Latest articles
Engendering CAADP: What must be done in the next 10 years?
March 7, 2014 / FAC blog There is widespread consensus that African countries still invest too little in agriculture. Only 7 of 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have consistently reached the Maputo Declaration budget target of 10% investment in agriculture. Smallholders dominate in agriculture, but not
Agricultural investment models for replication and scaling up: Ways forward for achieving gender equitable agricultural commercialisation?
March 7, 2014 / FAC blog Identifying successful models for replication and scaling up One key message rising from the multiple case studies is that there are many different schemes, some of which have changed in structure since they were started: different companies and individual investors
Doing business with farmers: Is there a good model?
March 6, 2014 / FAC blog The first presentation by Emmanuel Sulle looked at the out-grower scheme model that has been adopted by sugar companies in Tanzania, specifically the case of Kilombero Sugar Company. The company promoted the out-grower scheme as source of cheap loans to
How are women and men differently affected by commercial investments in primary agriculture in Africa?
March 6, 2014 / FAC blog In one session, we witnessed three contrasting experiences – from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia – which suggested that, while commercial investments could benefit women, these benefits were far from certain, and whether or not benefits would in fact accrue to
Agricultural investments: Giving back power to the people
March 5, 2014 / FAC blog The objectives of the conference are threefold: One, it aims to build a common understanding of why gender is important in dealing with agricultural investment and learn about options, promising approaches and good practices as well as challenges; secondly, to
Land investments in Africa: It’s all about responsible governance
March 3, 2014 / FAC blog In the midst of all the controversy, there is likely to be agreement that LSLBI have come to occupy center stage of the land debate in many parts of Africa – rightly or wrongly. I say rightly or wrongly because
26 February 2014: China & Brazil in African Agriculture – news roundup
February 26, 2014 / FAC blog This news roundup has been collected on behalf of the China and Brazil in African Agriculture (CBAA) project. For regular updates from theproject, sign up to the CBAA newsletter. Chinese ambassador to Ghana launches agriculture projectMr Jung Gong has launched
What does the International Year of Family Farming mean for women?
February 24, 2014 / FAC blog Rural families and the organisation of farming The functioning of households and families can be, and has been, taken for granted when devising policies. Reference might be made to households and families, and possibly simply to ‘farmers’. But what is
New Paradigms of Agricultural Development Cooperation in Africa: Lessons from Brazil and China
February 21, 2014 / Policy Briefs Policy Brief 63 by Henry Tugendhat As Africa attempts to boost agricultural productivity, many countries are turning to Brazil and China for the possibility of alternative approaches and technologies. Both countries have boasted numerous agricultural achievements, and both are increasing
From agricultural research to ‘product development’: What role for user feedback and feedback loops?
February 19, 2014 / Journal articles James Sumberg, Jonas Heirman, Cara Raboanarielina and Abdoulaye KaboréOutlook on Agriculture, December 2013 Agricultural research for development (AR4D) is often discussed in terms of abandoning ‘business as usual’. One important element of the reframing of agricultural research is an emphasis
18 February 2014: China & Brazil in African Agriculture – news roundup
February 18, 2014 / FAC blog Mozambique to increase wood production Mozambique is expected to produce 150,000m2 of wooden logs in 2014, up 50,000 against 2013. China is the biggest consumer of the country’s logging industry, having imported 85% of the country’s total exports between 2000
Telling stories about scarcity
February 17, 2014 / Land ‘Scarcity’ is a key term in debates about the global rush for land and other resources. A new working paper from our project on Land and Agricultural Commercialisation in Africa looks at different narratives of scarcity related to the future
Narratives of scarcity: understanding the ‘global resource grab’
February 17, 2014 / Working Papers Future Agricultures Working Paper 76 Ian Scoones, Rebecca Smalley, Ruth Hall and Dzodzi Tsikata February 2014 Global resource scarcity has become a central policy concern, with predictions of rising populations, natural resource depletion and hunger. Resulting narratives of scarcity drive
Background – Agricultural Investment conference 2014
February 12, 2014 / Agricultural Investment, Gender and Land in Africa Conference on Agricultural Investment, Gender and Land in Africa - Towards inclusive, equitable and socially responsible investment Venue: Protea Hotel, Stellenbosch (Cape Town), South AfricaDate: 5 Mar 2014 to 7 Mar 2014 The conference aims to promote an open exchange
