Although food security in Zimbabwe improved significantly following government efforts and a US$70 mn international assistance programme providing farmers with subsidized inputs, the country still needs agricultural and food assistance next year for some 1.68 mn people.

The World Bank assisted Commercial Agriculture Project has taken off in the five participating states of Nigeria. The states are Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Cross River and Kano.

Vietnamese experts are set to help Chad implement a series of activities aimed at improving the African country's food security under a tripartite South-South Cooperation agreement signed in March 2010.

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.