|
This week's round up of the latest news, research, and policy developments from across global agriculture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONTENT
January 19-25, 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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Climate-Resilient 'Super Beans' Boost Food Rations for Refugees in Uganda, Guardian, January 24
South Sudanese refugees in Uganda are being given drought-resistant “super beans” to reduce their reliance on food aid and encourage self-sufficiency. The bean, which is not genetically modified, was developed by scientists at the National Agricultural Research Organization of Uganda, in collaboration with the Colombia-based International Center for Tropical Agriculture.
Farmland Could Be Used to Sustainably Offset America’s Entire Carbon Footprint - If the Will Exists, Quartz, January 24
Eighty-nine percent of agriculture’s future greenhouse gas emissions mitigation potential could lie in capturing carbon on farmland soils: carbon sequestration. Not only does this process suck harmful carbon out of the atmosphere, it makes soils healthier and more fertile for future food production, boosting resilience to climate change.
Rights Abuses Still 'Widespread' in Thailand's Fishing Industry, Report Says, NPR, January 23
Forced labor, human trafficking, and other rights abuses are "widespread" in the Thai fishing industry. Despite scrutiny from US and European monitors and the Thai government's public promises to clamp down, the abuses remain a big part of Thailand's fishing industry. Reports have found prison-like conditions, and workers are often paid below the minimum wage, are not paid on time, and are held in debt.
SEE REPORT: Hidden Chains: Forced Labor and Rights Abuses in Thailand's Fishing Industry, Human Rights Watch, January 23
Health as an Enabler for Development Progress, Devex, January 24
Neglected tropical diseases, noncommunicable diseases, ageing, and diet are just some of the factors that threaten individual health each day. But beyond the direct outcomes of increased life expectancy, a reduction in child and maternal mortality rates, and access to modern contraception, good health is also a key enabler of progress in other areas.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
|
|
Q&A: Why Land Rights Are Worth a Multimillion Dollar Investment, Devex, January 25
As the population grows, the number of people displaced globally is reaching record high numbers. Secure land rights are fundamental to realizing peace and prosperity for all. There are still over a billion poor people in the world who rely on land for their livelihoods, but don’t have secure legal rights to their land. We need more global development actors thinking about and working on land rights to reach that last billion.
Why the Internet Loves and Hates Oxfam's Global Inequality Report, NPR, January 24
Oxfam published its annual report on global inequality to coincide with the World Economic Forum in Davos. It hopes to pressure attendees to take actions that will create a global economy that benefits everyone. Some say the report is an attempt to undermine capitalism, while others see it as little more than a shiny headline that does not help fix the problem of global inequality.
The Promise and Potential for New Plant Varieties, Agri-Pulse, January 22
For the fourth straight year, agricultural productivity growth is not accelerating fast enough to sustainably feed the world in 2050. Farmers are ready to meet this challenge, but they want access to new tools that will enable them to better cope with climate change, natural disasters, and disease outbreaks. And that’s where advanced, precision breeding shows so much potential.
The Refugees Who Don't Want to Go Home...Yet, NPR, January 21
Rohingya refugees have overwhelmed the vast stretch of Bangladesh where refugee camps are located. Bangladesh officials have banned the refugees from taking formal jobs which means the refugees are almost entirely dependent on international food aid to survive. Despite logistical delays, Bangladesh says it still plans to move forward with the repatriation of refugees to Myanmar, although it's not clear exactly when.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NAFTA Talks Heading Toward Make or Break Point, Agri-Pulse, January 24
Negotiations to rewrite NAFTA entered a sixth round this week amid widespread concerns that without substantial progress, the 24-year-old pact among the US, Mexico, and Canada could come to an end. In the best-case scenario, negotiators would bridge significant differences this week, allowing leaders of the three countries to put the finishing touches on a new NAFTA in March.
