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This week's round up of the latest news, research, and policy developments from across global agriculture.
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CONTENT
February 16-22, 2018
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2018 Global Food Security Symposium
March 21-22 | Washington, DC
Space is limited, register now for our early bird rate!
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By 2050, Africa’s population will double, with 1 billion projected to be under 18 years old, and many others regions are experiencing similar trends. How can we harness the potential of this promising demographic to secure economic growth and stability? Global leaders, innovators, disruptors, and trailblazers are shaping the future of food and agriculture. Attend this year’s symposium to learn why this transformative moment is a crucial to global food security and stability.
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The Next Generation: The Fourth Revolution Breakthrough, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, February 20
Feeding the world of tomorrow means tapping into the ingenuity and technical creativity of tomorrow’s young people. With world populations on the rise, and youth populations in particular higher than ever before, there is great potential for a wellspring of innovation—if policymakers and the private sector can make the strategic investments needed to cultivate that capability, now.
Outrage and Inspire with Roger Thurow – Am I About to Lose My Second Child Too?, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, February 22
In this episode, we learn how even the best nutrition projects can be undermined by bad water, poor sanitation and hygiene, and lousy infrastructure. From northern Uganda, we hear a mother’s agony when her healthy, robust child suddenly falls ill after a few sips of water... unclean water, it turned out.
Guest Commentary – Migration is Not a One-Way Street, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, February 22
Young Professionals for Agricultural Development asked its members to share their personal stories on migration. Each author had his or her own reason to leave…and to come back. Read the diverse stories of six young migrants seeking education, work, and more.
Guest Commentary – The Business Case for Healthy Agricultural Systems, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, February 9
Ginya Tuitt Nakata from the Nature Conservancy builds the business case for protecting the assets that sustainable agriculture depends on—water, soil, and biodiversity. It is vital that we scale up the shift to healthy agricultural systems to restore the health of agricultural areas, and with that their capacity to increase production.
Tanzania Gets US$35 Million Cassava Boost, All Africa, February 19
Tanzania has received a major boost of $25 million in new funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UK aid to increase efforts in improving varieties of cassava. Cornell University who leads the Next Generation Cassava Breeding Project will expand international efforts to deliver improved varieties of cassava to smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
Amazon is Wreaking Havoc on the Grocery Industry, Quartz, February 20
Grocery stores have notoriously slim margins, and Amazon could bleed even those profits dry. The company is already tapping its extensive logistics experience to offer free two-hour grocery delivery from Whole Foods in four US cities (Austin, Cincinnati, Dallas, and Virginia Beach).
SEE ALSO: As India’s E-Commerce Sector Reels, Grocery is Feeding Another Frenzy, Quartz, February 20
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GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
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War-Torn Yemen is Desperate for Aid, so Why Are Saudi Efforts Stalling?, Wall Street Journal, February 21
Saudi Arabia and its allies are giving $1.5 billion to their war-ravaged neighbor, Yemen, but their ability to fix the country’s humanitarian crisis is limited by their status as combatants and many aid groups’ reluctance to take their money. The situation also illustrates how Saudi Arabia’s regional proxy conflict with Iran is playing into the aid picture. The coalition’s monitoring of Yemeni shipping and air traffic to prevent an Iranian lifeline from reaching the Houthis has slowed the flow of critical commercial goods into the country.
UN: Food Aid to Palestinian Refugees Will End Soon, Video, Al Jazeera, February 21
The head of the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza warns that it cannot guarantee food distribution beyond the end of June. The agency is blaming major funding cuts by the United States for this situation. There are growing concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and its potential to prompt conflict with Israel.
Nigeria: Government to Engage 1,000 Farmers in Castor Value Development, LEADERSHIP, February 20
The Nigerian government plans to engage 1,000 farmers this year as part of its commitment to boost castor value chain development in the country. The Raw Materials Research and Development Council has been test-running in collaboration with a Chinese company, the Kong Associates Shanghai Limited to promote the development of varieties that could be grown in the tropics for optimal production of seed and oil.
FAO Launches Guide to Tackle Fall Armyworm in Africa Head-On, CNBC Africa, February 16
Faced with the infestation of millions of hectares of maize and the relentless spread of Fall Armyworm (FAW) across most of Africa, the FAO launched a comprehensive guide on the integrated pest management of the FAW on maize. It will help smallholder farmers and frontline agricultural staff to manage FAW more effectively amidst fears that FAW may push more people into hunger.
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Proposed Rules Would Allow Meatpackers to Slaughter Hogs Faster, Wall Street Journal, February 20
Proposed rules allowing meatpackers to slaughter hogs faster and play a bigger role in policing food safety are intended to free up government inspectors while making plants more efficient. While consumer advocates question cleanliness of their pork, meat companies and the USDA say the proposals would make better use of inspectors and plant capacity without compromising food safety. They also believe more efficient plants could mean lower pork prices for consumers.
