The Partners in Action Campaign As we near the closing of the year 2021, GFAR takes this opportunity to thank all our Partners in Action contributors, readers and those who engage in the comments section. When the Partners in Action campaign was flagged off in May we were hoping that you would offer your experiences… Continue reading End of Year Letter from our Executive Secretary – Hildegard Lingnau
Impact of COVID-19 on Guatemala’s agriculture sector
By Lauren Sarruf, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) A study by CCAFS has explored the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on Guatemala's food production systems, generating a series of recommendations for the sector. Credit: J.L.Urrea/CCAFS The closures and safety measures adopted worldwide in response to the coronavirus outbreak continue to… Continue reading Impact of COVID-19 on Guatemala’s agriculture sector
Healthy crops are key to solving Africa’s food insecurity
By Dr. Dennis Rangi, Director General, Development, CABI CABI’s Dr. Dennis Rangi, based in Nairobi, asks how we can apply the determination and urgency shown to the COVID-19 pandemic to plant pandemics on the African continent in order to help food security. Dr Dennis Rangi. Credit: CABI During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments across Africa showed… Continue reading Healthy crops are key to solving Africa’s food insecurity
Bolstering Kenyan farmers’ resilience to climate shocks
By the Kenya National Farmers' Federation (KENAFF) Like the rest of the world, Kenya's climate is changing. The rainy seasons' timing and duration have shifted, making them exceedingly unpredictable. Climate change poses a significant danger to agriculture, food security, and poverty alleviation. Agriculture contributes to climate change by emitting anthropogenic greenhouse gases and converting non-agricultural… Continue reading Bolstering Kenyan farmers’ resilience to climate shocks
Building food systems resilience in the West African Sahel
By Harun Cicek, Lauren Dietermann and Miguel de Porras from FiBL Agro-silvo-pastoral landscape during the rainy season. A mosaic of millet and groundnut fields dominated by Faidherbia Albida trees (defoliated during rainy season). Niakhar, Senegal. Audebert, CIRAD, August 2018. The West African Sahel is at the frontline of climate change with severe land degradation, water scarcity and soil erosion problems that are expected to increase in… Continue reading Building food systems resilience in the West African Sahel
Farmers and data governance in digital agriculture: a webinar of the Collective Action on Inclusive Digital Transformation of Agriculture
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
Trees for the SDGs: Woody perennials building resilience in urban and rural landscapes
By Ayyanadar Arunachalam, ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh Tree inclusion in a rural landscape Plants are an important source for the sustenance of life on this planet. Among the plants, some plants are perennial, i.e. their vegetative and reproductive stage continues throughout the year. These ‘woody perennials’ include trees, palms, bamboo and shrubs.… Continue reading Trees for the SDGs: Woody perennials building resilience in urban and rural landscapes
Addressing social norms to help women access agricultural technologies
By Bethel Terefe, Gender Coordinator, CABI, and Frances Williams, Global Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, CABI When it comes to rural communities, social norms matter because they affect the choices and opportunities available to women © Pixabay Women are an important asset to the global agricultural workforce, making up 43% of the farming sector, but despite… Continue reading Addressing social norms to help women access agricultural technologies
No pausing for the pandemic – e-Mentoring for inclusive, equitable agriculture
Blog post by Cathy Reade, Director of Outreach, Crawford Fund The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the cessation of international travel in early 2020 dramatically impacted the Crawford Fund’s mentoring, training and Master Class activities. The Fund’s capacity building program has involved over 13,000 developing country agricultural scientists, extension staff and farmers in a… Continue reading No pausing for the pandemic – e-Mentoring for inclusive, equitable agriculture
Our forgotten wild foods
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
Transforming the food system? Let’s talk finance.
Blog post by Glindys Virginia Luciano, Network Engagement Coordinator, Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) & Genna Tesdall, YPARD Director In the last several years, dialogue around safe and nutritious food has evolved from talks about productivity towards post-productionist goals. What does it really mean to consume food that is produced in an ethical manner… Continue reading Transforming the food system? Let’s talk finance.
