As part of a redoubled effort to stave off future food crises by bringing Africa’s rice production in line with its rapidly growing consumption, scientists have announced a paradigm shift in rice research for the region, which will give elite status to genetically diverse indigenous varieties.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Government of Japan and the NGO Ifelodun Cassava Processing CICS are collaborating to implement a project in Nigeria on alternative use of cassava, processing and increased access to poor alternative food types.

The palm oil processing plant on the Lake Victoria island of Bugala has commenced with operations and is expected to save Uganda $60mn a year on vegetable oil importation.

Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (KDHP) that owns and runs Tata Tea estates in Munnar (Kerala), is planning to go global by entering into a joint venture with a tea company in Vietnam and acquiring management control of an Ethiopian tea estate.

When plants become desiccated, tiny leaf pores collectively called stomata close to conserve water. Each stoma is flanked by a pair of ‘guard cells’, which change shape to open or close the central pore.