11 February 2014: China and Brazil in African Agriculture – news roundup
February 11, 2014 / FAC blog The Environmental Costs of Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Boom This blog by Ian Scoones looks at the environmental impacts of Zimbabwe’s recent tobacco boom. It looks at how the flue-cured drying method has led to a noticeable degree of deforestation in the
Jostling for Trade: The Politics of Livestock Marketing on the Ethiopia-Somaliland Border
February 10, 2014 / Working Papers Future Agricultures Working Paper 75 Abdurehman Eid February 2014 Cross-border livestock trade (CBLT) is an important livelihood activity for many pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in the Horn of Africa. The trade has developed into an informal industry supporting many stakeholders
4 February 2014: China and Brazil in African Agriculture – news roundup
February 4, 2014 / FAC blog President Mugabe voted deputy chair of the AU Zimbabwe President, Robert Mugabe, has been elected as first deputy chair of the African Union, thereby implying that he will be attending the EU-AU summit in April. The EU had not invited
Transforming Africa through agriculture
February 3, 2014 / Pathways to Commercialisation Economic development is not just about growth - it is about transformation. In a new blog post, Steve Wiggins looks at what we know about agriculture's rise in Africa, and how smallholder farmers can be part of transforming the future
Rethinking agricultural extension in Zimbabwe
February 3, 2014 / FAC blog Many qualified staff left or passed away (the ravages of HIV/AIDS hit many government services very badly), posts are unfilled, the transport capacity virtually non-existent and the ability to offer up-to-date advice severely hampered by the parallel decimation of government
African agriculture is growing, but is it transforming?
February 3, 2014 / FAC blog The concerns were discussed last month in Nairobi at a meeting convened jointly by ACET and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). A strong driver of growth and development is manufacturing, according to evidence (pdf) from OECD countries and
L’impact à court et à moyen terme des augmentations de prix des denrées alimentaires de base
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Point info 52par Andrew Dorward Ces dernières années ont été marquées par l’augmentation des prix alimentaires moyens, de graves flambées des prix alimentaires (en 2007/8 et en 2010/11), et des inquiétudes grandissantes quant à l’impact des chocs des prix alimentaires
Facteurs influençant l’agriculture commerciale paysanne: Étude de cas – Initiatives de…
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Titre complet: Facteurs influençant l’agriculture commerciale paysanne: Étude de cas – Initiatives de commercialisation paysanne de la NASFAM Point info 51 par Ephraim Chirwa et Miriam Matita Au Malawi, l’agriculture paysanne est essentiellement axée sur la production d’aliments de base,
La commercialisation paysanne en Afrique: guide des problématiques et des politiques
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Point info 50 par Steve Wiggins Les petits agriculteurs d’Afrique participent depuis longtemps aux marchés – pour vendre leur production, se procurer des intrants (des engrais par exemple), des crédits, de la main-d’oeuvre, des terres et des informations. L’urbanisation et
La politique de secours semencier au Zimbabwe
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Point info 49 Charity Mutonodzo-Davies et Douglas Magunda Au cours d’une grande partie de ces dix dernières années, le gouvernement zimbabwéen et les bailleurs de fonds ont mis en oeuvre des programmes de soutien en intrants agricoles qui associent des
L’économie politique des systèmes semenciers céréaliers en Éthiopie: contrôle de l’État…
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Titre complet: L’économie politique des systèmes semenciers céréaliers en Éthiopie: contrôle de l’État, libéralisation du marché et décentralisation Point info 48 par Dawit Alemu Le présent Point Info examine les processus politiques et économiques régissant les systèmes semenciers céréaliers en
De la participation des petits exploitants agricoles aux marchés semenciers en faveur des pauvres…
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Titre complet: De la participation des petits exploitants agricoles aux marchés semenciers en faveur des pauvres: l’économie politique des réseaux semenciers commerciaux au Ghana Point info 47 par Kojo Sebastian Amanor Depuis les années 1980, les systèmes publics de recherche
Semences et subventions: l’économie politique des programmes d’aide aux intrants au Malawi
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Point info 46 par Blessings Chinsinga Le présent Point Info de FAC s’intéresse à l’économie politique des programmes d’intrants et plaide pour que les débats en matière de politique agricole se concentrent sur le maïs et les subventions aux intrants.
