|
This week's round up of the latest news, research, and policy developments from across global agriculture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONTENT
January 12-18, 2018
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Global Food Security Symposium 2018
March 21-22 | Washington, DC
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guest Commentary-In the Dirt Beneath Our Feet: Climate Solutions for Latin American Agriculture, Opinion, Ginya Truitt Nakata, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, January 17
Soil has long had a PR problem. Societies are conditioned to react negatively to anything that is “soiled” and to many of those who do not work the land, soil is dirt. And dirt is bad, right? Actually, no, soil is good, very good—for all of us. There is a growing movement in agriculture to recognize that the tiny organisms are pretty much what keep soil productive year after year.
The Vast Army Fighting Hunger Around the Globe, Opinion, Marshall Matz, Agri-Pulse, January 2
The unique American system of research and extension is a major reason for US global leadership when it comes to agriculture. When it comes to agriculture research, no organization is as important to our farmers as the USDA, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the Agriculture Research Service, but the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research is of increasing importance on the global front.
Troubled Waters: Egypt and Ethiopia Wrangle over Nile Dam, Wall Street Journal, January 17
Ethiopia’s ambitious $4.2 billion hydroelectric dam project on the Nile River’s main tributary is raising tensions with Egypt over how to share the essential resource. The main point of contention is Ethiopia’s plan to fill the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’s reservoir within three years of the dam’s planned completion—a pace that downstream Egypt argues will leave water levels in its floodplain dangerously low.
SEE ALSO: A Major Geopolitical Crisis Is Set to Erupt over Who Controls the World’s Longest River, Quartz, January 17
SEE ALSO: Farmers Face Water Worries in the Nile Delta, Wall Street Journal, January 17
Amazon’s Grocery Sales Increased after It Devoured Whole Foods, Wall Street Journal, January 14
Products carrying Whole Foods’ brand helped push sales at Amazon’s online grocery-delivery service, AmazonFresh, up 35 percent to $135 million in the last four months of 2017 over the previous four months. Online grocery sales account for less than 3 percent of the roughly $800 billion grocery market. Analysts expect that share will grow into the double digits in the next five years.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
|
|
UN Head Lists His Top Global Concerns for 2018, NPR, January 17
In an informal address to member states at the UN General Assembly, Secretary General Antonio Guterres shared his top priorities in 2018: find justice for the Rohingya Muslims, keep UN peacekeepers safe, address the conflict in Yemen, help Africa solve its own problems, and promote gender equality.
Saudi Arabia Pledges $2 Billion to Stabilize Yemen’s War-Torn Economy, Wall Street Journal, January 17
Saudi Arabia’s $2 billion cash deposit into Yemen’s central bank follows a sharp fall in the country’s currency against the US dollar in recent days. Yemen’s rial now trades at around 530 to the US dollar, compared with around 365 last year. This has raised the cost of crucial goods as more than 8 million people—more than a quarter of the population—risk starvation.
SEE ALSO: Four USAID-Funded Mobile Cranes Arrive at Yemen’s Largest Red Sea Port, Relief Web, January 15
SEE ALSO: WHO Airlifts 200 Tons of Health Supplies to Yemen, World Health Organization, January 18
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is Paying Off Nigeria’s $76 Million Polio Debt, Quartz, January 15
As Nigeria’s battles on to become a polio-free country, Bill and Melinda Gates have taken an extraordinary step to give Africa’s largest economy a helping hand through their foundation. The foundation will pay off a $76 million loan taken from Japan to aid the fight against polio. The news comes as Nigeria counts down to becoming polio free and completing another year without the discovery of any new cases.
SEE ALSO: Bill and Melinda Gates Agree to Pay Off Nigeria’s $76 Million Polio Debt, Big Think, January 17
Sara Menker: How Can We Farm Enough Food to Feed the World?, NPR, TED Radio Hour, January 12
Sara Menker is the founder and CEO of Gro Intelligence, a technology company that uses data analysis to help create a more productive global agriculture industry. Her estimates show that the world will be short 214 trillion calories by 2027. In this video, she argues that to prevent this potential global food crisis, there needs to be both reform and commercialization of the agriculture industries in Africa and India to increase sustainability and meet global demands.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trump Has Come to See NAFTA’s Benefits, Agriculture Secretary Says, Bloomberg, January 17
US President Trump and House Speaker Ryan each said they’d rather renegotiate than walk away from the pact with Canada and Mexico altogether. Trump was on the verge of exiting NAFTA last year, but changed his mind after seeing a map that illustrated areas of the US agriculture heartland that are reliant on the deal. Canada is America’s largest export market for agricultural goods, while Mexico is the third-largest.
UN Calls for More Aid for Palestinian Refugees after US Cut, Wall Street Journal, January 17
The United Nations called on countries to bolster funding to Palestinian refugees, warning of a collapse in healthcare and education services, after the White House said that it would give $60 million to the institution that supports the displaced people after previously agreeing to deliver $125 in its first installment this year. The United States is the largest donor to the organization, contributing $368 million last year.
