Lifestyle
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Food security a top priority for Morocco, Africa’s future
Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki, has said food and health security and sovereignty are at the heart of Morocco’s political and economic concerns with a continental vision. The importance of the orientation of the food systems and their agri-food value chains that Morocco is developing towards…
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Sky is the limit for renowned Masvingo’s Pastor Isaac Makomichi
Own Correspondent For youthful Masvingo prophet, Pastor Isaac Makomichi, life has been a roller coaster as the 30-year-old man of God has transformed from a hapless orphan into one of the biggest things in the world of Zimbabwean Pentecostal Churches. The story of Pastor Makomichi, a man of cloth-cum business mogul and philanthropist seems like…
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Agriculture insurance a wake up call as climate change takes toll
Writes Elvis Dumba Zvimba – The agriculture sector is facing a huge challenge due to the ever-changing weather patterns as a result of climate change. Zimbabwean farmers involved in various agriculture sectors have not been spared from the effects of climate change with threats of another poor rainy season due to the expected El-Nino weather…
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The significance of a Problem Statement in building resilient food systems
Many interventions by African governments and development organizations have failed to make a difference in several communities due to poor problem definitions from inception. Massive dams and irrigation schemes have been set up for growing exotic food when communities need simple equipment for harvesting abundant underground water and surface water to produce indigenous food. Hybrid…
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Preparations for 2023 Conference on Land Policy in Africa underway
Writes Baboloki Semele The stage is set for one of Africa’s most significant gatherings in the field of land policy and governance, the 2023 Conference on Land Policy in Africa. Convened by the tripartite consortium consisting of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa,…
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Accountability.Fish Blasts WCPFC For Continued Meeting Secrecy
OWN CORRESPONDENT POHNPEI, MICRONESIA: Fisheries governance watchdog Accountability.Fish today blasted the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission for continuing its practice of holding key compliance meetings in secrecy, saying the practice threatens to make a sham of the Commission’s rhetoric around sustainability. A prepared statement read by Mike Klein, Accountability.Fish Communication Lead, at the WCPFC’s…
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Zimbabwe to be represented at Mr Africa International male pageant
Mister Africa International Zimbabwe, a product of Mister Africa International was founded by Ayutonde Twitch in London 2012. The pageant was founded in the roots that are meant to promote Africa’s male models and to celebrate the modeling sector. Mister Africa International pageant directors from different countries select a delegate/model who will represent his country…
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Korea and the African Development Bank strengthen drive towards Africa’s food security
The Government of Korea and the African Development Bank Group are intent on strengthening their partnership to support African countries in achieving food security in five years and boost the continent’s capability to produce its own vaccines and other pharmaceutical products. Speaking on Monday during a meeting with Korea’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural…
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Agriculture drives tourism development: ZTA
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in diving tourism, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has revealed. Speaking to this publication in an interview at the ongoing 113th Zimbabwe Agricultural Show running under the theme “Sustained Growth. Adaptation. Productivity and Linkages”, Godfrey ‘Chief’ Koti, the ZTA’s Head of Corporate Affairs said agriculture is one of the mainstays…
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ZANU (PF) affiliates congratulate President Mnangagwa
ZANU (PF) affiliates, Young Miners for Economic Development (YM4ED) and Farmers for Economic Development (Farmers4ED) have congratulated President Emmerson Mnangagwa following his declaration by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) as the winner of the 2023 presidential election. “Young Miners for Economic Development (YM4ED) congratulates His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa on…
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Partnerships leading to greater access to nutritious food and affordable diets
The Coalition on Sustainable Productivity Growth for Food Security and Resource Conservation (SPG Coalition) brings together researchers, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners to advance a world with greater access to nutritious food and affordable diets. The Coalition recognizes that increasing the productivity of natural resources through climate adaptation and mitigation is instrumental to reaching…