25 GOP Senators Urge Trump to Restart TPP Trade Talks, a Deal He Called a ‘Disaster’, Washington Post, February 20
Twenty-five Republican senators sent President Trump a letter Friday asking him to re-engage with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Many of the GOP senators who signed the letter are from states with a lot of agriculture, an industry which may suffer without TPP trade. But now that the TPP is moving forward without the United States, Australian and New Zealand farmers probably will be the biggest beneficiaries.
Arkansas Judge Dismisses Monsanto Lawsuit on Dicamba Ban, AP, February 16
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza dismissed the lawsuit by Monsanto seeking to block the state Plant Board’s decision to ban dicamba from April 16 through October 31. Arkansas enacted the ban after receiving nearly 1,000 complaints last year about the weed killer drifting onto fields and damaging crops not resistant to the herbicide.
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BIG IDEAS AND EMERGING INNOVATIONS
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AT&T, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Sustainable Farming, Forbes, February 21
AT&T is linking innovative sensor technology with practical farm management challenges using their remote connectivity resources. For farmers, it creates the possibility of a profitable way to achieve positive environmental outcomes. For AT&T, it fits with their corporate “IoT for Good” goals and a commitment to their various customers to enable carbon savings 10 times the footprint of its operations by 2025.
Farm-To-Table: How Blockchain Tech Will Change the Way You Eat, Forbes, February 16
Blockchain is working its way into all aspects of B2B commerce, including the food chain. It can document all of the B2B relationships that lead up to the final B2C transaction. Consumers can see exactly when their food was grown, what sorts of pesticides and antibiotics were used, and how it compares to other products on the shelves. Consumers only need their smartphones to determine which grocery item is the cleanest, healthiest, and most ethical.
Lab-Grown Meat is Coming, Whether You like It or Not, Wired, February 16
Cultured tissue offers a way to potentially grow many meals' worth of meat from just a handful of cells. Under the right conditions in a lab, cells can be encouraged to divide just like they do inside the body—cutting down on natural resources, gas, and animal rights abuses.
A Big-Sky Plan to Cool the Planet, Wall Street Journal, February 16
Solar geoengineering, a new type of intervention, is increasingly garnering attention. Solar geoengineering is a process that cools the planet by making it reflect back more of the sun’s rays. The underlying principle is simple enough: brighter colors reflect more light and cool what’s underneath. It’s not a permanent solution to climate change, and it carries worrisome environmental and political risks of its own, but it’s an idea worth exploring.
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FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ISSUES
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Zimbabwe: Lands Committee to Downsize Farms, The Herald, February 20
Mashonaland Central's Mazowe District lands committee has resolved to identify large and underutilized farms for redistribution. This follows an address by President Emmerson Mnangagwa where he said big farms should be downsized to enable more people to benefit from land redistribution.
Ethiopia: Irrigation Development Improving Livelihoods, All Africa, February 20
Werer Agriculture Research Center, a part of the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute in Amibara Wereda, Afar, has been significantly improving species of different cereal and crop products since its establishment. In addition, it is also working to solve problems that are unique to the lowland parts where irrigation is available, including salinity of soil and watering system.
A Glimpse at Research Outcomes on Animals and Fish Diseases, The Ethiopian Herald, February 19
National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center has recently managed to effectively parry the possible spread of the Ebola Virus that broke out in East African countries by conducting the identification and examination of people suspected to be affected by the virus. When there is an outbreak of endemics, the center undertakes a fast research and conducts a streamlined reconnaissance on animal diseases.
Ethiopia: Sesame Market Blossoms in Face of Global Demand, Addis Fortune, February 18
The sesame market in Ethiopia, one of the major exporters of the seeds in the world, is blooming. Farmers are celebrating better yields through enhanced inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers. Exporters are reaping the benefits of trading outside the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange's floor and being exempted from credit ceilings set by the National Bank of Ethiopia after the devaluation of the Birr.
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Canada's Proposed Front-Of-Package Nutrition Labels Take Aim at Saturated Fat, Sugar, and Sodium, Forbes, February 20
In hopes of encouraging Canadians to make healthier choices, the government of Canada is seeking public feedback on its proposal for mandatory front-of-package labelling on packaged food products. With the exception of milk, packaged foods under this proposal would potentially follow one of four proposed front-of-package nutrition symbols that draw attention to the saturated fat, sugar, and sodium contents of products.
We’re Entitled to Eat Safe Meat. Why Has That Become Such a Lottery?, Opinion, Felicity Lawrence, Guardian, February 20
As meat products are withdrawn from sale, and cash-strapped councils struggle to enforce standards, the regulatory system is breaking down. Due to the budget constraint, the Food Standards Agency is shifting its responsibility for and cost of inspection on to industry itself. However, companies deemed to be low risk that were at the heart of food adulteration scandals involving horsemeat and illegal cancer-causing dye.
Critics Blast EPA for Lowering Syngenta Pesticide Fine, AP, February 16
Syngenta will pay $150,000 for improperly using the pesticide chlorpyrifos at a seed corn field in Hawaii in 2016 and 2017. The company failed to tell the workers to avoid the fields, and then allowed them to enter the fields without protective gear. It will also spend at least $400,000 to train farmers, particularly small-scale growers, in pesticide use. The EPA initially proposed a fine nearly nine times larger for just one incident.
