This Week, on African Farms

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a three-year extension of AGOA, following the program's suspension some months ago. Despite a renewal receiving the majority vote, 340 to 54, it’s still uncertain what the conclusion is. The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate, which, if approved, will await final approval from Trump.

Survey results from the Central Bank of Kenya show that farmers relied heavily on loans in late 2025 to finance essential inputs like fertilizer and seeds. While borrowing for land acquisition declined due to economic uncertainty, there was a notable rise in loans taken to diversify agricultural activities and invest in machinery, indicating a growing interest in mechanization as a risk management tool.

The Ugandan government has distributed 8,000 modern coffee seedlings to farmers in the Masaka District to boost household incomes. While the initiative targets youth participation to address unemployment, local farmers have raised concerns about coffee wilt disease and the prevalence of counterfeit agricultural inputs, which continue to constrain their productivity.

In a move to protect domestic supply and stabilize local prices, Morocco will stop the export of frozen sardines starting February 1. The country, which is currently the world’s top exporter of sardines, has experienced domestic shortages and an increase in the price of fish for locals. While this export ban has raised concerns about potential job losses, it has also been praised for recognising sustainability.

Still on fish, Rwanda’s fish production rose 9% year-on-year to 52,439 tonnes in 2025, marking its fifth consecutive annual increase. This growth is a result of its expanded hatchery capacity and the structuring of producers into cooperatives. Fingerling production jumped 36% this year, supported by training programs that introduced sustainable fish feed production.

Algeria has launched an interest-free financing program to help farmers build modern cold storage facilities. Through public banks, farmers can obtain loans of up to $1.1 million to build refrigerated warehouses. The initiative aims to modernize infrastructure, reduce post-harvest losses, and allow farmers to store production volumes of up to 5,000 cubic metres.

Nigeria’s security challenges in the North are threatening to affect a $500 million World Bank agricultural support intervention. Stakeholders warned at a recent workshop that criminal incursions on farmlands and a government policy on tax waivers for food importers are hindering local production. The program, designed to support farmers in the Sudan Savannah zone, faces significant hurdles as insecurity disrupts productivity.

South Africa is facing its most severe livestock farming crisis on record as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) continues to spread nationwide. Despite the vaccination of over 930,000 animals, industry leaders describe the outbreak as unprecedented. With nationwide cattle vaccination not planned until February 2026, farmers fear long-term export bans and rising meat prices will continue to cripple the sector.

Amethis Fund III has completed a $440.5 million fundraising to support mid-sized African companies. The fund will deploy individual investments ranging from $27 million to $43 million, focusing on sectors critical to economic development. These include agribusiness, healthcare, and technology-enabled services.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) has backed a $209.3 million loan to finance a major agricultural modernization project in Uganda. This marks UKEF’s first loan supporting agricultural development in East Africa and is expected to enhance Uganda’s production standards for international market access.

Next Thursday, January 22, AgSafari will be hosting a masterclass on how founders can unlock the capital needed to stay liquid and scale in 2026. We’re having Melanie Keita of Melanin Kapital and Reginald Selau of Sahel Capital involved in this discussion. To join us, sign up here.

The 11th Agro & Poultry Africa 2026 International Trade Exhibition will take place in Tanzania from January 29-31, 2026. The event will host exhibitors from 18 countries, showcasing the huge potential for agricultural growth in the region.

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.

The WASSMAS Agriculture Grant is currently accepting applications from small and mid-scale agricultural startups across West Africa. They provide financial support of up to $10,000, with capacity-building training, technical assistance, and equipment support.