FAC blog
Opinions and comments from Future Agricultures researchers on agricultural politics, science and society in Africa
Latest articles
End of the road? The future of smallholder farmers in Malawi
August 16, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This paper reflects on the findings of APRA Working Paper 56 and APRA Working Paper 58 to understand the reality of smallholder farming in Malawi, and what the future can be expected to hold for individuals involved in this sector.
Unmasking the socio-economic potential of rice in Burundi: Outcomes of the East Africa Rice Conference 2021
August 12, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog As part of the 2021 East African Rice Conference (EARC), national workshops were held in six African countries: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. EARC aimed to identify policy reforms to transform Africa’s rice sector through scientific innovations, and
COVID-19 spreads to rural Zimbabwe
August 9, 2021 / FAC blog The third COVID-19 wave has firmly arrived in Zimbabwe’s rural areas. This is no longer the ‘rich person’s disease’ of those based in town. The number of cases and sadly deaths has surged across our rural study areas in the
Positioning Tanzania in the regional market for rice: Lessons from the East Africa Rice Conference
August 5, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog As part of the 2021 East African Rice Conference (EARC), national workshops were held in six African countries: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. EARC aimed to identify policy reforms to transform Africa’s rice sector through scientific innovations, and
Environmental impacts of commercial rice production in Kilombero Valley, Tanzania
August 2, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog In Kilombero Valley, Tanzania, rice is increasingly becoming a commercial crop. However, although research findings show that commercial rice production is beneficial, it is also associated with increasing use of modern implements, such as tractors, and use of agrochemicals, such
Land reform in England?
July 29, 2021 / FAC blog Illustration by Nick Hayes for Landscapes of Freedom This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland Access to land is not only a concern in places like Zimbabwe. In England, less than 1% of the population own half the land
The political economy of the maize value chain in Nigeria
July 22, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog explores the findings of APRA Working Paper 60, investigating the political economy of the maize value chain in Nigeria. This study focused on how the political economy dynamics can contribute to understanding the drivers and constraints of agricultural
Rice set to improve Uganda’s food and nutrition security
July 19, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog Written by: Mr. Paul Lubega, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Uganda As part of the 2021 East African Rice Conference (EARC), national workshops were held in six African countries: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. EARC aimed to identify policy
Covid-19 and food security: What is the way forward?
July 15, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog Covid-19 is having a major impact on livelihoods and food security across the globe, with women and those who work in informal economies often the hardest hit. This is the focus of our latest Research for Policy and Practice Report
Zimbabwe faces a COVID-19 surge: what is happening in the rural areas?
July 12, 2021 / FAC blog Vaccination drive at Hippo Valley sugar estate This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland The increase in COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe has been significant in the weeks since our last blog. This has been matched by an increase in
Roadmap for Rwanda’s rice sector development
July 8, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog As part of the 2021 East African Rice Conference (EARC), national workshops were held in six African countries: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. EARC aimed to identify policy reforms to transform Africa’s rice sector through scientific innovations, and
Inclusive and sustainable rice system to transform Kenya’s food system: Lessons from the East African Conference
July 6, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog As part of the 2021 East African Rice Conference (EARC), national workshops were held in six African countries: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. EARC aimed to identify policy reforms to transform Africa’s rice sector through scientific innovations, and
How is ‘China’ helping to transform ‘Africa’? The need for a more sophisticated debate
July 1, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland How is China helping to transform African economies? There are many different narratives cast around in public and policy debate: China as the new imperial power, China as the radical developmentalist,
Social issues impacting household food security in the epoch of COVID-19
June 28, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog Written by: Loveness Msofi Mgalamadzi The COVID-19 pandemic has affected lives and livelihoods around the world, and Malawi is no exception. This blog explores the social and food security issues arising from the implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures at household
Gender transformative change critical for nurturing an equitable rice sector in Africa
June 24, 2021 / FAC blog In this blog, originally published for the CGIAR Gender Platform, gender experts present evidence and policy lessons on gender and youth integration in rice-based agri-food systems from Africa.
