As South Africa continues to cement its place as a leading player on the global export market, it is looking to underline its unique selling points to buyers and consumers. (Image source: SA Raisins)

Raisin suppliers in South Africa are aiming for high volume, top quality export despite production being impacted by unseasonal weather

Despite drying conditions for raisins in the Lower Orange River region of South Africa being hit by heavy rainfall and humidity during the10th week of 2025, crop development faced a delay by only two weeks, with suppliers still expecting a marketable crop in the region of 96,000-104,000 tonnes. The sector has continued to grow, thanks to the establishment of around 2,535 ha of new land for raisin production across both the Orange River and Olifants River regions between 2020 and 2022. 

As South Africa continues to cement its place as a leading player on the global export market, it is looking to underline its unique selling points to buyers and consumers. Those include the fact that it features naturally sun-dried product with no-to-low pesticide residues, distinct colour and flavour and 12-month shelf life, all produced with social and environmental sustainability in mind.

“We want the market and consumers to think of South Africa as a reliable, sustainable source of superior-quality raisins,” said Wessel Lemmer, chief executive of industry body, Raisins SA.

Initiatives like Namibia’s entry into the AfCFTA are crucial as they pave the way towards a future where hunger is eradicated across the continent. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

As the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) opens up new trade corridors, Namibia continues to expand its outreach to West and Central African nations, creating alternative revenue streams for farmers

As these trade corridors open up, Namibia is creating alternative revenue streams for farmers by expanding its outreach to West and Central African nations. Investments in value-added processing for crops like grapes and dates are gaining momentum, ensuring that Namibian agricultural products can meet the quality standards required in diverse markets across the continent.

As the African Council commit to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger by 2030, initiatives like Namibia’s entry into the AfCFTA are crucial as they pave the way towards a future where hunger is eradicated across the continent. Its ripple effect can also be felt in the broader Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The AfCFTA presents a significant opportunity for South Africa to diversify its export markets within Africa, ensuring continued economic growth and stability.

Looking ahead at the upcoming Market Access Africa 2025 that is scheduled to take place from 1-4 June in Durban, South Africa, Namibia'sx progress serves as an inspiring example. Bringing together over 800 participants, more than 40 speakers, and over 50 exhibitors from more than 40 countries, this event will provide a platform to explore these opportunities, address challenges, as well as discuss Africa’s evolving agricultural trade landscape.

Governor Kefas has urged stakeholders to harness the momentum of the ACReSAL project. (Image source: ACReSAL)

The Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Day celebration, held in the state capital, marked a major milestone in the state’s journey towards climate-resilient agriculture, as Governor Dr Agbu Kefas launched three groundbreaking initiatives under the ACReSAL project

At the heart of the celebration were three critical initiatives designed to empower Taraba farmers and promote climate-smart agriculture. The first two initiative involves the distribution of climate-smart farm inputs and tractors, which will enable farmers to enhance production and build resilience against climate change. The third initiative focuses on the presentation of Community Resolving Funds (CRF) to dedicated farmers and community leaders.

Governor Kefas expressed his gratitude to the World Bank and the Federal Project Management team for their dedication, expertise, and robust support, while reiterating the state’s vision for a future where sustainable agriculture fuels economic growth, every farmer has the opportunity to prosper, and innovative practices become the norm. 

Dr Joy Iganya Agene, task team leader of the ACReSAL project and senior environmental specialist, expressed her delight at the significant progress made by Taraba State in the ACReSAL project. This progress has propelled the state to stage two of project implementation. She urged beneficiaries to utilise the proceeds from the Community Revolving Funds (CRF) disbursement for climate-smart activities. Dr Agene also encouraged communities to harness their abundant natural resources to combat the challenges posed by climate change.

As Taraba State deepens its collaboration with the World Bank, Governor Kefas has urged stakeholders to harness the momentum of the ACReSAL project, which is a key initiative among the various proactive steps taken by the state government to address environmental issues. 

Sudan, the Philippines and Malawi made notable contributions to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

More than 14,000 seed samples from 21 genebanks were deposited in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault last month

These samples included essential varieties of sorghum and pearl millet from Sudan’s crop genebank; a collection of velvet beans from Malawi; and critical food crops from a Philippine gene bank that is being destroyed by typhoons and fires. Brazil, the host of this year’s global climate negotiations, also deposited a major collection of more than 3,000 varieties of rice, beans and maize.

Following the deposit ceremony, the first-ever Svalbard International Dialogue brought together high-level government officials, crop experts and global thought leaders to discuss the challenge of safeguarding crop diversity amid increasing environmental pressures and escalating global conflicts.

Sudan’s contribution 

Sudan made its sixth deposit of seed samples of 15 species, including many varieties of sorghum, a crop that is deeply tied to Sudanese cultural heritage, and is also a lifeline for food security in the country. With the help of the Emergency Reserve for Genebanks, hundreds of seed samples that were impacted during the civil war, were transported to NordGen to be sorted catalogued, packed and documented as part of the Sudanese deposit. These were then transported to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. 

The Philippines’ contribution 

After several seed stocks were destroyed by natural extreme events like typhoons and fires, partners from the Philippines with support from the BOLD Project, visited Svalbard to deposit seeds of eggplant, rice bean, lima bean and sorghum.

Malawi’s contribution 

Being another BOLD partner, Malawi deposited velvet beans, a crop that enables farmers to boost production and keep their soils healthy, while also offering important medicinal benefits. Velvet beans are a nitrogen-fixing legume that when used as a fertiliser can more than double maize yields. The species, which is also used in traditional medicine, boasts high levels of levodopa, a compound used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. 

“This moment is a powerful reminder that securing our food future requires collective action,” said Stefan Schmitz, executive director of the Crop Trust. “Through our partnerships, including the BOLD project, we’ve worked with institutions around the world to safeguard vital crop diversity.”  He further highlighted how the deposited seeds represented not only biodiversity, but also the knowledge, culture and resilience of the communities that steward them. “We must find a way to protect this crop diversity for generations to come,” Schmitz added.