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BBC Sport explores how exciting young Ivory Coast Yan Diomande is determined to succeed at the World Cup in honour of his sister.

Le Maroc a pu compter sur l'efficacité d'Ismaël Saibari pour dominer l'Écosse(1-0) et se qualifier pour les seizièmes de finale du Mondial 2026. Notre envoyée spéciale a recueilli les réactions des supporters des Lions de l’Atlas à la sortie du match à Foxborough.

Ausgerechnet bei den grössten Themen gibt es den kleinsten Konsens. AHV, AKW, Freihandel, Ständemehr: In der Sommersession häuften sich Zufallsentscheide und innerparteiliche Druckversuche. Ein Rückblick.

On en sait un peu plus sur l’attaque terroriste qui a visé, jeudi 18 juin 2026, une base militaire située au sein de l'aéroport international Diori Hamani de Niamey. Au soir des faits, l’armée nigérienne a communiqué un bilan officiel après plusieurs heures d’opérations de ratissage. Revendiquée par le Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans (JNIM), affilié à Al-Qaïda, l’attaque a été repoussée par les Forces de défense et de sécurité après plus de deux heures de violents affrontements.

La mode africaine s'impose désormais sur les grandes scènes internationales. À Paris, le pop-up "Africa Now" réunit aux Galeries Lafayette plusieurs créateurs venus du continent pour présenter leurs collections au public international. Parmi eux, le styliste ivoirien Ibrahim Fernandez, dont les créations ont gagné une visibilité mondiale, et Hélène Diouf, cofondatrice de la marque sénégalaise Sisters of Afrika, qui défend un luxe pensé et fabriqué en Afrique. Au-delà des podiums, cette nouvelle génération de créateurs porte aussi une ambition économique et culturelle : faire du Made in Africa une référence mondiale. Ils sont les invités du Journal de l'Afrique sur France 24.

Die „Biohort Europa 4“ ist mehr als nur ein gewöhnlicher Geräteschuppen. Mit ihrer durchdachten Konstruktion bietet Sie eine praktische und stilvolle Lösung für die Aufbewahrung Ihrer Gartenutensilien. Durch die Verwendung von hochwertigen Materialien gewährleistet die „Biohort Europa 4“ nicht nur Langlebigkeit, sondern auch besondere Robustheit.

Diese Gartenhilfe punktet zudem mit einem integrierten Zylinderschloss-System, das für zusätzliche Sicherheit sorgt. Dank des eingebauten Belüftungssystems wird die Bildung von Feuchtigkeit effektiv verhindert, was Ihre Inhalte vor möglichem Schäden schützt. Die „Biohort Europa 4“ ist in verschiedenen Größen und Farben erhältlich und lässt sich so perfekt an Ihre individuellen Bedürfnisse anpassen.

Das Wichtigste in Kürze

• Hochwertige Materialien: Feuerverzinktes Stahlblech für Langlebigkeit und Robustheit.
• Integriertes Zylinderschloss-System bietet optimalen Schutz vor unbefugtem Zugriff.
• Belüftungssystem verhindert die Bildung von Feuchtigkeit im Innenraum.
• Verschiedene Größen und Farben für individuelle Anpassung erhältlich.
• Einfache Selbstmontage durch detaillierte Anleitung auch für Handwerksunerfahrene möglich.

Hochwertige Materialien für Langlebigkeit und Robustheit

Der Biohort Europa 4 überzeugt durch seine hochwertigen Materialien, die für Langlebigkeit und Robustheit sorgen. Die Produkte bestehen aus feuerverzinktem Stahlblech, das eine hohe Widerstandsfähigkeit gegen äußere Einflüsse bietet. Dadurch bleibt Ihr Gartenhelfer über viele Jahre hinweg in Top-Zustand.

Zusätzlicher Lesestoff: Karol G Europa Tour 2024: Ein Event

Sicherheit durch integriertes Zylinderschloss-System

Biohort Europa 4: Ihr Gartenhelfer

Die Sicherheit Ihrer Besitztümer hat höchste Priorität. Dank des integrierten Zylinderschloss-Systems bietet das Biohort Europa 4 einen optimalen Schutz vor unbefugtem Zugriff und gewährleistet, dass Ihre wertvollen Gartenwerkzeuge stets sicher aufbewahrt sind.

