As evidence mounts regarding the harms caused by Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) to both humans and the environment, more and more African civil society groups are taking action. Mizizi Magazine will continue to follow these developments. New East African Community HHP strategy In July 2026, the East African Community (EAC), representing Burundi, the Democratic Republic…
By Misheck Nyirongo, independent journalist, Zambia In the dead of night, flash floods tore through Lumezi district in Zambia’s Eastern Province. For small-scale farmers, a single extreme flood erases years of development progress in hours. This is a misery reality of the devastating flash floods, due to climate change. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Caritas…
Isaac Mafuel (P4C Ambassador) This past June, more than 35 advocates and policymakers from over 40 countries gathered in Berlin for the Partners for Change (P4C) Network Meeting, co-hosted by Germany’s BMZ and GIZ. This was more than just a conference, it was a deeply human effort to change how we grow, share, and protect…
The Knowledge Hub for Organic Agriculture and Agroecology in Southern Africa (KHSA) is one of five regional hubs within the continental Knowledge Centre for Organic Agriculture and Agroecology in Africa (KCOA). Working through partners in Malawi, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia, KHSA’s work connects farmers, trainers, civil society organisations, researchers, policymakers and communicators to strengthen…
By Zimbabwe Good Seed and Food Festival Across Africa, there is growing recognition that traditional foods hold the key to healthier diets, stronger rural livelihoods and more resilient farming systems. In Zimbabwe the National Good Seed and Food Festival has become a vibrant expression of this movement. On 18–19 September 2026, the Harare Botanical Gardens…
Summary provided by Fortunate Nyakanda, Editor-in-Chief Madagascar’s farmers have been employing natural methods to develop their land for generations. using conventional wisdom instead of artificial insecticides and fertilisers. However, these smallholder farmers have long been unable to profit from the premium prices offered by international organic markets, even if they produce crops in ways that…
By Monica Nyaga, Gender & Youth Program Officer, PELUM Kenya Across Africa, women are the backbone of agri-food systems, yet their leadership, innovation and enterprises often remain unseen. The Africa Women Leaders in Agroecology (AWOLA) continental initiative is changing this by empowering women to lead agroecological transformation. The recent onboarding of AWOLA Cohort 2026 of…
By Academy of IFOAM – Organics International Every thriving agroecological movement begins with people who dare to lead change in their own communities. Across Africa, a growing network of such leaders is emerging, equipped not only with knowledge but also with the confidence and commitment to transform their local food systems. This vision came to…
By Stefanie Swanepoel, Editor-in-Chief Before our conversation began, I asked Bakhusele Mathupha a simple question: How did you end up in farming? I expected to hear about crops, markets or agricultural training. Instead, he took me back to his childhood in the Transkei, to a time when every family grew its own food and neighbours…
By Haidee Bartlett There is a severe and ongoing hunger and malnutrition crisis in South Africa, often masked by the fact that South Africa is an upper-middle-income country with one of the most diversified economies in Africa. The country is formally categorised as nationally food secure and is a major agricultural exporter, with agricultural exports…