eC2: Study on climate smart agriculture technologies and investment opportunities

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Deadline: 19-Apr-2022 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.) south_africa

The Government of South Africa has identified agriculture as one of the key sectors that could contribute to greening the economy due to its backward and forward linkages with job generation, food security, foreign export earnings and raw material production, making the sector an important engine for the growth of the rest of the economy. At the same time, this potential is significantly threatened by climate change . With more than 70 percent of its croplands relying primarily on rainfall for farming, existing cropping and livestock systems will be directly affected by expected climate induced changes in precipitation and temperature patterns. The agricultural sector is therefore one of the focal sectors of South Africas National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) that was promulgated in 2020 and of the countrys updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement . The adoption of climate smart agriculture technologies provides opportunities for sustainable intensification consistent with food security and development goals, and climate change adaptation and mitigation needs.

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Four paths to respond to the food price crisis

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As the devastating war in Ukraine rages on causing untold suffering, its impact is being feltroti_hero far beyond its borders, battering a world emerging from a pandemic that has hit developing countries hardest.  Among the most critical is the food price crisis, calling into question the affordability and availability of wheat and other essential staples.

There is no downplaying the blow that the war has dealt to food systems, already fragile from two years of COVID-19 disruptions, climate extremes, currency devaluations, and worsening fiscal constraints. Because Ukraine and Russia account for over a quarter of the world’s annual wheat sales, the war has led to a significant rise in the price of food , not only wheat but barley, maize, and edible oil among others exported by these two countries. Global and domestic food prices were already close to all-time highs before the war, and a large question mark looms over the next seasons’ harvests worldwide due to the sharp increase in fertilizer prices as well.

“Whether we succeed in managing food price volatility and navigating our way out of this new crisis depends on national policies and global cooperation.”

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Spring Meetings 2022

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Conflict, COVID and climate change have combined to create unprecedented challenges for developing countries. At these Spring Meetings – taking place in the shadow of war in Ukraine – the World Bank Group will convene leaders, experts and activists to discuss the impact of these global shocks on the most vulnerable communities.

Spring Meetings Program

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Global Economic Prospects 2022

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The global recovery is set to decelerate markedly amid continued COVID-19 flare-ups, GEP-2022a-Front-Coverdiminished policy support, and lingering supply bottlenecks. In contrast to that in advanced economies, output in emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) will remain substantially below the pre-pandemic trend over the forecast horizon. The global outlook is clouded by various downside risks, including renewed COVID-19 outbreaks due to Omicron or new virus variants, the possibility of de-anchored inflation expectations, and financial stress in a context of record-high debt levels. If some countries eventually require debt restructuring,
this will be more difficult to achieve than in the past. Climate change may increase commodity price volatility, creating challenges for the almost two-thirds of EMDEs that rely heavily on commodity exports and highlighting the need for asset diversification. Social tensions may heighten as a result of the increase in between-country and within-country inequality caused by the pandemic. Given limited policy space in EMDEs to support activity if needed, these downside risks increase the possibility of a hard landing. These challenges underscore the importance of strengthened global cooperation to foster rapid and equitable vaccine
distribution, proactive measures to enhance debt sustainability in the poorest countries, redoubled efforts to tackle climate change and within-country inequality, and an emphasis on growth-enhancing policy interventions to promote green, resilient, and inclusive development and on reforms that broaden economic activity to decouple from global commodity markets.

 

Full Report

 
 
 

Boskalis to protect eroded Togo and Benin coastline and construct innovative sand engine concept for beach replenishment

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Papendrecht, 24 March 2022

Boskalis has been awarded the contract for the protection and replenishment of more than 40 kilometers of coastline stretching from the eastern coastline of Togo to the western coastline of Benin in West Africa. The coastal protection project is part of the West African Coastal Areas Management (WACA) program. The award was made by the governments of Togo and Benin with the financing made available by the World Bank. The contract carries a value of approximately EUR 55 million.

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A bold response is needed to achieve a water-secure world

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Water is the most essential human need and is critical for development, growth, andwater_hero resilience.  Clean water, safe sanitation, and good hygiene are necessary for achieving positive health outcomes.

Yet one-quarter of the world’s population – 2 billion people – lack safe drinking water and half – 3.6 billion people – lack safe sanitation.

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The World Bank Group and Ukraine

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The invasion in Ukraine will have far-reaching economic and social impacts – well beyond780-ukraine-030722 the immediate impact it is already having on the lives and livelihoods of those in the country. The World Bank Group continues to coordinate with Ukraine and other development partners to assess these costs and develop a robust response to help the Ukrainian people during this difficult period.

The World Bank’s overall portfolio of projects in Ukraine supports improvements in basic public services, in areas such as water supply, sanitation, heating, power, energy efficiency, roads, social protection, education and healthcare, and private sector development. Since Ukraine joined the World Bank in 1992, the Bank’s commitments to the country have totaled more than $14 billion in about 90 projects and programs.

“We are a long-standing partner of Ukraine and stand with its people at this critical moment.”
David Malpass
President, World Bank Group
 

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