SEE ALSO: US Set to Cut UN Money for Palestinian Refugees, AP, January 15
SEE ALSO: US Freezes $65 Million in Funding for UN Palestinian Refugee Agency, Wall Street Journal, January 16
USAID, FAO Launch Three Year Agricultural Development Project, Pajhwok Afghan News, January 16
USAID and the FAO have launched the Promoting Value Chains-West project to promote inclusive growth and job creation in the agricultural sector by strengthening the capabilities of producers and private enterprises to effectively link Afghan farmers to domestic and international markets.
SEE ALSO: USAID Supports Value Chains in Western Region of Afghanistan, USAID, January 16
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BIG IDEAS AND EMERGING INNOVATIONS
|
|
How Blended Finance Can Help Global Fisheries Recover, Forbes, January 17
One study estimated that a rebuilding effort for global fisheries would cost approximately $200 billion. Despite clear evidence that rebuilding fish stocks will generate impressive upsides, fisheries reform has not attracted sufficient capital. Increasing the use of blended capital approaches can build the necessary political will and amplify the supply of capital for effective fisheries reform.
Fixing a Broken Food System, Opinion, Paul Polman, Wall Street Journal, January 17
Businesses have a responsibility to help drive the much-needed food-system transformation. Many companies are already taking action—bringing digital innovation, research and development skills, and new business models to bear on food and agricultural issues—and, in turn, future-proofing their own supply chains and opening up new market opportunities.
SEE REPORT: Better Business, Better World, Business Commission, January 2017
San Francisco Banker from Mexico Launches Foodbytes! for Food/Tech Entrepreneurs: Part I, Forbes, January 16
Drawing on his experience in the food and agriculture industry, Mexican entrepreneur Manuel Gonzalez knew many corporate food companies had scale and funding, but lacked innovation. Gonzalez felt he could bridge this gap with a platform like FoodBytes! In 2015, he launched the first FoodBytes! event. Each two-day event is filled with networking, coaching, and nibbling food samples, culminating in pitch competitions.
SEE ALSO: San Francisco Banker from Mexico Launches Foodbytes! for Food/Tech Entrepreneurs: Part II, Forbes, January 16
Maersk, IBM to Launch Blockchain-Based Platform for Global Trade, Reuters, January 16
The world’s largest container shipping firm AP Moller-Maersk is teaming up with IBM to create an industry-wide trading platform it says can speed up trade and save billions of dollars. Success of the platform depends on whether Maersk and IBM can convince shippers, freight forwarders, ocean carriers, ports and customs authorities to sign up.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ISSUES
|
|
US Winter Wheat Planting Touches Century Low, Wall Street Journal, January 12
US wheat farmers planted the fewest acres of winter wheat in over a century. Many US farmers have struggled to turn a profit from wheat in recent years. Low prices as well as growing supplies and production globally have pushed some farmers to switch to crops like soybeans and corn. The USDA is also projected a potentially difficult year ahead for US corn and soybean producers.
Growing Appetites Fuel Record US Meat Production, Wall Street Journal, January 12
Farmers and meatpackers produced a record 99.7 billion pounds of red meat and poultry in 2017 and are on track for an even bigger slaughter this year. Five consecutive years of bumper US crops have pushed down corn and soybean prices, making animal feed cheaper. Robust demand encouraged meatpackers to build plants to slaughter the added animals. The production boom could mean lower meat prices.
Second Lawsuit against Poultry Giants Alleges Chicken Price-Fixing Conspiracy, Los Angeles Times, January 16
Winn-Dixie Stores and Bi-Lo Holdings allege that the poultry companies of Tyson Foods, Perdue Farms, and Koch Foods conspired to fix the price of chickens, in part by “destroying” their own breeder hens and eggs to hamper production. Since 2008, the coordinated production cuts have resulted in a roughly 50 percent increase in the price of broiler chickens, the most popular kind of chicken meat in the country.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Concerns Grow That Infections From 'Zombie Deer' Meat Can Jump to Humans, NPR, January 17
Would you eat venison if there was a chance it could slowly eat away at your brain? Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a deadly neurological disorder similar to Mad Cow that's found in deer, elk and moose, has infected wild herds in 24 states and Canada. There's been no report of human illness due to CWD exposure, but a recent Canadian study has renewed concerns that the disease could make the jump.
SEE REPORT: Health Products and Food Branch Risk Advisory Opinion: Potential Human Health Risks from Chronic Wasting Disease, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, April 26
Why 7-Eleven, Inventor of the Slurpee, Is Now All About Cold-Pressed Organic Juice, Washington Post, January 16
As sales of gas, cigarettes, and soda plummet, many stores are vying for consumers with fresh produce and other “better-for-you” products that would have once looked out of place in the land of Big Gulps. That could make a difference in the diets of millions, especially those who rely on convenience stores as a primary source of food. While chain stores have leveraged their size and distribution networks to source healthy items, many independent stores have struggled to change their stocks.
