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 the previous week:
Malawi rural women farmers bitter with late export-ban uplift; demands proper guiding laws
The Coalition of Women Farmers of Malawi (COWFA) on Friday expressed sadness over government failure to put proper guiding legal frame work on export-ban.
The rural women say due to this year’s abruptly export ban they lost proceeds arguing that traders took advantage of decision by offering poor prices when buying produces.
The grouping observed that instant and long export ban affect women access to markets for their produces.
The rural women’s outcry comes a week after President Peter Mutharika lifted export ban that government put on local crops since April this year’s.
Telcoms Union Demands Connection of African Rural Areas
African governments have been urged to speed the connection of rural and remote areas to enhance economic opportunities. Abdoulkarim Soumaila, the African Telecommunications Union, made the call at the AfricaCom, the premier Pan-African technology, telecoms and media event, held in Cape Town, South Africa. “All people must be able to access the internet in order to exercise and enjoy their rights to a better quality of life, dignity and equality,” Abdoulkarim said. Statistics from GSMA shows that approximately 53 percent of the world’s population is still unconnected. Four-fifths of this unconnected population is located in Asia-Pacific and in Africa. On average, 69 percent of the African population does not have access to the internet, with many of those unconnected living in rural areas. Abdoulkarim said in order to make rural connectivity a reality, governments and stakeholders needed to make it a priority.
Africa’s migration shouldn’t be motivated by conflict
The migration story continues and people are on the move. All kinds of factors for mass exodus of needy people are in the spotlight. In Africa, we will probably make it our pre-occupation for a long time to come.
East and west Africa are probably battling the biggest numbers. The north as well, on top of their own, is struggling to contain Africans on the move from crossing over to Europe through the famous Mediterranean Sea. So there is no stopping the rural Africans from their zeal to motion away from trouble. The dynamics and drivers of migration are dominantly varied.
Africa has a big role to play for its rural residents, if it is to halt migration. The causes of exodus of people from their homes need a permanent solution. It is no doubt a constant pain for the world. A lot more people are fleeing from home to try and find better opportunities; peace, jobs and all.
Osun warns rural communities against open defecation
The Osun Government has warned residents of rural communities against open defecation so as to forestall the spread of diseases in their neighbourhoods.
Mr Segun Moyinoluwa, Director of Sanitation and Hygiene, State Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation Agency ( RUWESA ), gave the warning in Osogbo on Monday at a meeting with members of the State Task Group on Sanitation.
He said the state government had embarked on serious enlightenment campaigns to sensitise people in the rural communities to the need to promote healthy living.
Rural Enterprise Program Tied To Industrialization Agenda
Alan Kyeremanten (right) handing a key to Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, George Boahen Oduro to symbolize the official handing over of the vehicles
Government has expressed its intention to align the Rural Enterprise Programme (REP) with its industrialization agenda.
The move, he said, was aimed at further boasting enterprise and industrial activities in rural areas nationwide.
BoG to get tough on rural banks as paid-up capital requirement deadline draws near
The Bank of Ghana in 2015 raised the minimum paid-up capital requirement of all rural and community banks in Ghana from GH¢300,000 to GH¢1million.
All the 141 rural and community banks were expected to raise their paid-up capital to GH¢500,000 by December 2016 and GH¢1million by December 2017.
As at June 2017, out of the 141 rural banks in Ghana 51 had met and exceeded the GH¢1million threshold paid-up-capital; 51 RCBs also had paid-up capital ranging from GH¢500,000 to GH¢950,000 and the remaining 39
UN Envoy Advocates Financial Inclusion For Rural Dwellers
Visiting United Nations Advocate for Inclusive Finance, Queen Maxima of Netherlands has called for deliberate strategy to expand financial access to the poor and rural communities in Nigeria.
Queen Maxima, wife of King William-Alexander of Netherlands told newsmen
after visiting some health facilities in Lagos that her visit was to advance financial inclusion in Nigeria.
“Today, advances have been made, but half of Nigeria does not still even have a basic financial account,” Queen Maxima said.