/03/2024 - 12:56

Intersection of Water, Food, and Nutrition Security: Evidence from SSA

sara.gustafson — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:40:41 +0000

Intersection of Water, Food, and Nutrition Security: Evidence from SSA

The UN estimates as many as 2.2 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean, safe drinking water. As rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and a growing global population put additional pressures on this critical natural resource, water insecurity will likely become an even more important determining factor in global and regional conflict. In a recent paper in Food Security, researchers examine the role of water insecurity in two other related challenges: food insecurity and dietary diversity.

sara.gustafson Wed, 03/27/2024 - 11:40

Conference: Navigating Sudan’s conflict – research insights and policy implications

sara.gustafson — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 16:15:52 +0000

Conference: Navigating Sudan’s conflict – research insights and policy implications

Since the onset of civil war in April 2023, millions of people in Sudan have suffered from loss of livelihoods, destruction of infrastructure, and disruption of essential services. With the war still underway, Sudan is facing the world's largest displacement crisis—with 6.5 million displaced people internally and another 1.7 million driven into neighboring countries—and a surge in acute food insecurity, soaring poverty levels, and extensive losses in income, employment, and productive assets.

sara.gustafson Sun, 03/24/2024 - 12:15

Who’s afraid of high fertilizer prices?

sara.gustafson — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 20:30:01 +0000

Who’s afraid of high fertilizer prices?

During 2021 and 2022, global food and fertilizer prices spiked due to several overlapping factors. Demand rose as the world economy emerged from the COVID-19 recession; global supply chains suffered major disruptions associated with the uneven recovery; and the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine—both key food and fertilizer producers—generated yet another shock.

sara.gustafson Thu, 03/21/2024 - 16:30 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Evaluating Fertilizer Subsidies in Malawi

sara.gustafson — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 20:59:12 +0000

Evaluating Fertilizer Subsidies in Malawi

Since the 1950s, Malawi has used a national fertilizer subsidy program as a way to spur use of inorganic fertilizers, boost domestic maize production, and ensure food security and self-sufficiency for smallholder farmers. According to new working paper from the Malawi Strategy Support Program, however, the national subsidy program may not be the most efficient investment for improving the country’s food security and domestic production goals.

sara.gustafson Fri, 03/15/2024 - 16:59

Do ultra-poor graduation programs build resilience against droughts? Evidence from rural Ethiopia

Brice.Tchinde — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 10:46:58 +0000

Do ultra-poor graduation programs build resilience against droughts? Evidence from rural Ethiopia

A growing body of evidence now suggests that global warming increases the risk of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and tropical cyclones (Seneviratne et al. 2021), and these shocks often force poor households to consume less or sell valuable assets, worsening their food security and increasing their vulnerability to chronic poverty. These effects can be particularly salient for women, who often have less resources than male family members even within poor households (Fruttero et al. 2023, van Daalen et al.

Brice.Tchinde Thu, 03/07/2024 - 05:46 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Transforming African Agriculture through Inclusive Agricultural Value Chain Development

sara.gustafson — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 20:37:31 +0000

Transforming African Agriculture through Inclusive Agricultural Value Chain Development

Africa’s agricultural sector has the potential to drive important economic growth and development in the region. Agriculture accounts for 16 percent of Africa’s annual GDP and employs over half of its labor force, particularly youth and women workers. Despite the sector’s vast potential, however, African agriculture remains hampered by low resource productivity and little or no value addition; shocks like climate change, ongoing regional and local conflict, and supply and market disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and global conflicts have only exacerbated these challenges.

sara.gustafson Mon, 02/19/2024 - 15:37

Multiple Pathways to Better Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from Uganda

sara.gustafson — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 17:59:24 +0000

Multiple Pathways to Better Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from Uganda

More than half of the adult population in Uganda is employed in the agriculture and fishery industries, with an estimated 36 percent engaging in subsistence agriculture. Despite the importance of agriculture to Uganda’s economy, however, the country continues to suffer from high rates of food insecurity. Small-scale farmers are often particularly hard hit by the cycle of poverty and hunger due to the vulnerability of their livelihoods to price shocks, extreme weather events, and other disruptions.

sara.gustafson Sun, 02/11/2024 - 12:59

Expanding conflict brings new food security challenges for Sudan

sara.gustafson — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 14:36:36 +0000

Expanding conflict brings new food security challenges for Sudan

Conflict continues to drive acute food insecurity and food assistance needs in Sudan, according to a recent FEWS Net alert.

