Sustainable agriculture is emerging as a critical pillar for Africa’s future, with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations identifying seven core practices to strengthen soil health, biodiversity, and climate resilience across the continent by 2026. With Africa facing increasing climate pressures, soil degradation, and water scarcity, these practices provide a roadmap for ...

On World Water Day this Sunday 22 March, the conversation often centres on conservation. In agriculture, however, conservation must go hand in hand with optimisation. Water is one of agriculture’s most precious inputs and one of its greatest risks when it becomes scarce. As seasons become more unpredictable and pressure on resources continue to build, ...

Water insecurity impacts agrifood systems across Africa— impacted by climate change, colonial legislation, lack of institutional capacity and resources, conflicts, and past initiatives on land and agriculture privatization. Underlying all these challenges are gender inequalities and social exclusions that make water insecurity a key factor in women’s economic growth and wellbeing. A review of literature ...

The Kingdom of Lesotho, with support from the African Development Bank, is leveraging its abundant water and renewable energy resources to chart an ambitious path that will accelerate its economic transformation and have a huge impact on South Africa and Botswana. His Majesty King Letsie III and the President of the African Development Bank, Dr ...

This post was originally published on ILRI’s website. The CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS) for Food, Land, and Water Systems Transformation seeks to explore and suggest recommendations to build policy coherence, integrate policy tools, and respond to crises on food, land, and water issues. To achieve these goals at the country level, the initiative ...

In an effort to alleviate the burden of water contamination, Prof Patricks Voua Otomo, Associate Professor in the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of the Free (UFS) is researching how mushrooms can be used to significantly reduce the toxicity of water. The degradation of river systems in South Africa has been linked primarily to the ...

Sky rocketing potato prices seen at the end of 2023 could become the new reality if water usage restrictions are imposed on farmers in the Western Cape’s Sandveld region. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has proposed a water reserve determination for the F60 and G30 catchments in the Berg-Olifants water management area in ...

By Martin Bahnemann, Agronomist, Netafim South Africa Water is at the very centre of food production on farms. Farmers collect sunshine and convert it into food. Plant leaves are the tools that farmers use to convert sunlight, the energy from the sun, into food. Our job as farmers is to make sure that all factors ...

African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina urged for a coalition of public commitment and private sector finance to awaken Africa’s “staggering” agricultural potential, setting the stage for the continent to feed itself and contribute to global food security. Adesina made his call during Monday’s World Economic Forum “Food and Water for All” panel ...

How using a pressure washer contributes to sustainability In a world where environmental sustainability is of overriding importance, every individual and business has a role to play in preserving our planet. Water conservation, particularly in South Africa, where its supply due to climate change and weather patterns like El Niño is of major concern, is ...