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‘Superfood’ millet may be arid regions’ answer to climate change
Riding a red electric scooter on country roads in eastern India, Sanjulata Mahanta has become something of a poster girl for millet since she stunned fellow villagers by planting the hardy grain — and making a profit — three years ago. “People laughed at me and said I was growing grass,” Mahanta, 35, said on…
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Correcting the underrated value of studying African mass food markets
Writes Charles Dhewa It is not enough for research conducted in African countries on food systems to end up in academic journals. In most cases there is often no clarity on who benefits from such research and intended uses of the findings. Unless African governments study mass food markets intentionally, policymakers will continue finding it…
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Rooftop Promotions Pioneering Digitalisation of Local Scripts
Students, researchers, thespians, and scholars will soon be able to access old and new scripts of plays staged at Theatre in the Park online after Rooftop Promotions established a digital archive. The project which is funded by SANORD will make it easier to provide scripts and information regarding the playwrights and cast and the years…
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WFP and Government of Zimbabwe launch roadmap toward food security
The Government of Zimbabwe and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) to formalize their collaboration on improving food systems and reforming the social protection system in Zimbabwe. The LoU aims to bolster the capacity to respond to emergencies and effectively foster investment in agricultural entrepreneurship. The Government…
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Shaka Ilembe on Mzansi Magic Channel 161: Polygamy, love as plot thickens
The latest episode of Shaka iLembe introduced a different tone compared to the end of episode five which saw the traditional newlywed love between King Senzangakhona kaJama (Senzo Radebe) and Queen Nandi kaMbengi (Nomzamo Mbatha) while this week’s episode six showcased a lot of emotional weight between the couple marking a nerve-wracking tale. Episode 6 marks trouble in…
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My Food is African! Campaign promotes consumption of traditional Zimbabwean foodstuffs
Under the auspices of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), the Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zimbabwe is undertaking a campaign in Zimbabwe to raise awareness and consciousness on the farming, and consumption of traditional Zimbabwean food under the banner of the My Food is African! Campaign. In Zimbabwe, the campaign is…
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USAID enables WFP to provide support to Zimbabwe’s urban communities
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a US$2 million contribution from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to support more than 2,000 vulnerable families in three urban areas over the next year. Under the initiative, WFP will create assets and develop transformative skills that will improve vulnerable families and communities’ access to…
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Associated Foods Zimbabwe appoints new Managing Director
The Chair and Board of Associated Foods Zimbabwe (Private) Limited (AFZ) have announced the appointment of Dr. Emmanuel Katsvamutima as the new Managing Director with effect from the 1st of April 2023. Dr. Emmanuel Katsvamutima will be taking over from Mr. Simba Nyabadza, who is retiring. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank…
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7 critical uncertainties that affect African farmers and food systems
Writes Charles Dhewa While volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) have become a major characteristic of all economies across the globe, the situation is worse for African farmers and food systems. In agriculture-driven African economies, some of the enduring uncertainties include the following: 1. Price uncertainties – whether producing for the domestic market or export market,…
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ActionAid report: High food and fuel prices affect world’s marginalised communities
The cost of food, fuel, and fertiliser in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities is continuing to escalate to crisis levels since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with families spending up to ten times what they paid almost 16 months ago, according to new analysis from international humanitarian organisation ActionAid. A survey of more than…
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Trading raw commodities generates more knowledge than trading processed food
…surprises from African mass food markets By Charles Dhewa For people keen to learn about indigenous entrepreneurship, African mass food markets never disappoint. Also known as territorial markets, these institutions are the heartbeat of genuine knowledge exchange. Like any other institution where thousands of people congregate, African mass food markets are not perfect but they…
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Government of Zimbabwe helps meet refugees needs
