Agricultural growth in Africa

-
Using digital platforms to promote food sustainability in Africa

By Demilade Ajiboye

IFC and Microsoft have partnered to support digital transformation in Africa’s agriculture sector.

A suite of digital agriculture solutions addresses capacity constraints and inefficiencies in the supply chain of African agribusinesses.

The partnership makes digital tools and training resources more accessible to small-scale farmers and agriculture-linked small businesses.

The United Nations identifies Zero Hunger as one of its Sustainable Development Goals. This goal seeks to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

In a session during Adaptation and Agriculture Day at COP27 in Egypt, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Microsoft through its Africa Transformation Office (ATO) showcased their partnership to support digital transformation in Africa’s agriculture sector to support the achievement of this goal. The partnership is delivering digital agriculture products that support African agribusinesses to strengthen food security and develop greater resilience against climate change.

Agriculture contributes about 25 percent of Africa’s GDP and 70 percent of its employment. However, supply chains of many agribusinesses in Africa are fragmented and suffer from poor information flows. Additionally, many farmers rely on traditional agronomic practices and technologies that are under increasing pressure from climate-related shocks. Digital technology can improve the operation of key supply chains in the food system through greater agricultural efficiencies, improved business practices, traceability, food safety and, access to finance.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MSME LAMENTS OVER FLOOD DISASTER

-
Image
By Cyril Endurance Favour October 29, 2022   A large number of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) are grieving over the loss of their businesses in the rampaging flood disaster The 2022 flooding which began in June, affecting over 32 states has not only claimed lives, displaced over 2.1 million people and destroyed properties, it has also submerged a staggering amount of farmlands and investments Small and Medium Scale businesses like Farming, Logistics, Processing and Trading in Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta , Cross River and Rivers which amounts for 96% of businesses in Nigeria has experienced greater impact of the flood as over one million farmers looses their farmland to the menacing flood According to the Minister for humanitarian affairs, Umar Farouq, over 140,000 hectares of farmland has been damaged. While Ade Adefeko, Vice President of external relation and stakeholder management at Olam Agri disclosed that over   $140 million worth of investment has been submerged ...
Read more

High level of Inflation.

-
Image
Sabo Market is a place where goods such as cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber, onions are sold with buyers coming from different parts of the country. According to our report a basket of tomatoes is sold between N7,000 to N8,000. But the story is different with onions whose price rose from N17,000 to N35,000, adding that onion was the only perishable goods so far that its price had risen up in the market. Malam Musa Saleh, a popular tomato seller in sabo market, He said that the price of the products is often determined by their availability in the market and the number of buyers in the market.The prices change from time to time depending on the Market days and its availability in the market. If you go to other states, the price is different. Malam Musa explain that the pepper harvested in the northern part of the country is now out of season while the Yoruba pepper presently in the market is short in supply since it is just coming out, which has led to the increase in the price...
Read more

NIGERIAN CURRENCY REDESIGNED

-
Image
  Published by Arikawe Aminat  The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has announced that the bank would release re-designed Naira notes by December 15, 2022. He also said that existing notes would seize to be regarded as legal tender by January 31, 2023. Emefiele disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. The CBN said that it is worrisome that 85 per cent of the currency in circulation is being hoarded by Nigerians. He further urged Nigerians to proceed to their banks to deposit their Naira notes, adding that the deposit fee would be waived for transactions below N150,000. Emefiele added that the redesigning of Naira notes would help to curb counterfeit notes, as well as hamper ramson payment to terrorists and kidnappers.
Read more