The Crop Trust is scaling up a ten-year effort to catalog, conserve, and prepare the genetics of wild relatives of major food crops, called crop wild relatives (CWRs), in light of increasing stresses to agricultural systems including climate change and population growth.
Agriculture
How Africa Can Use Its Traditional Knowledge
Indigenous knowledge expert Chika Ezeanya-Esiobu’s TEDGlobal talk explores traditional African knowledge and practices used by modern farmers, with exceptional results.
In Wine Country, Agricultural Communities Measure Wildfire Tolls
Recent unprecedented wildfires in California wine country, where agriculture and tourism are key industries, have brought uncertainty for winemakers, farmers, laborers, and communities trying to assess damage and rebuild.
Celebrating Rural Women’s Vital Contribution to Agriculture
October 15 is the United Nations’ International Day of Rural Women, a day to celebrate and honor the invaluable contributions of rural women to agricultural and rural development.
Sundari Kraft: “People eat more veggies when they take part in gardening”
How Sundari Kraft is changing the Denver food system and cleaning up food swamps through education, grassroots movement building, and policy change.
New Investigative Series: Indonesia For Sale
Indonesia for Sale, an in-depth series on politicians, palm oil plantation companies, and deforestation in Indonesia, highlights the country’s current conflict over land.
FAO Highlights Rural-Urban Connections to Reduce Hunger
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization have just released the 2017 State of Food and Agriculture report. Connecting rural areas with surrounding cities and towns will create more sustainable food systems and help alleviate rural poverty, the report argues.
Hurricane Maria Has Devastated Puerto Rico’s Farmland
Hurricane Maria is the strongest storm to hit Puerto Rico in almost a century. Major flooding and landslides have caused extensive damage to farmland and crops, and there is an urgent need for emergency food and water supplies.
Less and Better Meat is Key for a Healthier Planet
The University of Oxford’s Food Climate Research Network (FCRN) recently released a new report titled “Grazed and Confused” to examine whether grass-fed beef is good or bad for the climate but failed to account for the many environmental, animal welfare, and health benefits of well-managed, pasture-raised animals.
How (and Why) a Soap Company is Changing the Food System
The skin-care company is now investing a surprising amount of time and capital in projects that affect how people eat—from GMO labeling to promoting regenerative agriculture—putting themselves at the forefront of efforts to build a more sustainable food system.
Women-Led Sustainable Farming Model Wins United Nations Equator Prize
The United Nations 2017 Equator Prize has been awarded to 15 local and indigenous communities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including Swayam Shikshan Prayog from India for its unique women-led sustainable farming model.
16 Organizations Fighting the Global Hunger Increase
The U.N. released a new report showing a five percent increase in global hunger despite eradication efforts. These organizations are using regenerative agriculture and agroecology to fight back.
Herbicide Dicamba Can Stay Volatile for 36 Hours, Arkansas Researchers Say
Farmers in nearly a dozen states are complaining about dicamba, the primary ingredient of a new Monsanto herbicide, blowing into their fields and allegedly ruining their crops.
Sowing the Seeds for Agriprenurship in Northwest Cambodia
Focus-group discussions with secondary school students sowing the seeds for sustainable agriculture and rural entrepreneurship in Northwest Cambodia
Uniting Chefs, Eaters, and Plant Breeders: The 2017 Variety Showcase
The Culinary Breeding Network will bring together 500 chefs, plant breeders, and others in Portland, OR in October to share, discover, and taste new vegetables and grain cultivars that make for culinary excellence
Readers React to GMOs
Food Tank shared an opinion piece by Dr. Gurian-Sherman examining a GMO documentary. Here are several responses we received.