The Government of Zimbabwe has today contributed 4,400 mt of maize grain to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to meet the food needs of refugees living at Tongogara Refugee Camp in Chipinge. The in-kind contribution comes at a critical time – when funding for refugees is limited and follows the commitment made by…
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Japan helps boost community resilience in Zimbabwe’s rural areas
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has rolled out resilience-building activities with the support of the Government of Japan to boost food security and improve the livelihoods of nearly 9,000 people in Chiredzi district, in southern Zimbabwe. The funding, a US$ 900,000 contribution coming at a critical time, will help WFP to provide food…
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Food safety risks in developing countries’ informal sector tackled in new report
The report was produced by Spencer Henson, Steven Jaffee, and Shuo Wang More sticks, fewer carrots: New directions for tackling food safety risks Key messages Despite ongoing structural changes, small-scale processors, grocers, market vendors, and food service operators dominate the food systems of most low- and lower-middle-income countries; Unsafe food is widespread in informal food…
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USAID and WFP Help 66 000 Hunger-Stricken Zimbabweans
Writes Evans Muranganwa Humanitarian agency, World Food Programme has received US$8.7 million for its 2023 Food for Assets programme from the United States government through USAID. Speaking at the handover ceremony, USAID acting mission director Mr. Ramses Gauthier said the donation will help food-insecure households in Rushinga, Masvingo, Kariba, Mwenezi and Zvishavane. “I am honoured…
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AUDA-NEPAD spearheading genome editing to optimise agricultural production
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) through its Centre of Excellence in Science, Technology, and Innovation is running the Genome Editing (GEd) project meant to foster a broader understanding of modern biotechnology focusing on GEd among different stakeholder groups through communication and advocacy for enhanced uptake of the tool to optimize agriculture in Africa. This…
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Food systems are broader than value chains – thanks to African mass markets
By Charles Dhewa While there is a tendency for policymakers to conflate food systems with value chains, mass food markets reveal how food systems are broader than value chains. That distinction is very important in clarifying and creating pathways for decolonizing food systems. Putting African mass food markets at the center of food systems demonstrates…
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Selmor Mtukudzi and Tendai Manatsa celebrate 16th marriage anniversary
The month of May marks a joyful moment for the lovebirds Tendai Manatsa and Selmor Mutukudzi as they turn 16 years into a happy and strong marriage. Taking to his social wall today, writing a congratulatory message to his wife while celebrating the anniversary, Tendai Manatsa described his wife Selmor as a supportive and loving…
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Report: Gene-edited crop seed adoption to surge
Adoption of gene-edited crop seeds is expected to increase significantly in the next 5 to 10 years, according to a Rabobank report, with adoption rates expected to surpass 50% during that period. “GE technology has the potential to solve issues across the food supply chain for all stakeholders,” said Chia-Kai-Kang, farm inputs analyst for Rababank.…
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Creating a level playing field for local food and Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Contrary to beliefs by most policymakers in African countries, in the history of mankind, no country has built an inclusive society using external food and foreign knowledge systems. That is why developing countries should make sure foreign forces do not accelerate the loss of local food and indigenous knowledge systems (IKS). Progressive actions in this…
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Jah Prayzah to set Victoria Falls Carnival alight
Jah Prayzah, the Zimbabwean contemporary music sensation, will make his debut at the Victoria Falls Carnival where fans can expect nothing short of fireworks. The hugely popular singer will be among the crème dela creme at the three-day festival now in its 11th edition. And Jah Prayzah, himself an absolute hit among Zimbabwean music fans,…
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Maizon Holds Show to Honour Women
By Tafadzwa Muranganwa An AfroJazz musician and gender activist, Maizon Tazvitya will this Saturday host a show to celebrate women and urge gender equality. The Dzivarasekwa-born artiste famed for the hit song, Majurumbwe will serenade revelers at FnG Restaurants at Showgrounds. He will be ably supported by songbird Pauline Gundidza. Speaking to this publication, Maizon…
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CIMMTY-Zimbabwe annual field day to showcase mechanisation technologies
By Wallace Mawire The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) will convene its annual field day at the CIMMYT Southern Africa Regional Office in Harare on the 5th of April 2023. The field day will be held at CIMMYT, a 12.5 km peg along Mazowe Road in Mt Pleasant, Harare. According to Moses Siambi,…
