Avocado lovers in Norway may soon have a reason to celebrate — and it’s not just about brunch. For the first time ever, a Norwegian researcher has succeeded in growing the tropical fruit right here in Norway, defying the country’s cold climate. The breakthrough comes from the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), where a young researcher, Carolina Falcato Fialho Palma, decided to take on what many thought was impossible. Her small pilot project at NIBIO Særheim has now produced Norway’s very first homegrown avocados. “I’ve always had a passion for exotic fruit,” Palma said, smiling. “We wanted to see…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The President of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), Mr. Shuichi Suzuki, has met with former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, as part of his week-long visit to Nigeria aimed at strengthening agricultural cooperation and food security efforts. The meeting, held on Monday in Abeokuta, was part of a series of engagements by Mr. Suzuki, who is on his first official mission to Nigeria since assuming leadership of SAA. His visit focuses on deepening the organization’s long-standing partnership with Nigeria and exploring new avenues to support smallholder farmers. Chief Obasanjo commended SAA for its consistent investment in Africa’s agricultural sector and its…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidance to help countries deal with the impact of sharp reductions in external health funding, which are disrupting essential health services in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The document, titled “Responding to the Health Financing Emergency: Immediate Measures and Longer-Term Shifts,” offers practical policy options to help governments sustain vital health services and strengthen domestic financing systems amid shrinking aid flows. Funding Cuts Hit Health Services Hard External health aid is projected to decline by 30–40% in 2025 compared to 2023. According to WHO’s March 2025 survey of 108 LMICs, funding…
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has reaffirmed its commitment to helping African governments and institutions deliver on their agricultural transformation goals as the continent enters a decisive phase of food systems reform. The pledge came during the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme – Partnership Platform (CAADP-PP) held in Kigali, Rwanda. The event, co-organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and AUDA-NEPAD, brought together key stakeholders to align efforts toward advancing Africa’s food and agriculture agenda. Speaking at the forum, Jonathan Said, AGRA’s Vice President for Technical Expertise, emphasized the importance of shifting from broad commitments to…
Ahead of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the adoption of a National Carbon Market Framework, operationalization of the Climate Change Fund, and the restoration of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) to the federal budget. The measures are designed to strengthen Nigeria’s participation in the global carbon market and unlock between $2.5 billion and $3 billion annually in carbon finance over the next decade to support climate action and sustainable development. The approvals followed a presentation by the Director-General of the NCCC, Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi, during the Council’s…
Ethiopian farmers and exporters can now apply for, receive, and send phytosanitary certificates entirely online following the launch of the country’s fully operational Integrated Export and Import Certification System (IEICS), popularly known as the e-Phyto system. The digital transition from paper-based to online certification is expected to drastically reduce clearance times, lower administrative costs, and ease market access for agricultural products destined for regional and international markets. Fully integrated with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) e-Phyto hub, the system enables certificates to be transmitted directly to importing countries. This eliminates the need for physical document exchange, curbs fraud, and…
The National Assembly (NASS) on Wednesday approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to secure a total of $2.347 billion from the international capital market to partly finance the 2025 budget deficit and refinance maturing Eurobonds. Lawmakers also granted approval for the President’s request to issue a $500 million debut sovereign sukuk in the international capital market to fund critical infrastructure projects and diversify Nigeria’s financing sources. The approval followed the consideration of a joint report by both chambers’ Committees on Aids, Loans, and Debt Management. In the House of Representatives, the report was presented by Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba, Chairman of the…
• Adaptation finance needs of developing countries projected to exceed US$310 billion annually by 2035• Global goal to double adaptation funding by 2025 unlikely to be met• Report urges urgent action as climate impacts intensify The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned that slow progress in climate adaptation is putting millions of lives, livelihoods, and entire economies at risk, particularly in developing countries. According to the Adaptation Gap Report 2025: Running on Empty, released ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, developing countries will require over US$310 billion annually by 2035 to meet adaptation needs — more than 12 times…
Zenture Partners, a consultancy-led and AI-powered telecom lifecycle management provider, has announced a strategic partnership with Graphiant, a leader in private, next-generation Network-as-a-Service (NaaS). The collaboration aims to provide enterprises with cloud-native, software-defined networking that delivers end-to-end clarity and control over inventory, invoices, and network infrastructure — all with the agility and visibility of NaaS. Through its MyZenture platform, Zenture adds an intelligent layer to telecom procurement, enabling enterprises to cut costs, enhance performance, and accelerate network transformation. By combining AI-driven lifecycle automation with Graphiant’s programmable NaaS fabric, enterprises can eliminate redundant assets, prevent overbilling, and dynamically scale connectivity to…
A new global analysis has revealed that the world needs to invest US$443 billion annually to help smallholder farmers adapt to climate change — an amount less than what is currently spent each year on agricultural subsidies that harm the environment and public health. The report, conducted by Climate Focus on behalf of Family Farmers for Climate Action, a global alliance representing 95 million small-scale producers across Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Pacific, was released ahead of the COP30 climate summit, where adaptation is expected to dominate discussions. According to the study, smallholder farmers who cultivate 10 hectares or…