|
This week's round up of the latest news, research, and policy developments from across global agriculture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONTENT
February 23 - March 1, 2018
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018 Global Food Security Symposium
March 21-22 | Washington, DC
Space is limited, register now!
|
|
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.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Next Generation: Tomorrow’s Farmers – And Consumers, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, February 27
Agricultural development is good for business. Investments in smallholder farmers not only raise the incomes of the rural poor but also create dynamic markets and an expanding middle class which drives demand for consumer goods. This increasing demand offers the potential for rich profits, if it can be properly developed.
Outrage and Inspire With Roger Thurow – Gideon’s Journey: Forward Ever, Backward Never, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, February 28
The outrages of hunger are many. But so, too, are the inspirations of people who confront—and conquer—hunger and malnutrition. In this episode, we hear the story of Gideon Wanyama’s arduous journey from small farm to college to joining the hundreds of millions of fellow African youths entering the job market—a generation yearning to contribute to the continent’s growth.
Guest Commentary – To End Hidden Hunger, Partnerships across Sectors for Biofortification are Key, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, March 1
After more than a decade of steady decline, world hunger is again on the rise. Currently, vitamin and mineral deficiency, also known as hidden hunger, affects more than 2 billion people worldwide. One proven solution is biofortification, an innovation that draws on conventional breeding processes to boost the levels of micronutrients in staple crops.
In Africa, War over Water Looms as Ethiopia Nears Completion of Nile River Dam, NPR, February 27
Ethiopia sees the $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as the key to its economic future. It predicts the energy produced by the mega-dam will help put people to work. Industry growth in the region is a priority because the United Nations predicts the population of Africa will double by 2050. But Ethiopia’s neighbor to the north, Egypt, fears the dam could spell doom for its water supply, 85 percent of which comes from the Nile.
The World Food Prize: Recognizing and Inspiring Breakthrough Achievements in Feeding the World, World Food Prize, March 1
The World Food Prize seeks to shine a spotlight on the critical accomplishments of modern-day pioneers in food and agriculture so that their work may also inspire future achievement on key issues and solutions that can have a profound impact on ensuring global food security. The institution is currently soliciting nominations through May 1.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
|
|
Africa ‘Very, Very Far Away’ From Meeting Global Target to End Child Malnutrition, Guardian, March 1
No African country is expected to reach the UN target of ending childhood malnutrition by 2030. By using maps of local health and education data, researchers identified variations at state and county level missed from previous comparisons. Many countries had shown improvement in childhood stunting and wasting since 2000, but indicated that malnutrition indicators remained persistently high in 14 countries.
SEE REPORT: Mapping Child Growth Failure in Africa Between 2000 and 2015, Nature, February 28
China-Backed Bank to Put $28 Million into Power Projects, Dhaka Tribune, February 27
The Asian Infrastructure Development Bank (AIIB), a multilateral development bank reportedly backed by China, offers financing for projects in in many sectors, including energy and power, rural infrastructure and agriculture development, and water supply and sanitation. AIIB is supposed to invest more $885 million within the next five years at five projects of three sectors in Bangladesh.
Famine Again a Threat in South Sudan, New Report Says, AP, February 26
One year after South Sudan briefly declared a famine, more than half of the people in the world’s youngest nation face extreme hunger amid civil war and famine could return. One in three people in South Sudan have been forced from their homes by the civil war, resulting in the worst production of the country’s staple grains since the conflict began in late 2013. The UN humanitarian response plan for South Sudan has received less than 4 percent of its funding for 2018, with a gap of more than $1.7 billion.
SEE ALSO: Hunger Woes Escalate in War-Torn South Sudan, Wall Street Journal, February 26
SEE ALSO: South Sudan Close to Another Famine: Aid Groups, Al Jazeera, February 26
UN Warns of Hunger among Refugees in Cameroon, All Africa, February 26
Hundreds of thousands of people who sought shelter in Cameroon after fleeing violence will go hungry unless funds are made available, the UN deputy emergencies chief said. According to the United Nations, 3.3 million people need help, which is an increase of nearly 15 percent compared with 2017 due to the refugee crisis largely stemming from the fighting in the neighboring Central African Republic.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USAID Says Government Put Obstacles to Its Work in Azerbaijan, New York Times, March 1
USAID says the government in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan is putting up obstacles to its operations in the country. Despite words of reassurance from government officials, the US agency says that the doors are not open for business in Azerbaijan.
