European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO)’s Post

State of Emergency! This is truly worrisome. Year in and year out, we see the funds spent by the government on Agriculture yet with minimal corresponding impact. What could be the problem? Under funding? Mismanagement? Corruption? Wrong interventions? Wrong programming? Insecurity? Climate change? The Agricultural sector has been largely underfunded and more so, the little interventions that have been carried out are problematic in interpretation and delivery. Nigeria’s agricultural landscape are predominantly managed by rural farmers and as such, interventions that eliminates them from the equation are DOA. Let interventions go directly to the #RuralFarmers

Access to financing and capital investment remains a significant challenge for SMEs in Somalia, as financial institutions are reluctant to provide support due to associated risks. However, a transformative approach has been introduced by AECF to mitigate these constraints. where AECF offered funding support, risk incentives, and technical assistance to microfinance institutions (MFIs), as well as coaching services to entrepreneurs, the game is changing. This comprehensive strategy aims to make financial services accessible to all, particularly women, youth, and producers. The story of Abdirahman Aw Ali Ismail, a smallfarmholderr in Arabsiyo town, exemplifies how MFI financing transformed his future, enabling him to invest in his farm, increase productivity, and improve his livelihood. This approach not only addresses systemic constraints but also promotes inclusive economic empowerment in Somalia. click the link for more: https://lnkd.in/d56XhME8 European Commission AECF Dahabshiil

Dr Theo De Jager, Executive Director of Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI), explored the specific Implications of the Expropriation Bill for Agriculture and Food Security at the FW de Klerk Foundation's Conference on Property Rights for ALL South Africans, which was co-hosted with KAS South Africa last month. Dr De Jager explains: “This whole conference was actually about threats to ownership, to private property rights. From a farmer’s perspective, to have a title, to have secure ownership, is much more than just a contract which shows that you own property - it’s the very foundation of a free market, it’s the cornerstone of capital. It is the reason why we have access to production loans, it serves as collateral. We looked at all these countries north of us - 50 of them on the African continent - that do not have free hold of farmland, which is the reason why we cannot unlock the wealth of agriculture on this continent. And we drew all these pointers back home to say, what should we do differently here? How must we make sure that the threats to property rights do not also become a threat to food security?” Visit bit.ly/3YXdy2n to learn more. #fwdeklerkfoundation #propertyrights #foodsecurity #southafrica #propertysouthafrica #saai

There still exists a wide gap between the financiers' expectations, views and perception and those of the MSMEs and especially those in agriculture. Our efforts have always been to try and bridge this gap by building the capacity of the Agri-prenuers on one side and that of the lenders on the other side. This, coupled with risk sharing facilities and a "commonness of purpose" by all stakeholders is the right direction to food security and sustainable social economic empowerment.Maarten Susan Aceli Africa #shambashapeup #Financialliteracyinagriculture #sustainableagriculture

Collaborative Efforts: Tackling Hunger and Food Insecurity in Nigeria (I) – Our Security, Our Peace by Prof. O.E Bassey "Foremost is the government’s pivotal role of providing strategic and solution-based leadership that promotes sustainable agriculture. The need for a deliberate investment in rural infrastructure cannot be overemphasized. In budgetary allocations, the government needs to scale up the priority of food security by allocating adequate funds for agricultural programs and implement policies that support smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities”. https://lnkd.in/d-7_wGUc

European Union grant beneficiary Afriseed-Stewards Globe is implementing an inclusive supply chain model aimed at scaling up agricultural seed volumes by increasing the number of smallholder seed producers in Zambia. Learn more about Afriseed here: https://lnkd.in/dW9md6Yg... The ENTERPRISE Zambia project is implemented by Self Help Africa and Imani Development, with funding from the European Union. #TeamEurope #EUDZambia #EUDelZambia

RIC CEO John Howard had the opportunity to present as part of a panel discussion on 'Farm debt, investment and resilience' at last week's ABARES Outlook Conference in Canberra. Mr Howard discussed how agriculture looks different today, highlighting the benefit of concessional lending and RIC's contribution to the financial wellness of Australia's agricultural economy. He emphasised RIC loans delivering a positive outlook to the sustainability of Australian farmers, and providing significant indirect benefits building regional communities through Gross Regional Product though job creation and boosting household income. RIC has settled loans valued at over $3.2 billion which is estimated to have saved RIC loan customers over $270 million in interest payments to strengthen Australian agriculture. To learn more about how RIC is making a difference, visit ric.gov.au/our-impact Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Melissa Brown (Bell) Josie Zilm NAB Nuveen, a TIAA company #ABARESOutlook #AgricultureToday #ConcessionalLending #FarmEconomy #GrossRegionalProduct #FinancialWellness #Agribusiness #AustralianFarmers #EconomicImpact #ResilientFarming #AgricultureInvestment #FinancialWellness #RICloans #ClimateImpact #FarmDebt #Agribusiness #FoodSecurity

Thomas Njeru, the 2023 Africa's Business Heroes 1st-Runner-Up Prize Winner, grew up dedicating countless hours to farming, striving to support his family. Yet, he witnessed how unpredictable factors like harsh weather, pests, and diseases could devastate crops, leaving farmers with no income after investing their time and effort. This moved Thomas deeply. Driven by a desire to ease farmers' burdens and provide a safety net, he co-founded PULA Advisors—an insurance solution tailored for farmers. Pula steps in when crops are lost due to adverse conditions, offering financial support to replace the income lost. Their guiding principle: Farmers are the backbone of our food supply, and it's our duty to support them. #ItsOurTime #ABHat5

This National Farmer's Day, we're spotlighting the thousands of small farms and agricultural producers in Ukraine that need more access to financial investment, and the strides that we're making to support them. As of June 2023, World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU)'s Credit for Agriculture Producers (CAP) Project has allowed 20 partner credit unions to disburse 19,088 agricultural loans totaling over US $29 million. And we're far from done—the project has been extended twice by USAID, allowing us to continue to strengthen the Ukrainian credit union market and expand access to agricultural credit. Learn more about the CAP Project: https://bit.ly/3PeO0JI