Washington, USA, 11 March 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The World Bank today approved a project totaling $215.9 million (about CFAF 118.7 billion) to support the development of the agricultural sector. The Burkina Faso Agricultural Transformation Project is in line with national priorities in terms of food security, job creation and promotion of the private sector.
The new project will focus on developing priority agricultural value chains, including rice and maize, by supporting productivity improvements, modernization of processing infrastructure, and better access to markets. It will also help address financing constraints to foster private investment and technology adoption.
Attention will be paid to the inclusion of women and youth, to strengthen their participation in agricultural value chains and support the creation of sustainable jobs in rural areas.
“Agriculture remains a central pillar of the Burkinabè economy and a key lever for food security and the resilience of rural populations. Through this project, the World Bank reaffirms its commitment to supporting Burkina Faso in transforming its agricultural sector with a view to more inclusive and sustainable growth,” explains Hamoud Abdel Wedoud Kamil, World Bank Country Manager for Burkina Faso.
The project will be implemented in close collaboration with national authorities, private sector actors, and decentralized stakeholders, to ensure strong ownership and sustainable results, and will cover four of the country’s seventeen regions. These zones were selected for their agricultural potential, the presence of priority value chains – including rice and maize – as well as the potential to scale up interventions already implemented under the World Bank-financed Agriculture Resilience and Competitiveness Project (PReCA).
Washington, USA, 11 February 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Government of Senegal, in partnership with the World Bank Group, today announced the launch of the AgriConnect Senegal Compact. This strategic initiative aims to transform the country’s agri-food systems and improve food security for millions of Senegalese.
Aligned with the Senegal National Agenda for Transformation 2050 and the Food Sovereignty Strategy (SSA 2025-2034), the AgriConnect Pact is a harmonized implementation mechanism mobilizing the Government of Senegal and the World Bank Group – through the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) – as well as technical and financial partners, the private sector and producer organizations.
The initiative focuses on three priority value chains: grains, horticulture, and livestock. It is based on three axes: (i) making structural investments in agricultural infrastructure and services; (ii) revising sectoral policies to improve the business environment; and (iii) encouraging more private investment to spur innovation and competitiveness.
By 2029, the AgriConnect Compact aims to achieve more than 90% food security at the national level and create 800,000 formal jobs in the agricultural sector. Among the objectives set are an increase in the cereal coverage rate from 48% to 78%, rice self-sufficiency to 64%, and the establishment of 100 community-based agricultural cooperatives across the country.
In addition to its strategic orientation, this ambition represents a significant shift in the design, coordination, and implementation of national agricultural and food policies.
“AgriConnect is a model platform for structuring a pipeline of projects related to the National Transformation Agenda. Thanks to sector program contracts that involve all stakeholders, it aims to achieve the expected impacts of the Senegal Vision 2050, which is sovereign, just and prosperous,” said Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, Minister of State to the President of the Republic, in charge of monitoring, steering and evaluating the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation.“This platform embodies the strategic coherence sought in the structuring of sectors, engines of sustainable growth. The highest government authorities attach particular importance to results-based management during the implementation of these multisectoral programs. Thus, it is expected that the stakeholders in this initiative will aim for operational efficiency to improve the well-being of the population.”
The partnership is part of a national dynamic, which places food sovereignty at the heart of the country’s transformation agenda.
“The AgriConnect Pact aims to concretely transform the lives of our populations,” said Mabouba Diagne, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock.“These are families that will be able to better feed their children, farmers who will see their incomes increase and stabilize, young people who will find jobs and a future in modern and profitable agriculture. This direct improvement in living conditions, both in our countryside and in our cities, will guide our implementation with the World Bank Group, our partners, and the private sector.”
The World Bank Group is committed to supporting Senegal in translating its goals into lasting impacts for its people.
“What drives us in AgriConnect is the belief that Senegalese agriculture can feed Senegal, create opportunities for its youth, and become an engine of shared prosperity,” said Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa.“Through the coordinated action of IDA, IFC and MIGA, we want to catalyze a dynamic where public and private investment converge towards a single objective: to make food sovereignty and jobs a tangible and lasting reality for every Senegalese.”
The governance of the Pact is ensured by the Minister of State, responsible for monitoring the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation, with operational implementation entrusted to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock via its ” Delivery Unit “. A joint steering committee will be established for planning, coordination and monitoring with the support of the Technical Group of Partners (GTP).
