Every week, RuralReporters.com collate reports on development issues in rural Africa and its environs.
This report includes some of our top picks from recent must-read research, interviews, blogs, and in-depth articles, carefully selected to help you keep up with global issues.
Here are some of the updates you may have missed from the previous week:
CBN to Accelerate Financial Inclusion with Rural Banks
As part of efforts to promote financial inclusion and enhance access to financial services for low income earners and the unbanked, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is proposing the establishment of Payment Service Banks in rural areas across the country.
This is coming as the apex bank says it may alter the amount it has ordered South African telecoms firm, MTN to refund to Nigeria for illegally repatriating funds from the country. To this end, the CBN has released the draft guidelines for the regulation of the proposed banks.
Eight years down, TBA’s still deliver expectant mothers in rural areas
The government banned traditional birth attendants from delivering mothers in 2010, in the hope of improving maternal-mortality conditions.
Eight years down the road at 336 deaths per 100,000 live births, the country’s maternal mortality rate is still among the highest in Africa and in the world.
Reports from the National Saving Mothers and Giving Life (SMGL) dissemination meeting indicate that despite the free prenatal care in government hospitals, many expectant mothers, especially in rural areas, still prefer to go to the Traditional Birth Attendants to be delivered.
Girls in rural Ghana using leaves and papers as sanitary pads – JI reveals
Government has been asked to review the 20% import tax on sanitary pads to enhance the health and education of Ghanaian girls.
J Initiative (JI), a child-centred research and advocacy-based non-governmental organization that made the call is worried the classification of sanitary towels as luxury by the Ghana Revenue Authority has pushed under privileged girls to use unhealthy absorbents.
“Due to the increasing cost of sanitary towels, some girls; especially those in rural areas and from economically disadvantaged backgrounds resort to using absorbents such as dirty rags, cotton wool, leaves and paper.
Agriculture key contributor to rural poverty reduction – FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says agriculture is the key contributor to rural poverty reduction. Dr Abebe Haile-Gabriel, the FAO Representative to Ghana, said agriculture is the mainstay of the majority of the rural people, where poverty is quite concentrated.
Dr Haile-Gabriel was speaking at a South-South Cooperation policy dialogue workshop focusing on rural poverty reduction programmes in Accra.
The dialogue organised in agreement with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the FAO is to focus on how these experiences from the programmes can be harnessed to improve on rural economies and the consumption of poor rural households.
SA must strengthen urban and rural linkages – Andries Nel
The Deputy Minister for Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs Andries Nel has said South Africa must focus on strengthening links between urban and rural development to achieve sustainable and inclusive progress.
Nel told a conference on the regeneration of small towns that some of the challenges affecting the country’s ability to strengthen the linkages between the two spaces included tensions between elected councils and traditional leadership over land use and land development planning, as well as poor infrastructure – particularly in transportation and communication.
“Clearly, the solution to poverty in rural areas cannot be found in the rural economy alone,” Nel said. “Rural growth needs access to urban markets and vibrant non-farm sectors. Equally, the growth of urban areas can be compromised by inadequate rural development.”
More Women Owning Agricultural Land in Africa Means Increased Food Security and Nutrition
Despite women being key figures in agriculture and food security, gender inequality is holding back progress towards ending hunger, poverty, and creating sustainable food systems.
During a high-level event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the African Union (AU) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. (FAO) reviewed the persistent gender gaps in agri-food systems in Africa and highlighted the need for urgent action.
“There is a strong momentum to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in agri-food systems because women constitute the majority of agricultural labour,” said AU commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Josefa Leonel Correa Sacko.
Mali: Take part in AECF competition for renewable energy in rural areas
The African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), which supports the development of rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa, has launched the Renewable Energy and Climate Change Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa (React SSA) competition. The winners will receive funding to provide rural households with independent solar systems.
Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) launched the Renewable Energy and Adaptation to Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa (React SSA) competition on September 27 2018 in Bamako. Companies interested in this funding opportunity have until November 22, 2018 to register on www.aecfafrica.org.