News Overview

As the global community grapples with a “polycrisis” of climate change, geopolitical instability, and rising food insecurity, the traditional tools of agricultural development are hitting a wall. For decades, the primary strategy of agricultural research for development (AR4D) has been a “hard” mechanistic approach: developing a high-tech solution and attempting to scale it linearly across the globe. However, a groundbreaking new study published in Agricultural Systems suggests that this reductionist mindset is no longer enough to transform our food systems.

MoALD in collaboration with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT under the CGIAR Climate Action Science Program , piloted a national NbS monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework in Kenya's Chyulu Hills to track ecosystem restoration and climate resilience. This was achieved as part of an Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT) project, implemented with the support of UNEP-CCC.

With the global population projected to reach around 8.5 million by 2050, the pressure on land is intensifying. Rising demand for food, energy, and urban space, coupled with global challenges such as food security, climate change, and industrialization, is pushing today’s landscapes to their limits.

The room was already buzzing before the discussions began. Farmers greeted cooperative leaders with familiar handshakes. Exporters set down their notebooks. Representatives from public institutions, civil society groups and development agencies settled into small clusters around square tables. Everyone knew why they were there: to rethink the cocoa value chain in Côte d'Ivoire together, not in theory, but in a way rooted in lived experience.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (3-6 February 2025) -- The Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (ACSAM) wraps up with a shared practical vision for scaling sustainable mechanization on the continent. Climate-smart agriculture also became a constant topic of discussion, as delegates hammered home on the need to close yield gaps by transforming Africa’s agri-food systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. The 3-day conference was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania to build partnerships, address issues, and bolster successful models and future trends for more pronounced, scalable solutions for African farmers.

Militaries play a major role in the politics of many countries. They determine whether elections can occur and who can compete. From Egypt to Pakistan and Myanmar to Uganda, the military is often the most important powerholder.

Tanzania’s agricultural future is being shaped not only in the fields, but in innovation hubs, data labs, and youth-led enterprises across the country. With a median age of just 18 and more than half of its working population engaged in agriculture, Tanzania stands at a rare demographic and economic crossroads.

During two sessions in Morelia and Florencia (Caquetá), suppliers of Lácteos del Hogar were trained in MyGeoFarm and ZDA MRV systems to certify deforestation-free dairy products and safeguard forests