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Aquaculture exhibition 2024: Building youth capacity in Aquaculture is key to the national development – Jacob Adzikah

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Youth are the machinery for national development and In quest of national development, it is critical to develop their capabilities in all the sector of the economy, especially, in aquaculture.

The CEO of the Chamber of Aquaculture, Mr. Jacob Adzikah revealed this during the launch of the 2024 aquaculture exhibition at Accra.

Speaking to the theme “Stakeholders collaborations: A key to building a resilient Aquaculture industry,” the CEO of the Chamber stated that the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana has the youth at heart and has established the start-up arena, where all young men and women will be assembled to showcase their potentials in the aquaculture sector.

This according to him, would aid in shaping and guiding the potentials embed in the youth. The industry need the young individuals to thrive it in the expense of the aged and such exhibition relevant to converge the youth under one umbrella for capacity building to the nation building.

Talking about the exhibition, he mentioned that the Aquaculture exhibition is scheduled to take place from May 30 to May 31 this year at the World Trade Center in Accra.

He indicated that the goal is to provide a forum for aquaculture practitioners to build the capability of the youth, network, showcase, and educate stakeholders on modern trends to promote aquaculture sector.

He assured that aquaculture 2024 will be impactful and engaging, featuring all stakeholders not limited to fish farmers, rather in academia, feed producers, researchers, food vendors, media, financial and insurance institutions.

He again said that such events help the chamber appreciate personalities and institutions doing well in the aquaculture sector.

The CEO also indicated that the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana will present eighteen awards to individuals and organizations that have worked tirelessly to ensure the industry grows, despite all the hurdles confronting the industry, including the recent dam spillage that caused many people to lose their jobs.

He also said that there is less collaboration among stakeholders within the aquaculture sector and that this year’s event will bridge that gap.

Adding his voice to the launch was the Director of Research at MoFAD, Mr. Ishmael Nii Adjei Browne, who indicated that the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development acknowledges the role of sustainable aquaculture in alleviating pressure on wild fish stocks.

He further said that aquaculture is the vehicle to bridge the gap between escalating fish demand and the nation’s natural resources.

He urged financial institutions to invest in aquaculture, stating that it will be successful. He again said that there should be a partnership with international organizations and government which will help the aquaculture sector thrive.

 Also echoing what was being said was the CEO of Aquatic Foods, Mrs. Mabel Quarshie, who also asserted that Aquaculture Ghana includes everyone affected by a decision, as she classified Ghana’s aquaculture as having different groups involved in the value chain.

She indicated that they do their things without the involvement of others within the value chain, which is impeding the progress of the chamber.

She therefore questioned the Ministry of Food and Agriculture as to the reasons why aquaculture wasn’t featured in the planting for foods and jobs phase two. “Where is the rearing for foods and jobs?” she questioned.

Mrs. Mabel Quarshie mentioned that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and policymakers did not consider the aquaculture sector when thinking through the prospects of phase two of the planting for foods and jobs and urged them to consider aquaculture.

 The launch of Aquaculture Ghana 2024 event featured distinguished speakers like Hon. Moses Anim, MP, Former Deputy Minister at MoFAD, Mr. Wisdom Abodakpi, CEO of Cycle Farms, Mr. Jacob Adzikah, CEO of the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana, Mr. Ishmael Nii Adjei Browne, Director of Research at MoFAD, Mr. Naga Murali, CEO of Fish and Feed Limited, Mrs. Mabel Quarshie, CEO of Aquatic Foods, Dr. Cudjoe Kofitsyo, Mr. Fred Kwasi Antwi-Boadu, Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission, and Professor Francis Nunoo, Chairman of the Board of Fisheries Commission.

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Cocoa beans are in short supply: What this means for farmers, businesses and chocolate lovers.

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A shortage of cocoa beans has led to a near shutdown of processing plants in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, the two countries responsible for 60% of global production.

With chocolate makers around the world reliant on West Africa for cocoa, there is significant concern about the impact on the prices of chocolate and the livelihood of farmers.

Cocoa researcher Michael Odijie explains the reasons for the shortage.

Why has cocoa production declined sharply in West Africa?

Three factors are at play: environmental, economic cycle-related and human.

One environmental factor is the impact of the El Niño weather phenomenon, which has caused drier weather in West Africa. It has contributed to problems on farms, such as the swollen shoot virus disease. As a result, Ghana has lost harvests from nearly 500 000 hectares of land in recent years.

