This Week, on African Farms

Nigeria is finally getting serious about tractors. The Nigerian Government just launched Africa’s largest agricultural mechanization program. They are deploying 2,000 tractors and 9,000 precision tools across the country. Right now, Nigeria has very few tractors compared to the rest of the world, and this move is designed to help 1.2 million farmers work faster, reduce waste, and finally treat farming like a modern business.

While big deals are happening elsewhere, thousands of cocoa farmers in Ghana are going hungry. They haven't been paid for beans they delivered months ago to the cocoa regulators, as global demand has dropped. It’s a stark reminder of the "human cost" when global prices and government-set prices don't match up. The situation is similar in Côte d’Ivoire. Cocoa decreased to about $3000 for a tonne, the lowest since October 2023. In January 2026, it sold for about $6,000.

Governments in West Africa have unveiled a $345 million regional program to tackle livestock theft. This isn't just about the money (theft costs the region over $467 million a year); it’s about security. Livestock theft is now linked to organized crime and extremist funding, so the plan involves digital tracking and better laws to protect pastoral communities.

Egypt just opened its first biogas unit that converts waste from slaughterhouses into renewable energy and organic fertilizer. Instead of waste being a pollution problem, it’s now a "green fuel" for the economy, helping reduce the reliance on chemical fertilizers. The facility in Qalyubia will support agricultural exports, reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers, and strengthen the country’s green economy.

In the Kunene region of Namibia, desalinated boreholes are finally giving farmers and livestock safe water to drink. Before this, the water was so salty it was barely usable; now, the "softened" water is for the people, and the salty water is diverted to livestock, saving farmers money on expensive salt supplements. The four-year water softening project is led by Namibia’s Environmental Investment Fund (EIF).

The IMF says Morocco’s economy is set to grow by 4.9% this year, supported by solid agriculture output following exceptional rainfall. In 2025, the country’s economy grew by 4.9% as a result of strong agriculture, among other things.

The AfDB has granted Nigeria a new $200 million loan to support wheat and rice farmers, aimed at boosting local production and cutting down on imports. The approval follows an earlier financing package provided under the African Emergency Food Production Facility. As part of its targets, the project aims to increase wheat production fivefold and raise rice output by 20% to support national food self-sufficiency.

Tanzania and the UAE’s Al Dahra Group signed a $100 million pact to develop massive, modern, irrigation-based farms to unlock Tanzania’s agricultural potential and enhance food security. Under the terms of the MoU, both parties will collaborate on identifying and assessing agricultural land suitable for irrigation-based, commercial-scale farming operations that are modern, diversified, and climate-smart.

Sahel Capital has finalised a $2.4 million working capital facility for a Ghanaian cocoa-farmer cooperative, Kuapa Kokoo. The facility will support the 100,000-member cocoa cooperative during the peak purchasing season, ensuring that West Africa’s largest farmer union can meet global export demands while maintaining regulated prices for its members.

The Africa FarmTech Expo Zambia & Southern Africa is scheduled for March 6-8, 2026. The pan-African trade show targets commercial and medium-scale farmers, focusing on food processing, packaging, and agricultural technologies across the Southern African value chain.

Cameroon is looking for 275 young entrepreneurs. The Ministry of Livestock is opening applications for young graduates interested in starting businesses in livestock or aquaculture. They are setting up 10 incubation centers across the country to help young professionals turn their ideas into real companies.