Each week, Food Tank is rounding up a few news stories that inspire excitement, infuriation, or curiosity.
Development Aid Plummeted in 2025
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), preliminary data show that last year, ODA from member countries and associates of the Development Assistance Committee fell by nearly a quarter compared to 2024.
This is the largest decline in foreign aid in history and it marks the second consecutive year that ODA has fallen. According to the OECD, this means that development assistance is back to where it was when the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was first released.
The United States alone drove the majority of the decline, where ODA fell by nearly 60 percent compared to 2024. Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and France are also responsible. Together with the U.S. these countries accounted for more than 95 percent of the total decline in ODA. Bilateral aid—financial assistance given from one government to another—and U.N. funding have been hit the hardest.
Carsten Staur, DAC Chair at the OECD says that the world is seeing the exact opposite of what it needs, stating, “We are in a time of increasing humanitarian needs; strong pressures on the poorest and most fragile countries; and facing growing global uncertainties and massive insecurity. In this situation, the world needs more ODA, not less.”
Low Staffing at USDA Slows Progress on Regenerative Agriculture
Politico reports that staffing cuts in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have left farmers with little to no support as they try to transition to more regenerative practices.
The NRCS has lost more than 2,500 workers—over a fifth of its staff across the country. That’s the second-highest number of any branch at the USDA, which has suffered more than many government agencies. According to an analysis from Inside Climate News, the entire federal government saw a 12 percent reduction in its workforce since President Trump took office, but the USDA lost 21 percent of its staff.
The shortage at NRCS means fewer program applicants, fewer approvals, and more payment delays for conservation work. Gabe Averson, a beef and grain producer in Minnesota, described his local NRCS office as “a ghost town.” And when talking about an employee in his region’s NRCS office, he said they are “spread so thin that they can’t even think straight.”
Other farmers say that they have had to wait weeks to receive basic information on farming practices and grant programs, which has impeded their ability to move forward with conservation projects on their land.
At the end of last year, the USDA announced a US$700 million pilot program to scale regenerative agriculture. At the time, advocates such as Sarah Starman of Friends of the Earth expressed concern that the program can only be effective if the USDA reverses their cuts to conservation staff.
Now producers like Averson, who is a member of the pilot, see why. He says that he has been waiting three or four months “just to get the basic information” about it.
Rwanda’s Capital Takes Steps to Protect Farmland, Scale Urban Agriculture
The city of Kigali is taking steps to protect farmland from development, the Associated Press reports.
Land data from the mayor’s office reveal that the city plans to dedicate 22 percent of land to agriculture. In September, the government began mapping agricultural land and they soon plan to deploy drones for real-time monitoring as they track any developments encroaching on farmland and forests.
Authorities say that they understand that housing construction is attractive, but projects show “farming will be even more productive,” especially at a time when demand for food is rising and the country’s population is growing.
To encourage local production, city developers are also requiring that developers seeking building permits, include green spaces and gardens in their designs.
Richard Bucyana, an agronomist, says that he wants to see African governments “start thinking how they can be self-sustainable.” He and other young agronomists are training farmers to embrace technologies like hydroponics to get around limited land access and maximize productivity.
Bangladesh Launches New Scheme to Boost Agricultural Productivity for Small Farmers
This week, the Banladeshi government launched a “Farmers’ Card” scheme, which is designed to support the country’s farmers and help modernize the agricultural sector. The initiative is focused on small farmers, including sharecroppers who often lack access to banks or other forms of institutional support.
During the official launch event Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said, “If farmers of this country are well-off, if the farmers of this country survive, then the whole of Bangladesh will do well and the people of entire Bangladesh will live well.”
Developed with guidance from the Ministry of Agriculture and in collaboration with Sonali Bank PLC, the card integrates identification with digital payment capabilities, helping farmers access government services and benefits more efficiently, according to a press release.
Those registered in the program will receive access to subsidized fertilizers and seeds, agricultural machinery, low-interest loans, crop insurance, and advisory services.
Shawkat Ali Khan, Managing Director and CEO of Sonali Bank PLC says that the initiative is “strengthening how financial support is delivered to farmers across Bangladesh.”
The scheme is beginning with a pilot project that includes more than 22,000 farmers. It will then be rolled out in phases over the next five years. By the end, the government hopes to reach all 27.5 million farmers in the country.
U.S. Makes Progress on Food Waste
ReFED’s 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report reveals that in 2024, total surplus food decreased to 70 million tons, representing a 2.2 percent reduction from 2023 levels. That’s equal to a 3.7 percent decrease per capita.
ReFED finds that households are helping to drive this progress. Residential food waste fell by nearly 950,000 tons. This is the first year-to-year reduction in food waste since there was a dip during the COVID-19 pandemic, which the organization calls “a significant milestone in the movement to reduce food waste.”
At a time when eaters are looking for ways to stretch their dollars, Dana Gunders, President of ReFED says, “this is an opportune moment to focus on wasting less food…The wind is at our backs, and it’s time to step on the gas.”
ReFED’s report also digs into the food waste solutions that are working — like centralized composting and smaller portion sizes — and why they’re so impactful. It also outlines opportunities such as legislation and AI that can be unlocked to drive progress even further.
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Photo courtesy of Kabiur Rahman Riyad, Unsplash
