By Brandon Moss Africa’s agricultural sector continues to play a central role in food security, employment, rural livelihoods and international trade, with countries across the continent developing strong production bases in crops ranging from cassava and yams to cocoa, tea, maize and vanilla. The latest available FAOSTAT crop-production dataset covers agricultural production through 2024. Production ...

Africa’s agricultural sector must accelerate efforts to become more resilient to global supply disruptions, rising input costs and climate-related shocks, as recent instability in international trade has exposed the continent’s continued dependence on external agricultural inputs. The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has already created significant consequences for farmers across Africa, with ...

Solar-powered irrigation is helping smallholder farmers in Ethiopia reduce fuel costs, increase agricultural production and build greater resilience to climate change. The technology is being introduced through Farm Africa’s Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable and Inclusive Development programme, supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The initiative is helping farming communities replace expensive diesel ...

Ethiopia is stepping up efforts to expand irrigation as the country seeks to transform agricultural production, strengthen food security and reduce the vulnerability of farmers to increasingly unpredictable rainfall. The renewed focus on irrigation reflects a broader shift in Ethiopia’s agricultural strategy, with greater emphasis being placed on year-round production, improved water management and the ...

ETHIOPIA – The African Development Bank Group and Japan are supporting a regenerative agriculture initiative in Ethiopia that is helping smallholder farmers increase crop yields, restore degraded soils and strengthen climate resilience through sustainable farming practices and digital agriculture technologies. The project, being implemented in the Jimma Zone of southwestern Ethiopia, is funded through the ...

A groundbreaking rural electrification initiative in Ethiopia is set to strengthen agricultural production, improve irrigation and create new economic opportunities after securing fresh financial support from the African Development Bank. Ethiopia is taking another significant step towards transforming its rural economy through an innovative programme that integrates renewable energy with agricultural development. The African Development ...

Women farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa could help generate billions of dollars in additional agricultural output if longstanding inequalities limiting their productivity are addressed, according to a new World Bank report. The study, conducted by the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab and Development Research Group, examined data from 23 nationally representative surveys across 12 African ...

The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has committed $600 million to support a major fertiliser expansion programme led by Dangote Group, a move aimed at strengthening Africa’s food security, boosting agricultural productivity and reducing the continent’s dependence on imported fertiliser. The financing will be channelled through Greenview Fertiliser Corp., Dangote Group’s fertiliser holding company, as part ...

Ethiopia’s agricultural transformation is increasingly being recognised as a model for Africa, offering practical lessons on how coordinated reforms can strengthen food security and boost productivity across the continent. The African Union Commission (AUC) has highlighted the country’s progress as a clear example of what is possible when policies, institutions, and agricultural systems are aligned. ...

Africa is making gradual progress toward food security, but significant structural challenges continue to slow the continent’s path to ending hunger. Despite vast agricultural potential, millions across the continent still face food insecurity, with over 87 million people in East and Southern Africa experiencing hunger and tens of millions more at risk in other regions. ...