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ENVIRONMENT, WATER, AND CLIMATE
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Soil Projects at the Center of Sustainable Development, Food Tank, February 20
The FAO asserts that land and soils constitute the foundation for sustainable agricultural development, essential ecosystem functions, and food security. The current rate of soil degradation is compromising sustainable agriculture, food security, and vital ecosystem services—both now and for future generations.
Some Places Flourished in the Little Ice Age. There Are Lessons for Us Now, Washington Post, February 19
A period called the “Little Ice Age” reached its coldest point in the 16th century. The majority of people in most societies of the time toiled in rural fields, growing crops for local markets. Many Dutch farmers, by contrast, cultivated cash crops for distant consumers. The society they built ended up being remarkably resilient in the face of new weather patterns that spelled disaster elsewhere in Europe.
How Tamil Nadu Became One of the World’s Leading Renewable Energy Markets, Quartz, February 18
The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu is one of the top nine markets globally to have achieved an exceptionally large share of renewable power generation. The availability of rich wind and solar energy resources, a wide gap between power demand and supply, and robust government policies helped Tamil Nadu take the lead while getting 14 percent of its energy needs from renewables.
Dutch Cow Poo Overload Causes an Environmental Stink, Guardian, February 16
The 1.8 million cows in the Dutch dairy sector are producing so much manure that there isn’t enough space to get rid of it safely. As a result, farmers are dumping cow poo illegally, the country is breaking EU regulations on phosphates designed to prevent groundwater contamination, and the high levels of ammonia emissions are affecting air quality. Now the World Wildlife Fund is calling for a 40 percent cut in herd numbers to protect the environment.
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GENDER AND GENERATIONAL INCLUSION
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9 Ways Millennials Are Changing the Way We Eat, Washington Post, February 21
Big food producers are starting to listen to consumer demands for transparency about ingredients and sources, and this request is largely driven by millennials who want to know how their food is made. According to statistics, they more often define “healthy food” as food that’s natural, organic, locally sourced, or sustainable.
How to Make Progress on the SDGs? Prioritize Gender Equality, Opinion, Ginette Azcona and Silke Staab, Devex, February 20
To address a comprehensive Sustainable Development Goal agenda issues need to be solved with an integrated approach. For example, women play a pivotal role in food production, processing, and distribution, yet globally, they are just 13 percent of agricultural land holders. Where women have access to land, they are more likely to invest to increase productivity and receive support to adopt climate-smart agricultural techniques.
Without City Jobs, Tech-Savvy Kenya Youth Head Back to the Farm, Thomson Reuters Foundation, February 19
In Kenya where the unemployment rate is high, young people are rediscovering that farming can pay. These youth are not only turning to farming, they are bringing their digital skills with them to rural areas as well. Facing this trend, the Kenyan government is trying to promote entrepreneurship among young people by improving their access to credit.
Land Rights Is Key to Climate Adaptation Strategies for Smallholder Farmers, Opinion, Jennifer Duncan and Karina Kloos, Devex, February 16
Farmers’ tenure insecurity can be a major disincentive to investment in their land. Evidence finds that households without secure land rights are less likely to make land-related investments. Tenure security is especially important in regard to women, who are often responsible for agricultural work but have limited say in how best to use and benefit from the land because they are not recognized as land owners.
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MARKET ACCESS, TRADE, AND AGRIBUSINESS
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African Countries Won’t Need to Worry about China’s Demand for Donkey Hides, for Now, Quartz, February 20
Donkey hide has a high demand in China for its use in traditional Chinese medicine and, until recently, African countries with their rising donkey population had answered to this demand. However, demand soon led to thefts and smuggling of donkeys so that many African countries had to place a ban on donkey slaughter. To address the ban, China announced plans to boost the breeding of donkeys domestically.
'Frictionless' EU Trade Is Vital Post-Brexit for UK Farming to Survive, Guardian, February 20
Trade with the European Union after Brexit needs to be “frictionless” if the United Kingdom’s food and farming sectors are to survive the transition, the president of the National Farmers Union (NFU) has said at the opening of the NFU’s conference. He stated that those who advocate a cheap food policy, of scouring the world for low-cost food should bear in mind the price paid in traceability, in standards, and in the offshoring of environmental impact.
Market Hungry for Soy Meal as Argentina Sweats, Wall Street Journal, February 19
The price of soybean meal has leapt to 18-month highs. The main reason is that almost half of the world’s supply comes from drought-hit Argentina. The potential for its price to swing has detached from that of soybean and soy oil – with their more diffuse supply-chains and abundant stocks – making this a rare opportunity to profit from other soy products and agricultural commodities sector.
British Farmer Moves Fruit-Growing to China over Brexit Uncertainty, Guardian, February 18
One of the biggest growers of berries in the United Kingdom is moving part of its business to China because it cannot guarantee it will find enough fruit pickers available to work. Farmers up and down the country, along with the National Farmers Union, have been urging the government to reintroduce a seasonal agriculture workers scheme to keep the flow of pickers coming from the Eastern Europe.
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