The economic cycle of cocoa production refers to the inherent patterns of expansion and contraction in cocoa farming. For example, as cocoa trees age, they become susceptible to diseases, requiring high maintenance costs. Historically, farmers have tended to abandon old farms and start anew in fresh forests. Unfortunately, finding new forests is now increasingly difficult.

The human factor includes challenges such as illegal mining, which has overtaken numerous farms in Ghana. Sometimes, farmers lease their land to illegal miners in exchange for payment. These mining activities degrade the quality of the land, making it unsuitable for cocoa cultivation.

The global market for chocolate and chocolate products is on the rise. It is projected to grow faster than 4% annually over the next few years. This growing demand for cocoa underscores the urgency of addressing the intertwined issues that relate to the industry’s sustainability.

Have West African governments intervened to help cocoa farmers?

In February 2024, the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), the country’s cocoa sector regulator, secured a World Bank loan of US$200 million to rehabilitate plantations affected by the cocoa swollen shoot virus. The board will take over the disease-ridden farms, remove and replace the afflicted cocoa trees, and nurture the new plantings to the fruiting stage before returning them to the farmers.

This practice of Cocobod taking out loans to assist farmers is a longstanding one in Ghana. For instance, in 2018, Cocobod used part of a $600 million loan from the African Development Bank to rehabilitate ageing plantations and those hit by diseases. And at the start of the current harvest season in October, the producer price was raised: farmers are paid more, a move made inevitable by the surge in global prices. Also, Ghana Cocobod has established a task force to shield cocoa farms from the harmful impacts of mining. It has cooperated with police to stem cocoa smuggling to neighbouring countries, particularly those offering a stronger currency.

In Côte d’Ivoire, relatively little action has been taken. It appears the government is still assessing the situation. But there have been measures to curb cocoa smuggling, prompted by the fact that the shortage is driving up prices in neighbouring countries. Côte d’Ivoire does benefit from numerous sustainability programmes initiated by multinational corporations. The current shortage has accelerated these initiatives. Regrettably, some of the programmes do not disclose their data, making it difficult for academics to access and analyse their information.

African governments have yet to address significant structural issues in their interventions.

How have cocoa farmers and cocoa-producing countries’ economies been affected?

At the farm level, although the rise in prices may initially appear beneficial to farmers, the reality is not straightforward. A decrease in output leads to fewer harvests on average, which means that, overall, farmers are not earning more. This issue is compounded by recent economic challenges in West Africa, such as high inflation and currency devaluation, particularly in Ghana. These factors have resulted in farmers becoming poorer.

Another impact of the output decline is a reduction in local processing. Major African processing facilities in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana have either ceased operations or reduced their processing capacity because they cannot afford to purchase beans. This likely means that chocolate prices worldwide will surge. This, in turn, adversely affects the local production units that have been emerging in recent years.

However, the bargaining power of West African cocoa-producing countries seems to have increased. Now is an opportune moment for these nations to unite and negotiate more favourable terms for their cocoa farmers.

Will chocolate makers eventually turn to cocoa alternatives?

It’s inevitable because continuing to cultivate cocoa under current conditions is unsustainable. I don’t perceive this negatively; I hope it occurs sooner rather than later. In fact, it is already underway with the rise of cocoa butter equivalents, cocoa extenders and artificial flavours (synthetic or nature-identical flavours that mimic the taste of chocolate without the need for cocoa).

The German company Planet A Foods is a leader in this area. It produces cocoa-free chocolate, using technology to transform ingredients such as oats and sunflower seeds into substitutes for cocoa mass and butter.

Overall, this is beneficial for everyone. The demand for cocoa has resulted in mass deforestation and significant carbon emissions, issues that are likely to worsen due to climate change. Moreover, the push for cultivation has led to various forms of labour abuses. Exploring cocoa alternatives is certainly part of the solution.

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AGRITECH WEST AFRICA 2024: Government call for inclusive participation of Agritech exhibition to thrive the sector.

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The Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in charge of crops, Hon. Yaw Frimpong Addo, has urged farmers, stakeholders and the general public to inclusively participate in the ongoing Agritech exhibition at Accra International Conference Centre, Accra.

He made this statement at the opening ceremony of a three-day exhibition organized by AgriTech West Africa, in collaboration with FoodPack Tech-Ghana and Food and Beverage Ghana-West Africa.

He asserted that the exhibition is a clear indication of the ministry’s effort to improve the sector by helping achieving government policies.