To Create Conflict, Russians Fuel GMO Debate, Futurism, February 28
News outlets funded by the Russian government may be responsible for a series of misinformation attacks on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), according to researchers at Iowa State University. The purpose of that vein of coverage, the researchers argued, is simple: to foment confusion and spread misinformation.
Q&A: USAID West Africa Chief Says His Division's Tactics are 'Unique in the USAID World,' Devex, February 28
In this region, flush with natural resources and human capital, limited private investments, poor governance, insecurity, extreme poverty, and even disease and evidences of global warming often stymie development efforts. To address these challenges, the USAID West Africa Regional Mission believes it takes a unique regional approach to provide solutions and capacity building tools in countries where there is no country-level USAID mission.
African Agriculture: Official Urges US to Change Approach as Smart Business, the Daily Iberian, February 25
The president of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has made remarks for increased American and global investments to help unlock Africa’s agriculture potential at the US Department of Agriculture’s 94th Agriculture Outlook Forum. The theme was “The Roots of Prosperity.” He appealed to the US private sector to fundamentally change the way it views African agriculture.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BIG IDEAS AND EMERGING INNOVATIONS
|
|
Can Edible Drones Deliver Humanitarian Aid?, Forbes, February 28
A British company, Windhorse Aerospace, is developing unmanned aerial vehicles, otherwise known as drones that can not only deliver supplies to civilians but also are partially made of items they can eat. The plan is to build three models, all launched from either an aircraft or from the ground, that can carry different weights and travel different distances.
Watch Out, Cows. Yeast Is Gunning to Be the Next Dairy Disruptor, Quartz, February 27
Perfect Day, a Silicon Valley food-technology startup, is aggressively seeking to change how people think about traditional dairy products by training yeast to create milk components without ever needing a cow. The company is now in talks to sell its newly-patented non-milk proteins to large food brands as a replacement for whey and casein, milk-based proteins.
How Digital Agriculture Is Helping Uganda Grow Its Middle Class, Forbes, February 27
With an increasing number of farmers and transactions, Kalangala Oil Palm Growers Trust (KOPGT) needed a digital solution to enable continued growth. Since 2009, SAP has worked to create applications that help smallholder farmers in developing nations, primarily across Africa, enhance food production. The digital platform from SAP means KOPGT has instant oversight into all the transactions happening and the productivity of our 2,000 farmers.
Science Can Reverse 'New Normal' of Hunger and Climate Disaster, All Africa, February 26
Across eastern and southern Africa, investments in research for development by the Australian Centre for Agriculture Research through the SIMLESA program are reducing farmers' risks and increasing the yields of maize and legumes by three and four times. The secret to its success has been SIMLESA's efforts in helping over 235,000 poorly resourced and highly vulnerable farmers test more productive and resilient practices that best fit their own circumstance and investment capacity.
The Silicon Valley Food Start-Up Best Known for Its Vegan Mayo Thinks It Can Cure Malnutrition in Africa, Washington Post, February 23
When Bill Gates called flashy food start-up Hampton Creek the “future of food,” he was presumably referring to products like the company’s much-hyped vegan mayo. But Hampton Creek, recently renamed JUST, has far grander ambitions. This month it's going public with a product it describes as its solution to addressing West African malnutrition. The product, a fortified cassava porridge dubbed Power Gari, is cheap to produce, popular with consumers, and tailored to the exact dietary needs of the market where it's sold.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ISSUES
|
|
Soil Health Practices for Mitigating Natural Disasters, USDA, February 28
Dr. Bianca Moebius-Clune, Soil Health Division Director with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, believes the nation’s farms, ranches, forests, and even backyards have a role to play in providing mitigation benefits for natural disasters. By building healthier soils, land managers across the nation can increase human safety and protect critical infrastructure for all Americans when disaster events occur.
Asian Ticks (Mysteriously) Turned up on a New Jersey Sheep, NPR, February 27
The Haemaphysalis longicornis tick—also known as the longhorned tick or bush tick—was found on hundreds of sheep in Hunterdon County, NJ. This is the first time all life stages of this Asian tick species have been found on an unquarantined animal in the United States, posing a threat to livestock. If enough ticks feed on one animal, they can cause such severe blood loss that the host dies.
SEE ALSO: Asian Ticks on New Jersey Sheep? Invasive Species are a Reality of Our Future, Futurism, February 28
Agricultural Councils the Way Forward to Help Raise Farmer’s Income, says Haryana CM, Hindustan Times, February 27
Improved coordination between agriculture experts, farmers, and the government is the way forward to increase farmers’ income and cut costs. The chief minister of Haryana put the blame for the agriculture crisis in the state on previous governments, claiming that their neglect of the sector had led farmers to overuse pesticides, causing the regions of Punjab and Haryana to battle with increased incidences of cancer.
