A team from FAO Zimbabwe shared their experiences and unveiled newly published guidelines on the use of electronic vouchers for agricultural input distribution

Storified by FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 05:49:32

E-vouchers for #agriculture inputs are moving agriculture forward in #Zimbabwe, with farmers in the driver's seat - http://bit.ly/ypBmVD

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 02:02:01

Welcome message beginning of re-engagement of electronic means 4 getting resources into the hands of farmers for production

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 02:39:19

In Zimbabwe Pilot projects have sought to provide farmers with a choice, that would be sustainable and to be used as an exit strategy

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 02:54:05

The launch of the Guidelines on E-Voucher for #agriculture in Zimbabwe by #unfao http://yfrog.com/nyq21fmhj · FAO in Emergencies

Guidelines developed sought to make this pilot project market-based with a clear selection criteria- Guidelines will be posted later

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 02:56:40

Vouchers are provided to beneficiaries who use them to purchase inputs from pre-selected agrodealers who provide good quality agroinputs

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:00:00

Vouchers are topped off with USD 160 to which farmers contribute 10% and cards are protected with a pin number

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:04:55

Through the programme farmers in #Zimbabwe have been re-introduced to the agroeconomy http://bit.ly/A2csN4

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:07:13

#UNFAO deals w develop, coord & technical aspect- also providing gender experts as 1/2 of beneficiaries are women-headed households

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:11:21

4 100 farmers were supported through the e-voucher distribution in #Zimbabwe http://bit.ly/ypBmVD

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:17:30

Challenges: diff levels of entrepreneurship btwn agrodealers, price differentials in diff areas & those trained not always those doing

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:21:03

The e-voucher programme in #Zimbabwe has an important question: Are we implementing the best programme that will offer the best results?

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:30:50

E-vouchers: right time to distribute cards & also several areas that are in need of assistance - calls for closer collaboration with WFP

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:35:29

The exit strategy today of the #Zimbabwe e-voucher programme involves consistently increasing co-payments to ensure greater investment

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:50:09

The e-voucher in #Zimbabwe helps to increase productivity to achieve food security http://bit.ly/ypBmVD

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 03:58:22

Closing remarks by #Zimbabwe rep: expresses profound gratitude to #UNFAO and other key stakeholders for the e-voucher programme

— FAO in Emergencies · Wed, Mar 07 2012 04:07:02

Famine has been declared as over, but the region is still in need of assistance. Here is a look back on Somalia during last year's (2011) Horn of Africa drought, and a look into what is happening now.

Storified by FAO in Emergencies · Fri, Apr 20 2012 07:47:20

Crisis in the Horn of Africa: Home

The web portal informs about the food crisis in the Horn of Africa..

FAO & emergencies: Somalia

Jul 20, 2011 ... The FAO emergency response activities in Somalia. ... FAO Initiative on Soaring Food Prices ... as a result of the dro...

BBC News - UN declares Somalia famine in Bakool and Lower ...

Jul 20, 2011 ... The UN declares a famine in two areas of southern Somalia, as conditions deteriorate amid the region's worst droug...

FAO Media Centre: Famine in Somalia

Jul 20, 2011 ... Famine declared in Somalia. 20 July 2011, Nairobi/Rome - Famine in Somalia has killed tens of thousands of people in r...

HoA_18-7_meeting-large-en_02 · FAO News

Conflict threatens Somalia aid effort - Africa - Al Jazeera English

Nov 23, 2011 ... Deadly drought is easing but prospect of new military offensive threatens ongoing humanitarian mission.

An unprecedented food #emergency http://bit.ly/v9WSMN left 4 million #Somalis (half the country's population) food insecure

— FAO in Emergencies · Fri, Feb 10 2012 14:38:01

RT @WFP: Famine in Somalia has ended but the crisis is not over, says #FAO's @grazianodasilva http://bit.ly/xlMJau

— PUSH_Worldwide · Sun, Feb 12 2012 17:20:34

Famine in Somalia is over, says UN | World news | guardian.co.uk

Feb 3, 2012 ... The famine is over in Somalia thanks to good rains, a bumper harvest and ... the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FA...

24739_6632 · FAO News

24739_6606 · FAO News

24739_6615 · FAO News

24739_6616 · FAO News

Regional Office for Africa: Somalia famine ends, but situation still dire

3 February 2012, Nairobi - The United Nations declared an end to famine conditions in Somalia today, but warned that with recurrent droug...

UN says Somali famine over, but warns action needed to forestall ...

Feb 3, 2012 ... FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva talking to farmers and pastoralists in Dollow, south Somalia. Photo: FAO/Si...

Somalia - AQUASTAT - FAO's Information System on Water and ...

The most important agricultural areas are in the south of Somalia and the agricultural production system can be divided in: (i) subsist...