CIHEAM Press Review

With the approach of a December 30, 2024, deadline for compliance, the World Bank convened a seminar to discuss the challenges facing developing countries seeking to meet their climate goals while continuing to leverage international trade to reduce poverty and generate jobs. Participants included representatives of the private sector, government, and international organizations. The following transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

Despite their significance in food security, pesticides have the potential to seriously harm both the environment and human health. It may lower the rates of egg hatching, offspring growth, vision, illness resistance, predator avoidance, and overall population survival. Nevertheless, over 75% of Ethiopian farmers lack the literacy to read pesticide labels and comprehend the consequences of pesticide residues on the environment. 

Italy has culled at least 40,000 animals in response to African swine fever, often in opposition to animal activists. The country could do well with exploring other solutions, starting with vaccines.

There is growing optimism about the potential of digital innovations to support climate action and transform agricultural markets. We review and characterize the landscape of digital innovations in the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region. We highlight major success stories associated with the potential of digital innovations to facilitate rural market transformation and support climate action, including adaptation and mitigation

A new Africa-focused white paper which emphasises the critical role of aquatic animal welfare in maintaining healthy ecosystems, ensuring sustainable fisheries, and promoting responsible aquaculture has recently been published.

Elizabeth Okullow, co-founder of AquaMnara, explains how she is providing African fish farmers with innovative tools, including IoT monitoring devices and pioneering market access strategies.

Alasinrin Musbau Abdulkadir is the chief executive officer of BawBaw Farms, a Nigeria-based operation which can produce over two tonnes of catfish, and 17 tonnes of aquafeeds each week.

To end hunger in West and Central Africa, foreign aid won't be enough. The region needs solutions led by local food producers.

Muga Fish Farm has undergone remarkable growth under the leadership of founder and director, George Muga – overcoming challenges and earning prestigious awards – and is now poised for growth through continued innovation and genetic advances.

A recent study by WorldFish has demonstrated how fish farming diversifies livelihoods and improves food and nutrition security in rural areas for smallholder farmers in Zambia.

Sea cucumbers, which are known as jongoo bahari in Swahili, are considered an endangered species and have been protected in Tanzania since 2003. However, illegal fishing, collection and trading of sea cucumbers have created a critical conservation issue and a need to develop sustainable solutions to safeguard both the marine ecosystem and the livelihood of the country’s coastal communities.

Moses Njoku Uwa is the founder and managing director of St Mosco FeedNation, the largest fish farming company in southeast Nigeria, which produces 560 tonnes of African catfish from 100 earth ponds each year.

Ustawi Afrika is transforming the lives of women in rural, semi-arid Africa through regenerative farming and entrepreneurship tools.

As it seeks to ramp up tilapia production in Kenya and Rwanda, Victory Farms has decided to outsource much of its egg production to local smallholders – bringing a range of community benefits.

Thirty-eight emerging talents within Africa’s blue economy have taken part in the first phase of the Blue Venture Builder Program – an initiative facilitated by Hatch Blue and OceanHub Africa with support from GIZ.

Dupe Killa-Kafidipe, founder of Platinum Fisheries, has ambitious plans to build a modular RAS facility to help her to diversify and increase production of a range of species - from catfish to shrimp.

Previous research carried out by ESR suggested that animal welfare was "completely unheard of" in Egypt's farmed fish sector, but the two organisations aim to change this through the new partnership.
Egypt is the top tilapia producer in Africa and the Tilapia Welfare Project aims to show Egyptian producers not only how to measure and assess tilapia welfare on farm, but also the financial and production benefits of doing so.

CERAAS, a research organization based in Senegal, is building resilience in West and Central Africa by empowering women in agriculture.

'We identify the issues together [with farmers], then we design the approach to solving together…that is a landmark thing that we do at CORAF.”

The Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) is a new project that aims to boost agricultural productivity and nutrition by developing diverse, climate-resilient crop varieties and building healthy soils. Special Envoy for Global Food Security Dr. Cary Fowler recently launched the initiative in Africa in partnership with the African Union and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.