by Confederation of Family Producer Organizations of the Expanded Mercosur (COPROFAM) [Original language at the end] COPROFAM presents the results of their work with family farmers in collaboration with FORAGRO in the Collective Action on Inclusive Digital Agriculture After several months of activity, which began in the second half of 2021, the Confederation of Family… Continue reading First-hand experiences of family farmers in Latin America on the use of ICTs
By COPROFAM Meet Wagner Canal, a family farmer from São Domingos do Norte in the Southeast region of Brazil. He strongly believes that family farming must keep up with the global technological advancements and continuously reinvent itself to stay relevant. Wagner Canal in his farm To this end, the family farmer has invested in internet… Continue reading Brazilian family farmer bets on ICTs and Youtube channels to spread knowledge
Michel Ghanem - Mohammed VI Polytechnic University “Why is it common sense to diversify our investment portfolio, but not the world's food portfolio?” asks Dr. Arif Husain, Chief Economist at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), and recipient of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize (quote from Twitter, 23rd March 2022). As we diversify our… Continue reading Africa’s forgotten crops could offset growing food insecurity
By Andres Sanchez FORAGRO/IICA Digital agriculture solutions are considered by many as innovations per se. However, if we more ambitiously see innovation as "an iterative, social process characterized by attempts, trial and errors", aimed to "respond to one or more constraints hindering the wellbeing of an individual, of a group, or of a whole community"(1),… Continue reading How do family farmers perceive digital solutions in the LAC Region
What happens with the data generated by digital technologies used on the farm? Who can use it, whom does it belong to, what is its value? These and similar questions were addressed in the webinar on “Data governance in agriculture: including farmers”, organized by the partners in the GFAR Collective Action “Inclusive Digital transformation of… Continue reading Farmers and data governance in digital agriculture: a webinar of the Collective Action on Inclusive Digital Transformation of Agriculture
Rekindling interest in wild and non-cultivated edible plants can have positive nutrition, health, and conservation outcomes Blog post by Kamal Aryal and Samuel Thomas of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu Several species of macro fungi are part of the basket of wild edibles During the lockdown, there were several reports of… Continue reading Our forgotten wild foods
Partners in GFAR are pleased to announce the launch of a Global Manifesto on Forgotten Foods. Download the Global Manifesto The Global Manifesto on Forgotten Foods is a landmark document representing a wide consensus on a coherent framework for a transformation of the agricultural research and innovation system—by fully unleashing the potential of so-called ‘forgotten foods’. Also referred… Continue reading Announcing the Global Manifesto on Forgotten Foods
Azamat Kaseev with his son inspects quinoa plantations in the village of Bokonbayevo 270 km from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Credit: UN FAO In pursuit of productivity, the global food system has become focused on a few staple crops. This has not only left consumers with fewer choices for healthy diets, but also sidelined a wealth of… Continue reading Forgotten foods: forgotten by science, but not by farmers
Viviana Palmieri, Executive Secretary of FORAGRO speaks with GFAR’s Valeria Pesce about leading the Collective Action on Inclusive Digital Transformation of Agriculture, the challenges and opportunities facing farmers and how to ensure inclusivity is key. Valeria: Why did FORAGRO propose a Collective Action on Inclusive Digital Agriculture and what is the importance for you of… Continue reading Why we’re launching a Collective Action on Inclusive Digital Transformation of Agriculture starting in Latin America
By Emir Šahinović, NextGen Plant Science Network As the world evolves with the advent of new technologies and increasingly invasive agricultural practices, we continue to actively pursue the development of new types of industries while still dependent on existing ones. Of course, the benefits to the human population from these new technologies and industries are… Continue reading Soil pollution, a barrier for sustainable development
Recently I had a craving for Thai food. I visited Thailand a few years back, and I can say the common knowledge about Thai cuisine is true: it takes your taste buds on an adventure. Like most South Asian cuisine, Thai cuisine incorporates contrasting flavours and textures in just the right balance. But, since Thai… Continue reading Food: What have we forgotten?
This week, State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2019 charted just how off track we are to end hunger and meet global nutrition targets by 2030. With more than a quarter of the world population without regular access to nutritious food and insufficient progress on all forms of malnutrition, FAO DG José Graziano da Silva calls for "bold multisectoral action" and a redoubling of… Continue reading Looking beyond hunger: thoughts on SOFI 2019
By Matthew Tucker Photography by Rob Kesseler Source – BBC News Experts at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, selected 11 seeds from plants and trees that may be better suited to climate change than other species. Using a scanning electron microscope, artist Rob Kesseler created striking colourised images of the seeds in extraordinary detail. The… Continue reading Seeds of life: The plants suited to climate change
The chachafruto (‘basul,’ Erythrina edulis), a leguminous tree native to the Andean region that produces large and sweet beans inside its pods, reminds me of my childhood in eastern Antioquia, Colombia. During the harvest season, the beans were used to produce delicious and super nutritious cakes. It was so popular that one of the local chivas, rustic colourful buses… Continue reading All aboard the Chachafruto Express
“Loss of biodiversity means we have less opportunities,” says Christian Puglisi, sending off fireflies with his eyes. A Danish chef of Sicilian-Norwegian heritage, he is an alumnus of the world’s famous Noma and runs several restaurants in Copenhagen, including the Micheline starred entirely organic Relæ. He also has a farm in Lejre, 40 minutes away from… Continue reading Food Biodiversity: The bottomless well of innovation
According to The State of the Food Security and Nutrition in the World released last year (SOFI 2018), global hunger and malnutrition has increased considerably since 2016, reaching 821 million undernourished people - approximately one person out of every nine in the world. This means that the number of people suffering from hunger has returned… Continue reading Diversified Agri-food Systems: Bastions of biodiversity, nutrition and resilience
Agricultural innovation - Is it only about technology? Or can broadening participation be innovative in itself? Key takeaways from FAO’s International Symposium on Agricultural Innovation for Family Farmers resonate strongly with the Partners in GFAR: Innovation must be done by and with farmers and youth. The International Symposium on Agricultural Innovation for Family Farmers, held… Continue reading We’re all in this together: Putting farmers and youth at the center of #AgInnovation
In 1962 the environmentalist Rachel Carson published her seminal book Silent Spring that criticized the pesticide industry and the impact of its products on both nature and human health. The book marked an important milestone in the development of the crop protection industry as it emphasized the need to improve and invest in the safety… Continue reading Changing Face of the Pesticide Industry
Climate change is coming like a freight train, or a rising tide. And our food, so dependent on rain and suitable temperatures, sits right in its path. The plants that nourish us won't disappear entirely. But they may have to move to higher and cooler latitudes, or farther up a mountainside. Some places may find… Continue reading 5 Major Crops In The Crosshairs Of Climate Change
Persistent global hunger and undernutrition have underscored the need for urgent action towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to end all forms of malnutrition and double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers by 2030. In sub-Saharan Africa, lack of dietary diversity is a key causal factor of malnutrition since… Continue reading Veggies offer new opportunities to farmers in Tanzania
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