Drones for agriculture are increasingly popular, but technology needs tailoring to small farmers’ needs and diverse crops if UAVs are to take off across the developing world.
Agriculture
15 Crops Secured in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Storing nearly 1 million seeds from genebanks worldwide in a cave at -18 degrees Celsius, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault ensures that if a genebank’s seeds vanish or fall into ruin, much the world’s biodiversity will still remain helping ensure food security.
Opinion | Agroecology as Innovation
While financial interests in the current input-intensive systems are responding to growing calls for agroecology with attacks on its efficacy, it is surprising that they are so ill-informed about the scientific innovations agroecology offers to small-scale farmers who are being so poorly served by “green revolution” approaches.
Sweden’s Dietary Guidelines: “Eat greener, not too much, and be active.”
Sweden’s simple and straightforward approach to dietary recommendations makes it easy for citizens to make informed choices about their impact on the environment and their health.
Five Ways You’re Responsible for Change in the Food System: Food Tank in L.A.
For these leaders in L.A., the trigger for change in the food system is not startups, corporations, or policies—it is a newly conscious and passionate general public refusing to accept the status quo.
Opinion | How U.S. Agricultural Subsidies Degrade Land and Soil
Agricultural lands are less productive than five years ago, even though global food production has increased. Agricultural subsidies promote practices that degrade soil health by damaging the nutrient rich microbiomes that help crops grow.
Promoting Integrated Fisheries in West Africa
CORAF has partnered with a number of West African universities in order to further develop integrated fisheries and aquaculture educational programs.
Severe Weather in the U.S. Is Impacting Global Food Security
Climate change brings heavy rainfall and flooding to key farm states in the Midwestern U.S. causing price spikes globally and a reminder that in a globalized food system the impacts are felt far beyond the farm.
15 Inspiring Women Leading in the AgTech Sector
AgTech is becoming one of the fastest-growing sectors in Silicon Valley, with investments totaling over US10 million in 2017. Although women face numerous barriers to entry in this sector, a new generation of leaders is emerging to challenge the status quo and reshape the food system using their innovative technologies.
Under Climate Change: the Policy Catalyzing Transformation
According to the panel of experts, food policy addressing GHG emissions, waste, and dietary patterns need this to transform food under climate change.
Selecting the Language and Stories to Transform Food
Food Tank’s San Francisco Food For Thought challenged the Bay Area to think more critically about the language and stories we choose to call for change in the food system. The results? More diversity, specificity, and empowerment.
Harmonizing Seed Rules in West and Central Africa
CORAF and partners have coordinated uniform seed rules, which spurs seed import and export among neighboring African states.
Urban Farm Grows Good Food and Good Mental Health
Aja Yasir fights to produce good food and good mental health on her regenerative urban farm in a food desert in Gary, Indiana. The city doesn’t like the use of woodchips on her lawn and is threatening to end Yasir’s family’s multigenerational farming history.
FoodShot Prize Invests in the Future of Food and Soil
The FoodShot Prize gives support to the most innovative ideas for feeding 10 billion people by 2050 healthfully, sustainably, and equitably; this years’ winners focus on enhancing agronomy.
The Trick to Better Chickens: Honoring Their Ancestry, Says Wadiak
CEO of Cooks Venture Matt Wadiak talks about what even cautious eaters don’t know about how their chickens are raised and the potential for happier, more nutrient-dense chickens through better raising practices.
Opinion | Bringing Food Cold Chains to More People in India
Only 4 percent of India’s perishable crops move through cold-chains, a big reason why food losses and malnourishment are still pervasive in the world’s second most populous country.
Opinion | Beyond Hummus
There’s little doubt that chickpea farmers will be sorely challenged by the extremes caused by climate change. But if we find a place at the dinner table for wild relatives, there will be enough hummus, chana masala, and farinata di ceci to go around.
The 29 Books on Food Tank’s Summer Reading List
While summer is normally the season for getting away from it all, instead we challenge our readers to dive deeper into the areas of the food system in which they desire change with these 29 books.
Unique Learning Laboratory is Giving City Kids the Opportunity to Explore Sustainable Agriculture
City Growers is creating unique and forward-thinking programs for youth across New York City to explore agriculture and sustainability.
Opinion | Edible AI? The Future of Food is Up to Tech
With a dramatically growing global population, we can’t rely on the way we’ve done things this far to provide the scale and variety of natural foods that consumers now demand.
