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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study report of the development of data networks and initial connectivity in the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) region and how that development evolved into the formation of research and education (R&E) networks that enable new collaborations and curriculum potential. Design/Methodology/Approach: This case study is presented through the past 20 year's operations and field activities of the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) at the University of Oregon, who in partnership with the National Science Foundation has worked together to significantly train network engineers in Africa on how to develop regional R&E networks that can link together the various research universities in SSA. Findings: The author shows how the development of these networks have fostered improved collaboration between African and US scientists, particularly around issues that relate to climate change. This paper contains testimonials from both scientists and on-the-ground key directors in Africa about the value of these improved networks. The expansion of regional R&E networks has allowed the Association of African Universities (AAU) to launch sustainable development as one of its new core programs over the period 2013-2017. Within this new core AAU program are four sub-themes: agriculture and food security, water resources management, climate change and energy. All of these themes will benefit directly from these new, network-enabled, data-sharing abilities. Practical Implications: The current state of network-driven curriculum and curriculum exchange between African universities is assessed and compared that to that in the early days of academic network penetration (1990-2000) in the USA to find similar rates of evolution. Since 2015, SSA has sufficient network access and connectivity to now enable a wide variety of new collaborative research and collaborative academic programs. Originality/Value: The experience and operational competence of the NSRC at the University of Oregon needs to be detailed and espoused. No other American university has had such an impact on Africa in terms of improving its overall network infrastructure enabling new kinds of collaborative research on real-world problems, such as climate change and resource depletion in Africa.

Background: Climate change adversely affects Africa's agriculture which would worsen the widespread food insecurity and nutritional deficiencies. Vulnerable populations, especially female farmers, women, and children are disproportionately affected. Methods: The paper synthesizes available peer-reviewed and grey literature on the intersections of climate change, food insecurity, agriculture, gender disparities, health, child nutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies in Africa. It explores the economic ramifications of these factors, particularly their impact on public health and economic stability. The work aggregates insights into the current and future challenges of agricultural sustainability and the expected human capital development and economic costs of climate variations. Results: The prevalence of hunger and undernourishment in Africa is notably higher compared to other regions. Climate change directly threatens agriculture, with anticipated reductions in crop and livestock yields, compounded by the negative impact of greenhouse emissions on the nutritional quality of staple foods. Female farmers contribute notably to agriculture, but their labor share is less dominant than previously assumed. Exposure to high temperatures, especially for outdoor workers and pregnant women, presents significant health risks, further impacting agricultural and economic output. These interdependencies are presented in a framework along with suggested interventions that could be contextualized to address the climate drivers and interconnectivity across agriculture, health, and livelihoods. Conclusion: The interdependence between food, agriculture, health, nutrition, and human productivity, all of which are exacerbated by the impacts of climate change in Africa, form a complex challenge with profound health and economic implications. A multifaceted strategy is needed, encompassing climate-resilient farming practices, gender-sensitive interventions, health-focused measures like micronutrient supplementation, and comprehensive economic policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore agripreneurship development as a strategy for economic growth and development.Design/methodology/approach Though a few related literature were reviewed, this paper relies heavily on the author’s viewpoint regarding how Nigeria can grow and develop its economy through agripreneurship development.Findings The present economic challenges that Nigeria is facing are blamed on overdependence on the oil sector, bad governance, corruption, leadership failure, policy inconsistency, overdependence on imported goods and ostensible neglect of the agricultural sector. Also, policymakers, economic analysts and the government have advocated strongly for diversification of the economy. Besides, there