This Week, on African Farms

Zambia and the United States have agreed to realign portions of a $491 million agricultural grant program signed in 2024 to support infrastructure for the Lobito Corridor.

Turmeric Kenya has launched an initiative to expand turmeric cultivation by integrating more than 800,000 farmers into a contract farming and value-addition program.

The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in South Africa has allocated $3.35 million to combat foot-and-mouth disease out of its $38.98 million budget for the 2026/27 financial year.

At the East Africa Coffee Conference in Nairobi, the Kenyan government announced a target to produce 150,000 metric tonnes of coffee by 2028, up from current levels.

Community seed banks are helping farming communities in northern Tanzania improve food security. Iles de Paix Tanzania has established 25 community seed banks across Karatu and Arusha districts to allow smallholders to conserve, exchange, and multiply adapted local seed varieties.

KCB Bank and Inchcape Kenya have partnered to offer up to 95% financing for the purchase of New Holland tractors and agricultural implements. The program features repayment terms of up to five years, with monthly or seasonal payment structures and a 60-day repayment holiday.

Standard Bank Group shares that they’ve allocated $181.1 million to climate-smart agriculture initiatives over the past year. The funding supports sustainable land use, resource efficiency, and the adoption of resilient farming models across its operational territories.

Africa Finance Corporation has signed a $117.5 million sovereign-backed financing facility for the Government of Togo.

The Global Environment Facility has approved a $3.98 million grant to the African Development Bank to implement the Southern Africa Great Green Wall Accelerator.

216 Capital has completed a six-figure investment in RoboCare, a Tunisian agritech startup.

The Women in Tech Accelerator 2026 is offering $600,000+ in collective grants, mentorship, and global investor networks for early-to-mid-stage startups in agritech, AI, and fintech. This is open to founders in Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan. Applications close on June 30, 2026.

The Financing Agri-Food Systems Sustainably (FINAS) 2026 Summit will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, from June 30 to July 2. Under the theme "Towards Sustainable Financial Architecture for Africa's Food Systems," the summit will focus on mobilising investment and establishing measurable outcomes for agri-food financing.

The World Bank GAFSP Grants has launched a new $163 million grant program. The funding is available to support climate-smart agriculture, food security, and smallholder innovation in vulnerable and low-income countries. The window closes on September 15.

The Crop Trust is calling for proposals for its $2.39 million (€2.2 million) Power of Diversity grants. The project is looking for initiatives in Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania, and Uganda that strengthen the value chains of nutritious, climate-resilient, and underutilised crops. The application deadline is July 3, 2026.

The Growtech West Africa exhibition is scheduled to take place at the Landmark Centre in Lagos from January 26 to 28, 2027. The event will showcase agricultural technologies and innovations targeting the regional farming sector.