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
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
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
YPARD, IAAS, CropLife and the University of Ghent share why they are so excited to help give youth in agriculture an opportunity to share and develop their innovations in sustainable crop protection. When we first sat down to talk about how to engage youth in being part of the future of crop health we were… Continue reading We’re inspired by you: the next generation in agriculture!
Are you 18-40? Are you passionate about developing a sustainable farming future and do you have the energy, passion and creative ideas to do it? Would you like to attend the world’s largest conference dedicated to finding sustainable crop protection solutions? If the answer is yes, read on. We are looking for 50 young people… Continue reading Submit your idea for sustainable farming to WIN
Young people are instrumental in delivering on a sustainable future for agriculture. If we are to ensure this happens there needs to be opportunities for agricultural students and young professionals to be provided with the tools to become powerful, actionable leaders. GFAR has launched two key focus areas that support youth in agriculture – Engaging… Continue reading A program for youth by youth
By 2050, half a portion of your favorite lunch will be more than twice its current price! Most restaurant, fast food or cafeteria owners might like the sound of this, but will there be enough food to meet the rising demand? “How can we double the amount of food produced in the world in order… Continue reading Taking these “F-words“ seriously: Food and future
FAO estimates that between 20 and 40 percent of global crop yields are reduced each year due to the damage wrought by plant pests and diseases. This is a staggering amount that has a real impact on our food and nutrition security. It is therefore crucial that in this more and more globalized world, we… Continue reading Turning the spotlight on the next generation’s role in agriculture
A robust, sustainable global agriculture and food production sector is critical to the future of a growing world population. It will take farms of varying types and sizes to address food insecurity and hunger, and to stabilize local communities and big cities alike. With a history that dates back to 1947, Nuffield International Farming Scholars… Continue reading Global Exploration and Practical Research Meet in Nuffield International Farming Scholars Program
What makes a rose red? It has a gene, which tells it which color to be. In a major scientific breakthrough 20 years ago, scientists discovered how to turn down the red gene and introduce a new blue gene, from a petunia, to produce the world’s first blue rose. This process, where scientists have learned… Continue reading Technology to Revolutionize Agriculture – Partner Spotlight on CropLife International
Imagine spending $50 every minute for 11 years! That’s what the crop protection industry does to develop cutting edge products for farmers. Only through investment in innovation can we help farmers deal with the ever-increasing threat from crop pests, while also meeting more exacting societal expectations for pesticide products that are safe for human health… Continue reading Innovating for Safer Pesticides – Partner Spotlight on CropLife International
Did you know that in one handful of soil there are more microbes than humans on planet earth? Microbes are tiny micro-organisms like viruses, bacteria or fungi, some of which can have pesticide-like qualities that can be used by all farmers, large and small-scale. These pest-fighting microbes can be found all over the world in… Continue reading Nature at the Heart of Crop Protection -Partner Spotlight on CropLife International
Food systems are shaped by consumption and demand—we need to always keep this in mind. This truth is increasingly obvious in middle and lower-middle income countries, with their dynamic economies and rapidly growing megacities. Urbanizing food systems are also more complex, for a number of reasons. Food environments and consumptive behaviors are changing rapidly, yet… Continue reading Strategic simplification to create healthy and sustainable food systems in an urbanizing world
‘Youth are the pillars, changers and builders of the nation. They have a huge power to change the system and develop our country.’ This is what the youth of YAD (Youth for Agriculture Development, Nepal) believe. I still remember the initial days of the YAD organisation. The young people involved did not believe in their strengths, but… Continue reading YAD: From Zero to Hero
GFAR Secretariat welcomed 4 bright young researchers on the occasion of World Food Day to share their fascinating findings on what some cutting-edge food technologies and innovations mean for our future. Last April, GFAR Secretariat had the pleasure of welcoming, at FAO Headquarters in Rome, a delegation of 16 researchers about to embark on a world… Continue reading Embracing the Future of Food on #WFD2018
At the age of just 24, Madagascan Heritiaina Randriamananatahina heads up a cheese and syrup processing business that is growing fast. Lacking any formal qualifications, he discusses the barriers facing any aspiring young business man or woman in the agri-food industry. Raised by his grand-mother, Heritiana Randriamanatahiana dropped out of school at 14 to earn… Continue reading Heritiana Randriamanatahiana: ‘An entrepreneur must be competitive and creative, but above all, open-minded’
For the past five years, an unusual gathering of thought-leaders and experts from the realms of science, policy, business and civil society has taken place in Stockholm to tackle the interconnected challenges of food, health and sustainability. This June, the Government of Sweden is for the first time co-hosting the EAT Food Forum in Stockholm.… Continue reading Let’s eat our way to a healthier planet
This week the representatives of the world’s most advanced economies grapple with complex challenges at the G7 summit in Canada. Smart investments need to be made to solve the five key issues addressed at the summit and the smartest investment is in agricultural research, writes Marco Ferroni. The G7 summit tops European leaders’ agendas this week.… Continue reading G7 can tackle five priorities with one investment: agricultural research
I am incredibly proud and satisfied by what we have achieved at YPARD in the last seven and a half years. When I first began in 2010 youth was rarely mentioned and we were lucky if we managed to secure an ill-attended side event. Youth organizations were limited in scope and rarely seen. But now… Continue reading Passing on the YPARD mantle
FAO is organizing an email conference on “The Role of Small Farms Within a Larger Context of Food Security” from 19 March to 9 April 2018. Why? This e-conference is intended to provide further feedback on what has been learned so far from the work in the EU-funded Horizon 2020 research project on “Small Farms,… Continue reading Join the FAO e-conference on “The Role of Small Farms Within a Larger Context of Food Security”
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