Gender and social differentiation in the context of agricultural commercialisation in Malawi
June 21, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog summarises the findings of APRA Working Paper 58, observing agricultural commercialisation in Malawi and how it differs among various gender and social groups. This study found that female-headed and poorer households are at a disadvantage compared to their
COVID-19 and economic transformation in rural Zimbabwe
June 14, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 situation looks uncertain, with localised outbreaks and a rise in infections south of the Limpopo in South Africa. On June 11 there were 191 new cases (including 82 that
Key messages and required actions for Ethiopian rice sector development: Outcomes of a national rice conference
June 10, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog As part of the 2021 East African Rice Conference (EARC), national workshops were held in six African countries: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. EARC aimed to identify policy reforms to transform Africa’s rice sector through scientific innovations, and
How land reform transformed small towns in Zimbabwe
June 7, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland Our recent paper – small towns and land reform in Zimbabwe – out in the European Journal of Development Research (open access) – explores some of the themes discussed last time for the Zimbabwe setting.
From field research to policy influencing – what have we learned?
June 3, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) has led consortia of UK and African organisations in two large programmes of policy research on the future of agriculture in Africa and inclusive commercialisation since 2005. This blog explores what we have learned
Small towns and agricultural development in Africa
May 26, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland The most recent Africa Agriculture Status Report from AGRA, ‘Feeding Africa’s Cities: Opportunities, Challenges, and Policies for Linking African Farmers with Growing Urban Food Markets’ and led by MSU’s Steve Haggblade, makes
Disseminating science amid COVID-19 restrictions: lessons from Ghana
May 24, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog The findings of a recent APRA Ghana research project were shared with a range of stakeholders at a dissemination event on Wednesday, 17 March 2021 in Takoradi, Ghana. This workshop included a discussion of the team’s research and the implications
Rural livelihoods in the pandemic: notes from Zimbabwe
May 20, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland Half a million people have now been vaccinated in Zimbabwe, but this is still only 3.5% of the population. The Chinese Sinopharm vaccine has now been fully approved by the WHO
At the mercy of politics? The groundnut value chain in Malawi
May 17, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog highlights the findings of APRA Working Paper 56, observing the groundnut value chain in Malawi in both historical and contemporary perspectives through qualitative tools of inquiry. This study found that this value chain has experienced notable recovery in
Political economy of agricultural input subsidies in Tanzania: Who benefitted from the National Input Voucher Scheme?
May 13, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog explores the programmes implemented in Tanzania to promote rice commercialisation since the country’s independence in 1961, as found in the course of a recent APRA study for Working Paper 57, as well as their impact on different socio-economic
Beyond the silver bullet solution: towards a ‘systems agronomy’ perspective
May 10, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland The previous two blogs (here and here) have discussed the Pfumvudza conservation agriculture programme that has become a high-profile, politicised intervention during the last season. In a very wet year, the results have
APRA Ghana presents research findings in a dissemination workshop
May 6, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog Key findings emerging from APRA’s research in Ghana were presented to representatives of oil palm farmers and oil palm processing companies, agricultural extension officers, district and regional directors of agriculture, and the media at a workshop on 17 March 2021
Conservation agriculture: latest experiences from Zimbabwe
May 4, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland In the last blog, I introduced the Pfumvudza programme in Zimbabwe, a version of conservation agriculture that has been heavily promoted across the country during the last season. In this blog, I look
Political economy of rice commercialisation in Tanzania: Socioeconomic impact of trade policies, strategies and programmes
April 29, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog summarises the findings of APRA Working Paper 57, as the authors discuss the policies, strategies and programmes implemented since Tanzania’s independence in 1961 to promote rice commercialisation and reduce poverty and food insecurity among smallholder rice farmers, and
The political economy of cocoa value chain in Ghana
April 26, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog presents the findings of APRA Working Paper 53, which adopted the political settlement framework to analyse the political economy dynamics of Ghana’s cocoa value chain. Researchers Joseph Kofi Teye and Ebenezer Nikoi discuss these findings, which indicate that
Can the Pfumvudza conservation agriculture programme deliver food security in Zimbabwe?
April 22, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland. It looks like it’s going to be a good harvest this year in Zimbabwe. Early crop assessments suggest that there will be a bumper crop of maize, perhaps the highest since the
COVID-19 and the disappearing tobacco in Zimbabwe: Makoronyera and the new value chains
April 20, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog In this blog summarising APRA Working Paper 55, Toendepi Shonhe discusses the growing prevalence of informal tobacco aggregators, their impact on farmers’ wealth accumulation potential and the changes in this value chain since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shonhe
FAO recognises farmer-led irrigation as a major contributor to agricultural development
April 15, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland. Buried deep in a long report on water and agriculture by FAO – the flagship state of food and agriculture report of 2020 – there is a really important section, signalling a big
The Policy Context of the Oil Palm Sector’s Underperformance in Ghana
April 12, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog In this blog summarising his research in the newly published APRA Working Paper 54, APRA researcher Kofi Takyi Asante highlights both the historical importance and the future potential of the oil palm industry in Ghana. He outlines the findings from
Land, Investment & Politics
March 29, 2021 / FAC blog In this blog, Jeremy Lind discusses his new book, Land, Investment and Politics: Reconfiguring Eastern Africa’s Pastoral Drylands. This book explores the consequences of the investment spike which began over a decade ago in the pastoral drylands of Eastern Africa.