According to him, the exhibition covers the entire value chain; from production process to the value addition. “It is very insightful to observe such function that encompasses whatever is need in the production process. I am very happy to be here and I want to urge the farmers and the value chain actors to patronise this event”, he added.

Exhibitions like this create linkages between farmers, manufacturers, and everyone involved in the agricultural industry.

He mentioned that the exhibition is critical that thrives the Planting for Food and Jobs phase II policy.

He urged farmers who have not registered for phase two of Planting for Food and Jobs to do so, as it will benefit them in the coming years.

He indicated that Planting for Food and Jobs phase two will last for five years, and those who woll register will enjoy benefits for the entire duration. Planting for Food and Jobs is a comprehensive package for all and will ensure food security in the country.

 He highlighted the project’s transition from input subsidy to input credit, as it would involve a whole chain of events. Once a farmer registers their farming with the Planting for Food and Jobs phase two, it will appear on their Agribusiness platform, and the farmer will be linked to an Aggregator.

The Aggregator will ensure that whether the farmer needs land development services or any other requirements, everything necessary for the farmer to work will be provided, as the Aggregator serves as an intermediary between the farmers and the ministry.

He revealed this will reduce complaints from farmers who often claim they lack the needed materials to be productive. He further mentioned that the ministry has consulted with chiefs, who are willing to provide land to anyone interested in engaging in agriculture. He indicated that the ministry is addressing post-harvest losses by providing a ready market for farmers to sell their products.

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COCOBOD must support young Ghanaians pursing cocoa farming – SEND GHANA

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The declining labour force is a serious threat to Ghana’s cocoa industry, which was once the pride and foundation of the country’s economy.


The youth no longer find cocoa growing as appealing, despite its historical significance.

There are several intricate challenges that need to be addressed immediately.


Results of SEND Ghana’s research on gender responsiveness Ghana has illuminated this matter, exposing a depressing lack of enthusiasm for cocoa growing among the younger generation.


An important hurdle that keeps young farmers from entering this important sector of the economy is the use of traditional farming methods, which are ingrained in generational norms as well as inadequate inputs.


The Senior Programme Manager for SEND Ghana, Harriet Nuamah Agyemang highlights how urgently the cocoa business needs to innovate and modernise in order to give young farmers access to modern farming methods and technologies.


He added that “Farming itself is not attractive to young people these days because we are still using our local implements. Farming is still rudimentary for most people and people don’t want to exert so much energy these days into farming.”


Mrs Agyemang further explained that “Young people think that whatever is due them should be paid and then they would go and procure their inputs for their farms, rather than being given inputs that are inadequate but at the end of the day, the cost of those inputs are being deducted from the money they are given for their beans.”


Amidst these urgent worries, groups such as SEND Ghana are raising the alarm and pressuring decision-makers and business stakeholders to tackle the fundamental problems confronting the cocoa industry.

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Banana prices to go up as temperatures rise, says expert.

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Bananas are set to get more expensive as climate change hits a much-loved fruit, one of the world’s top experts from the industry tells BBC News.

Pascal Liu, senior economist at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, says climate impacts pose an “enormous threat” to supply, compounding the impacts of fast-spreading diseases.

The World Banana Forum meets in Rome on Tuesday to discuss the challenges.

Some UK shops recently experienced banana shortages due to sea storms.

In its natural yellow wrapper, the nutritious and tasty banana is the world’s most exported fruit.

The UK alone imports around 5 billion bananas ever year, with around 90% sold through the major supermarkets.

Last week saw shortages of bananas in several UK supermarkets, which retailers said were down to storms at sea, delaying supplies.

Most consumers won’t have noticed, according to Prof Dan Bebber from the University of Exeter, who has studied efforts to make bananas more sustainable.

“The supply chain fluctuates but the UK is actually quite good at buffering those types of effects,” he told BBC News.

“Mainly, because the ripening centres can accelerate or decelerate the rate at which they ripen the bananas when they arrive, which helps to buffer those types of fluctuations.”

But while banana supplies can cope with short-term weather events like this, experts are concerned about the growing threats from a warming world, and from the diseases that are spreading in its wake.

“I think climate change is really an enormous threat to the banana sector,” said Mr Liu of the World Banana Forum, a UN umbrella group that brings together industry stakeholders including retailers, producer countries, exporters and research institutions.

As well as severe weather impacting production, bananas are sensitive to temperature rises which could wipe out crops in some locations.