is a consensus among scholars, economic analysts and policymakers that “agriculture is the answer.”Research limitations/implications This paper addresses specifically one sector of the economy – the agricultural sector. On the other hand, economic crisis needs to be addressed holistically by resolving specific issues that confront different sectors of the economy.Practical implications This paper has some insightful policy and practical implications for the Nigerian Government and Nigerians. The government and Nigerians need to take practical steps to grow and develop the economy. On the part of the government, apart from the need to transform the agricultural sector by allocating enough funds to it, the government should establish well-equipped agripreneurship development centers and organize periodically agripreneurship development programmes for the main purpose of training and developing both current and potential agripreneurs who will be able to apply today’s agricultural techniques and practices which involve a great deal of creativity and innovation for a successful agribusiness. The federal government should integrate agripreneurship education into Nigeria’s education system. Similarly, the Nigerian people, particularly the youths or graduates should be encouraged to choose agribusiness as a career.Originality/value While previous papers have offered different solutions to the current economic crisis that Nigeria is experiencing, ranging from economic to structural reforms, this paper differs significantly from others by recommending specifically agripreneurship development as a strategy for revamping Nigeria’s economy from its current recession. Moreover, there is a dearth of literature on agripreneurship and agripreneurship development. This paper therefore fills the literature gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reflects on the lessons from two case studies in order to discuss (1) how they address Ostrom's eight principles and (2) implications for social, economic and environmental challenges. The two case studies are of forest communities in Venda in South Africa and Ciptagelar, West Java, discussed in terms of their social, environmental and economic approaches. In both cases, the communities see themselves as related to nature; in the case of Venda, they express this as a totemic relationship and have been inspired to apply an ecological calendar that was taught to them during the time Mphatheleni Makaulule spent learning from Amazonian leaders. In the case of Ciptagelar, the nomadic way of life is based on a sense of being stewards who do not commodify rice, a sacred source of life, which is in turn dependent upon all the co‐existent creatures and ultimately the forest, which is their home. In both communities, the environment and people are priorities managed by observing the natural cycle. In both communities, an ecological calendar guides the planning and harvesting of crops. In Tshidzivhe Venda, a rigorous approach to crops, harvesting from the forest and re‐planting the forest, is observed, and the entire community act as caretakers and are required to ask permission before harvesting from the forest. In Ciptagelar, West Java, the chief reads the signs when it is time to move to another area and follows a careful approach to biodiversity ensuring that paddy is grown only for certain months so that other creatures can thrive in other months. The Balancing Individualism and Collectivism Special Integration Group has focused on learning by doing using an applied mixed methods approach. It is based on a community of practice spanning NGOs, community projects and university departments. It is supported by a small NRF fund, some funding from UNISA and in kind support from participants. We work together because of shared values and mutual respect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, African Renaissance is discussed from the perspective of new interests in African agriculture. Opportunities in Africa in agribusiness are growing. But accompanying this growth is a model of agriculture based on application of high technical inputs, under the narrative of agricultural intensification. However, there is evidence to suggest that new interests and practices toward harnessing Africa's potential for agricultural development for the African Renaissance are not sustainable due to constraints and disadvantages to small-holder farmers. This paper draws from empirical qualitative research on sugarcane farming in the Chemelil area in western Kenya to demonstrate that the high technical input model of agricultural intensification stifles farmers' political power and will to control their lands and thus to innovate to benefit from their lands. The paper calls for a socially oriented model of agriculture toward contributing to the African Renaissance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the transformation of agrifood systems in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Context of traditional retail and wholesale system; Determinants of and patterns in the diffusion of supermarkets in the regions; Consequences of the evolution of procurement systems for agrifood business.