The Compact was developed in consultation with the following technical and financial partners: the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the French Development Agency (AFD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Kingdom of the Netherlands, MasterCard Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The first group of white Afrikaans-speaking South Africans is reportedly due to arrive in the United States early next week.
They claim to be persecuted in their home country and have been granted “refugee status” by President Donald Trump.
The US president in February signed an executive order halting all aid to South Africa, accusing the government of doing “terrible things” to Afrikaners.
He described them as the victims of “unjust racial discrimination” saying their land was being taken away from them.
Trump’s view appears to stem from a recent law that allows land expropriation without compensation in extremely rare cases.
South African officials say the policy is part of efforts to address land-ownership disparities that are one of the starkest legacies of apartheid.
A large percentage of the country’s private land is still white-owned and, in reality, not a single expropriation has taken place.
The Afrikaner ethnic group are mostly descendants of Dutch colonialists and have a long history in the agricultural sector.
They make up about 60 per cent of the country’s white minority, which itself makes up about 7.2 cent of the population.
Those that have applied to for refugee status in the United States also say they are hoping to move to escape crime, and particularly farm murders.
Police statistics show that out of 26,000 murders last year, just 44 were linked to farming communities. Crime researchers say the overwhelming majority of murder victims are black.
According to the SA Chamber of Commerce in the US, over 67,000 people have expressed interest in Trump’s offer.
The assertion that white South Africans are discriminated against has spread in far-right circles for years and been echoed by Trump’s white South African-born ally, Elon Musk.
Many prominent Afrikaners and other South Africans have shouted down the US president’s statements saying they are patently false.
Trump’s executive order came after he suspended all US refugees admissions, citing security and cost concerns.
In recent financial discussions, the government of Malawi has announced significant funds allocated to the agricultural sector.
These funds are a reflection of the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges facing the agricultural industry, which is a cornerstone of Malawi’s economy.
A total of K60 billion has been set aside specifically for maize procurement, which is crucial for maintaining food security in the country.
Maize is a staple crop in Malawi, and the allocation highlights the government’s recognition of its importance in sustaining the nation’s food supply.
With climate change impacting agricultural productivity, this investment aims to ensure that Malawi can maintain adequate maize reserves to meet the demands of its population.
The government has also allocated K53 billion for revamping the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC), which has historically played a key role in stabilizing commodity markets and ensuring the accessibility of key agricultural products.
ADMARC, however, has faced challenges in recent years, including allegations of mismanagement and inefficiency.
Revamping ADMARC is seen as an essential step in improving the delivery of agricultural services, ensuring better market access for smallholder farmers, and stabilizing prices for both producers and consumers.
The K53 billion allocation will likely go towards improving the infrastructure, management, and operational capacity of ADMARC, with the goal of strengthening its role in the agricultural value chain.
Furthermore, K131 billion has been allocated for the Agricultural Input Program (AIP), which aims to provide farmers with subsidized inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, and other critical farming tools.
The AIP has been a key policy tool in supporting smallholder farmers, particularly in rural areas where access to quality agricultural inputs is often limited.
This allocation underscores the government’s recognition that smallholder farmers are integral to Malawi’s agricultural success, as they represent the majority of the nation’s farmers.
However, the AIP has faced criticism in the past, with concerns over corruption, inefficiencies, and the unequal distribution of inputs.
In light of these criticisms, there will likely be greater scrutiny of how the allocated funds are managed and whether they are effectively reaching the intended beneficiaries.
The combined total of K244 billion allocated to maize procurement, ADMARC revamping, and the AIP reflects the government’s prioritization of agriculture in its overall development strategy.
Given the importance of agriculture to Malawi’s economic growth, these funds are crucial for enhancing food security, promoting rural development, and improving the livelihoods of millions of Malawians.
Yet, while the funds are significant, their effectiveness will depend largely on proper implementation, transparent management, and strong oversight mechanisms.
If managed well, this allocation could boost agricultural productivity, stabilize markets, and contribute to the reduction of poverty, especially in rural areas.
In conclusion, the substantial funds allocated to the agricultural sector represent a bold effort by the government to address long-standing challenges in agriculture, food security, and rural development.
However, the success of these initiatives will depend on the government’s ability to address the systemic issues within the agricultural sector and ensure that resources are used effectively for the benefit of the people.
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