Perhaps the biggest immediate threat is the fact that rising temperatures are helping to spread disease.

The one causing the most worry is Fusarium Wilt TR4, a fungal infection, which has moved from Australia and Asia to Africa and now to South America.

Once a plantation is infected, it kills all the banana trees and experts say it is extremely hard to get rid of.

The fungus has also mutated to threaten the Cavendish, the world’s favourite banana variety.

“We know that the spores of this Fusarium Wilt are extremely resistant, and they can be spread by flooding, they can be spread by strong winds,” said Mr Liu.

“So, this type of phenomenon will disseminate the disease much faster than if you had more normal weather patterns.”

Producers are also facing pressures from rising costs of fertilisers, energy and transport as well as problems in finding enough workers.

Taken together with the impacts of climate change on supply, prices in the UK and elsewhere are likely to go up – and stay up.

“There will be some price increases, indeed,” said Mr Liu. “If there’s not a major increase in supply, I project that banana prices will remain relatively high in the coming years.”

Among the issues that the banana industry will discuss at its gathering in Rome is the critical question of sustainability.

Consumers are increasingly looking to buy bananas and other commodities that are produced in a sustainable way.

For banana growers this means not only making their means of production greener, but also paying independent examiners to certify that their fruit are sustainable.

“These regulations are a good thing in a way because they help producers seize the opportunity of making their production systems more sustainable,” said Mr Liu.

“But of course, they also come with costs for producers because they require more control and monitoring systems on the part of the producers and the traders. And these costs have to trickle down to the final consumers.”

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AGRA Recruitment (March 2024) : 6 Open Jobs/Online application

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The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is an organization aimed at improving the food security and income of smallholder farmers in Africa. AGRA was founded in 2006 through a partnership between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, with the objective of promoting agricultural transformation in Africa. The organization focuses on enhancing agricultural productivity, strengthening farmers’ resilience, and improving the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across the continent.

Finding Open Jobs at AGRA

AGRA offers a wide range of job opportunities for professionals who are passionate about making a difference in African agriculture. The organization’s diverse workforce includes individuals with expertise in various fields, including agriculture, research, policy, finance, monitoring and evaluation, communications, and administration. By working with AGRA, professionals can contribute to the organization’s mission to catalyze a green revolution in Africa and improve the lives of smallholder farmers.

To find open jobs at AGRA, Interested Candidates can Visit their official career website ( 6 Positions available). Job seekers can search for available positions based on their skills, experience, and desired location.

Application process

To apply for a job at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), you will typically need to follow a structured process. Here is a general overview of the steps involved in applying for a job at AGRA:

  1. Visit the AGRA Website: Start by visiting the official AGRA career website to explore the current job openings and opportunities available.
  2. Review Job Openings: Look through the list of job openings on the AGRA website to find positions that match your skills, qualifications, and interests.
  3. Prepare Your Application Materials: Once you have identified a job opening that you are interested in, prepare your application materials, which typically include a resume or CV and a cover letter.
  4. Submit Your Application Online:  AGRA requires applicants to submit their applications online through the email ( recruit@agra.org). Follow the instructions provided on the job posting to submit your application.
  5. Wait for a Response: After submitting your application, wait for a response from AGRA regarding the status of your application. This may take some time, so be patient during this process.
  6. Interview Process: If your application is shortlisted, you may be contacted for an interview. Be prepared to discuss your qualifications, experience, and interest in working at AGRA during the interview.
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The registration of PFJ II begins today – Bryan Acheampong.

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ZThe Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) will on Tuesday, March 12 launch a nationwide registration of farmers as part of the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme (PFJ Phase 2).


The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Bryan Acheampong, in a press conference on Monday, March 11, 2024, encouraged farmers nationwide to participate in the upcoming registration process.


He highlighted that farmers should vehemently take part in the registration process as it will aid them in future endeavours. He made farmers aware that the registration of PFJ will span across all 16 regions and 261 districts in Ghana, with the process commencing today.


He urged all Ghanaians, particularly, farmers, and agricultural product producers to reach out to their local agricultural district offices, extension offices, or agents in any of the 261 districts to register for the PFJ2 programme.


“The farmer registration for PFJ will be conducted across the 16 regions and 261 districts in Ghana. To facilitate the process, a mobile and web application platform which is a Ghana agriculture and agribusiness platform, GAP .com has been developed.” The Minister indicated.