„Gute Werkzeuge sind die Grundlage eines erfolgreichen Gärtners.“ – John Seymour, britischer Gärtner und Autor

Belüftungssystem verhindert Feuchtigkeitsbildung

Das Belüftungssystem des Biohort Europa 4 verhindert die Ansammlung von Feuchtigkeit, wodurch es ideal für die Lagerung Ihrer Gartengeräte ist. Durch das integrierte System bleibt der Innenraum stets trocken und gut belüftet.

Verschiedene Größen und Farben erhältlich

Der Biohort Europa 4 ist in verschiedenen Größen und Farben erhältlich, sodass Sie die passende Variante für Ihren Garten finden können. Mit seiner umfangreichen Farbpalette passt er sich nahtlos an jeden Outdoor-Bereich an.

Interessanter Artikel: Die schönsten Inseln Europas

.table-responsiv {width: 100%;padding: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;overflow-y: hidden;border: 1px solid #DDD;overflow-x: auto;min-height: 0.01%;} Eigenschaft Beschreibung Vorteil Material Feuerverzinktes Stahlblech Hohe Widerstandsfähigkeit und Langlebigkeit Zylinderschloss-System Integriertes Sicherheitssystem Schutz vor unbefugtem Zugriff Belüftungssystem Verhindert Feuchtigkeitsbildung Innenraum bleibt trocken und gut belüftet Größen und Farben Verschiedene Optionen verfügbar Individuelle Anpassung an Ihre Bedürfnisse Einfache Selbstmontage mit detaillierter Anleitung

Einfache Selbstmontage mit detaillierter Anleitung – Biohort Europa 4: Ihr Gartenhelfer

Mit der detaillierten Anleitung können Sie die Biohort Europa 4 einfach selbst montieren. Die klaren und verständlichen Anweisungen führen Schritt für Schritt durch den Aufbau, sodass auch Handwerksun-erfahrene diesen Gartenhelfer erfolgreich aufstellen können.

Auch interessant: Korsika Karte Europa: Eine Inselwelt

Erweiterbare Inneneinrichtungsmodule

Mit den erweiterbaren Inneneinrichtungsmodule des Biohort Europa 4 können Sie Ihren Gartenschuppen nach Ihren individuellen Anforderungen gestalten. Diverse Regale, Aufhängevorrichtungen und Ordnungshelfer sorgen dafür, dass all Ihre Gartengeräte und Werkzeuge ihren idealen Platz finden.

So behalten Sie stets den Überblick und haben alles griffbereit, was Sie für die Gartenarbeit benötigen.

Wetterbeständige Beschichtung schützt vor Rost

Die wetterbeständige Beschichtung des Biohort Europa 4 schützt vor Rost, indem Sie das Metallgehäuse vor Regen und Feuchtigkeit abschirmt. Diese spezielle Schicht ist besonders resistent gegen Umwelteinflüsse und trägt wesentlich zur Langlebigkeit des Produkts bei.

Modernes Design passt in jeden Garten

Das moderne Design des Biohort Europa 4 passt in jeden Garten, egal ob klassisch oder zeitgenössisch gestaltet. Mit seinen klaren Linien und der eleganten Optik fügt sich dieses Gartenhaus nahtlos in jede Umgebung ein. Die verschiedenen Farboptionen ermöglichen es Ihnen, das Gartenhaus perfekt auf die Ästhetik Ihres Außenbereichs abzustimmen. Ob in einem traditionellen Garten mit blühenden Beeten oder in einem modernen, minimalistischen Garten – der Biohort Europa 4 harmoniert mit allen Stilrichtungen und wird zu einem attraktiven Blickfang.