Les distributeurs d’intrants agricoles peuvent-ils instaurer la révolution verte au Kenya?
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Point info 45 Par Hannington Odame et Elijah Muange Plusieurs filières d’intrants ont été utilisées pour fournir les diverses technologies agricoles aux trois millions de petits exploitants que compte le Kenya. Les principales filières passent par des institutions publiques, telles
L’économie politique des systèmes semenciers céréaliers dans la révolution verte en Afrique
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Point info 44 par John Thompson et Ian Scoones Ce Point Info se base sur des études de cas réalisées par Future Agricultures Consortium en Éthiopie, au Ghana, au Kenya, au Malawi et au Zimbabwe entre 2009 et 2011, destinées
Agriculture et changement climatique au coeur des négociations sur le climat de l’ONU
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Point info 43 Par Merylyn Hedger L’agriculture est à la fois victime et responsable du changement climatique. Victime parce que la plupart des estimations indiquent que le changement climatique réduira probablement la productivité agricole, la stabilité de la production et
Savoirs agricoles traditionnels et adaptation au changement climatique: aperçu des processus…
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Titre complet: Savoirs agricoles traditionnels et adaptation au changement climatique: aperçu des processus politiques au Kenya et en Namibie Point info 42 Par Andrew Newsham, Lars Otto Naess et Paul Guthiga Pour le secteur agricole, un défi politique majeur est
L’accaparement des terres en Afrique et les nouvelles politiques alimentaires
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Point info 41 par Ruth Hall «L’Afrique est à vendre», comme le disent certains; un «accaparement des terres» est en cours. D’autres sont plus prudents et parlent «d’acquisitions de terres à grande échelle», tandis que la Banque mondiale souligne par
Le PDDAA et la politique de pêche en Afrique: poursuivons nous une réforme adéquate?
January 31, 2014 / Briefings politiques / Policy briefs in French Point info 40 par Christophe Béné Ces dernières années, on a beaucoup parlé de l’agriculture comme facteur essentiel de réduction de la pauvreté et de croissance économique. En 2003, le Nouveau partenariat économique pour le développement de l’Afrique (NEPAD) a
Jobs: 3 x researchers in Environmental Change, UK
January 30, 2014 / News The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is seeking to recruit up to three new researchers with international reputations for innovative interdisciplinary work broadly within the area of ‘Environmental Change’.
29 January 2014: China and Brazil in African Agriculture – news roundup
January 29, 2014 / FAC blog Chinese company in Mozambique to address labour concerns The China Road and Bridge Corporation has been given 15 days by the Mozambican General Labour Inspectorate to address labour concerns raised by its workers. Poor health and safety are the greatest
What difference has CAADP made to Tanzanian agriculture?