Frontier politics in Zimbabwe: the Chilonga case
March 28, 2021 / FAC blog This post was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland. Chilonga, a small settlement in a dry communal area in Chiredzi district, has been all over the news in Zimbabwe over the past few weeks. A huge controversy over a major new land
Agricultural livelihood paths and their determinants: the role of smallholder farmer commercialisation in central Malawi
March 25, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog In this blog summarising APRA Working Paper 50, the APRA researcher Mirriam Matita explores the results of a recent study into the role of smallholder agricultural commercialisation in livelihood trajectories in central Malawi, and examines the longer-term policy implications of
Challenges to commercialisation of the rice and cocoa value chains in Nigeria
March 22, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog In this blog summarising his research in the newly published in APRA Working Paper 52, APRA researcher Emmanuel Remi Aiyede highlights the challenges facing the rice and cocoa sector in Nigeria. He outlines the findings from the paper, how COVID-19
Sunflower commercialisation in Tanzania: Everybody benefits but with social difference
March 18, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog In this blog, based on research shown in the newly published APRA Working Paper 49, the authors explore the social impacts of sunflower commercialisation in Tanzania. They highlight the key findings from their research, and outline changing livelihoods are affecting
The political economy of rice value chain in Ethiopia: actors, performance, and discourses
March 15, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog summarises APRA Working Paper 51, which shows the importance of rice in Ethiopia since its introduction the 1970s covering trends in terms of actors engaged, domestic consumption and policy attention. The authors identify the key challenges that have
Vaccine politics in Zimbabwe
March 15, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland. If you didn’t know already, vaccines are political. And in southern Africa perhaps particularly so as the Chinese, Russians, Indians and the so-called international community through the COVAX facility jostle for position, each
Cocoa farming: Experiences beyond the Osun River bank, Ogun State, Nigeria
March 8, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog In this blog, the APRA Nigeria Work Stream 2 team examined the different types of land ownership (leasing and borrowing), and the impact of a new generation of young farmers beyond the Osun river bank. They also investigated the effect
The politics of medium-scale A2 farms in Zimbabwe
March 8, 2021 / FAC blog This blog was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland. The findings of our recent open access Journal of Modern African Studies paper, shared in the last blog, show that A2 farmers are not one uniform group. They vary a lot both between
The political economy of land use land cover change in Mvurwi, Zimbabwe, 1984—2018
March 4, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog In this blog summarising APRA Working Paper 48, the authors explore the effects of variable rainfall and the land reforms of 2000 alongside other political and economic factors, to determine how land use land cover in Mvurwi, Zimbabwe has changed
Emerging dynamics as result of COVID-19 in Mngeta Division in Morogoro, Tanzania
March 1, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog uses data from recent APRA surveys to examine the changing situation among farmers resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The authors look at how the farmers are responding to such changes, how their livelihoods have altered, and what
The triple drivers of rice commercialisation in Fumbisi Valley, northern Ghana (2)
February 25, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog looks at how the triple drivers of mechanisation, weedicide/herbicides and improved seeds play an integral role in rice commercialisation in northern Ghana. The author explores how, and why, they are so important, alongside other factors such as market
Rising farm sizes in the Fumbisi Valley of northern Ghana (1)
February 22, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog In our new two-part series on agricultural commercialism in the Fumbisi Valley of northern Ghana, this blog looks at the growing farm sizes, why rice is so popular, and details the different categories of farms. Part two, available on 25
Medium-scale commercial farming in Zimbabwe: how has it fared since land reform?
February 22, 2021 / FAC blog This blog was written by Ian Scoones and first appeared on Zimbabweland. We have a new open access paper out in the Journal of Modern African Studies – “Medium-scale commercial agriculture in Zimbabwe: The experience of A2 resettlement farms”. Contrary to assertions that A2 medium-scale farms
Added challenges for the rice sector in Ethiopia caused by COVID-19
February 18, 2021 / APRA blog FAC blog This blog uses new APRA research to explain how COVID-19 has increased the pressure on the Ethiopian rice sector. The authors provide details the APRA study, the impact on rice production, before examining the decline in household rice production and