FAQ: Antworten auf häufig gestellte Fragen Gibt es eine Garantie auf die Biohort Europa 4? Ja, auf die Biohort Europa 4 gibt es eine 20-jährige Garantie auf Korrosionsbeständigkeit und Langlebigkeit des Materials. Kann der Standort des Geräteschuppens nach der Montage leicht verändert werden? Es wird empfohlen, die Biohort Europa 4 an ihrem endgültigen Standort zu montieren, da der Umzug eines vollständig montierten Geräteschuppens schwierig sein kann und möglicherweise eine Demontage erfordert. Ist die Biohort Europa 4 umweltfreundlich? Ja, die Biohort Europa 4 wird aus recycelbarem Stahl hergestellt und ist somit umweltfreundlich. Zudem wird beim Herstellungsprozess auf Nachhaltigkeit geachtet. Können zusätzliche Fenster eingebaut werden? Ja, es besteht die Möglichkeit, zusätzliche Fenster zu installieren. Diese können als optionales Zubehör erworben und nachträglich eingebaut werden. Wie wird die Biohort Europa 4 geliefert? Die Biohort Europa 4 wird in flachen Paketen geliefert, die leicht transportiert werden können. Eine detaillierte Montageanleitung liegt bei. Ist der Aufbau im Winter möglich? Der Aufbau ist grundsätzlich zu jeder Jahreszeit möglich. Es sollte jedoch darauf geachtet werden, dass der Boden stabil und nicht gefroren ist, um eine unkomplizierte Montage zu gewährleisten. Wie wird die Belüftung in der Biohort Europa 4 gewährleistet? Die Belüftung wird durch integrierte Lüftungsschlitze in den Wänden und Türen gewährleistet, die eine kontinuierliche Luftzirkulation ermöglichen und Feuchtigkeitsbildung verhindern. Können Regale und andere Inneneinrichtungsmodule nachträglich hinzugefügt werden? Ja, Regale und andere Inneneinrichtungsmodule können jederzeit nachträglich hinzugefügt werden, um den Stauraum optimal zu nutzen und zu organisieren.

Der Beitrag Biohort Europa 4: Ihr Gartenhelfer erschien zuerst auf Neurope.eu - News aus Europa.

RÉCIT - Plusieurs milliers de sympathisants sont attendus ce samedi après-midi à Paris, où le patron de la droite sera le seul à prendre la parole.

People hold electronic candles during a vigil at Liberty Square in Taipei on the anniversary of China’s 1989 crackdown on democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, 4 June 2026. Credit: Cheng-Chia Huang/AFP

By Andrew Firmin
LONDON, Jun 19 2026 (IPS)

When performance artist Sammu Chen tried to tie a red thread to a streetpost, plainclothes police stopped him before he could finish. Chen has twice been detained for his symbolic acts of commemoration of the 4 June 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, when Chinese authorities killed hundreds, perhaps thousands, to crush democracy protests.

The day used to one of commemoration in Hong Kong. Tens of thousands used to attend the mass vigil. But authorities banned it during the COVID-19 pandemic and haven’t permitted it since.

Chen’s attempted act of commemoration took place near the former site of the banned vigil. Close by, police moved on another artist marking the anniversary by holding a question mark-shaped balloon. In recent years, other symbolic acts, such as silently holding candles or flowers, have led to arrests. The organisation that used to hold the vigil closed itself down in 2021 following police investigations and prosecution of its leaders.

China’s campaign to stamp out demands for democracy in Hong Kong doesn’t stop at its borders, as events in the UK recently made plain.

UK spy network

Last month, two men with dual British and Chinese nationality were found guilty of spying on Hong Kong democracy activists in the UK. The case showed how far the Chinese state is prepared to go to silence Hong Kong’s diaspora.

Chi Leung Wai, who worked for the UK’s Border Force, and Chung Biu Yuen, who worked for the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office in London, were found to have carried out shadow policing operations to gather information on exiles. The spies also targeted UK politicians critical of China.

One of their targets was Nathan Law. Law was a student leader and politician active in Hong Kong’s democracy movement, which mobilised in mass protests in 2014 and again in 2019. Having spent time in jail in 2017 for his role in protests, he headed into exile in 2020 when the authorities introduced a draconian National Security Law.

