Tanzania and Al Dahra signed a major agricultural investment partnership. (Image credit: Al Dahra)

The Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority has signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding with Al Dahra Group, a global agribusiness firm headquartered in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The agreement sets the stage for exploring large scale agricultural investments in the United Republic of Tanzania, with a strong focus on modern and sustainable farming.

The partnership aims to unlock Tanzania’s vast agricultural potential through commercial farming driven by irrigation. Under the agreement, both parties will collaborate to identify and assess suitable farmland for major projects designed to strengthen the country’s agricultural capacity, stimulate economic growth and enhance national food security.

Al Dahra will bring its international experience in high yield and sustainable crop production. TISEZA will support the process by facilitating land access, providing regulatory guidance and coordinating investment incentives. Together, they intend to build a strong foundation for long term agricultural development.

The initiative also aligns with Al Dahra’s 2030 Vision, which centres on expanding irrigated farming and promoting sustainable crop innovation across its global operations. The company plans to invest up to US$100mn in Tanzania. Initial operations are expected to cover at least 10,000 hectares of farmland, with the possibility of expanding by a further 10,000 hectares as the project grows.

Gilead Teri, Director General of the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority, said, “This MoU underscores Tanzania’s commitment to welcoming investment and providing the necessary enablers for foreign direct investments. This collaboration aligns with Tanzania’s agricultural transformation under the leadership of H.E. Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, which aims to achieve a 10% GDP growth rate in the crop subsector by 2030. This kind of investment creates assured market for millions of smallholder farmers in Tanzania and the region.”

Arnoud van den Berg, Group CEO at Al Dahra, said, “Tanzania offers exceptional agricultural potential, and together with TISEZA, we aim to introduce advanced, sustainable and resilient farming models that support the development of modern farming infrastructure, acquisition of state of the art agricultural technologies, and implementation of smart agritech systems in Tanzania. Our commitment is to invest responsibly, collaborate closely with national institutions, and contribute to Tanzania’s vision for a modern, diversified agricultural sector.”

Kenya implements to safeguard farmers amid drought condition.

Kenya’s response to the deepening drought has moved into urgent action, with the Government expanding food relief efforts while preparing farmers for the coming long rains season.

As dry conditions tighten their grip across several counties, authorities say both immediate survival and future food security are now the priority.

Kithure Kindiki, Deputy President, said, “The government is intensifying distribution of food to millions of Kenyans severely affected by the ongoing drought. I assure the people of Kenya that the government will not spare any resources to make sure we don’t lose human life and mitigate the effects of the drought on livestock and wildlife.”

Speaking after chairing a high level coordination meeting at the Official Residence in Karen, Nairobi, which brought together Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and agency heads, Kindiki said the focus is on fast and efficient delivery of relief to the most affected communities.

“Many counties are in need of food for the people and livestock feed. We are tirelessly working on effective last mile delivery of food so it does not take long to reach the people. We are also trucking water to the people and livestock,” he said.

Government figures show that at least 3.3 million people have been affected since January 2026, with counties such as Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, Marsabit, Turkana, Kwale, Meru North, Samburu and Isiolo facing crisis conditions.

At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture has launched the 2026 Long Rains National Fertiliser Subsidy Programme. Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Kiprono Rono confirmed that fertiliser is being delivered to National Cereals and Produce Board depots using the Standard Gauge Railway to ensure timely and affordable access for farmers.

“We need food to reach our schools so that learners are not disrupted by the ongoing drought situation. We have reviewed and resolved to upscale the ongoing interventions. We have also resolved to diversify the provision of food to take care of special members of society, including children, women and vulnerable members of society,” he stated.

Officials say the combined strategy of emergency relief and farm input support is aimed at stabilising families today while safeguarding the next harvest, as Kenya confronts increasingly uncertain climate patterns.

Ethiopia is reshaping its wheat farming landscape.

The African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Moses Vilakati, has applauded Ethiopia’s rise as a wheat exporter, describing it as a defining achievement not only for the country but for Africa as a whole.

