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World Food Day: How the new Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance will use digital technologies to help farmers in Africa feed the continent

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World Food Day

The African Development Bank aims to bring 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria into the digital economy via Mastercard Community Pass

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, October 16, 2024/APO Group/ — 

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) and Mastercard are co-chairing a new initiative called Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance Africa, which aims to provide digital access to critical services for 100 million people and businesses in Africa over the next 10 years. In the first phase of its $300 million commitment to the Alliance’s initial five years of programming, the African Development Bank aims to bring 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria into the digital economy via Mastercard Community Pass. Community Pass gives farmers a digital credential to access a network of digital agricultural agents.

Alliance members include Equity Bank Group, Microsoft, Heifer International, Sustainable Agriculture Foundation, Unconnected.org, Yara, Kenya National Farmers’ Federation, Shell Foundation, and CRDB Bank. The Alliance also utilizes financial support from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

For World Food Day, we asked African Development Bank Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Dr. Beth Dunford, about the possibilities digitalization brings to Africa’s farmers and food systems.

Why did MADE Alliance Africa choose to focus on the digitization of agriculture for smallholder farmers and women as its first initiative, and why do you think the African agriculture sector holds so much potential?  

Dunford: Africa is home to 65% of the planet’s remaining uncultivated, arable land, and we believe that agriculture is a critical sector to drive Africa’s development. Agriculture accounts for nearly 60% of total employment in Africa and accounts for more than 25% of GDP in its low-income countries. Across the continent, there’s no agriculture without women. They provide an estimated 60% to 80% of labor input to the sector. Growth in agriculture is terribly effective compared to many other sectors in lifting people out of poverty, providing degrees of agency to women, feeding Africa’s people, and positioning the continent as a breadbasket to the world.

Our challenge is that the majority of Africa’s food systems producers are smallholder farmers who, simply put, struggle from season to season due to a lack of access to quality inputs like seeds and fertilizer, or access to affordable financing to purchase farming necessities. Africa’s smallholder farmers have various needs that the MADE Alliance Africa can solve by boosting sustainable digital access to critical services. Through the MADE Alliance, Mastercard Community Pass works with local banks to provide digital credentials to millions of smallholder farmers and women. Digital identities are the gateway to accessing digital services and to high-quality inputs. Digitalizing agriculture and the distribution of goods will bring enormous efficiencies to the marketplace, as well as reduce waste and fraud across the ecosystem.

Mastercard’s Community Pass can help establish digital credentials for millions of farmers, bring more transparency to pricing and help them access agricultural inputs. What are the challenges involved in bringing this solution to market, and how can they be overcome?

Dunford: Community Pass is designed to operate in remote and rural communities — often with limited connectivity and energy access. This technology, to adapt a popular phrase, “meets farmers where they are.” However, there are challenges involved in delivering these solutions and connecting smallholder farmers and women to financial institutions — challenges that we believe can be overcome or mitigated through capacity building, infrastructure and new models for governments and the private sector to work together.

To scale these technologies to more farmers in a timely manner, we need to work with farmer cooperatives and networks of member farmers who reap many benefits of doing business as a unit. The challenge is that the majority of farmer cooperatives in Africa are not as operationally efficient as they are in other regions, and the prevalence of digital literacy is relatively low. Africa needs significant investment to educate farmers on how they can benefit from digital technologies to access resources.

MADE Alliance’s digital services can connect farmers to new buyers and suppliers who are physically far away, but costs to transport goods to market remain a barrier. Critically, farmers and women need digital devices and reliable connectivity to take advantage of the digital economy.

Can you talk a little more about how the MADE Alliance will benefit women?

Dunford: Roughly half of Africa’s smallholder farmers are women, with the majority of agriculture sector labor carried out by women. However, compared to their male counterparts, female farmers struggle to create a sustainable livelihood in agriculture because they are less likely to own property titles or other assets often needed to access financial services. Women farmers have less access to information and extension services, and they lack access to inputs such as seeds and fertilizers. They are disproportionately impacted by climate risks. Collectively, these challenges result in women farmers typically producing up to 20% to 30% less output than male farmers.

Community Pass helps women make farming a sustainable livelihood by enabling access to critical service providers like banks and agricultural buyers, as well as creating transparency.

Women are the backbone of African economies, and investing in women entrepreneurs fosters women’s empowerment and agency over decisions around business, family and community. Investing in Africa’s women entrepreneurs is smart economics. Investing in Africa’s women has been a cornerstone of the Bank’s work. In fact, no Bank project or program will receive Bank financing unless it details how it will benefit women.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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As global power structures shift, Invest Africa convenes The Africa Debate 2026 to redefine partnership in a changing world

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February 6, 2026

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The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation

LONDON, United Kingdom, February 5, 2026/APO Group/ –As African economies assert greater agency in a rapidly evolving global order, Invest Africa (www.InvestAfrica.com) is delighted to announce The Africa Debate 2026, its flagship investment forum, taking place at the historic Guildhall in London on 3 June 2026.

Now in its 12th year, The Africa Debate has established itself as London’s premier platform for African investment dialogue since launching in 2014, convening over 800 global decision-makers annually to shape the future of trade, finance, investment, and development across the continent.

Under the theme “Redefining Partnership: Navigating a World in Transition”, this year’s forum will focus on Africa’s response to global economic realignment with greater agency, ambition and economic sovereignty.

