Experts emphasised that combating AMR requires a coordinated effort. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Speaking at a recent high-level meeting organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) during this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), government and private sector representatives highlighted the multifaceted nature of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), describing it as not just a medical issue, but a broader societal, economic, agricultural, and environmental threat

The importance of partnerships emerged as a central theme. Experts emphasised that combating AMR requires a coordinated effort involving government institutions, academia, communities, private sector entities, healthcare professionals, and international organisations, with FAO being recognised particularly for being instrumental in supporting agricultural practices that minimise antimicrobial resistance.

The importance of partnerships emerged as a central theme. Experts emphasised that combating AMR requires a coordinated effort involving government institutions, academia, communities, private sector entities, healthcare professionals, and international organisations, with FAO being recognised particularly for being instrumental in supporting agricultural practices that minimise antimicrobial resistance.

Private sector involvement was highlighted as crucial. Dr Munyaradzi Dzvene explained that public-private partnerships could fund critical research and development, potentially creating new molecules to combat resistant microbes. "Private sector can fund research and development, coming up with new chemicals that can actually combat this problem of antimicrobial resistance," the speaker noted.

The meeting highlighted Zimbabwe's commitment to a 'One Health' approach, recognising that human, animal, and environmental health are interconnected. This holistic perspective requires coordination between, veterinary services, environmental agencies, agriculture and health ministries. Challenges were candidly discussed, including limited funding, inadequate infrastructure, and the spread of misinformation through social media. Moreover, public and private healthcare professionals were urged to collaborate more closely to manage patient treatments more effectively using good prescribing practices. 

The committee expressed concern after the AGSA revealed that the department has set annual reports as a target without clearly understanding the expected level of performance. (Image source: Parliament of the Republic of South Africa)

The Office of the Auditor General's (AGSA) review of the Department of Agriculture and its entities’ 2025/26 annual performance plans (APPs) and budgets was recently presented to the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture in line with the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP)

As part of its findings, the AGSA told the committee that seemingly the MTDP indicators and targets are not included in the department’s strategic and annual performance plans. The committee heard that MTDP 2024–2029 is a five-year strategic blueprint developed by the seventh administration to drive national development. The MTDP aligns with the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 and integrates international commitments, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the AU Agenda 2063.

The committee expressed concern after the AGSA revealed that the department has set annual reports as a target without clearly understanding the expected level of performance. This lack of specificity makes both the indicator and the target unclear and ambiguous. It also causes AGSA to be unable to measure effectively, which undermines their usefulness for monitoring progress and evaluating performance.

AGSA also presented reviews of the APPs of the department’s three entities – the Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort Biological Products and the National Agricultural Council. As part of the presentation, the AGSA recommended that the committee should ask the department to present a revised 2025/26 APP along with a matrix showing changes made to performance indicators, their definitions and associated date sources. In addition, the committee should also ask the department for regular updates on this information. 

Committee Chairperson, Dina Pule, emphasised that the committee was not rejecting the APPs as presented, but rather allowing the department and its entities to reconstruct the APPs in light of the AGSA recommendations.

The mentorship programme is open to individuals seeking mentorship as well as industry professionals interested in offering their mentorship services. (Image source: Alltech)

Alltech has continued its collaboration with Expana's Women in Food & Agriculture (WFA) Mentorship Programme, which has been successful in matching more than 1,500 professionals, creating meaningful rela tionships that foster career growth and leadership development in the food and agriculture sectors

The programme aims to provide mentorship opportunities that help in supporting women across the global food and agriculture sectors. The initiative not only empowers women at various career stages but also addresses the critical shortage of mentors, which is considered a sector-wide challenge across the industry. This growing initiative tackles this issue by encouraging individuals with a range of experience and backgrounds to apply to be a mentor. 

"Mentorship is not a one-way street- it’s a collaborative journey that benefits both mentor and mentee. Everyone who takes part finds it incredibly rewarding," said Patrick Charlton, vice president of Europe at Alltech and a former mentor in the programme. "There are talented women out there looking to grow their careers; they simply need guidance and support. You can be part of that change."  

The mentorship programme is open to individuals seeking mentorship as well as industry professionals interested in offering their mentorship services. Applications for the free-to-join programme are now open.  The programme welcomes applications from across the global food and agriculture sector, and applicants will be personally matched based on their preferences and professional objectives.

Nigeria’s Cross River State has commenced construction of a Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, set to transform its agricultural industry. (Image source: African Development Bank)

Nigeria’s Cross River State has commenced the construction of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SPAZ), set to play a key role in transforming agricultural trade and logistics in the area

The SAPZ aims to tackle food insecurity, enhance local production, and position Nigeria as a food export leader by leveraging Cross River’s ports and research assets to boost global trade, reduce food imports and drive prosperity through the agro-industrialisation of crops like cocoa and cassava.

The project is one of a number of similar schemes being supported in Nigeria by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The groundbreaking in Cross River follows that of Kaduna, which took place days earlier, while six other states — Kano, Kwara, Imo, Ogun, Oyo, and the Federal Capital Territory — are included in Phase 1 of the US$538mn SAPZ programme.

There are plans to expand to the remaining 28 states this year pending approval for Phase 2 funding.

Nigeria’s vice-president Kashim Shettima said the SAPZ programme has been recognised as a national priority for food security in the country.

“There is no better time than now for the federal and state governments, development partners, the private sector, and our communities to work hand in hand to ensure the success of the SAPZ project.”

AfDB president Dr Akinwumi Adesina called it a “big day” for Nigeria, bringing “good news to farmers, agribusinesses and all rural areas of Nigeria. Good news of jobs, wealth and prosperity with agriculture as a business.”

He also highlighted Cross River’s export potential, “Bakasi deep seaport will turn the state into a logistics hub in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea, enabling trade with Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau.”

The 130-hectare Agro-Industrial Hub in Adiabo will leverage the ports of Calabar and Bakassi, plus a 23 kVA power plant in Tinapa and a 630 kVA Calabar power plant.

Its Agricultural Transformation Centre, supported by the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria and the University of Calabar, sits 45 minutes from Ikom, Etung, and Boki, boosting cocoa production for global markets.

Adesina added that the SAPZs will help Nigeria reduce food imports, conserve foreign exchange, expand local production and processing of food and agricultural commodities, strengthen the Naira, and attract significant private investment into the development of agricultural value chains.

The AfDB has committed US$934mn to SAPZs across 11 African countries.

In Nigeria, the initiative has also received funding from the Islamic Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Green Climate Fund.

Cross Rivers state governor Bassey Otu said the establishment of clusters of smallholder farmers focused on staple and cash crops such as rice, cassava, millet, cocoa, and oil palm marked a vital step toward agro-industrialisation.

“These initiatives are aimed at strengthening food security, diversifying our state’s economy toward export-oriented agriculture, and boosting our GDP,” he said.