AGRA (formerly known as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) was founded in 2006 by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Gates Foundation to initiate agricultural transformation in Africa. Although critics have argued that AGRA’s approach insufficiently addresses the needs of African smallholder farmers, there has been little analysis of the broader politics and networks that shape AGRA, a gap this paper aims to fill. Using a network analysis and key informant interviews, we identify the actors that constitute AGRA’s network, and describe related power constellations. Our paper illustrates that AGRA’s network is dominated by foundations, intergovernmental organisations and corporations, with decision-making located within Global North institutions. We reveal that the alliance displays characteristics of an ideological advocacy network and conclude that it can be considered a neoliberal food regime. We suggest better control mechanisms to hold accountable organisations without a political mandate, and to increase the transparency of their activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a novel dataset on foreign direct investment (FDI), this paper analyzes the correlates of planned FDI in the food and beverages sector in 49 African countries over the period 2003–2017. It applies the random effects model and augments the standard specification of FDI determinants with a set of factors related to the agricultural sector performance, hypothesized to be essential from the perspective of supply chain linkages and access to raw materials. The results indicate that well‐performing and well‐capitalized agricultural sector of the host country is a key factor associated with the choice of investment location by foreign investors, especially those from the Global North. Capital investment in agriculture, as proxied by agricultural gross fixed capital formation and net capital stock, is particularly important. Public investment in agriculture, in the form of government expenditure and official development assistance, is also associated with higher FDI. These factors, however, are not significant in case of the least developed countries where only market potential appears to matter for foreign investors. The results suggest that complementarities may exist between different types of investments and that policy‐makers willing to attract food and beverages FDI should prioritize agricultural sector development. [EconLit Citations: E22, E24, F21, F23, Q00, Q13, Q18]. Practitioner points: Planned FDI in the food and beverages sector in Africa are driven by the potential that a domestic emerging consumer class represents and investors choose large and fast‐growing markets.Well‐performing and well‐capitalized agricultural sector of the host country appears to be a key factor associated with the choice of investment location by foreign investors, especially those from the Global North. Capital investment in agriculture, as proxied by agricultural gross fixed capital formation and net capital stock, is particularly important.The results suggest that complementarities may exist between different types of investments and that policy‐makers willing to attract food and beverages FDI should prioritize agricultural sector development.In the least developed countries in Africa, only the market potential, as reflected by both the market size and its dynamics, is associated with higher FDI, while the evidence is missing for the agricultural sector performance indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been one of long, unpeaceful turmoil. Even before the establishment of the state, there has been continuous fighting for decades, displacing and killing millions of inhabitants across this land in Central Africa. Evidence suggests that none of the peacekeeping efforts could make valuable, long-lasting contributions while generations after generations grew up in a hostile environment. In this paper, based on empirical data gathered through research by local organisations (VETO, VACNET), we examine the wide range of deradicalisation and reintegration practices that try to rehabilitate war-affected people through mainly agricultural activities. We are also assessing the effectiveness of these activities and outline the need for further research. Finally, this paper demonstrates that local organisations may have the best means and chances to deradicalise and reintegrate people successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author expresses her view on how urban agriculture can be a source of hope among people particularly the uneducated and undereducated ones. The author shares that urban agriculture is a brilliant answer to the difficulties in these times of crisis. One of its most relevant elements is its impact in education: it allows people to reimagine it. She cites teachers Jimmy and Grace Boggs' program called Detroit Summer, which aims to engage young people in community-building activities: planting community gardens, recycling waste, organizing neighborhood arts and health festivals, rehabbing houses, and painting public murals. According to Grace, "Encouraging young people to exercise their Soul Power would get their cognitive juices flowing". Learning would come from practice, which has always been the best way to learn. The author believes that when these teachers take the initiative to create community gardens in Detroit, they are not only bringing new life to the city but also reclaiming the art of learning. They are giving their students the opportunity to learn about themselves, about their society, about their communities, about nature, about a different way of being--with lessons impossible within the confines of classrooms. (Contains 5 notes.)