SEE ALSO: Why Nestle Sold Its US Candy Business - and Bought a Vitamin Company, Washington Post, January 17
Recall of French Baby Milk Products Extended to 83 Countries, AP, January 14
The head of French dairy company Lactalis says that a recall of baby milk products because of a salmonella scare has been extended to 83 countries from around 30. More than 12 million boxes of infant milk products are now concerned. They represent all lots from the Lactalis factory in Craon, northwest France, where the salmonella bacteria was discovered in December.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ENVIRONMENT, WATER, AND CLIMATE
|
|
The World’s Biggest Worries Are Environmental Disasters, Not Economic Collapse, Quartz, January 17
For the second year running, business and political leaders think the world’s biggest threat is extreme weather, according to the latest Global Risks Report by the World Economic Forum (WEF). WEF found that three of the five most likely global risks for 2018 were environmental—extreme weather, natural disasters, and failure to mitigate climate change.
SEE REPORT: Global Risks 2018: Fractures, Fears, and Failures, World Economic Forum, January 17
Cape Town Confronts Looming 'Day Zero' Water Crisis, Al Jazeera, January 16
In the grip of a three-year-long drought, Cape Town, South Africa is predicted to reach "Day Zero"—when its water-supplying dams sink below 13.5 percent of combined capacity—on April 21. The crisis, principally caused by a lack of rainfall throughout the entire Western Cape province, has led city officials to impose "level six" restrictions on the city's 3.7 million people.
SEE ALSO: South Africa: Cape Town Launches Map to Track Water Usage, All Africa, January 16
SEE ALSO: Drought-Stricken Cape Town Tightens Water Restrictions, Washington Post, January 18
Carbon Pollution Has Shoved the Climate Back at Least 12 Million Years, Harvard Scientist Says, Forbes, January 15
The level of carbon now in the atmosphere hasn't been seen in 12 million years and this pollution is rapidly pushing the climate back to its state in the Eocene Epoch, more than 33 million years ago, when there was no ice on either pole. Recovery is all but impossible without an acceleration of the effort to halt and remove carbon pollution from the atmosphere, and a new effort to reflect sunlight away from the earth's poles.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GENDER AND GENERATIONAL INCLUSION
|
|
Award-Winning Nepalese Farmers Grow Bananas to Avert Floods, Reuters, January 17
Simpalpani and other neighboring Nepalese villages have been struck by 16 massive landslides over the last 50 years. Women are on the frontline of the campaign to persuade farmers to adopt soil-friendly crops like legumes, bananas, and pineapples, whose roots help control erosion on slopes. Locals have also been trained to monitor rainfall and temperatures, with villagers upstream warning those downstream of impending floods by text message.
Andela Aims to Solve the Developer Shortage with Tech Workers from Africa, Forbes, January 12
Christina Sass is the cofounder and president of Andela, a for-profit business based in New York and Lagos, Nigeria that trains software developers in Nigeria and Kenya. Founded in 2014 and funded with $80 million in venture capital, Andela trains and supplies developers who work remotely from Africa for companies around the world. Employees commit to staying with Andela for four years. After that, they’re free to work directly for the companies that hire them.
Why This List of Global Poverty Thinkers Is Being Called a 'Sausagefest', NPR, January 12
Members of the international development community expressed outrage after a prominent blogger published a list of 11 top thinkers in the field. Seven were white men. Readers were furious that the list had glaringly few women—especially from countries in the developing world.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MARKET ACCESS, TRADE, AND AGRIBUSINESS
|
|
How the Agtech Investment Boom Will Create a Wave of Agriculture Unicorns, Forbes, January 16
Mega funding rounds are redefining the agtech investment landscape. Consistent with the first wave of agtech startups maturing, companies are looking to scale in a sector that has around $3 trillion value at the farm gate, and multiples of that downstream. The spike in global interest into the agtech arena will also fuel more innovation and growth.
India Looks for More Private Capital in Farms to Boost Incomes, Bloomberg, January 16
India is considering simpler regulations to attract more corporate investment in agriculture as Prime Minister Modi seeks to keep his promise to double farmers’ income by 2022. Agriculture, which contributes 17 percent to the $2.3 trillion economy, has remained relatively untouched by reforms with growth rates averaging below three percent.
China's COFCO Makes Painful Cuts in Drive to Lead Global Food Trade, Reuters, January 12
China’s COFCO International, the trading division of the state-owned conglomerate China National Cereals, Oils, and Foodstuffs Corporation, is in the throes of a staffing upheaval as the group pursues its ambition of sitting at the top table of global agricultural traders. Rather than expanding, it has spent most of the past year integrating past purchases without getting the results it was looking for.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