Drought-Hit Malawi Farmers Use Sugar and Fish Soup to Battle Pests, Opinion, Charles Mkoka, All Africa, February 26
Nearly 2 million people are at risk of food shortages because of the effects of armyworms and drought in Malawi. Armed with fish soup and neem leaves, as well as chemical pesticides, Malawi's drought-hit farmers are fighting a caterpillar that is devouring their crops and putting them at risk of hunger. Agricultural researchers and farmers are fighting back with both imported and local approaches, while also attempting to combat the effects of a prolonged dry spell.
To Stay on the Land, American Farmers Add Extra Jobs, Wall Street Journal, February 25
On average, 82 percent of US farm household income is expected to come from off-farm work this year, up from 53 percent in 1960, according to the USDA. Off-farm work has become more important since a slump in prices for corn, wheat, and other farm commodities over the past five years has cut total US farm income in half. Now, picking up work in construction or truck driving is required for many farmers to fund seed and fertilizer purchases, and to keep current on loan payments for tractors and land.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Veganism Is Now More Popular Than Vegetarianism, According to Google, Quartz, February 27
Global health authorities are warning against eating too much red and processed meats, environmentalists bemoan how much animal agriculture negatively contributes to climate change, and a consumer craze for different sources for protein have them considering more plant-based and cellular agriculture options. Google analytics are reflecting the trend; searches for “vegan” have risen rapidly over the last two years, far surpassing “vegetarian.”
Judge Orders California Agricultural Officials to Cease Pesticide Use, LA Times, February 26
A Sacramento County Superior Court judge could throw a substantial hurdle in front of efforts by the California Department of Food and Agriculture to control dozens of crop-damaging pests. A new injunction orders Californian agricultural officials to stop spraying pesticides on public and private property to control insects that threaten the state's $45 billion agriculture industry.
No Downturn in Obesity among US Kids, Report Finds, NPR, February 26
The latest analysis shows that the percentage of American children ages 2 to 19 who are obese increased from 14 percent in 1999 to 18.5 percent in 2015 and 2016. Childhood obesity rates have been rising for decades, sparking widespread alarm among public health researchers and officials. Obese children tend to become obese adults, who are prone to many health problems, including cancer, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes.
Dietary Advice Based on the Bacteria in Your Gut, Wall Street Journal, February 25
Research shows that people fed identical foods can have vastly different blood-glucose responses. There is growing evidence that the 100 trillion organisms that live in the human gut—known as the microbiome—play a role in this variability. The gut microbiome is affected by a variety of factors, such as sleep, exercise, antibiotics use and, most important, diet. Now, some startups are claiming they can use gene sequencing technology to help people diet more effectively.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ENVIRONMENT, WATER, AND CLIMATE
|
|
European Court Rules against Morocco Again, Barring Western Sahara's Waters from EU Fisheries Deal, Forbes, February 27
The European Union’s top court has ruled that a long-standing fisheries agreement between Morocco and the European Union does not apply to the waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Morocco invaded Western Sahara in 1975 and ever since, it has tried to ensure its de facto control over the disputed territory that is recognized by international powers. Previously, the European Court of Justice ruled that an agriculture agreement between the European Union and Morocco did not cover Western Sahara.
Cape Town’s Drought Doomsday Clock Has Been Pushed Back, Raising Questions about Its Accuracy, Quartz, February 26
Cape Town’s Day Zero, the day when the city’s taps are turned off, has been pushed out all the way to July 9, from April 16 to May 11. The more optimistic view is based on reduced usage in the agriculture section. The new date coincides with Cape Town’s winter rainfall season, meaning it could be pushed back even further, and possibly eroding trust in the Day Zero model.
SEE ALSO: How Western Cape Farmers Are Being Hit by the Drought, Conversation Africa, February 25
Tracking Fishing Vessels Reveals Industry’s Toll on the Ocean, Smithsonian, February 23
Researchers tracked most of the world's fishing vessels through an entire year by monitoring radio transmissions that most vessels now emit automatically in order to avoid collisions with each other. According to the study, commercial fishing operations covered at least 55 percent of the world's oceans. That area is four times larger than the area devoted to agriculture on land. Five countries (China, Spain, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea) accounted for 85 percent of all high-seas fishing.
