[Note from Blog Administrator: In reading articles like this, especially when referring to African countries, where a majority of the population are not just consumers, but agricultural producers, it is important to consider the impacts of food imports on African farming. Reduced prices are a positive for urban consumers, less positive or even negative from the perspective of farmers who will see reduced prices for the agricultural goods, thereby potentially pushing them out of farming, and perpetuating dependence on food imports. Who wins? The global food surplus producers, like U.S. farmers.]

Business Daily (Nairobi)
18 May 2008

By Jim Onyango
Consumers of wheat products are hoping for a reduction in prices after the government opened a window for the importation of duty free wheat flour. Continue Reading »

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
5 May 2008

By Rodgers Luhwago, Ngorongoro
Controversy surrounds the sale of Sukenya farm in Loliondo division, Ngorongoro district to a private American investor, Thomson Safaris.

A team of journalists who at the weekend toured the area found out that the investor has since blocked the pastoralists from grazing their animals in the farm. Continue Reading »

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
28 April 2008

By Joseph Murimi
Nairobi
A new strategy that will allow you to sell your plastic waste, generate income for the youth and improve the environment has been unveiled.

Players in the plastic industry have come up with a concept that will see plastic waste collected and recycled before getting to the dumpsites. The concept involves organising youths in groups and empowering them to collect plastic waste from homes and selling them to big industries for recycling. Continue Reading »

A plan to build the largest and most powerful hydroelectric dam in the world is being discussed in London.

Financiers and African politicians will look at how to finance the $80bn (£40bn) cost of the Grand Inga project.

The plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo would generate twice as much energy as China’s Three Gorges dam. Continue Reading »

The Congolese government has given an oil permit claimed by Tullow Oil to a rival consortium.

Tullow, Heritage Oil and Cohydro signed an agreement for two permits on Lake Albert, which borders Uganda, in 2006.

The oil ministry says one is invalid as the deputy minister had no authority to sign it and the president did not approve it. Continue Reading »