Forbes Africa June - July 2023

T his issue smells of the earth, of rain-drenched soil and the sweat of the African farmer. This issue is like a shade card, presenting the myriad brown, green and blue hues of mother nature. This issue is where we rolled up our sleeves and got our hands dirty to unearth a raft of new innovations unraveling in smart farming in some of the deepest pockets of Africa. Agriculture is an emotional topic for the continent, because far from the boardrooms and ballrooms of Africa Inc., large swathes of arable land exist, being painfully tilled, cultivated and ploughed to feed a continent of over a billion. Sustainability tastes of Africa, one agripreneur says in this edition where we profile innovators in agritech. It's “a nuance of flavors”, a congruence of…

The most welcome news on May 8 was the announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) that Covid-19 is no longer a global emergency. While the stand-down siren has been sounded, we must remain vigilant and take precautions as there are still thousands of people around the world contracting milder forms of the virus; in some cases still resulting in serious issues for people who have underlying health conditions. Some facts from the WHO website suggest that (as of early May 2023), over the last three years, approximately 756 million Covid cases were recorded with approximately 7 million people who lost their lives. Assuming the global population at about 8 billion, this translates to almost 9.5% of the population being infected and approximately 0.09% of the population having died. Comparing…

WHAT'S NEW FRONTRUNNER WHO'S NEXT After a long and stressful but successful debut at Paris Fashion Week and becoming one of the few designers from Africa to do so, Aryea Kolubah is holidaying in Jamaica when she sits down for this Zoom interview with FORBES AFRICA. Her eccentric and bold designs wowed the fashion stage in March, and you can tell that her “vibe” is inspired by her West African roots, which translates to bright ethnic prints and vibrant colors to create sartorial statements for the fearless and confident woman. This is all done with very some specific messaging. “I'm such a connoisseur of art but also I am such a connoisseur of the continent, and I take that show with me everywhere,” Kolubah says. “…Being from Africa, [there's so much art…

In May, the Cannes Film Festival announced the selection of Sarafina! for the 2023 Official Selection-Cannes Classics at the 76th annual film festival. Sarafina! debuted more than 30 years ago and is considered an iconic South African film embraced by a multi-generational audience over the years. “It is exciting to be returning to the Cannes Film Festival with Sarafina! after 30 years. Being selected for Cannes Classics is a rare and coveted recognition,” says the film's producer Anant Singh in a statement. The film portrays the power of young women who made their mark in South Africa's journey to freedom. It is a vibrant combination of drama, music and dance. “I remember in 1992, Sarafina! got a 20-minute standing ovation. It was so exciting,” says the film's lead actress, Leleti…

According to Bloomberg, Zimbabwe used nearly 140 kilograms of gold reserves to back the first sale of its digital money. According to reports, in May, the central bank received 135 applications valued at 14 billion Zimbabwe dollars ($12 million) to purchase the gold-backed digital tokens. According to the United Nations, corruption costs the global economy $3.6 trillion each year. Over the last 50 years, it is estimated that Africa has lost more than $1 trillion to corruption, equivalent to all the official development assistance received during the same period.…

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) announced it would be upgrading the country's banknotes and coins from May 4. The denominations will be introduced incrementally,” SARB said in a statement. “The upgraded banknotes and coin have enhanced security features and new designs; however, the broad themes for the upgraded banknotes remain the same as the current banknotes, while the theme for the coin is deep ecology.” The banknotes continue to pay tribute to South Africa's first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, with his portrait retained on the front of the banknotes while the Big 5 animals are now illustrated as a family on the back. The deep ecology theme for the coin acknowledges the interconnectedness of living organisms as an integral part of the environment. The new design was reportedly…