Examines issues related to the nexus of some factors affecting the environment, specifically drought. Suggests that because small farmers are usually at the mercy of unpredictable weather, even simple tips on resource management, when properly packaged, could make tremendous change. (Contains 27 references.) (Author/YDS)

Climate change significantly impacts global agricultural productivity. Therefore, a more dynamic farming system is needed to enable farmers to better adapt to climate change while contributing to efforts to produce enough food to feed the growing world population. In the context of climate change, this study analyzed the empirical scientific literature on the link between climate-smart agriculture and farm productivity. To evaluate the relevant articles, the authors used the search term "climate-smart agriculture amidst climate change to enhance agricultural production (CSA-CCAP)" to find studies published between 2009 and March 2022 using innovative bibliometric techniques. One hundred and sixteen published papers in BibTeX format were downloaded for further analysis. The most successful selected CSA approaches in Africa, such as in the Congo Basin forest, including sustainable land management practices, water-efficient maize hybrids, and others, aim to counteract climate change with signs of 200 percent output gains. The findings showed an annual growth rate of about 19%, demonstrating that research on CSA-CCAP expanded over time during the study period. Nonetheless, the research output on CSA-CCAP varied, with 2021 accounting for 30%, followed by 2020 with 16% as of March 2022. The study concluded that boosting agricultural productivity in the face of climate change may be accomplished through CSA to end hunger, eradicate poverty, and improve people's well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines how developing nations' agrarian economy fared in the 1980s in the wake of the world economic crisis. Discusses how the economic crisis affected agricultural development and whether the performance of the agrarian economy was responsible for the economic crisis. (JOW)

Improvements in crop productivity are required to meet the dietary demands of the rapidly-increasing African population. The development of key staple crop cultivars that are high-yielding and resilient to biotic and abiotic stresses is essential. To contribute to this objective, high-throughput plant phenotyping approaches are important enablers for the African plant science community to measure complex quantitative phenotypes and to establish the genetic basis of agriculturally relevant traits. These advances will facilitate the screening of germplasm for optimum performance and adaptation to low-input agriculture and resource-constrained environments. Increasing the capacity to investigate plant function and structure through non-invasive technologies is an effective strategy to aid plant breeding and additionally may contribute to precision agriculture. However, despite the significant global advances in basic knowledge and sensor technology for plant phenotyping, Africa still lags behind in the development and implementation of these systems due to several practical, financial, geographical and political barriers. Currently, field phenotyping is mostly carried out by manual methods that are prone to error, costly, labor-intensive and may come with adverse economic implications. Therefore, improvements in advanced field phenotyping capabilities and appropriate implementation are key factors for success in modern breeding and agricultural monitoring. In this review, we provide an overview of the current state of field phenotyping and the challenges limiting its implementation in some African countries. We suggest that the lack of appropriate field phenotyping infrastructures is impeding the development of improved crop cultivars and will have a detrimental impact on the agricultural sector and on food security. We highlight the prospects for integrating emerging and advanced low-cost phenotyping technologies into breeding protocols and characterizing crop responses to environmental challenges in field experimentation. Finally, we explore strategies for overcoming the barriers and maximizing the full potential of emerging field phenotyping technologies in African agriculture. This review paper will open new windows and provide new perspectives for breeders and the entire plant science community in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is significant literature on the evolution of political institutions in Africa. Much of the early anthropological literature, such as Evans-Pritchard's anthropological studies of African political systems, made elaborate distinctions between "state" and "stateless" societies. At the same time, the Igbo Nzuko Amala fits into the political rubrics of the so-called stateless societies, including its basic political unit such as the village assembly, where significant decisions concerning the community were made. However, the system had elaborate methods of checks and balances that minimised competition for power and provided its members meaningful access to economic resources. This article explores the institution of Aladinma/Nzuko Amala (Assembly of Umunna/village group) among the Mbaise Igbo to demonstrate an Igbo indigenous political organisation, its evolution, and transformation in the wake of modern political institutions. The paper suggests that developing an agricultural economic system underpinned the political system in ways that ensured that individual members of society, through their families, kin, or clan affiliations, had access to land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land consolidation (LC) is a widespread form of rural planning and is often presented as an important tool for mitigating land degradation. We therefore decided to make a systematic review of the effects of LC projects implemented under different natural and socio-economic conditions. Our results show that there is a major dichotomy in the