SEE ALSO: US Has Not Moved an Inch During NAFTA Talks: Sources, Reuters, January 25
Nebraska Farm Bureau Urges President Trump to Find Markets for Agriculture Commodities on Anniversary of TPP Withdraw, Rural Radio Network, January 24
The Nebraska Farm Bureau urged President Trump to find new markets for American agricultural commodities. According to the Nebraska Farm Bureau President, “While the outlook of international demand for US agricultural products remains strong, it is clear the US missed a massive opportunity to expand exports to a growing region of the world.”
SEE ALSO: Factbox: Effect on Commodities Markets Due to US Government Shutdown, Reuters, January 22
USAID Temporarily Suspends Involvement with Tillerson's Overhaul of State Dept, Hill, January 24
USAID is temporarily suspending its involvement with Secretary of State Tillerson's overhaul of the State Department. The suspension was announced in an email to USAID staff assigned to work on the redesign. Tillerson has pushed the State redesign as a way to reorganize and prepare the agency for the 21st century, arguing that it has long been relying on aging practices and technology.
SEE ALSO: Cardin Asks Tillerson to Respect USAID’s Independence, Urges Empowerment of Green to Declare USAID’s Mission, United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, January 24
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BIG IDEAS AND EMERGING INNOVATIONS
|
|
Big Data Comes to Dieting, New York Times, January 25
A new study is enumerating for the first time the thousands of changes in genes and various biological systems that may occur after even a small amount of weight gain, and which may—or may not—be reversed if the weight is then dropped. They found that 318 genes worked differently after most subjects had gained even a little weight.
SEE REPORT: Integrative Personal Omics Profiles during Periods of Weight Gain and Loss, Cell Systems, January 17
Why Robots Should Shake the Bejeezus out of Cherry Trees, Wired, January 24
Researchers at Washington State University have developed algorithms that scan a tree for individual branches, determine what bit of each branch to grasp, and shake to extract the most cherries. Between 2002 and 2014, American farms lost nearly 150,000 laborers, or 20 percent of the workforce. This new innovation gives us an intriguing vision of a robotics-fueled agriculture industry.
China Is Both Ahead of and Behind Amazon in Cashier-Less Stores, Quartz, January 22
A bevy of companies in China are racing to popularize cashier-less grocery stores. And while few can match Amazon’s technology right now, the speed at which the stores are opening suggests that such shopping could become widespread in China faster than it does in the US or elsewhere.
SEE ALSO: Amazon Go: Convenience and Concern at New Checkout-Free Corner Shop, Guardian, January 22
Scientists Peek Inside the 'Black Box' of Soil Microbes to Learn Their Secrets, NPR, January 18
A tablespoon of soil contains billions of microscopic organisms. Life on Earth, especially the growing of food, depends on these microbes, but scientists don't even have names for most of them, much less a description. That's changing, slowly, thanks to researchers. These microbes create fertile soils, help plants grow, consume and release carbon dioxide, oxygen, and other vital elements.
Thought for Food Global Challenge Calls on Youth to Tackle Food Security, Thought for Food, January 16
Thought for Food launches the 5th edition of the TFF Challenge, inviting young leaders from around the world to sign up and develop new ideas and business concepts that tackle the challenge of sustainably feeding our world’s growing population. This year the competition is open to everyone under the age of 35.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ISSUES
|
|
'I Used to See Them as a Bunch of Rioters': Brazil's Radical Farmers, Guardian, January 25
Landless workers who occupied disused and degraded farmland were finally given plots and have transformed them into fields of bounty through agroforestry. Land inequality is a serious issue in Brazil— nearly 45 percent of Brazil’s agricultural land is owned by a mere 1 percent of tenants. Against this background a group called the Landless Workers’ Movement has been fighting for the implementation of agrarian reform.
