A Growing Culture’s Post

Let them fund agri business. It's small scale farmers that have to help each other, be the voice in the noise of the industry and encourage the investment community and policy makers to understand the value of small scale farming and innovative agriculture that doesn't require massive investments. It's up to us to say as a community, local or global we have the power to shift the way we feed the world. Let’s get on it! Let’s talk about it and make plans to do something about it! #impactinvestment #agriculture #changetheworld #africa #globalagriculture #policychange #gamechangers

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has released agricultural development plans for 40 countries across the continent, outlining pathways to improving food security and productivity through the industrialisation of #African #FoodSystems at a cost of $61 billion. However, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), the largest agroecology movement in the continent, argues that the AfDB initiative may potentially marginalize small-scale farmers, harm biodiversity, and foster dependency on multinational corporations for #seeds and agrochemicals. High rates of undernourishment across sub-Saharan Africa have been largely unchanged since 2005, prompting some policymakers to seek out #industrial agriculture projects as a solution. AFSA suggests focusing instead on #agroecology and #FoodSovereignty, emphasizing the importance of #sustainable agriculture and the empowerment of #peasants and small-scale #farmers. Mongabay

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has released #agricultural #development plans for 40 countries across the continent that outline pathways to improving #foodsecurity and #productivity. But a recent report by the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) argues that the AfDB initiative, which seeks to industrialize #African #foodsystems at a cost of $61 billion, may potentially marginalize small-scale #farmers, harm #biodiversity, and foster dependency on multinational corporations for #seeds and #agrochemicals. AFSA suggests focusing instead on #agroecology and #foodsovereignty, emphasizing the importance of #sustainable #agriculture and the empowerment of small-scale farmers.

Seed Sovereignty is Food Sovereignty

For centuries, small-scale #African farmers have been the backbone of the continent’s agricultural success, nurturing a system that supports over 80% of the population with diverse, nutritious, and resilient crops. However, these traditional practices face increasing threats from industrial #agriculture and multinational #seed corporations, influenced by the legacies of colonization and commerce. “Seed is Life” campaign aims to empower communities to reclaim and protect their agricultural heritage and ensure food sovereignty for future generations. The campaign’s objectives include: 🌸 Elevating Farmer Managed Seed Systems as pillars of biodiversity and food sovereignty across Africa. ☘ Advocating for policy reform and legal support to ensure Farmer Managed Seed Systems are recognized and supported, protecting farmers’ rights to save, exchange, and sell their seeds. 🌱 Building a strong continent-wide movement that educates on the importance of Farmer Managed Seed Systems for ecological health, food security, and nutrition.

In #Uganda and #Rwanda, nature-inclusive #agriculture is not a given. However, both countries have started projects to educate new generations of #farmers about the pros and cons of this farming method. Two years ago, the Netherlands Food Partnership (NFP) and the IKEA Foundation started the Youth in Agroecology and Business Learning Track Africa (YALTA) initiative, also in Uganda and Rwanda. This initiative emphasizes the inclusion of youth perspectives in policies, research, and #education. Read the complete article 'In Uganda and Rwanda, nature-inclusiveness is all about educating the young' from the recently released Agrospecial magazine in the link below. Agrospecial 9: Nature-inclusive agriculture worldwide: https://lnkd.in/eisDcs2d #natureinclusiveagriculture | #farmingthefuture | #regenerativeagriculture | #agrospecial | Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit | Netherlands | Netherlands Food Partnership | IKEA Foundation | Frank Buizer | Heidi O. | Innocent Matabishi | Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda https://lnkd.in/eqzaVqqr

ANNOUNCEMENT | At #COP28, The World Bank Global Director for Agriculture and Food Global Practice Martien van Nieuwkoop confirmed that USD100 million will be made available by the Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) in additional finance to the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project in 2024-2025. Through the additional finance from the World Bank Group for the AICCRA project, CGIAR can continue to build on the project’s achievements so far. By the end of 2023, AICCRA is set to have supported nearly 5️⃣ million smallholder farmers and other African food systems stakeholders with better access to innovations, which help them make informed decisions about how to grow crops or manage livestock in a fast-changing climate. Speaking after Martien’s comments at COP28, AICCRA’s Director Dr Ana Maria Loboguerrero said: "I am thrilled that the World Bank wishes to continue supporting AICCRA’s mission...AICCRA has made important progress in forging relationships of trust and collaboration between public and private sectors—and crucially farming communities too—enabling CGIAR scientific resources to be used in policy and practice. With additional finance, AICCRA will not only focus on broadening access to innovation, but also ensuring millions of farmers actually use such innovation in a meaningful and sustainable way.” 🌍 To our growing network of partners - local, national, regional and continental - who have helped us reach millions of small-scale farmers through AICCRA so far, we are excited to continue working closely with you for a climate-smart Africa. Read: https://lnkd.in/e5NYnwEa #ReadyToScale with CGIAR, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Africa Rice Center, IWMI Southern Africa and many more.

https://lnkd.in/d2rJg3Mc Top development organisations have pledged to forge partnerships to expand the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) that would build resilient African food systems based on diverse, nutritious, and climate-adapted crops grown in healthy soils

Sustainable agrifood systems in Africa can boost average agricultural productivity – QU Dongyu https://lnkd.in/eG4VnqxD #sustainableagriculture #sustainablefoodsystems #africa #agriculture

Learn about the factors driving the industry's expansion, including favorable climate conditions, technological advancements, and export opportunities. Gain valuable insights into Serbia's evolving role in the global blueberry market. 🇷🇸🫐 https://lnkd.in/exFDZGfr #Serbia #BlueberryIndustry #Agriculture