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PAP, FAO collaborate on food security and nutrition in Africa
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The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) met to appraise the milestones reached as part of their existing collaborative framework. Technical teams from both parties held an engagement on lessons learned, and ways to sustain and amplify the collaboration in new areas of common interest. As a background, PAP and…
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Indigenous crops underutilised as climate change threatens food systems
Elizabeth Njoroge recounts her poverty-stricken upbringing in Ting’ang’a village in the Central part of Kenya, growing up on a diet heavy on Amaranth and pumpkin. The 45-year-old speaks about the shame of neighbours finding out the frequency with which her family consumed foods associated with poor and extremely food-insecure households. “Terere (Amaranth) grew just like weed.…
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International Year of Millets: Nutritional and health benefits of millets
By Patrice Talla – FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and FAO Representative in Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Lesotho This year we are celebrating the International Year of Millets. The year was endorsed by Members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its Governing Bodies and declared at the 75th Session…
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Government, UNICEF Emergency Cash Transfer strengthening households’ food security
The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, UNICEF and partners have officially launched the next phase of the Emergency Social Cash Transfer (ESCT) Programme that aims to provide cash payments to close to 19,000 households in five new rural districts. The programme was launched during a workshop held in Bulawayo, recently. Under this…
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Narrow extension models are no longer suitable for holistic food systems
By Charles Dhewa Besides being instruction-oriented, conventional extension models were designed to promote a narrow range of hybrid crops and livestock. This has rendered extension services in many African countries unfit for the purpose given that African food systems are too broad and includes wildlife that co-exists with farmers. In most communities, baboons, monkeys, wild…
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Pan African Parliament tackles food, sports on the continent
The Pan African Parliament (PAP)’s Permanent Committee on Education, Culture, Tourism, and Human Resources has promised to work on promoting African food and eradicating visas for sports teams travelling within the continent. This emerged today during a session chaired by Hon Senator Chief Fortune Z. Charumbira, the President of the PAP that was held under…
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Genome editing promotes industrialisation, enhances crop resistance to pests and diseases
Genome editing is one of the new and emerging technologies that falls under the biotechnology umbrella, the application of which can potentially enhance the agricultural sector through improved crop resistance to pests and adverse environmental conditions, a senior government official has said. Professor Fanuel Tagwira, the Permant Secretary for the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary…
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One year of war against Ukraine: acting together to ensure international law will prevails
By Josep Borrell 24 February 2022 will forever be recalled as the day when Russia started its brutal, unprovoked, and illegal invasion of Ukraine. This was and remains a case of pure aggression and a clear-cut breach of the UN Charter. This war is neither ‘just a European issue’, nor is it about the ‘West…
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Care International, partners implements USAID-funded programme to improve food security
By Wallace Mawire CARE International has launched its partnership with the Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Analysis Network (FANRPAN), in collaboration with its Zimbabwe Country Node Hosting Institution, the Agriculture Research Council (ARC), to implement activities under the Takunda program. Takunda seeks to promote sustainable, equitable, and resilient food, nutrition, and income security for the…
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My Zim Plate host Bernadette Mutangara spreads love on Valentine’s Day
All the love and fun of Valentine’s Day surrounded a meet-and-greet hosted by MultiChoice Zimbabwe on Tuesday when My Zim Plate host Bernadette Mutangara dispensed chocolates and other treats for fans. My Zim Plate is a new series on DStv’s Honey channel in which Bernadette introduces viewers across Africa to the culinary delights of Zimbabwe,…
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My Zim Plate launches internationally on DStv
Zimbabwean cuisine comes into the spotlight across Africa this weekend, when My Zim Plate launches internationally on DStv. Liz Dziva, publicity, and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe said the show will be starting with the debut episode at 4.30 pm on Sunday, February 12. “We are so excited to see yet another Zimbabwean-themed show…