SEE REPORT: Tracking the Global Footprint of Fisheries, Science, February 23
Seychelles Swaps Debt for Groundbreaking Marine Protection, AP, February 23
Seychelles’ Aldabra atoll is home to the world’s largest population of giant tortoises, critically endangered sea cows, and spawning grounds for a number of rare species. The government signed a bill restricting nearly all human activity in the waters around Aldabra and setting aside more than 81,081 square miles as protected areas. The areas around Aldabra will ban all extractive uses such as fishing and petroleum exploration.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GENDER AND GENERATIONAL INCLUSION
|
|
Why This Female Founder Is Investing in Organic Agriculture for Her Clothing Startup, Forbes, February 27
Raised in India, Barar was well aware of the challenges of the textile industry: heavy use of toxic chemicals, poor treatment of labor, and negative environmental impact. She felt compelled to produce a fashion line that was respectful to people and the planet. In 2012, she partnered with Mumbai-based Suminter India Organics, to launch Satva (which means “pure” in Sanskrit), an athleisure brand using organic cotton and GOTS-certified fabrics.
Pepper Co-Op Helps Kosovo's War Widows Reclaim Their Lives, NPR, February 26
Fahrije Hoti fled her home to neighboring Albania during one of the worst massacres of the Kosovo War from 1998-99. In 2005, the widowed Hoti came up with the idea that if women joined together to make ajvar, a red pepper spread that is Kosovo's version of jam, and other Kosovar staples in mass production, they could help each other rebuild their lives. Today she runs a pepper cooperative, Kooperativa Krusha, which employs about 50 women, many of whom who are war widows.
Women - the Focus of New Agriculture Course, Daily Inter Lake, February 25
Women in the agricultural field will get a spotlight at Flathead Valley Community College starting this fall when the school introduces a new course entitled “Women in the Agricultural Workforce in the 21st Century” to its agriculture program. The course, is funded by a $94,000 grant from the USDA, will highlight different career paths within the field while addressing both historic and future roles of women in agriculture.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MARKET ACCESS, TRADE, AND AGRIBUSINESS
|
|
Beef Industry Joins Big Dairy in Petitioning Plant-Based Competition, Forbes, February 28
The US Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) has joined the broader resistance against the rise of plant-based products and meat alternatives which aim to replicate their animal-based counterparts. The USCA believes that the broad use of the terms "beef" and "meat" on the packaging of products not derived from animals generated consumer confusion. The petition argues that this confusion originates in part from alternative proteins including those derived from plants, insects, and lab-grown methods.
As Milk Prices Decline, Worries about Dairy Farmer Suicides Rise, NPR, February 27
As the nation's dairy farmers struggle through their fourth year of depressed milk prices, concerns are rising that many are becoming depressed themselves. The outlook for the next year is so bleak, it's heightening worries about farmer suicides. According to the CDC, farmers, as a group, have a higher suicide rate than any other occupation.
SEE ALSO: This Futuristic Startup Could Disrupt the Dairy Industry, Forbes, February 27
The Battle over Big Salmon: Industry at a Crossroads as Tasmania Votes, Guardian, February 25
Salmon farming has not inspired much consensus in Tasmania of late but this much is clear: Macquarie Harbor—a vast, isolated inlet on the state’s west coast that is home to several industrial fish pens—is in a bad way. As the state rolls towards an election in March, its biggest industry is tallying the loss of hundreds of thousands of fish that have died prematurely or had to be culled in the harbor this summer.
UK's Small Abattoirs Struggle as Profit Margins Are Squeezed, Guardian, February 26
Locally sourced meat, one of the cornerstones of modern sustainable eating, may soon be out of reach for consumers across the United Kingdom as large numbers of small suppliers are forced to close down. A study has found that small abattoirs are struggling harder than ever to survive, leaving more of the country’s meat supply concentrated in the hands of a small number of mega-producers.
SEE REPORT: A Good Life and a Good Death: E-Localizing Farm Animal Slaughter, Sustainable Food Trust, February 26
Wool Is Cool Again, and the Prices Are Shear Madness, Wall Street Journal, February 23
Wool isn’t just for winter wear anymore, and its use in everything from shoes to underwear briefs is pushing prices of merino, the most popular type of wool fiber for clothes, to near-record highs. Demand has helped drive up merino wool prices at a time when the sheep population in Australia and New Zealand, the world’s largest wool exporters, is near a 100-year low.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