In 2023, Law was one of eight activists the Hong Kong police targeted with arrest warrants, with a bounty of around US$130,000 offered as a reward. Hong Kong police took Law’s parents and brother in for questioning, and in 2024, authorities revoked his passport and those of other exiled activists.

Escalating transnational repression

Such is the level of repression China exerts in Hong Kong that activism can only be sustained among the diaspora. But while many states are exerting transnational repression against diasporas and exiles, the spy case shows that China remains the world leader in this field.

Hong Kong police issued a further round of arrest warrants and bounties against six more exiled activists in December 2024 and announced bounties on another 19 in July 2025. Hong Kong authorities have also started targeting exiles with spurious tax demands and may be gearing up to weaponise international anti-money laundering cooperation agreements against them.

Exiles’ families in Hong Kong aren’t spared. In February, Kwok Yin-sang, father of exiled activist Anna Kwok, was handed an eight-month sentence for violating national security laws after he tried to cash in her education savings insurance policy.

Around 100,000 people have fled Hong Kong to the UK, which controlled the territory before handing it over to China in 1997. That makes them a particular target. In 2024, addresses of Hong Kong citizens living in the UK were published online and anti-migrant protesters were encouraged to attack them, in a move that showed all the signs of a Chinese influence operation.

Intensifying domestic repression

As a new CIVICUS report documents, repression has intensified further within Hong Kong. In 2024, authorities introduced the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which allows them to criminalise simple acts of dissent by claiming they constitute secession, sedition, subversion and other major crimes. They’ve used this latest law’s sweeping provisions and the 2020 National Security Law to prosecute activists, dissidents and journalists. Since 2020, Hong Kong authorities have arrested at least 365 people and convicted 174 under the two laws. People have been convicted for such trivial offences as wearing T-shirts with protest slogans.

The authorities’ determination to silence dissent was on display again in the aftermath of a horrendous apartment complex fire in November 2025, in which over 160 people died. People were arrested for social media posts calling for accountability . Student Miles Kwan Ching-fung was detained and expelled from university after starting an online petition urging an independent investigation. China’s national security office in Hong Kong warned foreign journalists about negative coverage of the government’s response.

Hong Kong once had one of Asia’s most vibrant media environments, but now it ranks 140th out of 180 on the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index. In February, media owner Jimmy Lai, whose Apple Daily newspaper championed democracy, received a 20-year sentence under the National Security Law. Lai has been detained under multiple charges since 2019, often in solitary confinement. At 78 years old with diabetes and other reported health problems, he faces dying in jail. Despite Lai’s British citizenship, China has refused international appeals for his release.

The campaign against Lai continues, with four bookshop staff arrested in March on suspicion of selling copies of his biography, deemed a seditious publication. The authorities’ attempts to suppress the book are part of their wider cultural censorship, which extends to banning films, barring publishers from book fairs and demanding the blocking of YouTube videos of the protest anthem ‘Glory to Hong Kong’. In the face of this repression, many civil society organisations, media outlets and political parties have concluded that their only option is to close down.

In these circumstances, it will continue to fall on the diaspora to keep shining a light on the suppression of basic civic freedoms in Hong Kong. States where Hong Kong’s exiles live must be alert to the threats of China’s transnational repression and defend and protect exiled activists. They must confront the full scope of this repression, or be complicit in it.

Andrew Firmin is CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.

For interviews or more information, please contact research@civicus.org

 

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La conception des arches centenaires qui a inspiré Antoni Gaudí pour la Sagrada Familia de Barcelone confère à cette église une hauteur inégalée au monde.

Lorenz Meister hat am 18. Juni 2026 seine Dissertation "Essays on Economic Beliefs, Risk Preferences, and Political Attitudes in Contemporary Democracies" an der Freie Universität (FU) Berlin erfolgreich verteidigt. Seine Betreuer waren Carsten Schröder (FU Berlin) und Panu Poutvaara (LMU München). ...

