In Nigeria, IFPRI and AFAAS have launched a collaboration to explore how generative AI can strengthen agricultural extension services, helping farmers and extension workers access timely, localised information to improve productivity and close advisory gaps. The Gurdian. In addition, officials of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) highlighted improvements in Nigeria’s agricultural productivity driven by the adoption of improved seed varieties and biotechnology, while urging African countries to increase investment in agricultural innovation and reduce dependence on donor funding. The Guardian.
Nigeria is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to improve farmer advisory services while advancing the adoption of agricultural innovations to boost productivity and strengthen long-term food security.
In Kenya, farmers in Gatundu are increasingly turning to avocado cultivation as strong international demand and improved market linkages accelerate the shift towards export-driven agriculture, creating new income opportunities for smallholder producers. The Star. Simultaneously, A major agro-industrial initiative is set to transform turmeric farming in Kenya, targeting more than 800,000 farmers through a large-scale contract farming and value-addition programme aimed at unlocking income opportunities. Farmers Review Africa.
In Kenya, growing export demand for avocados and a large-scale turmeric contract farming initiative are creating new market opportunities and income streams for smallholder farmers through greater participation in high-value agricultural value chains.
Rwanda’s fishing sector grew by 66 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, up from 22 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025, according to the latest data from the National Institute of Statistics Rwanda (NISR). New Times. Additionally, Fisher Global Ltd, an agriculture export company based in Rwamagana District in the Eastern Province, recorded a sharp increase in chili export volumes in the first quarter of 2026, with shipments doubling from about three containers during the same period last year New Times.
For Rwanda, these developments indicate that the country is expanding its agricultural and fisheries export sectors, creating stronger income opportunities, boosting export earnings, and contributing to overall economic growth.
In Tanzania, a growing movement led by the Tanzania Biodiversity Conservation Network (TABIO) is pushing for stronger legal frameworks to protect traditional, climate-resilient crop varieties. Following the official registration of 13 farmer-saved seed varieties, advocates are calling for national policies that support community seed banks, reduce production costs, and strengthen food security in the face of extreme climate events. Milling Middle East & Africa. Meanwhile, as harvest windows fluctuate across East Africa, early data shows that Tanzania’s Arabica and Robusta production volumes are poised to outpace last year’s margins, defying regional weather fluctuations that hit neighboring nations earlier in the season. Sucafina Specialty
For Tanzania, this means improved agricultural resilience through the protection of indigenous seed systems, while its coffee sector remains on track for stronger output despite regional weather challenges.
In Uganda, agronomists reported that country’s main Robusta coffee harvest cycle is running up to 6 weeks late due to unseasonal rainfall patterns in the central region slowing down fruit ripening. Despite the delay, overall export volumes for marketing year 2026/27 are still projected to hit a strong 7.2 million bags. Sucafina Specialty Meanwhile, ahead of the highly anticipated Uganda Avocado Conference scheduled for July 2026, details have emerged regarding a massive regenerative agricultural framework targeting the planting of one million avocados to anchor Uganda into global high-value export markets. Pan African Visions.
Uganda is maintaining strong coffee export projections despite a delayed harvest caused by unseasonal rainfall, while also advancing large-scale avocado expansion and climate-resilient agricultural investments to strengthen future export growth and economic stability.
In Ghana, avocado is emerging as a promising export crop with the potential to drive industrial growth and economic value creation, provided the country can move beyond raw production to develop a strong value-added processing industry. Peace Online. Meanwhile, Ghana is addressing its growing rice import dependence, with analysts arguing that the challenge is less about production capacity and more about weak agricultural business systems that limit competitiveness across the rice value chain despite rising domestic demand and strong cultivation potential. Modern Ghana.
For Ghana, these developments signal that the country’s agricultural sector is increasingly being defined by a shift from production potential to the need for stronger systems that can connect farmers to markets, add value locally, and translate existing crop capacity into real economic and trade gains.
