Natural resources are under increasingly more stress in South Asia due to agricultural intensification, urbanization, population growth, increasing climate change risks, and difficulties related to land degradation. Techniques like zero tillage, double cropping, and tools developed by CIMMYT can help mitigate these challenges.
Farmers
Grabbing Land: An Excerpt from Nourished Planet
Land grabbing occurs when private investors, often encouraged by governments, purchase and take over control of farmland. This escalates food price volatility, food insecurity, and poverty, which is most burdensome on rural and developing areas.
“I Couldn’t Think of a Reason to Not Farm Sustainably,” Says Howe
Niman Ranch farmer Steve Howe is continuing generations of pig raising, treating pigs humanely and with love.
“Agriculture Must Be Inclusive In Its Diversity,” for Food System Change
Karen Washington wants people to imagine a new face for American farmers: the workers on farms who produce the world’s food yet often face discrimination and food insecurity.
Helping Refugees Become Sustainable Farmers
New Roots for Refugees works with refugees to build independence through farming. Empowering graduates of the program to acquire their own land, they hope farmers will expand their businesses and continue selling produce at local markets.
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.
Climate Smart Agriculture Techniques Spread Beyond Senegal with New Regional Center
CERAAS earned Regional Center of Excellence recognition for its research on adapting dry cereals to drought conditions and its plans to expand into the rest of West and Central Africa.
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.
Opinion | Getting Creative – How City Farmers Find Space to Do Their Jobs
Urban farmers are reclaiming empty lots, yards, abandoned parks, and even the patches of grass between sidewalks and roads in order to grow food — here’s why.
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.
Building a Big Data Platform for Agriculture
The tools of Big Data hold a lot of promise for many industries including agriculture. But the expertise required to build a data management platform are still emerging. Dr. Medha Devare is an agronomist and data architect who is helping to lead the new CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture.
Respecting the Value of Food: Eating What We Grow
Hannah Semler, the founder of Whole Crops, is trying to change the story of food.
Dr. Maiga on Cultivating Equality in West and Central Africa
Dr. Mariame Maiga, Regional Gender and Social Development Adviser for the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), tells Food Tank how CORAF’s projects make gender issues a key concern.
From Rural Farmers to Food Entrepreneurs: A Conversation with the Founder and CEO of Javara
Working with more than 50,000 farmers and 2,000 food artisans, Helianti Hilman, Founder and CEO of Javara Indigenous Indonesia, shares how her social enterprise empowers farmers and promotes indigenous, biodiverse food.
This is the Story of a Soap Company that is Changing the World
Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap is creating new markets for Fair Trade Organic products, and practicing dynamic agroforestry.
Opinion | Why Mexican Farmers Are Hopeful About López Obrador’s Win
López Obrador’s victory in Mexico brings hope for Mexican farmers expecting more self-sufficiency through a reduction in dependence on imports, chemical-intensive production methods, and GMOs. Promises of support for sustainable practices on small and medium-scale farms are on the horizon.
Decoding Agriculture: Creating the CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture
The launch of the CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture is an important milestone for the project of achieving global food security. Brian King, the Coordinator for the Platform, and Andy Jarvis, one of the founders of the Platform, discuss the ideas behind this initiative and their vision for the future of research in agricultural development.
25 Programs Bringing Veterans Into the New Food Movement
This Fourth of July, Food Tank brings you 25 organizations and initiatives from around the U.S. that are working to help veterans transition to healthy, productive civilian lives through farming and agriculture.
PRIME Act Passage Would Help Small Meat Producers Compete, Advocates Say
Many small farmers have to haul their livestock hours away to have them processed. Allowing the sale of meat from smaller, local slaughterhouses could help sustainable farms compete with huge corporations—but is it safe?
Nourished Planet: Sustainability in the Global Food System: Q&A with Editor Danielle Nierenberg
Danielle Nierenberg, President of Food Tank, discusses her work building transparent and strong communication between all players in the food system. Breaking these barriers and taking action will result in an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable food system.