Delegates huddle during the informal consultations on cooperation with other international organisations. The climate talks in Bonn were long and tense. Credit: IISD/ENB/Kiara Worth

By Umar Manzoor Shah
BONN, Jun 19 2026 (IPS)

The United Nations June Climate Meetings (SB64) ended in Bonn with sharp disagreements between developed and developing countries over climate finance, adaptation support and emissions reductions, leaving negotiators with significant unresolved issues ahead of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Türkiye.

After nearly two weeks of negotiations at the World Conference Center Bonn, delegates acknowledged some progress on technical matters such as technology transfer, capacity building and just transition discussions. However, many of the most politically sensitive issues, particularly adaptation finance and implementation support for developing countries, remained unresolved.

UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell described the atmosphere as increasingly difficult, warning against what he called a tendency among countries to wait for others to act first.

“In some negotiating rooms, we’ve heard a familiar tendency towards ‘you-first-ism’ — groups refusing to deliver commitments or allow the process to move forward unless others go first. This is a recipe for gridlock when we need all negotiating tracks to be moving in the fast lane,” Stiell said in his closing assessment.

The Bonn meetings serve as a key preparatory stage for annual UN climate summits. The discussions are intended to advance technical negotiations and lay the groundwork for political decisions at the next Conference of the Parties. This year, however, the meetings exposed deep divisions over who should pay for climate action and how quickly countries should reduce emissions.

Climate negotiators in Bonn. Credit: UN Climate Change/Lara Murillo

Developing countries argued that adaptation remains an urgent priority because millions of people are already suffering from climate-related disasters. They stressed that without substantial financial support, adaptation plans cannot be implemented effectively.

Speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, Uruguay said developing countries remained deeply concerned about the lack of progress on adaptation and adaptation finance.

“Adaptation remains a key priority for developing countries,” the group said, stating that there is a  need to move forward in ways that address the growing adaptation needs of vulnerable nations.

The G77 and China also called for greater attention to climate finance commitments under Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement and stressed the importance of turning discussions into practical action.

“We should move beyond dialogues and reports and translate into effective implementation of climate action,” the group said, noting that agriculture, livelihoods and food security in developing countries are already being affected by climate change.

The European Union acknowledged that some progress had been achieved but said the pace of negotiations remained too slow.

“The pace remains insufficient to meet the scale of the challenge before us,” the EU said in its closing statement. The bloc urged countries to focus on implementing previous climate agreements and reaffirmed support for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The EU also expressed frustration over the handling of adaptation negotiations.

“We are extremely disappointed in how GGA negotiations have been handled here in Bonn,” the bloc said, while calling for discussions to continue at a higher political level ahead of COP31.

Several negotiating groups voiced concern over attempts to challenge or weaken scientific findings that underpin international climate action.

The Environmental Integrity Group, represented by Switzerland, warned against efforts to undermine the role of science.

“Science is not negotiable,” the group declared, urging countries to support the timely publication of future reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The group said scientific evidence had consistently guided global climate action and should remain central to future decisions, including the second Global Stocktake process under the Paris Agreement.

The Umbrella Group, represented by the United Kingdom, echoed similar concerns.

“Our climate action must always be guided by the best available science,” the group said. It expressed disappointment that negotiators were unable to reach more substantial conclusions on research and systematic observation.

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), representing some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, delivered one of the strongest critiques of the Bonn outcome.

The group said it was disappointed by the pace, tone and approach of the negotiations and warned that insufficient progress had been made to ensure a successful COP31.

“AOSIS is deeply concerned by the attempts that were made across agenda items to place the 1.5 limit in doubt, to overlook and diminish its significance as a lifeline for SIDS,” the group said.

Small island nations face existential threats from sea-level rise, coastal erosion and increasingly severe storms.

AOSIS also criticised the slow progress on adaptation finance and transparency issues, saying procedural obstacles had prevented meaningful advances.

The African Group of Negotiators similarly expressed frustration over the lack of movement on climate finance.

Speaking on behalf of 54 African countries and more than 1.6 billion people, Ghana warned that Africa could not afford delays as climate impacts intensify across the continent.

“Antalya and Addis Ababa must deliver meaningful progress as a solid foundation for GST2,” the group said, referring to the second Global Stocktake process.