Fighting in the country has expanded into Sudan’s southeast region, a major agricultural production and food storage area. The region typically accounts for more than 50 percent of Sudan’s annual domestic cereal production. Conflict-led disruptions to both agricultural production and trade, including destruction of infrastructure, pose a substantial threat to food availability throughout the country, reports FEWS Net.

sara.gustafson Wed, 02/07/2024 - 09:36

Grappling with compounding crises in domestic fertilizer markets in Africa: The case of Ethiopia

sara.gustafson — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:52:05 +0000

Grappling with compounding crises in domestic fertilizer markets in Africa: The case of Ethiopia

Global fertilizer markets experienced significant price surges beginning in 2020 and through 2022 due to a combination of factors, including higher natural gas prices, supply chain disruptions triggered by COVID-19, trade disruptions due to the Russia-Ukraine war, and export restrictions. Although parallel increases in international agricultural commodity prices may have cushioned these price shocks, insufficient availability and affordability of fertilizers are likely to have affected yield and profitability of smallholder production systems.

sara.gustafson Tue, 01/23/2024 - 09:52 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Impacts of Red Sea shipping disruptions on global food security

sara.gustafson — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 22:29:49 +0000

Impacts of Red Sea shipping disruptions on global food security

The recent attacks of Yemen-based Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea have paralyzed shipping through the Suez Canal, forcing exporters in the Black Sea region and elsewhere to consider alternative—and more costly—shipping routes. In early January, A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, the world's second-largest container ship company, announced it would suspend shipments through the Red Sea. Trade volumes in the Suez Canal are down an estimated 40% since the attacks began.

sara.gustafson Wed, 01/17/2024 - 17:29 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Packaging Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices to Increase Farmer Adoption: Evidence from Nigeria

sara.gustafson — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 19:15:23 +0000

Packaging Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices to Increase Farmer Adoption: Evidence from Nigeria

Extreme weather events and the long-term impacts of climate change pose a major risk for Africa south of the Sahara, threatening agricultural production and economic growth and hindering efforts to reduce poverty and food insecurity. Climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) can help farmers better adapt to and mitigate these risks; however, the adoption of such practices in the region remains low.

sara.gustafson Sat, 01/13/2024 - 14:15

Agricultural Cooperatives Could Hold Key to Increasing Resilience to Shocks

sara.gustafson — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 21:31:02 +0000

Agricultural Cooperatives Could Hold Key to Increasing Resilience to Shocks

Strong agricultural cooperatives could be a powerful pathway to protect vulnerable populations from food insecurity caused by shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent paper in Agriculture & Food Security.

sara.gustafson Fri, 01/12/2024 - 16:31

How is Kenya’s National Fertilizer Subsidy Program working?

sara.gustafson — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 16:59:23 +0000

How is Kenya’s National Fertilizer Subsidy Program working?

The Kenyan National Fertilizer Subsidy Program (NFSP), implemented during the short rainy season in September 2022, has emerged as a pivotal policy in the government’s efforts to expand food production and mitigate soaring food prices.

sara.gustafson Thu, 12/28/2023 - 11:59 ∙

Source:

IFPRI.org

Acute Food Crisis Continues in Congo

sara.gustafson — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:57:49 +0000

Acute Food Crisis Continues in Congo

Over 25 million people have experienced acute food insecurity and hunger between July and December 2023, according to the World Food Programme and IPC. The country is currently facing one of the world’s largest current food crises.

IPC estimates that around 3.5 million people are in Phase 4 (Emergency) food insecurity, while 21.8 million are in Phase 3 (Crisis). As many as 900,000 children under five are suffering from severe wasting.

sara.gustafson Fri, 12/22/2023 - 12:57

Sudan’s ongoing conflict disrupts agrifood processing and aggravates unemployment

Daeun.Ko — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 19:13:37 +0000

Sudan’s ongoing conflict disrupts agrifood processing and aggravates unemployment

The continuing conflict in Sudan between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), underway since April 2023, is inflicting devastating impacts on the country’s economy and on livelihoods. Model estimates show that production declines across different sectors have resulted in a loss of about $10 billion to GDP—about a third—as of September.

Daeun.Ko Mon, 12/18/2023 - 14:13

Conflict Driving Acute Hunger in Sudan, Burkina Faso

sara.gustafson — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 17:04:54 +0000

Conflict Driving Acute Hunger in Sudan, Burkina Faso

As noted in the Global Report on Food Crisis Mid-Year Update, conflict remains one of the major causes of food crises worldwide. Two recent alerts from FEWS Net echo this finding in both East and West Africa, where conflict is driving acute levels of food insecurity and hunger in both Sudan and Burkina Faso.

sara.gustafson Mon, 12/18/2023 - 12:04