NAIROBI, Kenya (PAMACC News) - AGRAhas begun acceptingnominations for the 2022 Women Agripreneur of the Year Awards (WAYA), which recognizes female entrepreneurs excelling in different segments of the agricultural value chain. To qualify, entrepreneurs need to have an innovative product or service in the agriculture value chain with evidence of impact on their communities and countries. Submissions are being received on the WAYA website until May 31 in three categories: young female agripreneur; outstanding value-adding enterprise and female Ag tech innovator. Winners will be announced at the AGRF Summit 2022, slated for 5-7September in Kigali, each receiving a cash prize of USD20,000. AGRA’s President, Dr. Agnes Kalibata notedthat the WAYA programmeis part of the VALUE4HER initiative that aims to address constraints faced by women in accessing productive resources and business opportunities. “Women provide up to 50% of agricultural labour force, contribute up to 70% of food production, and account for 80% of food processors.They represent a crucial resource in agriculture and the rural economy through their roles as farmers, laborers, and entrepreneurs. However, they are faced with constraints limiting their full participation. AGRA’s interventions through the VALUE4HER initiativesare strengthening women’s agribusiness enterprises and increasing voice and urgency across Africa,” Dr Kalibata added. The VALUE4HERprogram is focused on increasing the performance of women agripreneurs by facilitating access to markets and trade, finance, and investments, as well as opportunities for tailored online and offline matchmaking activities, learning, networking, and global advocacy. The 2021 WAYA inaugural award celebrated Dr.HajiaSalamatu the Founder and Executive Director of WOFAN in Nigeria, Beatrice NkathaMmunyi the Founder and MD of Sorghum Pioneer Agencies in Kenya and Linda Kudakwashe Manyezathe Founding Director of Food Masters South Africa. Building on lessons from engaging with women agriprenuers across the continent, AGRA seeks to encourage countries to invest strategically in women’s development, strengthening the private sector enabling environment, and building evidence-based participatory processes that will advance inclusive and sustainable agriculture-led growth, resilience, and nutrition. The VALUE4HER initiative presents an opportunity to deliver inclusive economic growth, jobs, and health to the African continent by supporting women agriprenuers across the continent.

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (PAMACC News) - African Forestry sector experts have been trained on how best to attract climate financing. The training workshop taking place in Douala, Cameroon March 14-18, 2022 is being organized by the African Forest Forum, AFF in collaboration with Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network - GFFFN).Climate finance experts say Climate change presents a US$3 trillion investment opportunity up for grabs in Africa by 2030 with the private sector expected to lead in driving green investment and development, says Barbara Buchner, the Executive Director for Climate Finance Program at Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) who lent her voice to those of other experts at the Finance day event organize by the African Development Bank during COP24 in Poland. Even though opportunities exist to finance climate change projects, African countries still find it hard accessing climate funding.One of the key reasons according to experts is that stakeholders in the forest sector don’t fully master what funding opportunities exist, and how to draft bankable projects to attract such funding.“ African Forest stakeholders have to be abreast with the different funding opportunities and also be empowered with skills on drafting bankable project,” says Peter Gondo of the UNFF Secretariat.AFF in a document notes that among the constraints that impede efficient and adequate climate finance mobilization by most African countries are insufficient domestic capacity at technical, institutional and financial levels to , the development of quality project proposals that respond to investment criteria of climate funds, the laying down of sound implementation mechanisms as well as the establishment of a functional reporting systems.It is against this backdrop that AFF is training forest stakeholders on available funding openings and the techniques of drafting bankable projects, he says at the opening session of the workshop in Douala, March 14th.These challenges were also highlighted by Dr Marie Louise Avana-Tientcheu, of AFF and lecturer at the University of Dschang ,Cameroon who presented a message from the Executive Secretary of the African Forest Forum (Professor Godwin Kowero)“The need to provide consistent support to African countries in building their capacity to fully deploy mechanisms to mobilize climate finance, has become imperative,’ she said.The participants, drawn from governmental / forest administration and non-governmental organizations (and this includes the private sector) have come from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and TogoThe papers presented by the different resource persons, Peter Gondo, Larwanou Mahamane, Kouassigan Tovivo all highlighted globally the multiple climate funding opportunities and institutions as well as the elements potential project proposals need to address to be able to attract funding.Funding institutions among others included the World Bank,UN-REDD, LCDF( Fund for less developed countries, Multilateral Development Banks like AfDB, West African Bank, Green Climate Fund, GEF, Forest Carbon Partnership, European Union, USAID, GIZ etc. The African Forest Forum (AFF) is a pan-African non-governmental organization with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. It is an association of individuals who share the quest for and commitment to the sustainable management, use and conservation of the…