African negotiators argued that disputes over governance and terminology should not delay efforts to provide desperately needed adaptation finance for vulnerable communities.

The BASIC group, which includes Brazil, South Africa, India and China, also highlighted concerns over declining support for developing countries.

The group called for climate finance to occupy a central place at COP31 and urged countries to complete the transition of the Adaptation Fund so that it can better support vulnerable nations.

BASIC further stressed that developed countries must take the lead in reducing emissions while also mobilising financial support for developing nations.

The Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group delivered an emotional message, saying vulnerable populations were running out of time.

“LDCs do not look to this process for promises, but for action,” Timor-Leste said on behalf of the 44 least developed countries. “Our people didn’t send us here to negotiate the terms of their suffering.”

The group warned that climate impacts are accelerating faster than international responses.

“We reject the blatant undermining of science at this session,” the LDCs said. “Science is neither contentious nor negotiable for our group.”

The Mountain Group, representing 11 mountainous countries, focused attention on the growing vulnerability of mountain regions. Kyrgyzstan said mountain communities are facing severe challenges from glacier loss, water shortages, floods and ecosystem degradation.

The group welcomed the first formal Dialogue on Mountains and Climate Change and called for mountain issues to become a permanent part of the UN climate process.

Meanwhile, the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs), represented by China, emphasised equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as essential foundations for climate cooperation. The group argued that implementation gaps often arise because promised support from developed countries fails to materialise.

Outside the negotiating rooms, civil society organisations sharply criticised the outcome.

Oxfam accused wealthy countries of avoiding their responsibilities on climate finance.

“The UN negotiations have once again been derailed by rich countries’ refusal to take responsibility for increasing critical public climate finance,” said Mariana Paoli, Oxfam’s Climate Policy Lead.

According to Oxfam, even if the pledge to triple adaptation finance were fully implemented, it would provide about $120 billion, far below the estimated adaptation needs of developing countries, which are projected to reach between $310 billion and $365 billion annually by 2035.

Paoli described the situation as a “dark irony,” noting that the world’s first trillionaire emerged at a time when vulnerable countries were struggling to secure adequate climate finance.

“The unwillingness of rich countries to engage meaningfully is astonishing,” she said.

Despite the tensions, negotiators did achieve some notable progress.

Countries agreed on the selection of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the new host of the Climate Technology Centre and Network, a key institution supporting technology transfer and climate solutions in developing countries. Several groups welcomed the decision as an important step toward strengthening climate action.

Delegates also reported progress on capacity-building initiatives and discussions surrounding a just transition, which aims to ensure that workers and communities are protected during the shift toward low-carbon economies.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Your chance to rank 10 of the most colourful and iconic kits African teams have worn at the World Cup.

/ Eau, Environnement, Inde, Mer, Forêt - Asie / Eau, Environnement, Inde, Mer, Forêt

The system, supposedly meant to aid Tibet, actually serves to sideline local Tibetan personnel while boosting the careers of Han Chinese cadres from other regions.

A non-state actor – the Arakan Army – now controls Myanmar’s side of the border. That forces Bangladesh to rely more on unilateral forms of border management.

Dimanche 21 juin 2026, les Colombiens ne choisiront pas un simple successeur à M. Gustavo Petro, premier président de gauche de l'histoire nationale. Ils diront si leur pays doit rester dans le camp progressiste ou rejoindre le pôle radical des droites latino-américaines. / Drogue, États-Unis, (…) / Drogue, États-Unis, Élections, Amérique latine, Colombie

Pakistanis are hoping that their role in providing Trump with an offramp to end the war will lead to investment flows.

Women farmers using a thresher; they are beneficiaries of a UNDP project to bring agritech to smallholder farmers. Credit: Ignatius Banda/IPS

By Ignatius Banda
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe , Jun 19 2026 (IPS)

Long burdened by the labour-intensive nature of agriculture, Zimbabwe’s female farmers are finding relief in new agritechnologies that significantly reduce the time they spend in the field.

With assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), female farmers are adopting technologies such as earth augers, multi-crop threshers and grinder-choppers to help them navigate climate resilience and boost production at a time when African countries are facing funding cuts in the agriculture sector, further threatening food security.