Furthermore, agricultural extension agents and technical officers have been trained on how to use the platform and equipped with tablets and necessary data to capture farmer information for the Planting for Food and Jobs Phase II programme.


Dr. Acheampong stressed that the PFJ programme is a well-thought-out initiative aimed at building on the successes of the initial programme while addressing any shortcomings encountered.


“Additionally, agricultural extension agents and other technical officers have been trained on how to use a platform and provided with the necessary tablets and data to capture every farmer that we are going to on board for the Planting for Food and Job Phase II program.”


The PFJ Phase 2, which was initiated in August last year, aims to provide an input-credit guarantee system for farmers to address the challenges faced during the first phase of the programme.

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Advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies in Africa

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The World Bank Board of Directors today approved an additional $40 million in IDA grants to the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR** Climate Research for Africa project (AICCRA), a significant step towards advancing climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies and addressing critical gaps in climate resilience and food security in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, and Zambia.

The new financing, allocated to CGIAR centers through the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), will facilitate the validation and dissemination of CSA technologies and methods in the beneficiary countries, which represent various agro-ecological zones vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. With this operation, farmers and livestock keepers will be equipped to predict and prepare for climate-related events more effectively, along with improved access to climate advisories directly connected to actionable response measures. This will enable communities to protect their livelihoods and the environment more successfully.

“We are committed to working closely with our partners to ensure that farmers and other stakeholders benefit from innovative solutions to address the challenges posed by climate change,” said Chakib Jenane, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable Development. “Investing in climate-smart agriculture is essential for enhancing food security and economic development in a sustainable manner.”

The AICCRA project aims to strengthen the capacity of governments, regional organizations, farmers, and other relevant stakeholders and enhance access to—and use of—climate information services and validated climate-smart agriculture technologies in Africa. The additional operation will finance the scaling-up of key activities in the six beneficiary countries, including knowledge generation and sharing, strengthening partnerships for delivery, and validating CSA innovations through piloting. Most importantly, it will support the establishment of a Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health in West Africa, aimed at improving long-term soil health and climate resilience in the sub-region.

In addition to the World Bank’s commitment, other partners are stepping forward to support the AICCRA project. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation intends to commit $18.8 million in parallel financing to catalyze AICCRA’s impact. Furthermore, the Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP) will provide $5 million to support the new hub for soil fertility.

“These collaborative efforts reflect a shared commitment to addressing the challenges posed by climate change and soil degradation in Africa,” said Boutheina Guermazi, World Bank Director of Regional Integration for Africa and the Middle East. “The effects of climate change on the food security situation in Africa calls for regional solutions and strong partnerships to achieve sustainable impacts and reduce poverty on a livable planet.”

The International Development Association (IDA) is the World Bank’s fund for the poorest. Established in 1960, it provides grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. IDA resources help effect positive change in the lives of the 1.6 billion people living in the countries that are eligible for its assistance. Since its inception, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments are constantly on the rise and have averaged $21 billion over the past three years, with about 61% going to Africa.

**CGIAR (formerly the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) is a global partnership that unites international organizations engaged in research aimed to reduce rural poverty, increase food security, improve human health and nutrition, and sustainable management of natural resources.

Contacts:

In Washington: Caitlin Berczik, cberczik@worldbank.org

In Accra: Kennedy Fosu, kfosu@worldbank.org

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FAO Free Gender Courses: Empowering Women in Agriculture and Rural Development.

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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has taken significant steps to promote gender equality and empower women in agriculture through its free gender courses.

The FAO Policy on Gender Equality 2020–2030 underscores the critical role of gender equality in achieving FAO’s mission of a world free from hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. 

This policy provides a comprehensive framework to address persisting inequalities between men and women in agriculture and rural development, aiming to build sustainable food systems and resilient societies.

Importance of Gender Equality in Agriculture

FAO recognizes that gender disparities hinder progress in agriculture and rural development. By eliminating these inequalities, FAO aims to create inclusive food systems that benefit both men and women. The organization emphasizes the importance of a gender-responsive organizational environment and sets minimum standards for gender mainstreaming across all functions.

FAO’s Approach to Gender Equality

FAO adopts gender-transformative approaches to advance gender equality and empower women in rural communities. These approaches challenge discriminatory norms, attitudes, behaviors, and social structures to promote equal opportunities for men and women. FAO supports governments in creating an enabling environment for both genders by advocating for gender integration, enhancing capacities, and collecting sex-disaggregated data.