understanding of LC. Studies from some parts of the world, e.g., Africa and South-east Asia, mostly report on LC projects aimed principally at creating larger fields to facilitate management. Studies from other regions, notably from Europe and China, describe LC as a complex form of planning that includes various types of land management measures. The effects of LC projects on land degradation are strongly linked to the type of project. Within the sample of reviewed studies, the effect of LC projects on land degradation was ambivalent, and projects not including land management measures even tended to contribute to land degradation. Conversely, in studies where LC projects involved specific land management measures, LC had a positive effect on most land degradation types. The results of our study indicate that LC projects can help significantly to mitigate land degradation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, a systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize understanding on farmers' perception on climate change. Farmers' perception of climate change is conceptualized as comprising of three dimensions—first, as farmers' "awareness"; second, "conceptual understanding"; and third, the "experience" of climate change. The review included 162 papers published during the period January 2000 to July 2019. The highest number of studies was conducted in Africa, followed by Asia. A large majority of farmers report being aware of climate change. However, only a few studies elicit the difference between climate variability and climate change from farmers. A negligible number of studies attempt to identify the role of agricultural activities in greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Furthermore, authors compare farmers' perception with meteorological evidence, which is more aligned in terms of change in "temperature" rather than "precipitation." The insights from the review provide guidance on conceptualization and operationalization of the variable "farmers' perception of climate change" for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is thought to play a number of roles in the early development process. All of these roles involve fostering non‐agricultural development, in particular manufacturing. It is argued in this paper that agriculture plays a role that has hitherto been ignored. Specifically, if agricultural labor productivity increases faster than manufacturing labor productivity, the real effective exchange rate will depreciate. This depreciation of real effective exchange rate occurs because in very poor countries agriculture makes up the dominant share of both GDP and employment. The depreciation also makes it easier for a country to expand the production of tradables relative to nontradables, with manufacturing being the main tradable. This proposition, which as agricultural labor productivity increases relative to manufacturing labor productivity the real effective exchange rate depreciates, is tested using data drawn from 10 sub‐Saharan African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the structure and level of international cooperation among African states in the area of agriculture and rural development. It focuses on the African Union (AU) and its eight Regional Economic Communities. The international cooperation schemes between the World Bank, EU, FAO and African countries in agricultural policy are reviewed. The paper concludes that, despite numerous cross-border initiatives, governance of agricultural policies in the pan-African context remains fragmented. Policy-making and cooperation schemes need to be stepped up to address continent-wide challenges in the sector. There is an urgent need for the AU and the EU to intensify their cooperation in agricultural policies and development. The AU in collaboration with its regional bodies should establish a common agricultural policy for the continent. Such initiatives need to be Africa-driven and adapted to African needs. The EU should only provide technical know-how and institutional support if welcomed by African partners. Collective action towards rural areas via greater coordination of African agricultural policies and actions would help to develop the missing institutional framework needed for agricultural development in the continent. Fostering economic growth through agricultural development and reforms may also lead to a reduction of migration as witnessed by the EU in the sixties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to synthesise lessons from research on adaptation to demonstrate that African countries can explore the opportunities and challenges inherent in climate variability and change.Design/methodology/approach The paper is a review work which synthesises lessons from relevant journal articles and other related documents. The literature was retrieved from Google and Google Scholar using search terms such as climate change, climate change and mitigation, climate change and mitigation in Africa, climate change adaptation and mitigation in Africa, climate change vulnerability, climate change impacts, among others. Various combinations of the search terms were also deployed. The journals were subjected to critical review and key lessons synthesised from them and reflections on their future implications in relation to climate risks and vulnerability presented.Findings Key lessons were synthesised and reflections on their future implications in relation to climate risks and vulnerability were presented. The evidence seems to suggest that countries in Africa recognise that it is time for them to take action on the impacts of climate change. The key lessons which emerge, going forward, are that climate change adaptation should be mainstreamed into development plans of nations. All efforts should be geared towards sustaining livelihoods of people. Key stakeholders also have a role to play in adaptation. The paper has indicated that although a lot has happened, there are areas that require strengthening and that should be the focus and