How This Couple Is Challenging the Cacao Industry with Their New Product, Forbes, January 23
Traditionally, the white fleshy center of the cacao pod goes into waste. Rob Weidner launched a company called Repurposed Pod whose primary product is Cacao juice extracted from the white flesh of the cacao pod. It can be drunk alone as a refresher for its nutritional benefits or mixed with juices. Available online and in health food stores across the Northeast, the young Pennsylvania-based startup is focused on getting Americans to rethink cacao altogether.
Farmers Don’t Seek Free Power, but Uninterrupted Power, Says Venkaiah, The Hindu, January 20
India’s Vice President Naidu said farmers had been seeking quality and uninterrupted supply of power to reap benefits from the agriculture sector. Unfortunately, nearly 4,000 villages had not been electrified until now. The farm sector had been facing numerous challenges such as low credit inflow, low investment, climate change, and market failures, but still 52 percent of the country’s population depends on the sector.
What Today's Headlines about Famine Get Wrong, NPR, January 19
A new book offers a surprising perspective about the hunger crises dominating the news: As bad as things are now, they used to be so much worse. Famine is not a natural disaster—it's primarily man-made. Climate change is real, and widespread concerns about its potential impact on agriculture, particularly in the world's poorest countries, are warranted.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woolworths to Stop Selling Pesticide Linked to Global Bee Decline, Guardian, January 23
Woolworths, an Australian grocery store giant, has joined a growing list of companies to stop supplying a controversial pesticide linked to global declines in bee populations. Neonicotinoids represent about a quarter of the multibillion dollar international pesticide market but have been repeatedly linked to serious harm in bees in lab-based studies.
Personalized Diets: Can Your Genes Really Tell You What to Eat?, NPR, January 22
Experts say, when it comes to diet advice, it's misleading to say that the blueprint is our genes. So far, genes only explain about 5 to 10 percent of the risk linked to diet-related diseases such as obesity and type-2 diabetes. Future advances could give new insights, but for now, a personalized diet mostly comes down to factors other than your genes.
Why the Trump Administration Won’t Let Maine Ban Soda and Candy from Food Stamps, Washington Post, January 20
The Trump administration denied a request from the state of Maine that would have placed a ban on the purchase of candy and soda with food stamps. In a letter to Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services, USDA refused the request, citing additional administrative costs for retailers, difficulties deciding on the exclusion of particular foods, and the lack of evidence that such restrictions yield “meaningful health outcomes.”
What Is the Health and Nutritional Value of Mushrooms?, New York Times, January 19
Mushrooms may lack the brilliant hues consumers have come to associate with nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, but they are a “powerhouse of nutrition.” Low in calories and fat and cholesterol-free, mushrooms contain a modest amount of fiber and over a dozen minerals and vitamins. However, the nutrient profile of a mushroom varies depending on the type and the method of cultivation.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ENVIRONMENT, WATER, AND CLIMATE
|
|
Is There a Ticking Time Bomb under the Arctic?, NPR, January 24
Arctic permafrost is packed with the remains of ancient life made of carbon. In fact, there's more carbon in the permafrost than all the carbon humans have spewed into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution. When permafrost melts and carbon begin to percolate up through the thawing soil, it could form a feedback loop; the released gas warms the Earth, which in turn causes more gas to be released and more warming to occur.
We Must Fix the Broken Water Cycle before It Dooms Civilization - Again, Quartz, January 23
The massive water systems that undergird our civilization allow us to control water to suit our needs, but in doing so they break the water cycle—the natural storage, cleansing, and flow of water in healthy forests, rivers, soils, wetlands, and aquifers. To fix our broken water cycle will take more investment, incentives, and shifts in policy to transform our relationship with water from one of command-and-control to a working partnership.
How Engineering Earth’s Climate Could Seriously Imperil Life, Wired, January 22
The models in a new study presented a scenario in which geoengineers add 5 million tons of sulfur dioxide to the stratosphere, every year, for 50 years, and then suddenly stop. The earth would experience rapid warming because the aerosols have a lifetime of a year or two. Now is the time to start considering the ethical and regulatory pitfalls of pursuing such a strategy.
