News
Small scale farmers vows to engage on CAAP processes
Small scale farmers vows to engage on CAAP processes
Small scale farmers and pastoralists in the eastern and southern Africa (ESA) region are determined to engage with their countries in the implementation of the NEPAD framework for agriculture development -CAADP.
Speaking at the end of a training workshop organized at Egerton University in N..
Will GMOs solve hunger problems in Uganda?
Will GMOs solve hunger problems in Uganda?
By Patrick Jaramogi
Genetically modified seeds will not end hunger in Africa. While responding to the commissioner for crop marketing and production in the agriculture ministry, Alex Lwakoba’s remarks on improved seeds, Dr. Dan Maingi, an expert from ..
Tanzanian Small farmers jubilant but say better budget possible
Small farmers jubilant but say better budget possible
www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=17705
By Rosemary Mirondo, The Guardian Newspaper
Small scale farmers have applauded the government for proposing an increase in funding for agriculture from 666.9bn/- in financial year 2009/2010 to 903.8bn/- in ..
Tanzania National Budget 2010/11: Small Scale Farmers perspective on the Agriculture Sector Budget
1. Agriculture sector: the Budget 2010/11, context and trend
• The Budget for Fiscal year 2010/11 aims at implementation of Strategies for Economic Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUKUTA). The national vision for 2025 and Millennium Development Goals which has the objective of improving people standard of living and poverty alleviation.
• We congratulate the Government of Tanzania for increasing the agriculture sector budget which has reached Tsh 903.8 b/- this financial year from Tsh 666.9b/- last year. This increase indicates that the budget allocati..
EAC Budget Campaign Day
In June every year, East African governments namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi (Burundi will read its budget later in the year); present their annual budgets to their parliaments. Ministers for Planning and Ministers for Economy in these countries present their national budgets for the coming fiscal year. ..
Small Scale Farmers to engage governments on agriculture budgeting
Small Scale Farmers to engage governments on agriculture budgeting
Small scale farmers in Eastern and Southern Africa will engage their government on budgeting processes. Small scale farmers wants to have greater voices in the agriculture budgeting processes. Also the farmers want their government to increase the budget to 10% of the total budget to agriculture.
..
Stop Rubber Stamping Trade Deals
by Christi van der Westhuizen
CAPE TOWN, Oct 4 (IPS) - Civil society should call African parliaments to account on international trade negotiations as parliamentarians have in the past not been "robust" enough in ensuring that such talks deliver on developmental priorities.
This candid admission came from Sisa Njikelana, a South African parliamentarian representing the ruling African National Congress, at a discussion organised by the Afr..
ESAFF to Cooperate with other Farmers’ Movements of the World
ESAFF to Cooperate with other Farmers’ Movements of the World
The Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers’ Forum –ESAFF will seek collaborations with other farmers movement in the region and beyond. Passing a resolution during the Board Meeting held in Morogoro, Tanzania recently the Board said that the strength of ESAFF can be rea..
Farmers appreciate the stages of organisation growth
09/10/2009
Small scale farmer leaders in eastern and southern Africa says they will take organisational development (OD) as an essential item to address at the national farmers forum development.
The farmers said that during the workshop on OD that was o..
Small scale farmers in Zambia call for a people driven budgeting process
Farmers in Zambia called for a people driven budget process
Small scale farmers in Zambia have called the Government to embark on a people driven budget process next year (2010) and ensure timely release of funds for effective programme implementation.
ESAFF-Zambia continues to monitor the implementation of the national budget passed by the parliament of Zambia at the beginning of this year.
..
People to People Dialogue (PD) condemn killings in PERU
People to People Dialogue (PD) condemn killings of innocent Amazon people in PERU
The people to people dialogue that was held in Harare, Zimbabwe recently, denounced un-discriminatory killings of the Amazon people in PERU. The skirmishes between the police and the first people resulted to a number of death civilians and police forces.
..
Tanzania: Small scale farmers demand more space in policy makings
Small scale farmers in Tanzania demand more space in policy makings
Small scale farmers in Tanzania have called for their greater involvement when the Government is preparing policies regarding agriculture. The call was made during the Annual General Meeting of a network of small scale farmers’ group in Tanzania - MVIWATA.
..
IFAP Statement: G-8 Billions Investment must be focused on smallholder farmers
IFAP Statement: G-8 Billions Investment must be focused on smallholder farmers
Paris: If agricultural investment strategies are to prove effective in the long-term, all investments must be made in developing country farmers’ organisations directly and not be funnelled through international agencies or national governments. ..
Fears for the world's poor countries as the rich grab land
poor by rich countries and international corporations is accelerating at an alarming rate, with an area half the size of Europe's farmland targeted in the last six months, reports from United Nations officials and agriculture experts say.
New reports from the UN and analysts in India, Washington and London estimate that at least 30-million hectares is being acquired to grow food for countries such as China and the Gulf states who cannot produce enough for their populations.
According to the UN, the trend is accelerating and could severely impair the ability of poor countries to feed themselve..
New law on contract farming is underway
The government is preparing a Bill for enacting a new law for the development of contractual farming, the National Assembly was told yesterday.
Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives minister Stephen Wassira revealed this in Parliament here when responding to a supplementary question by Said Arfi (Mpanda Central, Chadema).
The opposition lawmaker had demanded government explanation on what he described as a tendency by investors engaged in contractual farming in Mpanda District to 'steal from farmers' by way of offering low prices when purchasing jatropha.
“The government is in the process of prepari..
A small scale farmer donates to ESAFF HQ office
In a move that can be translated as exemplary in enhancing ownership of a farmers organisation, a small scale farmer from Kilifi District in Kenya has donated office stationeries to ESAFF. The equipment that were donated included a wall fan, flat files, staplers, punching machines, small national flags, calculators and pens.
Speaking at a short handover ceremony that took place at the ESAFF Headquarters in Mororogo , Mr. Shaha who is one of the executive committee of ESAFF, said ESAFF has come a long way from just an idea to a registered associa..
ESAFF in strengthening small scale farmers voices in regional bodies
Mai Elizabeth Mpofu the chair lady of ESAFF recently visited the Southern Africa Development Community – SADC in Gaborone, Botswana. In her tour of duty to familiarize with the regional grouping, the ESAFF chairlady also visited farmer groups in Lesotho and South Africa.
In the Botswana capital, Mai Mpofu met the SADC officers responsible for Agriculture, Rural Development and Food security. “My visit was very fruitful and I have learnt a lot… staff at SADC were very cooperative and I had fruitful discussion” says the ESAFF chairlady.
In Lesotho Mai Mpofu visited and s..
Oxfam Novib contributes to the ESAFF’s 3 Years Strategic Plan
In order to ensure smooth takeoff of the young regional small scale farmers’ forum (ESAFF), the international Dutch funding organisation – Oxfam Novib has agreed to fund the strategic plan of ESAFF which runs from September 2008 to August 2011. The financial support of Oxfam Novib to ESAFF’s strategic plan is 40% of the total budget of the strategic plan.
The realisation of the three years strategic plan will require a total of $ 902,900 and NOVIB will commit Euro 250,000 (US$ 396,475). Other funders have indicated readiness to support the small scale farm..
Doctors Warn: Avoid Genetically Modified Food
By Jeffrey M. Smith
On May 19th, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called on "Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks."[1] They called for a moratorium on GM foods, long-term independent studies, and labeling. AAEM's position paper stated, "Several animal studies indicate serious health risks ass..