priority of change and policy makers for the future.Research limitations/implications The paper is a synthesis and reflection of existing literature and it is possible that some of the dynamics may have changed since the paper was published.Practical implications The dynamics of climate change adaptation is understood. The approaches to adaptation are also explored. Areas worth prioritising in the discourse of adaptation studies have also been indicated.Originality/value The syntheses provided are the reflections of the author. The views of the researcher provide insights and understanding into the current adaptation debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the composition of families in the parish of São José de Encoge, northern Angola, in the early colonial era, using a series of 'family bulletins' collected by the Portuguese colonial government in 1910. Encoge was one of the earliest centres of coffee cultivation in west-central Africa. While not all local families participated in this economy, the census sheds light on family-based cash-crop production after the abolition of slavery in Angola. The literature on post-slavery labour arrangements in Africa almost unanimously suggests that family-extension strategies predominantly aimed to integrate young women and girls into households, using pawnship and guardianship as important methods. The family bulletins from Encoge provide a means to evaluate this assumption on a quantitative basis in an Angolan context. They indicate that, besides natural reproduction and the adoption of second wives, the incorporation of wards, nephews, and nieces was the most common form of household extension, in which elders showed a remarkable preference for male dependants. The bulletins do not provide clear evidence of the presence of enslaved dependants, although some individuals listed as servants were possibly enslaved. Overall, the data suggest that, contrary to common assumptions about agricultural labour in Africa, family-based cultivation and trade of coffee did not discriminate against men or boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of agricultural technologies in developing economy countries has the potential to reduce poverty through sustainable intensification. Mechanized farming can also improve perceptions of farming and mitigate rural out-migration. However, many traditional farmers do not have access to machinery and/or machinery is cost prohibitive. The objective of this paper is to quantify how the use of machinery affects costs, revenue, net-profits, and returns on investment for a case study of farmers in Sudan, Africa. A treatment control study (N = 36) was performed across the 2019 (baseline), 2020, and 2021 farming seasons, where the treatment group was provided tractors. ANOVAs and t-tests were used to compare financial values between these groups across the farming seasons, to quantify economic differences associated with farming machinery. We show that all farmers had similar net-profits when farming without machinery, while mechanized farming yielded significantly higher net-profits (USD 16.61/acre more in 2020, USD 27.10/acre more in 2021). Our study also finds that the volatility of the black-market exchange rate and labor shortages have a significant impact on farming net-profits. These results provide a quantified difference between farming with and without machinery, which can provide a financial basis for purchasing and borrowing models, machinery design requirements, and educational value to farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical analysis indicates that a policy shift occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa that involved the political elite redirecting their attention to agriculture, resulting in policies that reduced the indirect taxation of this sector. It is hypothesized that this has had two effects: a productivity effect that stimulated the expansion of manufacturing and a reallocation effect that reduced manufacturing. It is hypothesized that initially, the productivity effect was stronger than the reallocation effect, and thus manufacturing expanded as a share of GDP. However, as indirect taxes continue to be reduced the reallocation effect comes to offset the productivity effect and the share of manufacturing in GDP begins to fall. A panel data set for a sample of Sub-Saharan African countries is created and analysis of this data indicates that indeed the hypotheses are supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Agri-food value chains are complex systems comprising of a network of interlinked and interdependent actors. To foster collaboration between these actors, trust between actors and in value chains is considered to be key. Despite growing scholarly attention an overview of to what extent and how trust is the role of trust in agri-food value chains is lacking. Employing a systematic review, this paper aims to explore the literature on trust in agri-food value chains to provide a solid knowledge basis for future studies into more specific aspects of trust. For our results, 139 papers were analysed published between 2001 and 2020. Studies were mainly conducted in Africa and Europe focussing on meat and vegetable chains. The results show a growing but dispersed field as studies hold a great conceptual diversity and theory building within the field of agri-food value chains is lacking. Based on our analysis we call for developing a coherent body of knowledge exploring the role of trust in agri-food value chains by: (1) employing a dynamic perspective on trust; (2) focussing on trust in agri-food value chain systems; and (3) focussing on the increasing importance of digitalisation for trust relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compares present agriculture practices to permaculture farming techniques, presents a historical perspective of permaculture and where these techniques are being successfully practiced around the world. Inserts (vignettes) enumerate the principles of permaculture and the background of Bill Mollison who conceptualized this farming practice. (MCO)

