SOUTHERN AFRICA: AfDB training in climate-smart agriculture

30 08 2023 | 16:56Benoit Ivan Wansi / AFRIK21

Several young people from southern Africa will be equipped with the role of technologies in the development of agricultural practices. The virtual training opens on September 27 in the South African city of Johannesburg.

The urgency of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) in Southern Africa is no longer in doubt. Aware of this challenge, the African Development Bank (AfDB) is launching the Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) Training in partnership with the Global Center for Adaptation (GCA). It will take place online from Johannesburg from September 27 to 28, 2023 and will benefit from the expertise of the Dutch organization Weather Impact and the South African scientific platform Aqualinks.

At the end of the courses and workshops, the previously selected participants will be able to propose concrete solutions to prevent food insecurity in their countries of origin, particularly South Africa, Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia. The modules will combine the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to promote the increase in agricultural yields and income as well as the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in value chains. .

“It will essentially be about facilitating the sharing of knowledge, best practices and experiences, as well as exploring the latest innovations and approaches to guarantee resilience in the production and distribution of crops in the sub-region”, indicates the AfDB. The initiative is part of its Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program ( AAAP ) launched in 2021.

With the war in Ukraine and prolonged droughts, people's livelihoods are weakened. Digital solutions should therefore enable the development of agricultural productivity on the continent through the optimization of irrigation using sensors, the popularization of meteorological data among farmers and their connection with industries to accelerate the sale of their foodstuffs. Which could also promote the attractiveness of the profession of agricultural engineer.

For more information on the training, click here .

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