This post originally appeared in the Council of International Development Companies’ (CIDC) Thought Leadership Compendium. Hunger and food insecurity have steadily worsened throughout the last decade. Climate change — with its cascading effects on crop production and land viability —has exacerbated global food insecurity, and in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to key agricultural…
Cross-border “cluster” regions in the Horn of Africa have historically suffered from underinvestment and, as a result, face related challenges. Communities living in the cross-border towns of Karamoja, Moyale, and Mandera who move across Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and Somalia’s borders face numerous shocks and stressors. These include ethnic conflict, drought, flooding, pest infestations,…
Biodiversity loss is one of Central America’s most pressing challenges. The five-year, $13.9 million USAID Regional Program for the Management of Aquatic Resources and Economic Alternatives, implemented by Chemonics International, was developed to strengthen coastal-marine resource management and biodiversity conservation while improving the livelihoods of local populations. Population growth in coastal marine areas, climate change,…
Many firms in Bangladesh have grown their businesses while helping smallholder farmers implement new technologies and better management practices, which has improved the quality of their produce. However, most agribusinesses lack the ability to effectively manage their businesses while increasing their engagements with farmers. Agribusinesses need to work more closely with farmer-clients, providing information that…
Uzbekistan’s agriculture sector has embraced diversification, unlocking new markets for its goods. But challenges to stronger agricultural market systems remain, including inconsistency in post-production, a lack of participation by women and youth, and limited educational and policy reforms. The USAID Agribusiness Development Activity tackles these challenges to boost private sector-led growth in Uzbekistan’s agriculture sector.…
Fred Kasongo was the senior implementation director on the ACCELERE! project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is a humanitarian and development professional with over 25 years of experience in project management, including design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
On Tuesday, November 12, Chemonics awarded two teams of young problem-solvers with funding and ongoing support to continue development of their innovative solutions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Presented by Chemonics’ Executive Vice President Jamey Butcher, the award was part of the company’s commitment as Lead Scale Partner of the UNLEASH global innovation…
Rapid urbanization in developing countries is shifting demand for agricultural goods. Meanwhile, the digitization of value chains is generating more transparent information on the pricing and movement of goods. These changes within food systems open windows of opportunity for agripreneurship — that is, entrepreneurship in the agriculture sector — both on the farm and beyond…
We’d like you to meet Robert Anyang! Robert is an agricultural value chain improvement and marketing expert. With extensive experience advancing public-private partnerships, incubating youth-owned businesses, and expanding farmers’ access to markets, Robert shares how he was destined for his current career. Robert is one reason #DevelopmentWorksHere. 1. Can you tell us about your journey…
Cynthia Steen serves as chief of party of the USAID Moldova High Value Agriculture Activity (HVAA) and has previously led agribusiness and enterprise development projects in multiple countries, including Egypt, Albania, Jamaica, Lebanon, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. HVAA is successfully demonstrating production, post-harvest, and marketing techniques to make Moldova a more competitive exporter, creating sustainable opportunities…
On Wednesday, February 13, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) hosted a panel discussion on U.S.-led global food security featuring Chemonics Senior Vice President Philip DeCosse. The event, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and hosted at CSIS headquarters in Washington, D.C., marked the launch of CSIS’s newest report: Risk and…