Burkina Faso News Archives - AfricaBusiness.com

8Nov

By Joseph MainaNo Comments

Agriculture, Burkina Faso News, Kenya News

GMOs have lessened pesticide poisoning and improved yields in Africa, says report

A report by a top caucus of experts in the United Kingdom shows that many countries have benefited from improved economies and healthier populations by farming genetically modified (GM) crops. Most significantly, the low pesticide use associated with GM farming is linked to fewer incidences of pesticide poisoning among farmworkers—particularly for small-scale farmers, observes the Report on Genetic Technologies released in September by the UK’s Regulatory Horizons Council. In India, for instance, the report cites a 50-70% reduction in pesticide applications on insect-resistant cotton, which has led to significant health benefits for farmers. “It has been estimated that this GM crop helps to avoid several million cases of pesticide poisoning per year,” the report noted. “There have als...

17Sep

By Katarzyna RybarczykNo Comments

African News, Burkina Faso News, Main, Mali News, Niger News

The Sahel faces further destabilisation from the jihadi gold rush

Africa’s Sahel, a region separating the Sahara Desert to the north and savannas to the south, is notorious for widespread poverty and persistent conflict. In fact, Western Sahel, especially Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, is the most unstable area on the continent. For years, terrorist attacks have been a frequent occurrence but recently the region has been facing a new threat - a wave of extremist violence targeting gold mines. Groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State have been taking over gold mines and becoming increasingly involved in the informal gold trade. ‘More than 2m people are involved in small-scale mining in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger’, reported the International Crisis Group. As the NGO explained, ‘in total they dig up 40-95 tonnes of gold a year, worth some $1.9bn-4.5...

Hybrid solutions are the most effective way to deliver reliable clean power to remote off-grid mining operations in Africa

10Nov

By Tarik SfendlaNo Comments

Burkina Faso News, Energy, Green Energy, Mali News, Tanzania News

Hybrid solutions are the most effective way to deliver reliable clean power to remote off-grid mining operations in Africa

Op-ed by Tarik Sfendla, Market Development Manager, Africa chez Wärtsilä Energy Business The energy markets are undergoing a massive transformation as governments around the world transition away from fossil fuels towards the integration of renewable energy. This trend is clearly visible in the mining industry as demonstrated by recent power projects in South America and in Australia. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, in 2018, mines purchased 1 GW of renewable energy generation assets; this amount tripled to reach approximately 3.5 GW in 2019, 90% of which consist of hybrid solutions. Electricity demand for the mining industry is expected to increase significantly in the coming years as increased mine depth, harder rock and greater water desalination needs lead to higher energy in...

19Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Burkina Faso News

Burkina Faso: World Bank grant to support regional “center of excellence” serving engineering students from 36 countries

The World Bank’s Board has approved a grant of US$10 million to improve existing training facilities and house more students at the International Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. As many as 2,500 students will now be enrolled at 2iE by 2015, up from just 650 in 2009. The institute serves as a regional “center of excellence” for students from 36 countries, helping to meet Africa’s need for more engineers in water, energy, environment, and infrastructure. .Notably, 93 percent of new 2iE graduates are employed within six months, showing that their skills are highly in demand and closely matched to market needs. The World Bank, which supports greater competitiveness and employment in African economies, is helping 2iE to become f...

17Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Burkina Faso News, Ethiopia News, Niger News, Tanzania News

Makers of Plumpy’nut® to Invest $5.8 Million in African Companies to Fight Severe Acute Malnutrition Through Local Suppliers

French food manufacturer to significantly increase its total investment since 2005 to support sustainable food production systems MALAUNAY, France, Oct. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nutriset, the inventor and manufacturer of Plumpy'nut® – the highly fortified peanut-based paste that revolutionized the treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) – today announced the company will contribute an additional $5.8 million over the next two years to combat severe acute malnutrition in the developing world and especially in the Sahel region of Africa. Announced during the Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines in conjunction with the awarding of the 2012 World Food Prize, Nutriset's $5.8 million commitment will go to members of the PlumpyField® network, a network of locally based private manufactu...