Source material and useful links

16/1/2023: UN data shows that Africa is home to an estimated 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land. Experts argue that pitting food crops for domestic markets against cash crops for export is not the right conversation to have.

Source: Inter Press Service

Another bleak year expected for food security

4/1/2023: As the war in Ukraine approaches its second year, food experts are concerned that fertilizer shortages and rising prices will impact crop yields. Rising debt levels are affecting low-and-middle-income countries, constraining imports of basic staples.

Source: Devex

UN food agencies call for urgent action in the Sahel

8/12/2022: The number of hungry people in West and Central Africa is projected to reach an all-time high of 48 million next year if urgent and long-lasting solutions to address this crisis are not delivered soon. The food and nutrition security outlook for 2023 is extremely worrying for the entire Sahel region.

Source: World Food Programme

AGRA gets make-Up, not make-over

29/11/2022: The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa has dropped ‘Green Revolution’ from its name and announced a new five-year strategy. The Gates Foundation will continue to provide more than two-thirds of AGRA’s funding. Is there any evidence of a new approach to sustainable agriculture in Africa?

Source: Inter Press Service

Milestone against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

7/11/2022: A hundred States have committed to the UN Agreement on Port State Measures, a binding instrument which denies port access and use to foreign vessels engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. One in every five fish caught around the world may originate from such fishing.

Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Open letter sets Bill Gates right about global food insecurity

10/11/2022: In recent articles about global food insecurity Bill Gates advocates agri-technology solutions that increase crop yields. In response, over 50 grassroots organisations argue instead for more equitable access to food, given that the world already produces enough to feed its population.

Source: Third World Network

UN warns of hunger crisis in South Sudan

3/11/2022: UN food agencies have warned that hunger and malnutrition are on the rise across the flood, drought, and conflict-affected areas of South Sudan. They project that 2.9 million people will be on the brink of starvation during the April-July 2023 lean season.

Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization

The role of automation in global agriculture

2/11/2022: The 2022 edition of The State of Food and Agriculture, a flagship UN report, looks at how automation in our agrifood systems can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. Policy recommendations seek to balance the gains in productivity with the implications for marginalized and vulnerable groups.

Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization

West Africa hit by illegal Chinese fishing

26/10/2022: Research coordinated by a group of 11 global NGOs finds that West Africa has become the global epicentre for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. This practice, dominated by Chinese vessels, accounts for one-fifth of the value of global fisheries catches, worth up to $23.5bn annually.

Source: Financial Transparency Coalition

Russia ends suspension of Ukraine grain deal

2/11/2022: The UN Secretary-General has warmly welcomed Russia’s decision to resume its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Senior UN officials confirm that exports from Ukraine and Russia under the deal have helped lower grain prices and stabilize markets.

Source: UN News

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