“Coffee is a family business, and by family I also mean a community business, it relies on everybody.” Steingard explains, “Let’s affect not just the farmer and him or herself but also the family and the community.”
Crops and Commodities
Helping Farmers Means Working With Them Against Poverty
CORAF’s Research Program on Priority Agricultural Sectors deploys new varieties of maize to producers to prepare them for climate change, strengthen value chains, and lift communities out of poverty.
10 Chefs Bringing Forgotten Grains Back to Life
Once associated as a food for the rural poor, these innovative chefs are embracing millets for their flavor, nutrition, and environmental benefits
“Our Motivation Wasn’t Just Organic: It Was Saving Family Farms”
On Food Talk, George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley, talks about what drives the co-op: an exciting mission, love for organic, and care for farmers and their communities.
A Global Solution to Post-Harvest Food Loss
Switching out traditional raffia baskets with plastic crates when transporting tomatoes in Nigeria can save fresh, healthy food and have multiple subsequent effects on nutrition in the region.
Seeds of Resistance, Harvests of Hope: Farmers Halt a Land Grab in Mozambique
“If the associations are registered and the farmers have collective rights to some land, maybe the land grabbing can stop,” Zunguze told me. Association leaders planned to visit neighboring National Farmers Union cooperatives to learn how agro-ecology could help them grow more food for their families and communities.
Optimizing Information Provision for Smallholder Farmers
Dr. Christian Andres discusses how information delivery can be optimized for smallholder farmers.
Protecting the World’s Largest Rice Collection
“With this collection safely conserved, we can continue to use it to develop improved rice varieties that farmers can use to respond to the challenges in rice production, and to adapt to the changing tastes and preferences of consumers everywhere.”
Uncommon Collaborations Key to Solving Global Problems
On Food Talk, Howard-Yana Shapiro describes how uncommon collaborations between organizations and communities is the right way to go about solving problems in the food system.
New Report Analyzes Success of Agricultural Policies for Development
Over 45 years, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) tracked indicators in 117 countries to understand which policies benefitted agriculture and development. Now, their groundbreaking report has found that successful agricultural transformation in a country depends on the quantity and quality of land available, existing demographic pressures, and implementation of a mix of appropriate policies.
10 Craft Breweries Using Millets and Sorghum
Food Tank is highlighting 10 breweries around the world switching out barley and wheat for traditional grains that support celiacs and small farmers.
Flavor For All by Democratizing Better Seeds
On Food Talk, Dan Barber is breaking conventional plant-breeding wisdom: seeds can be bred to have great flavor, better nutrition, and high yield.
Agricultural Intelligence: What AI Can Do for Smallholder Farmers
Farmers have always been natural data scientists, conducting experiments and collecting data in their fields. Now, with the advent of Big Data, there are new opportunities to create information systems like the CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture that can make farming more efficient, profitable, and sustainable.
Ditch the Discounts This Coffee Day
National Coffee Day in the United States is September 29. Choosing more sustainable options can support farmers and help drive demand for sustainable coffee. This year, Fairtrade America and Conservation International suggests celebrating coffee in a way that honors the people and the work that goes into it.
Toward a Greener Revolution: An Excerpt from Nourished Planet
Dr. Sieglinde Snapp discusses the importance of the ‘Rainbow Revolution’ in Nourished Planet. Agricultural systems that value diversity and build farmers’ capacity can create a more sustainable and resilient food system.
IPM Empowers Farmers Not to Produce More, but Produce Better Mangoes
CORAF’s Project to Support the Regional Plan for the Control of Fruit Flies in West Africa developed a comprehensive integrated pest management package, empowering mango growers to grow fruit desired by the rest of the world.
From Bean to Bar: Ghanaian Chocolate Companies Chasing a Billion-Dollar Gap
Ghana supplies up to a quarter of the world’s cocoa, but why do European countries produce all the premium chocolate? Meet the Ghanaian chocolate makers molding their own futures, one chocolate bar at a time.
Cultivating Resilience to Climate Change
Crop Trust’s Crop Wild Relatives program is bringing together top research institutions, farmers, and eaters to find the best way to boost crop resilience: the genetic material of their ancient relatives.
30 Traditional Crops to Celebrate Indigenous Farming
With time-tested farming practices, agricultural knowledge, and traditional crops, indigenous peoples are improving global biodiversity and resilience to climate change with these special crops and more.
Going Forward By Going Back: An Excerpt from Nourished Planet
Plant biodiversity is rapidly declining and little research has been invested in sustainable and nutritious indigenous crops, which can lead to improved health outcomes and increased food security.