January 29, 2014 / Working Papers Future Agricultures Working Paper 74 Brian Cooksey November 2013 This paper examines the impact of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) on Tanzania’s agricultural sector. It discusses how CAADP relates to national and regional policy initiatives (including the country’s
Missing politics and food sovereignty
January 27, 2014 / FAC blog I was intrigued to find out where the food sovereignty debate had got to, what political strategies were emerging and whether, in different and diverse contexts, the ideals were in fact realisable. The ISS event opened with an impressive keynote
Do input subsidy programmes work? Lessons from Malawi
January 27, 2014 / Growth and Social Protection How can input subsidy programmes help farmers to produce more food and reduce poverty? In this blog post, Andrew Dorward and Ephraim Chirwa share the key insights from their new book on Malawi’s experience, and suggest lessons for the future
Agricultural input subsidies: the recent Malawi experience
January 24, 2014 / FAC blog We were also keen to draw on our separate and combined experience of Malawian agriculture to set the FISP in the context of evolving Malawian livelihoods, politics, and agricultural policies – a context that is critical for understanding the design,
When a Good Business Model is Not Enough: Land Transactions and Gendered Livelihood Prospects…
January 22, 2014 / Journal articles Full title: When a Good Business Model is Not Enough: Land Transactions and Gendered Livelihood Prospects in Rural Ghana Dzodzi Tsikata and Joseph Awetori YaroFeminist Economics, December 2013 Recent large-scale commercial agriculture projects in developing countries have raised concerns about
Commercialisation of African Smallholder Farming. The Case of Smallholder Farmers in C. Tanzania
January 22, 2014 / Working Papers Future Agricultures Working Paper 72 Khamaldin Mutabazi, Steve Wiggins & Ntengua Mdoe August 2013 African agriculture is predominantly carried out on small-scale family farms. The big question about such family farms is whether they can be successfully commercialised within their
22 January 2014: China and Brazil in African Agriculture – news roundup
January 22, 2014 / FAC blog Ethiopian Investment Agency withdraws 3,000 investment permits The EIA has withdrawn 3,000 permits from foreign and Ethiopian companies that have been too slow in making headway on planned projects. This affects Chinese investors among others. (The article speaks of land
Food Sovereignty: a Critical Dialogue
January 21, 2014 / Land On 24 January 2014, the event ‘Food Sovereignty: A Critical Dialogue’ brought together sceptics and advocates of food sovereignty to discuss the future of this controversial idea in critical agrarian studies. Ian Scoones chaired the opening keynote session of this
Southern Africa Sugar Research Network
January 17, 2014 / Land Sugar has been making big changes in Southern Africa’s agrarian landscape. Over the past two decades, South African and multinational sugar companies have pursued an aggressive investment drive into Southern Africa, often facilitated by purchase of formerly state-owned enterprises. A
15 January 2014: China and Brazil in African Agriculture – news roundup
January 15, 2014 / FAC blog Chinese agricultural delegation visits Zimbabwe A 15-person Chinese delegation visited Zimbabwe for a feasibility study on areas of agricultural cooperation. The delegation includes experts in grain crops, environment, agriculture produce processing and livestock among others from the Ministry of Agriculture
Why isn’t Nigeria researching the impact of its protectionist policies for everyday foods?
January 10, 2014 / FAC blog For example, there can be little doubt about the importance of rice, chicken and tomatoes (and tomato paste) in the everyday diets of both urban and rural Nigerians. In protecting domestic producers of those commodities through import bans and tariffs,
8 January 2014: China and Brazil in African Agriculture – news roundup
January 8, 2014 / FAC blog Zambian Mining Union Wins Wage increase with Chinese company “Zambia’s biggest mining union agreed to a 12 percent wage increase with Jinchuan Group Ltd. in a deal that sets a benchmark for the rest of the industry in Africa’s biggest
Future Diets – the rise of obesity and other health problems in developing countries
January 6, 2014 / FAC blog There has been a dramatic increase in the numbers of overweight or obese people in the past 30 years. Previously considered a problem in richer countries, the biggest rises are in middle income countries and the developing world. The ODI
Land grabbing: lessons from history
December 18, 2013 / Land A new article by Elena Baglioni (a former Early Career Fellow) and Peter Gibbon (DIIS) examines ‘land grabbing’ in relation to the history of plantation and large- and small-scale farming in sub-Saharan Africa.It looks at the extent of plantation farming