Pope Brings Environmental Crusade to Peru’s Amazon, Citing ‘Defense of the Earth’, Washington Post, January 19
Pope Francis brought his environmental crusade to a rough-and-tumble corner of Peru’s jungle that is besieged by deforestation and illegal mining. Forests in the region are being clear-cut to make way for large-scale agribusiness, including sugar cane. Many fear the expansion of soy, which already covers huge tracts in Bolivia’s eastern plains. Illegal gold mining is also rampant, not only eliminating forests but contaminating the air, soil, and water with toxic chemicals.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GENDER AND GENERATIONAL INCLUSION
|
|
Once upon a Statistic - Why We're Calling for Gender Data Impact Stories, Opinion, Emily Courey Pryor and Shaida Badiee, Devex, January 25
To close gender data gaps, we need greater political will, technical capacity, and resources. To help address these challenges, we also need concrete examples from around the world that show how collecting and using gender data can lead to positive outcomes. Although a dearth of gender data means that these stories can be hard to find and compile, Data2X, in partnership with Open Data Watch and Devex, has opened a call for Gender Data Impact Stories.
Uganda: Reusable Pads-an Option for Keeping Girls in School, All Arica, January 23
In some rural areas, girls drop out of school when they start menstruating because they have no sanitary pads. To solve this problem, Dr. Moses Kizza Musaazi of Makerere University came up with a way to make affordable sanitary pads from papyrus reeds which are now widely on the market. She now helps female in refugee camps produce MakaPads, all of which are bought by UN Refugee Agency for distribution to all refugee women and girls throughout Uganda.
Why Events Specifically Targeted to Women in Agriculture Need to Continue, Opinion, Kathryn Pinke, Duluth News Tribune, January 20
We need a variety of programs and events to reach all kinds of women in agriculture, including those who aren't involved in the industry now but are willing to join us. According to the USDA’s most recent numbers, more than 30 percent of US farmers are women. I wish all events could be for men and women, but that hasn't always worked in the past.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MARKET ACCESS, TRADE, AND AGRIBUSINESS
|
|
Namibia, China Sign New MoU on Agricultural Cooperation, Agencia Angola Press, January 23
Namibia and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the second phase of a South-South Cooperation project on agriculture. Namibia's agricultural minister John Mutorwa said that the second phase provides for private sector participation in projects focusing on value addition of agricultural products and encouraged the private sector of both countries to explore the business opportunities.
SEE ALSO: Namibia-China South-South Cooperation Enters Phase Two, New Era, January 23
Food Companies Need to Face the High Cost of Tropical Deforestation, Opinion, Mindy Lubber, Forbes, January 23
Wall Street is taking note on tropical deforestation issues caused by cattle ranching, soy farms, or palm oil plantations. A new global Investor Initiative for Sustainable Forests is moving this issue up the agenda of large food companies. As consumer and investor awareness rises, food companies that rely on commodities produced in areas at risk for deforestation must take action to prevent deforestation in their supply chains or face the financial consequences.
Can New Flavors Reverse Diet Coke’s Slump?, Wall Street Journal, January 22
Coca-Cola Co. hopes four new flavors of Diet Coke and skinnier, redesigned cans hitting US shelves this week will boost Diet Coke’s slumping sales by luring back lapsed soda drinkers and young people who have moved on to LaCroix sparkling waters. However, initial consumer response has been mixed, with much of the enthusiasm coming from existing Diet Coke drinkers.
How a 19th-Century Lemon Craze Gave Rise to the Infamous Sicilian Mob, Washington Post, January 19
Using two sets of historical crime and agricultural data, researchers contend that the Mafia would not exist without a boom in the global citrus trade that spanned several decades. The study provides further evidence for the link between high-value export crops and organized crime—a link that continues to vex many places, including Italy. The Mafia's agricultural holdings there topped $23 billion in 2016.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
