This Week, on African Farms

Nigeria launched its 2025-2030 Seed Sector Strategy to modernise the seed system and support agricultural development. The plan provides for a total investment of about $5.76 million, and aims to increase the production of certified seeds for key crops like maize (from 50% to 70%) and rice (from 44% to 60%). The strategy is important to close productivity gaps and reduce Nigeria's food import bill, which averages $5.5 billion per year.

Senegal is set to increase its 2026 agriculture budget by nearly 38%, allocating CFA427 billion ($750.7 million) to strengthen food security and modernise the sector. This push is largely driven by expected new external funding agreements for agricultural programmes. The government’s draft finance bill shows a new strategy with key things like expanding irrigation, strengthening storage and processing infrastructure, improving mechanisation, and establishing Community Agricultural Cooperatives. 

President Donald Trump removed tariffs on more than 200 food products, easing pressure on exporters, including African suppliers. The White House stated in an online communiqué that the measure covers goods that the US does not produce domestically or in sufficient quantities, including coffee, tea, tomatoes, cocoa, spices, beef, bananas, oranges, tropical fruits and fruit juices.

Ghana’s vegetable industry expects farm-to-market costs to fall if the government delivers on extensive road upgrades outlined in the 2026 Budget. Poor roads have forced farmers to use costly transport, doubling produce prices before reaching urban markets. The budget commits GH¢828 million($74 million) to building 1,000 km of agricultural enclave roads, alongside major investments in mechanisation and irrigation. 

Nigeria has introduced SAMSORG 52, a fast-maturing sorghum variety designed to improve food security, nutrition and farm resilience in northern Nigeria. Released in 2023, the compact, drought-tolerant crop reaches maturity in 90 days and yields up to 3.7 t/ha, outperforming many traditional varieties. The crop also helps reduce micronutrient deficiencies, especially among women and children. The variety is already driving higher incomes and adoption across major sorghum-growing states like Kebbi, Jigawa, and Kaduna. 

South Africa is about to vaccinate its entire national cattle herd in a bid to contain the escalating Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak. The country’s Agriculture Minister, John Steenhuisen, announced the plan, sharing a systematic rollout starting in the hardest-hit provinces. With 7.2 million cattle nationally, experts describe the move as bold but note challenges, including limited vaccine supply and the need for private-sector involvement in production.

The African Development Bank approved $24 million to promote private sector-led agro-industrial growth in Tanzania. The project will rehabilitate ageing tea estates, convert more than 1,000 hectares into organic plantations and upgrade processing factories to double production capacity.

The African Development Fund (ADF) granted over $9 million to strengthen climate resilience in the Sahel's main catchment basins, namely Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Senegal. The funding is part of the ADF's Climate Action Window mechanism.

Valency Agro Nigeria raised $8.7 billion from institutional investors. The company said in a statement that this shows investors have high confidence in their plans and see agriculture as a reliable sector for long-term investment in Nigeria. The funding was oversubscribed by 18%. Valency Agro is using this capital to build a major supply-chain complex and a world-class processing plant in Oyo State to help boost Nigeria's agro-export ambitions.

A company called African Golden Food (AGF), which runs projects in Ghana, has secured a $1 million investment. The money comes from a Dutch firm and investors in Scotland. AGF will use the funding to expand its projects in Africa that focus on climate-smart, sustainable farming, like using circular systems and renewable energy to grow crops. Their first big project in Ghana is supported as a key part of the move toward a green economy between the EU and Africa.

The Inaugural African Union Conference on Digital Agriculture will be held from December 1–3, 2025, in Addis Ababa. The conference will focus on "Shaping Agricultural Policy for Africa’s Future: Innovation, Climate-Smart Practices, and Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development."

The 10th edition of Food Africa 2025, the premier trade exhibition for the food and beverage industry in Africa and the Middle East, will take place in Cairo, Egypt, from December 9–12, 2025.

The 25th Session of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC) will be held in Banjul, The Gambia, from December 1–5, 2025. The session will advise on the formulation of forest and wildlife management policy and review its implementation across the region.