As global food prices soar because of the ongoing geopolitical tensions that have disrupted global trade and commerce, female farmers find themselves bearing the high costs of food, but new technologies such as those being introduced for Zimbabwe’s farmers are expected to ease these challenges.

Women in Zimbabwe make up the bulk of small-scale farmers, providing a backbone for the country’s food security efforts, but they have been shut out of agricultural finance, limiting their access to farming inputs and equipment.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, “approximately 80% of women live in communal areas, where they constitute 61% of farmers and provide 70% of the labour.”

Despite Zimbabwe’s farm mechanisation drive, there are concerns that the collateral demanded by banks has made it impossible for women to fully participate in the country’s agricultural economy.

According to the UNDP, the Green Climate Fund finances the project to support rural female farmers through labour-saving agri-tech under the Climate Resilient Livelihoods Project, which aims to strengthen climate resilience.

“The initiative is supporting 230 Farmer Field Schools with earth augers, multi-crop threshers and grinder-choppers designed to reduce the physical burden of agricultural labour, improve productivity and strengthen resilience to climate change,” the UNDP said in its June media brief.

“The introduction of labour-saving technologies is helping women reclaim valuable time, reduce physical strain and participate more actively in income-generating activities, community leadership and climate-resilient farming practices,” the agency added.

Across Zimbabwe, rural women face the same challenges: field work overload and taking care of their families, creating both physical and mental strain, experts say.

However, with the introduction of earth auger machines, which are hand-operated and drill the earth to prepare for planting, beneficiaries say they are experiencing significant ease in farming labour practices.

“Digging basins manually was exhausting. The auger brought real relief. We now finish plots fast and plant on time,” said Christine Mudzingwa, a farmer and housewife in Buhera, in the country’s east.

“There’s balance now. I can tend my garden and spend time with my family,” she said, painting a picture of how female farmers have struggled to juggle their multi-tasking routines.

Rural farmers have traditionally literally beat grain to produce livestock feed, and the physically taxing practice has led to poor health, with fatigue being an integral part of the occupational hazards women have to endure.

“Preparing feed for livestock used to take us the whole day,” says Precious Hobane, another smallholder and beneficiary in Gwanda, a  low rainfall district in the country’s west. “We chopped stover manually, and it was very tiring work. During harvest time, threshing grain was another difficult task for women.”

The planting season has been difficult for female farmers because they know the work ahead will be exhausting, but simple technologies are providing relief, the farmers say.

“Digging planting basins manually was one of the most exhausting jobs,” says Christine Mudzingwa, from the Manicaland province in the country’s eastern highlands. “You would spend the whole day bent over with a hoe in hard soil. By evening, you were completely worn out, but the work would still not be finished.”

The UNDP intervention has been a great help for the 230 women, who say they can now invest their energy in other, more productive farming endeavours.

“Preparing feed used to take a whole day. Now the grinder-chopper does the heavy work. The machines help us care for livestock during droughts, and women are no longer exhausted,” explains Hobane.

The UNDP partnership with the government of Zimbabwe is part of a broader Green Climate Fund initiative expected to promote climate resilience and boost food production as countries in the Global South continue to seek ways to cushion their populations against climate uncertainty.

“Through this Green Climate Fund Readiness support, Zimbabwe is strengthening the systems, partnerships and investment pathways required to translate its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ambitions into climate-resilient and low-emission development outcomes,” said Constance Pepukai, the UNDP Nature, Energy and Climate Team Leader, at the launch of the initiative.

The government has welcomed the climate-proofing support as Zimbabwe seeks to boost household food security amid a series of droughts and floods that have further complicated how smallholders navigate the climate crisis.

“The project provides an important platform for aligning climate technology, private sector engagement and project pipeline development with Zimbabwe’s national climate priorities,” says Washington Zhakata, acting Secretary for Environment, Climate and Wildlife.

For now, the beneficiaries of the small agritech remain confident that their working hours are being invested wisely and that if the technology is to spread further to the bulk of the country’s female farmers, taking to the fields could be less daunting.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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