Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic, viral, vector-borne disease representing a threat to human health, animal health and livestock production in Africa, the Near East and potentially, Europe and the rest of the world. Rift Valley fever primarily affects sheep, goats, cattle, camels, buffaloes, and antelopes. The majority of...

This edition opens with a critical issue: the Ebola crisis and how Dimitra clubs are helping contain the threat of the epidemic in Senegal. The Dimitra approach not only allows to inform and raise awareness in rural communities, but above all ensures a space for communication, where everyone can express...

El Niño is a periodic climate phenomenon defined by anomalously warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean which affect local weather worldwide and generally leads to increased drought risk at global level. In 2015, since July a strong El Niño is being observed with increasing...

Waarabe Dareeray village has been known for the good crop production due to its good soil type and availability of water. However, the farmers’ fortunes changed when the area was hit by prolonged drought which led to poor crop yields. Many farmers migrated to other villages in search of other...

For the first time, Somali farmers are turning themselves into suppliers of high-quality food assistance for their fellow Somali people. European Union, Austria and United Nations food agencies are backing landmark initiative

Somalia's fish resources remain one of the most under exploited due a variety of factors. The Horn of Africa nation also has one of the lowest per capita fish consumption in the world.

Somalia’s livestock sector is based on nomadic pastoralism with a growing private sector led export industry and the mainstay of the Somali economy. Despite its many problems, the Horn of Africa nation comes second in global live sheep exports after Australia.

This Issue of Nature & Faune puts forward the case of “African Youth in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development”. It carries twenty one articles contributed by different individuals, from: policy arena, conservation NGOs; the private sector; civil society groups; research and academia as well as youth groups. The United...

Despite the achievements of smallholders in Asia during the green revolution, there is scepticism that Africa’s smallholders — who dominate the farm area in most countries — can imitate this model and deliver agricultural growth. This paper assesses whether such pessimism is justified. Given the high transactions costs of hiring...

The point of departure of this paper is that African nations cannot afford to ignore smallholder agriculture, however difficult its prospects may seem. Region wide, at the beginning of the 1990's, 85 percent of Africa's population was rural, and more than a quarter of the labour force was actively engaged...