Science Agenda for African Agriculture showcased by Embrapa
A delegation from the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa has visited EMBRAPA in Brazil “to strengthen the existing collaboration.” The two organisations run the Africa-Brazil Agricultural Innovation Marketplace between themselves since 2010. This initiative was due to finish in July 2015, but over the course of this trip both sides signed to extend the project until 2020.
(FARA)
Zimbabwe: Tobacco Exports Rake in U.S $196 Million
Zimbabwe earned $196 million from 27 million kg of tobacco between last month and mid-February which is six times higher than last year’s $36 million and 10.5 million kg. 71% of this tobacco went to China (19.1 million kg) valued at $167 million. It says 88 500 farmers have registered to grow the crop this season, up from 85 100 during the same period last year. The number of registered tobacco farmers has increased every year since the land reform programme.
(AllAfrica.com)
Controversy over World Bank and Chinese Dam in Ethiopia
The World Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) have funded a Dam, called Gibe III, over the Omo River to support super irrigation plantations and construct hydroelectric plants. This article states that not only will 200,000 people be displaced from the rising waters, but that the irrigation programme will support 643,801km2 of land expropriated by foreign companies.
(Farmlandgrab.org)
China-built Angolan Railway Inaugurated
China Railway Construction Corp has finished the upgrading of the Benguela Railway, originally built in Angola by the Portuguese in 1914. After falling into repair during the 1970s, the Chinese company began work on the 1,344-kilometer railway that traverses the country in 2004. The line began operating on Saturday (21 Feb, 2015) and will be connected to the Angola-Zambia and Zambia-Tanzania railways in the future.
(ECSN.cn)
This news roundup has been collected on behalf of the China and Brazil in African Agriculture (CBAA) project.
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