NAIROBI, Kenya (PAMACC News) - Ministers of environment and other representatives from over 150 nations convened today in Nairobi to launch the three-day hybrid (in-person and online) resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2). Amid concern over intensifying hostilities in Ukraine and a call by the UN Secretary-General for an immediate ceasefire, the Assembly kicked off with high hopes to advance a global agreement on plastic pollution, among a series of draft resolutions on biodiversity and health, green economy, and circularity. “Our Assembly gathers at a moment of severe geopolitical turmoil. More than ever, we must demonstrate that multilateral diplomacy can deliver,” said the President of UNEA-5 and Norway’s Minister for Climate and the Environment, Espen Barth Eide. “Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic of its own. Paradoxically, plastics are among the most long-lasting products we humans have made – and frequently, we still just throw it away. Plastic is a product that can used again, and then over and over again, if we move it into a circular economy. I am convinced that the time has come for a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.” Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said: “Over the last week, we have seen tremendous progress on negotiations towards an internationally legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. I have complete faith that once endorsed by the Assembly, we will have something truly historic on our hands”. “Ambitious action to beat plastic pollution should track the lifespan of plastic products – from source to sea – should be legally binding, accompanied by support to developing countries, backed by financing mechanisms, tracked by strong monitoring mechanisms, and incentivizing all stakeholders – including the private sector”, Ms. Andersen added. The resolution on plastic pollution, as well as the other pressing environmental issues, will be formally decided by Member States in the closing plenary meeting of the Assembly on Wednesday, 2 February 2022. The UN Environment Assembly meets biennially to set priorities for global environmental policies and develop international environmental law; decisions and resolutions then taken by Member States at the Assembly also define the work of UNEP. Due to the pandemic, Member States agreed on a two-step approach to UNEA-5: an online session (22-23 February 2021) and an in-person meeting which takes place between 28 February and 2 March 2022. Attended by over 3,400 in-person and 1,500 online participants from 175 UN Member States, 79 ministers and 17 high-level officials, the theme for UNEA-5 is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”. This highlights the pivotal role nature plays in our lives and in social, economic and environmental sustainable development. The Assembly will be followed by “UNEP@50,” a two-day Special Session of the Assembly marking UNEP’s 50th anniversary where Member States are expected to address how to build a resilient and inclusive post-pandemic world.

NAIROBI, Kenya (PAMACC News) - The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), John Deere Africa Middle East, and Mascor have launched a business plan writing competition for youth SME groups in Kenya for a chance to win a tractor.The competition runs until March 31, 2022 and is open to groups that have been operating in the agriculture sector for the last three years, and whose members are aged between 18 and 35 years old. Each participating group will be required to write a business plan for running and managing a mechanisation service provision business. The winning plan will be awarded the John Deere tractor (50 horsepower, 5050D TWD) to start the business.John Macharia, AGRA’s Kenya Country Manager said the competition will offer youth in the country an opportunity to start a business with a catalysing tool for agricultural development.“We are supporting youth groups in Kenya to build a business from mechanising farming operations. Whereas it is vital for development of agriculture in Africa, we have the leastmechanised solutions compared to the rest of the world. This has been driven by lack of tractors and implements where and when needed,” added Macharia said.Despite early gains, the uptake of tractors in the region has not kept pace with demand. In 1960,Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania had more tractors in use than India but by 2005 India had 100 times more tractors in use.“Access to finance is probably the biggest obstacle to African smallholder farmers interested in adopting mechanised farming solutions to boost productivity. The profits they typically earn are insufficient to purchase tractors directly or even access a financing facility,” added Mr Macharia.Mascor, the John Deere dealer in Kenya, will support the competition winner with Aftermarket services, parts and more.The joint competition follows a recent partnership between AGRA and John Deere to support successful mechanisation service providers based on the John Deere S.M.A.R.T Model. AGRA supports small and medium-sized enterprises in business skills and financial management for growth, whilst John Deere, through its dealer network offers support with training operators, technician development, after-sales services, and financing equipment through John Deere Financial. How to enter Business plans can be submitted here: https://agra.org/win-a-john-deere-tractor The full eligibility criteria, business plan format and terms and conditions can be found here: https://agra.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/John-Deere-Criteria-and-TsCs.pdf