The Africa Debate puts Africa’s priorities at the centre of the conversation, moving beyond traditional narratives to focus on ownership, resilience and long-term value creation.

“Volatility is not new to Africa. What is changing is the opportunity to respond with greater agency and ambition,” says Invest Africa CEO Chantelé Carrington.

“This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy — so African economies can take greater ownership of their growth. Success will be defined by how effectively we turn disruption into leverage and partnership into shared value.”

The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation.

Key challenges driving the debate

Core focus areas for this year’s edition of The Africa Debate include:

This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy

Global Realignment & New Partnerships

How shifting geopolitical and economic power structures are reshaping Africa’s global partnerships, trade dynamics and investment landscape.

Financing Africa’s Future

The growing need to reform the global financial architecture, new approaches to development finance, as well as the strengthening of market access and financial resilience of African economies in a changing global system.

Strategic Value Chains

Moving beyond primary exports to build local value chains in critical minerals for the green economy. Also addressing Africa’s energy access gap and mobilising investment in renewable and transitional energy systems.

Digital Transformation & Technology

Unlocking growth in fintech, AI and digital infrastructure to drive productivity, inclusion, and the next phase of Africa’s economic transformation.

The Africa Debate 2026 offers a unique platform for high-level dialogue, deal-making, and strategic engagement. Attendees will gain actionable insights from leading policymakers, investors and business leaders shaping Africa’s economic future, while building strategic partnerships that define the continent’s next growth phase.

Registration is now open (http://apo-opa.co/46b19gj).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.

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Zion Adeoye terminated as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CLG due to serious personal and professional conduct violations

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February 6, 2026

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After a thorough internal and external investigation, along with a disciplinary hearing chaired by Sbongiseni Dube, CLG (https://CLGglobal.com) has made the decision to terminate Zion Adeoye due to serious personal and professional conduct violations. This process adhered to the Code of Good Practice of the Labour Relations Act, ensuring fairness, transparency, and compliance with South African law.

Mr. Adeoye has been held accountable for several serious offenses, including:

  • Making malicious and defamatory statements against colleagues
  • Extortion
  • Intimidation
  • Fraud
  • Misuse of company funds
  • Theft and misappropriation of funds
  • Breach of fiduciary duty
  • Mismanagement

His actions are in direct contradiction to our firm’s core values. We do not approve of attorneys spending time in a Gentleman’s Club. CLG deeply regrets the impact this situation has had on our colleagues and continues to provide full support to those affected.

We want to express our gratitude to those who spoke up and to reassure everyone at the firm of our unwavering commitment to maintaining a respectful workplace. Misconduct of any kind is unacceptable and will be addressed decisively.

We recognize the seriousness of this matter and have referred it to the appropriate law enforcement, regulatory, and legal authorities in Nigeria, Mauritius, and South Africa. We kindly ask that the privacy of the third party involved be respected.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CLG.

 

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The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Strengthens Partnership with the Republic of Djibouti through US$35 Million Financing Facility

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February 6, 2026

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This facility forms part of the US$600 million, three-year Framework Agreement signed in May 2023 between ITFC and the Republic of Djibouti, reflecting the strong and growing partnership between both parties

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, February 5, 2026/APO Group/ –The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (https://www.ITFC-IDB.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, has signed a US$35 million sovereign financing facility with the Republic of Djibouti to support the development of the country’s bunkering services sector and strengthen its position as a strategic regional maritime and trade hub.

The facility was signed at the ITFC Headquarters in Jeddah by Eng. Adeeb Yousuf Al-Aama, Chief Executive Officer of ITFC, and H.E. Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of Industry of the Republic of Djibouti.

The financing facility is expected to contribute to Djibouti’s economic growth and revenue diversification by reinforcing the competitiveness and attractiveness of the Djibouti Port as a “one-stop port” offering comprehensive vessel-related services. With Red Sea Bunkering (RSB) as the Executing Agency, the facility will support the procurement of refined petroleum products, thus boosting RSB’s bunkering operations, enhancing revenue diversification, and consolidating Djibouti’s role as a key logistics and trading hub in the Horn of Africa and the wider region.

We look forward to deepening this partnership, creating new opportunities, and leveraging collaborative programs to advance key sectors and drive sustainable economic growth

Commenting on the signing, Eng. Adeeb Yousuf Al-Aama, CEO of ITFC, stated:

“This financing reflects ITFC’s continued commitment to supporting Djibouti’s strategic development priorities, particularly in strengthening energy security, port competitiveness, and trade facilitation. We are proud to deepen our partnership with the Republic of Djibouti and contribute to sustainable economic growth and regional integration.”

H.E. Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of Industry of the Republic of Djibouti, commented: “Today’s signing marks an important milestone in the development of Djibouti’s bunkering services and reflects our strong and valued partnership with ITFC, particularly in the oil and gas sector. This collaboration supports our ambition to position Djibouti as a regional hub for integrated maritime and logistics services. We look forward to deepening this partnership, creating new opportunities, and leveraging collaborative programs to advance key sectors and drive sustainable economic growth.”

This facility forms part of the US$600 million, three-year Framework Agreement signed in May 2023 between ITFC and the Republic of Djibouti, reflecting the strong and growing partnership between both parties.

Since its inception in 2008, ITFC and the Republic of Djibouti have maintained a strong partnership, with a total of US$1.8 billion approved primarily supporting the country’s energy sector and trade development objectives.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

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