Category: Agriculture NEWS

EARN’s subsidiary, African Greeneurs (Pty) Ltd (AG), is dedicated to fostering agripreneurship across Africa. Our mission is to empower individuals to start and grow agri-businesses, enhancing food security, and creating job opportunities. Our extensive Agripreneur development programmes provide students with the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in the agricultural sector. Join Our Agripreneur Programmes Interested in joining our Agripreneur programmes? Visit our training page to find the programme that suits your needs. Our team is ready to assist with any questions and provide additional information. Comprehensive Training Approach: Agripreneur…

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Nchimunya Munyama’s story is one that embodies the potential of innovation to transform lives and livelihoods. Growing up in Zambia’s Southern Province, Nchimunya witnessed firsthand the struggles faced by small-holder farmers – his grandfather included. Unpredictable weather patterns, relentless pests, and a lack of access to reliable information all conspired to limit crop yields and threaten food security. “It was a constant battle,” Nchimunya reflects. “Traditional practices often proved inadequate, leaving farmers vulnerable to crop loss and reduced income.” Fueled by a desire to empower his community, Nchimunya embarked on…

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The use of drones in agriculture is becoming increasingly common as these unmanned aircraft are proving to be a valuable tool used in precision farming – a technique involving the analysis and consideration of several factors to determine the correct inputs for maximum outcome. Farmers around the world are under pressure to boost the efficiency of resource management in the face of tough economic conditions. At the same time, the “farm-to-plate” phenomenon has seen a greater push for better traceability of food products as consumers are concerned about the sources…

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Thirty-year-old Aubrain Lyavuka dreamt of bigger things than life as a farm laborer. His chance for a career change arrived in the form of an aquaculture training program advertised by Zambia’s Solwezi Department of Fisheries. This program, spearheaded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), was designed to empower African youth for agribusiness and entrepreneurial ventures within the agricultural sector. Aubrain joined an intensive course in Solwezi, Northwestern Province, alongside over 60 other aspiring agripreneurs. The program offered…

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Educating farmers on rotational grazing boosts livestock productivity by 20 percent and reduces mortality rates by 30 percent. While these findings by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) were predominantly from a study based in Kenya, research across Africa and the world at large raises many advantages to the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing agricultural challenges. To this end, Solidaridad held a critical stakeholder engagement meeting in Itebe village, Mazabuka District, Zambia. The focus of the meeting was to address pressing challenges faced by livestock farmers, including the lack…

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The sun beats down on the Eastern Province of Zambia, a land where once, traditional farming practices were pushing the ecosystem to the brink. Years of neglect led to soil degradation, forcing farmers to clear more and more forest for cultivation. This vicious cycle threatened not just the environment, but the very livelihoods of local communities. But a new chapter is being written in this story, one that’s as inspiring as the soil is recovering, and is sustainable. Enter Wilson Banda, a lead farmer in Katete, who’s leading a field…

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A shadow of despair hangs over Mozambique’s ambitious vision for the future. The country’s recently unveiled National Development Strategy (ENDE) paints a stark picture – a nation crippled by endemic corruption, choked by an inefficient agricultural sector, and yearning for economic diversification that remains frustratingly out of reach. At the heart of the crisis lies a broken agricultural system. Despite employing a staggering 75% of the workforce, this crucial sector sputters with inefficiency. Low technological adoption and limited access to fertilizers for farmers translate into meagre yields, leaving the nation’s…

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The scorching sun beats down on parched earth, a stark contrast to the usual rhythm of life in southern and central Mozambique. The once verdant fields lie barren, a testament to a relentless dry spell that grips the region in an unprecedented mid-season squeeze. This is the grim reality for millions of Mozambicans facing a hunger crisis compounded by a perfect storm of weather woes. El Niño, the notorious weather phenomenon, has flexed its muscles this year, bringing unwelcome drought to Mozambique’s doorstep. Between October 2023 and February 2024, the…

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Across Africa, a new generation of entrepreneurs is transforming the agricultural landscape. For too long, small-scale farmers have tilled unforgiving soil with limited resources, often trapped in a cycle of low yields and poverty. But these five stories showcase a continent brimming with potential, where savvy business minds are unlocking prosperity for themselves, their communities, and the future of African agriculture. Zambia: Small Farms, Big Dreams Good Nature Agro (GNA) shatters the myth of small farms equaling small profits in Zambia. GNA co-founder Carl Jensen explains, “We saw the latent…

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GLeft to right: Gerbrand Nijman (Mardouw executive chairman), Schalk van Eeden (Langeberg Municipality executive mayor) and Richard Hattersley (Verder Scientific SA MD) at Mardouw Olive Estate. LOBAL technology leader, Verder Group, is marking its commitment to environmental and social responsibility and has chosen the multi-award winning Mardouw Olive Estate to plant, for each of its employees around the world, a massive 2 000 olive trees at the estate. A ceremony to mark the occasion held recently at the Mardouw Olive Estate in Swellendam was attended by Langeberg Municipality executive mayor,…

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