Ghana

Encouraging youth to pursue farming may be the answer to both unemployment issues and fading crop yields. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gatesfoundation/5075935331/in/photostream/">Gates Foundation (Flickr)</a>

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Youth Skills

Rural youth seek greener pastures in the city, but farming could get hot

Even on the farm, it pays to be young, but every year, young people are "escaping" their hometown rural communities to seek the "greener pastures" of city life. Meanwhile, global buyers of commodities such as coffee and cocoa beans worry about the aging farming workforce.

Companies are working to empower in the tech sector. Photo: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/unwomenarabstates/7245942414/sizes/m/in/photostream/”> UN Women Arab States (Flickr)</a>

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Youth Skills

Geekery for all: Google chips $6m to youth tech empowerment

With the iLab educating in Liberia and the Switchboard mobilizing health across Africa, Google is working on global technology empowerment.

A new study shows that once farmers trust that index insurance will pay out as promised, they'll give up money to get it. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciat/5366709673/in/photostream/">CIAT (Flickr)</a>

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Financial Inclusion

Underdeveloped farm? This looks like a case for ... an insurance seller

A new study of farmers in northern Ghana found that given a choice between quick cash or index insurance coverage, they'll often opt for protection from risk.

Youth around the world want to trade in their piggy banks for the real thing. Photo: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosscrawford1/2738104237/sizes/m/in/photostream/”>rosscrawford1 (Flickr)</a>

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Youth savings: Why the new piggy bank is an actual bank

The draw of the piggy bank stretches to children of all income levels; the need for security and the promise of their dreams makes kids save.

Those mangroves aren't just nice-looking - they could be delivering serious value to nearby farms just by staying put. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/aramisfirefly/3306656930/in/photostream/">Matthew Stewart (Flickr)</a>

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10 African countries will put a price on 'natural capital'

A plot of mangroves could be harvested for $850, then the land sold for $9,000 to a shrimp farmer. Or, alternatively, it could stay standing and offer $16,000 worth of flood protection to everyone nearby.

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Expensive poo: The World Bank tells us how much poor sanitation costs

Caution: This video shows graphic images of feces.

Apps4Africa helps African farmers to be more productive in the face of climate change. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iicd/5348358125/sizes/m/in/photostream/">IICD (Flickr)</a>

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Made in Africa: Three mobile apps to fight climate crisis

As the Apps4Africa climate challenge announces its winners, African farmers and communities gain new market tools in tackling the everyday challenges of climate change. And who better to design these tools than Africans themselves?

Village savings and loan schemes help the poor save in remote communities like this one in Malawi. Photo: Erik Mandell for MercyCorps

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New projects help the poor save as well as borrow

The world's poorest have long struggled to borrow. Now, an alternative microfinance model is also making it easier for poor people to save.

The departure of skilled workers in the developing world may, contrary to popular belief, do more good than harm. Photo:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73008420@N00/3662432706/sizes/m/in/photostream/">banoiff (flickr)</a>

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Reinterpreting the Brain Drain

When educated professionals depart a developing nation, does greater wealth arrive? Some scholars in the international development community are saying farewell to the notion that the ‘brain drain’ hinders impoverished countries from expanding human capital and increasing the growth rate.

Reliance on quality produce from Africa prompted Albert Heijn to undertake aid projects. Photo: Erik Mandell for MercyCorps

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Aid for profit? Dutch supermarket giant says ‘sure’

A Dutch company looks to combine international aid with corporate profit, according to allAfrica.com.

Women farmers in Africa produce over 60 percent of all food crops. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cimmyt/5352940723/in/photostream/">CIMMYT (flickr)</a>

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In Africa, female scientists should power female farmers, group says

Women comprise 43 percent of the world’s farmers. In Africa, it’s 80 percent. Women plant, harvest, process and sell their crops, but men continue to dominate agricultural science and research. This may be about to change.

Women in Ghana conduct business. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iita-media-library/6116489312/sizes/z/in/photostream/">IITA Image Library (flickr)</a>

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Leaders of the pack: Women in Ghana add entrepreneurship to their resumes

This article was republished in The Christian Science Monitor.

Within a few years, cheap sorghum-based beer might be the newest gift of the Nile to drinkers and farmers alike. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tattoodjay/3499979468/in/photostream/">Photo: Tattooed JJ (Flickr)</a>

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Will sorghum beer become Africa's first macrobrew?

With barley beer priced out of reach and homebrewed banana beer sending people to the hospital, SABMiller is testing a new ingredient for its African alcohol: sorghum.

Mariama Zachary and Akua Azaiz tend to cocoa beans on a drying table in Ghana. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48639212@N02/5574716960/">Gates Foundation (flickr)</a>

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G-20 Searches for Answers to Food Crisis

Food prices are exceeding record highs—prompting policymakers worldwide to take action. A recent meeting of the G-20 agriculture ministers has given reason for hope, but many obstacles to less expensive food remain.

Recycling at its trendiest. Photo: <a href="http://trashybags.org/products/messengerbags/index.htm">Courtesy of Trashy Bags</a>

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One Man's Trash...

In Ghana most people drink water from little plastic bags, or sachets.

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