Moses Vilakati, said, “We have realized where Ethiopia started and where they are right now — up to an extent where they are now exporting wheat. That’s a milestone, and we are very, very grateful.”

His remarks highlight how far Ethiopia has come in reshaping its agricultural landscape. Once heavily dependent on wheat imports, the country has invested in expanding domestic production, improving farming practices and embracing modern systems that support higher yields and greater resilience.

Vilakati also praised Ethiopia’s wider development agenda, pointing to its commitment to agricultural modernisation and digital transformation. He noted that the country’s progress shows what can be achieved when innovation aligns with clear policy direction and strong political will. For many African nations facing similar food security challenges, Ethiopia’s example offers a practical and encouraging model.

Vilakati stressed that digital tools are changing the way farming works across the continent. Farmers are gaining better access to timely information, improved climate data and smarter decision making systems that help them respond to changing conditions.

The AU Digital Agriculture Strategy 2024–2030 provides the continental roadmap for expanding such tools across agricultural value chains. Digital advisory platforms, climate information services and online marketplaces are already opening new opportunities, particularly for young people seeking to build careers in agriculture.

Following the inaugural AU Digital Agriculture Conference, the African Union Commission renewed its commitment to embedding digital innovation within Africa’s farming systems. As preparations begin for the 2027 review cycle, Vilakati urged member states to turn strategy into action and follow Ethiopia’s lead in pursuing food self sufficiency.

Cocoa buyers warn of mounting debt as funding delays bite (Image credit: Ghanaian Times)

The Licensed Cocoa Buyers Association of Ghana has issued a strong warning over growing financial pressures in the cocoa sector, urging the government to urgently secure a funding facility to support the purchase of about 300,000 metric tonnes of cocoa between now and September.

The association said delays in financing are placing licensed buying companies under severe strain and could eventually lead to the collapse of the cocoa buying system if no immediate action is taken. It stressed that any funds raised must be strictly reserved for cocoa purchases, noting that the primary responsibility of the Ghana Cocoa Board is to buy cocoa beans produced by farmers.

Addressing a press conference in Accra, the Executive Secretary of LICOBAG, Victus Dzah, said uncertainty around the current farmgate price of cocoa was worsening anxiety across the entire value chain.

“The government must urgently make a determination on the current farmgate price of cocoa to allay the apprehension of all value chain actors,” he said.

Mr Dzah explained that since the 2023 to 2024 cocoa season, the industry has struggled with serious funding gaps following COCOBOD’s failure to secure its usual syndicated loan facility.

“Instead of the usual annual syndication of US$1.3bn or more, COCOBOD was able to raise only $500 million, which was secured six months after the opening of the season on September 8, 2023. As a result, Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) were compelled to pre-finance cocoa purchases through facilities raised from various banks at very high interest rates, with the Ghana Reference Rate standing at 29.8 per cent at the time,” he explained.

According to him, part of the current crisis stems from the COCOBOD and Cocoa Marketing Company off taker shipment arrangement, which he said failed to respond effectively to prevailing market conditions.

“Why should we move from a period of rollovers in the previous season because COCOBOD could not deliver on their contracts, and this season we cannot buy cocoa produced by farmers because our pricing mechanism is not competitive enough?” he asked.

Dzah said traders failed to enter the market early and take advantage of high global prices, worsening the situation. He revealed that COCOBOD only made its first payment for cocoa delivered to the port on January 26, 2024, six months after delivery, despite farmers having already been paid in full by LBCs.

“This unfortunate development pushed all LBCs into huge debts, leading to the total collapse of many companies,” he remarked.

He added that the debt burden continues to grow as COCOBOD has not compensated LBCs for the high interest costs incurred during pre financing, despite earlier assurances.

Calling for reforms, Dzah urged COCOBOD, CMC and traders to adopt more proactive sales strategies, strengthen oversight of trading operations and build professional capacity within the system. He also appealed for an end to what he described as “rhetorics and theatrics”, urging COCOBOD to focus on its core mandate and divest from non essential businesses.