Closing the Gender Gap in Agriculture

Gender inequalities in food and agriculture have significant economic implications, costing the world approximately $1 trillion. FAO highlights the need to address disparities such as limited access to resources, higher unpaid care burdens for women, and wage gaps in the agricultural sector. By empowering women and closing these gaps, FAO believes that global productivity could increase significantly, contributing to poverty reduction and food security.

FAO’s commitment to promoting gender equality through free gender courses reflects its dedication to empowering women in agriculture and rural development. By addressing gender disparities and fostering inclusivity, FAO aims to create a more equitable and sustainable future for all individuals involved in food production and rural livelihoods.

VISIT THE PAGE HERE AND APPLY

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Why Europe is creating an agricultural sinkhole for Africa

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AS farmers protest across Europe, blockading cities, smashing through police barricades, and dumping manure, European politicians are falling over themselves to promise increased trade barriers against African food and agriculture imports.

But how is it that locking out Zambian cott, South African oranges, and Kenyan horticulture has become such a burning issue for Africa’s biggest agricultural trading partner?

The answer lies in pest control. 

For when the European Union launched its Green Deal climate action plan in 2019, with the noble aim of reducing the emissions driving climate change, it threw in an extra green target of phasing out the use of pesticides.

It seemed a sweet political move for the European Commission at the time, following countless distorted campaigns from environmentalists exploiting the membership and revenue power of claiming food and drink contamination and environmental catastrophe. 

Facts weren’t a necessity in this: the point was scary headlines. Just one example, now impacting most of Africa, were claims that one of the world’s newest and cleanest insecticides was wiping out bees, essential to the pollination of human food. It made a powerful narrative, creating images of a future world devoid of pollinated fruits. 

It just didn’t happen to be true. The pesticides don’t affect bees and the bee population is rising rapidly everywhere, including in nations still using the targeted pest controls. But the bee campaign, and many others claiming far-fetched health and environmental risks, had, by then, driven public opinion and pseudo science into a frenzy of opposition to pesticides

The timing couldn’t have been worse, as climate change began inexorably increasing the range and volume of plant pests and diseases.

Thus, as Europe rolled out ever more bans of pesticides deemed low risk elsewhere, its agricultural production began stagnating and declining. It gave farmers rounds of compensation, rising to now half their income. But, as the pest losses mounted, European producers began protesting against ‘unfair’ competition from imports still allowed to use pest protection, very often from Africa.

This saw Europe turn to the mission of enforcing its extra pesticide ‘precautions’ in Africa too. It began by moving most of the Maximum Residue Levels for these risk-approved pesticides to a technical zero. This triggered a World Trade Organisation dispute that is still running, driven by the US and India, but including multiple African nations, decrying the effective pesticide bans as trade barriers.

The EU then additionally introduced new lists of quarantine pests, most of which required the banned pesticides to control.

African agricultural exporters were caught in an effective pincer movement, locked out by pests they could no longer control. 

In West Africa, the impact on the cocoa sector, which alone accounts for over a third of all African agricultural exports to the EU, has been so severe, cocoa prices have now soared. Coffee has also been hurt, while, in Southern Africa, the fruit and nut industries, which account for another 14 percent of Africa’s total agricultural exports to the EU, are hanging on a thread. Last year, Europe demanded South Africa chill all oranges for export at below 2 degrees Celsius for 20 days before shipping instead of using pest protection, triggering industry warnings of a 20 percent fall in exports and thousands of job losses.

But, in Kenya, efforts to maintain flower, fruit and vegetable exports to the EU have triggered even greater extremes, with the local banning of pesticides targeted by Europe drawing warnings from the CEO of the Kenya Fresh Produce Consortium of a $1bn food production loss per year. More recent estimates show the country will move into a food crisis from 2025 as a result.

For Africans cannot survive if maize is left for the Fall ArmyWorm that destroys up to 70 percent of crops, or cocoa is given up to mirids that also damage over 70 percent, wheat to complete destruction from leaf rust, and coffee to coffee berry borer.

African governments are juggling between limiting their export collapse – to maintain import funds without which all development slows – and ensuring food production and food security at home.

It is a dire trade-off – being driven by a policy so divisive in Europe that the European Parliament, last October, voted against a new bill to further halve its own pesticide use, while EU President Ursula von der Leyen has said pesticide withdrawals have now become “a symbol of polarisation” for the EU. 

In Africa, they are creating poverty, hunger and reversed development, and now the solution to Europe’s newest political protests over them is to hit Africa harder still.

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