These 16 food and agriculture initiatives redefine how the Middle East grows, eats, and disposes of its food in response to climate change and urbanization

16 Initiatives Redefining Food and Agriculture Across the Middle East

Across the Middle East urbanization, climate change, and resource scarcity threaten food security, these 16 food and agriculture initiatives redefine how the region grows, eats, and disposes of its food.

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BCFN YES! tackles food sustainability and anemia in vulnerable refugee and host communities in Lebanon by supporting innovative young researchers in maternal and infant nutrition.

Researchers

BCFN YES! Winners on Early Nutrition in Syrian Refugee and Lebanese Host Communities

The first 1,000 days from pregnancy to 2 years of age are critical for human health, especially in vulnerable refugee communities; BCFN YES! tackles food sustainability and anemia with innovative young researchers in the field of maternal and infant nutrition in Lebanon.

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Solving hunger will take creative approaches to health and nutrition. Ten experts discuss their ideas on the "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" podcast.

Food Tank Lists

10 Illuminating Discussions on Health and Nutrition from the Food Talk Podcast

Erasing world hunger—and ensuring the health of our environment—is a challenge that will take creative solutions to solve. In these 10 episodes of “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg,” experts discuss how they’re rethinking nutrition for our modern world.

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Lisa Bronner transformed the curious costumers contacting Dr. Bronner’s into a movement demanding healthier products that better support farmers.

Podcast

The Bronner Mom Behind the Movement

Lisa Bronner transformed the curious costumers contacting Dr. Bronner’s into a movement demanding healthier products that better support farmers.

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A growing eco-consumerism movement is on the cusp of transforming the way we consume food.

Climate Change

Opinion | How Grocery Lists Can Green the World

The free flow of information about food’s environmental footprint is critical for unleashing the growing eco-consumerism movement.

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Since 2014, Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Chef Sean Sherman has championed returning to indigenous foods favored by Native Americans before colonization. An award-winning cookbook, chef training, a food truck and public dinners help to spread this message.

Innovations in Nutrition Education

Restoring Native American Health with Indigenous Foods

Since 2014, Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Chef Sean Sherman has championed returning to indigenous foods favored by Native Americans before colonization. An award-winning cookbook, chef training, a food truck and public dinners help to spread this message.

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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. By integrating food and sustainability together on a national level, greener practices in production may emerge.

Public Health

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.

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Adachi Ward of Tokyo, Japan, is trying to change the food environment to reduce diabetes risk and increase residents’ vegetable consumption.

Interviews

Creating Partnerships in Tokyo is Key to Effective Government Food Initiatives

Dr. Naoki Kondo, a social epidemiologist, talks about the Vegi-tabe Life Project implemented for promoting vegetable consumption of Adachi Ward residents in Tokyo, Japan, while emphasizing that creating partnerships is crucial for better results.

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Nutrition

Celebrating the Mediterranean Diet’s Impact on Health and the Planet

This May, International Mediterranean Diet Month acknowledges the impacts conscious eating can have on mental, physical, and planetary health across the world.

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Food Tank visited the U.S. Capitol to talk to food and health experts proving to policymakers that better food and agriculture policies transform health.

Podcast

Break Silos Between Food and Health for Better Policy

On May 10, Food Tank visited the U.S. Capitol, joining experts like Kathleen Merrigan, Robert Graham, Gregory Cooper, and Rep. James P. McGovern to define the connection between agriculture and health for better food policy.

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“This important study shows how quickly we can rid our bodies of toxic pesticides by choosing organic,” said Sharyle Patton, Director of the Commonweal Biomonitoring Resources Center. Researchers found that eating organic food for one week had significantly reduced levels of toxins within the body, and in turn, reduce the health risks of pesticide exposure.

Public Health

Eating Organic for One Week Can Reduce Pesticide Levels

Researchers found that eating organic food for one week had significantly reduced levels of toxins within the body, and in turn, reduce the health risks of pesticide exposure.

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Experts discuss the value of research-based food policy at the Global Summit on Food Security organized by Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance (KFLA).

Researchers

Opinion | Science-Based Food Policies: What Works, What Doesn’t

Policy and nutrition experts discuss the benefits and challenges of research-driven food policies at the Global Summit on Food Security, organized by Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance (KFLA).

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Cancer Schmancer President and actress Fran Drescher exposes a health system that downplays the roles of nutrition, spiritual happiness, and whole-body wellbeing in cancer and disease recovery.

Podcast

Cancer Schmancer: “We Are the Boss” in Our Health Says Drescher

“With the right kind of motivation and education, young people can actually become the change we so desperately need” in the health system, says Drescher.

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Food Security

“The farmer is literally hedging their bets” in Eastern and Southern Africa

Drought tolerant crops that deliver nutrition and income to farmers could bring more food security to the region. Dr. Moses Siambi from ICRISAT explains how relying on single, water-intensive crops during dry periods can be risky.

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Canada’s much anticipated revised food guide was released last month and includes some major changes. The revised guide includes new healthy suggestions such as eating more plant-based proteins and reducing consumption of processed foods, but it also eliminates the previous convention of the four food groups as well as specific serving recommendations.

Public Health

Canada’s Revised Food Guide Makes Plant-forward Suggestions

Canada’s much anticipated revised food guide includes some major changes, like suggestions to eat more plant-based proteins and reduce consumption of processed foods.

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More than 200 changemakers from Southern Africa, Latin America, and U.S. cities tackled the issue of food security at the Global Summit on Food Security in Atlanta.

Thought Leaders

Global Changemakers Meet in Atlanta to Address Food Security

More than 200 changemakers convened at the Global Summit on Food Security in Atlanta. With a community of experts and advocates, Food Tank explored ways to better understand equity issues through the lens of food.

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Denmark's groceries to start showing environmental price tags

Policy and Organizing

Climate Labels on Food to Become a Reality in Denmark

The Danish government is proposing to work with supermarkets to place stickers on all food products that clearly indicate their carbon footprint.

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Check out how farmworkers are helping to lead the fight for organic agriculture and reverse the use of toxic pesticides which is the norm

Policy and Organizing

Opinion | Why We Need Organic for All?

Pesticides such as chlorpyrifos are linked to increased neurodevelopmental problems yet little is being done to protect farmworkers from pesticide exposure; which is hundreds of times greater levels of toxic pesticides than consumers’.

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“No country has a monopoly on the problem [of malnutrition], so no country has a monopoly on the solution: we all have to work together,” says Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.

Podcast

Malnutrition: A Global Problem That Requires a Global Solution

“No country has a monopoly on the problem [of malnutrition], so no country has a monopoly on the solution: we all have to work together,” says Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.

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Getting more food to those in need is not addressing the underlying causes of the food insecurity crisis.

Food Security

“Food Won’t Solve Hunger. Income Will.”

Choosing food as a solution to food insecurity may seem like the low-hanging fruit, but don’t let its simplicity fool you. The complexity of the crisis merits a deeper solution.

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