This paper analyzes the effects of climate change on African agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) growth and test whether agricultural TFP levels are converging in the region. The study uses cross-country balanced panel data covering 35 countries from 1981 to 2010 and a technological catching-up model based on the Ricardian analysis estimated by Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS) regression. Historical country-wide rainfall and temperature are climate factors included in the model. Education, capital intensity, and arable land equipped with irrigation are other potential confounding variables in the regression. The empirical results show that levels of African agricultural TFP are converging over time, though the rate of convergence appears relatively slow in the region. We also find that rain significantly increases agricultural TFP growth, but temperature does not affect the study's African agricultural TFP growth. Other results show that education, capital intensity, and arable land equipped with irrigation significantly increased agricultural TFP growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seriphium plumosum L. is a taxonomically recalcitrant complex of paper daisies distributed in southern Africa. • The complex has been shown to comprise at least seven independent species. • Stoebe burchellii Levyns, Stoebe virgata Thunb. and Stoebe vulgaris Levyns are reinstated in Seriphium. • Four species new to science are described in Seriphium. • Seriphium vulgaris (Levyns) Z.Shaik is the only species in the S. plumosum complex that is an agricultural weed on millions of hectares of South African rangeland. Seriphium plumosum L. from southern Africa has been shown to comprise at least seven distinct species based on analysis of morphological, environmental, and multilocus DNA sequence data. On that evidence, Stoebe burchellii Levyns, Stoebe virgata Thunb., and Stoebe vulgaris Levyns are reinstated in Seriphium , and four new species are described, viz., Seriphium alto-argillaceum Z.Shaik , Se. burrowsii Z.Shaik , Se. crypticum Z.Shaik , and Se. dunensis Z.Shaik. Four of these species are endemic to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, and one is so far known from a single high-elevation locality. We present a key to species in the Seriphium plumosum complex, and for each species provide a formal description with accompanying images, typification and synonymy, with distribution maps based on verified field-collected and herbarium specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is facing unprecedented challenges from COVID-19, which is disrupting lives and livelihoods. The pandemic could profoundly affect the African continent and wipe out hard-won development gains, as sub-Saharan Africa heads into its first recession in 25 years. Beyond the multispatial impact of the coronavirus in Africa, its effects on the agriculture and food system is of particular interest, as food security could be the most affected area and, at the same time, agriculture could be the sector that could help African economies recover quicker from the impact of COVID-19. This paper supports the view that COVID-19, as devilish as it may be, offers an opportunity to revive interest in the agricultural sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed immense pressures on African countries to raise additional resources, and consequently Africa's growing public debt is again coming back to the centre stage of the global debate. The conversation on African debt sustainability has begun to dominate the scene and will flood the debate in the near term. While the observed, growing calls for debt relief for African countries are legitimate, we support in this paper that one should not divert attention from the long-term solutions needed to strengthen Africa's resilience. These long-term solutions lie where they always have: in agriculture. With COVID-19, shipping agricultural inputs and food products from other continents to Africa has become disrupted and is accelerating the trend towards shortening supply chains. This will leave a potential market for inputs and food produced on the continent. COVID-19, together with the launching of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), have aligned the stars in favour of a decisive transformation of the agriculture sector on the continent. Agriculturalists and development experts need to be aware of their responsibility at this time, as they need to advocate for the topic of agricultural development to return to the centre and the heart of the agenda of discussions on how to respond to the consequences of Covid-19 in Africa. In this sense, and unexpectedly, COVID-19 is an opportunity for the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) has gained prominence in global agriculture and climate agendas for its perceived "triple win" contributions to food productivity, adaptation, and mitigation to climate change. This paper highlights three important challenges for CSA activities in Africa which provide insights into contested debates surrounding CSA's ability to respond holistically to the complex realities facing resource-constrained farmers in the global South. These are (1) prevailing neoliberal market policies that emphasize private-sector driven agricultural development in the face of rising input costs and falling commodity prices; (2) an expansion in diversified livelihood strategies amongst smallholder households as a response to the highly unpredictable biophysical environment and economic climate under which they live; and (3) a growing competition for land and other productive resources. A deeper dive into political economy processes surrounding these three issues aims to bring critical attention to factors relevant to African agricultural development that highly impact farm-level practices and carry important implications for rural livelihood outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]