Food heroes changing perceptions of nutrition in Kenyan Households
By Samwel Onyango, Cassava project assistant and masters graduate in food safety and quality at the University of Nairobi Samwel Onyango showing Caroline Dama how to use a phone and capture images. Photo credit: Benson Kimbio, UON-Semis. Cassava crop has been grown along the Kenyan coast since time immemorial, but farmers scarcely appreciate the crop… Continue reading Food heroes changing perceptions of nutrition in Kenyan Households
Youth in agrifood systems: more than the leaders of tomorrow
By Genna Tesdall, Director of Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) 19-year-old Aisyah takes a break during her work day in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Credit: CIFOR Global food and agriculture is finally giving a focus to youth! As a network born 15 years ago out of the need for young agricultural professionals to come together… Continue reading Youth in agrifood systems: more than the leaders of tomorrow
New series #RiseofAgriculture tells the stories behind Trinidad and Tobago’s agriculture sector
By Deston Pope and Keron Bascombe, Tech4Agri Deston Pope shoots footage on location for a site visit to a farm in Tabaquite, South Trinidad. "In today’s world, the words ‘vaccine’ and ‘economy’ including the phrases ‘digital transformation’ and ‘food security’ can be heard almost every day. And yet the greatest untapped resource, our youth, still… Continue reading New series #RiseofAgriculture tells the stories behind Trinidad and Tobago’s agriculture sector
Reeling in economic opportunities for Africa’s youth
By Indika Arulingam, Research Officer, International Water Management Institute and Shakuntala Thilsted, Global Lead for Nutrition and Public Health, WorldFish Tilapia fingerlings being bought at aquaculture ponds in Kitwe, Zambia. Credit: D.Huso/WorldFish Governments knew that youth unemployment was high before the COVID-19 pandemic, but what they failed to realize was how vulnerable even those with… Continue reading Reeling in economic opportunities for Africa’s youth
Videos teach Kenyan children good attitudes towards agriculture
By Jeff Bentley, Agro-Insight Children at a participating school in Kenya. Credit: J.Bentley/Agro-Insight Kenyan schools recently moved away from memorizing facts, and towards learning skills, knowledge and attitudes. This “competency based curriculum" (CBC) includes new topics like ICT, and agriculture. Lawrence Njagi, the CEO of Mountain Top Educational Publishers, explained that the challenge was finding… Continue reading Videos teach Kenyan children good attitudes towards agriculture
Youth Agripreneurs Program engages African youths into agribusiness, creating over 1 million jobs
By CGIAR Unemployment is a major issue among African youth, who constitute the largest population segment, yet often feel marginalized from the economic mainstream. Despite their best efforts, many young people find little means to meet their expectations for a better life or contribute to their countries’ economies. Higher education has grown faster than the economies they were intended to support, leaving large numbers of recent… Continue reading Youth Agripreneurs Program engages African youths into agribusiness, creating over 1 million jobs
Defeating potato late blight with farmers’ help in Uganda
By Vivian Atakos and Marc Ghislain, International Potato Center Farmer Bone-Konsira Tumwesigye holds some potatoes in her hands. To get a good harvest, she must spray her field with fungicides on a weekly basis, a labor intensive, time consuming and expensive undertaking. Credit: CIP Successful innovation for agriculture will depend on thorough and careful understanding… Continue reading Defeating potato late blight with farmers’ help in Uganda
Announcing the Global Manifesto on Forgotten 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
With the wind beneath our wings, we soar together and higher
By the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Credit: IRRI Dutika Pujari, Hemanti Pujari, Pramila Gopal, and Dharani Gopal are farmers that have something in common: they all endeavored to improve their well-being, social, economic, and health status. Today, they are proud shareholders of the Adarsh Dharmagarh Women Farmers Services Producer Company Ltd (ADWFSPCL) in Kalahandi… Continue reading With the wind beneath our wings, we soar together and higher