Globalagriculture

The world is far from being on track to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030: 733 million people globally suffer from chronic hunger and 2.33 billion people did not have year-round access to adequate food in 2023, according to the report released today: bit.ly/SOFI24

UN report: 733 million people are chronically undernourished The number of people suffering from undernourishment globally remains scandalously high, pushing the world far off track to meet the goal of eliminating hunger and malnutrition. According to a report released on July 24th by five UN agencies, around 733 million people worldwide were chronically unde...

Independent family farms are the bedrock of healthy rural economies. But between 1935 and 2023, the number of farms in the U.S. decreased by 72 %, while the average farm size nearly tripled. Now many are calling for solutions to help support beginning farmers and revitalize rural communities, says Food Tank:

Revitalizing Rural Communities Means Supporting Small Farms – Food Tank Between 1935 and 2023, the number of farms in the U.S. decreased by 72 percent, while the average farm size nearly tripled.

A series of unprecedented pressures on global farmland, such as a new wave of land grabbing, a surge in 'green grabs' for carbon schemes or the rising loss of farmland to mining, urbanization and mega-developments, are all driving a “land squeeze” that is worsening land inequality, rural poverty, and food insecurity, warns a new report released by IPES-Food:

IPES-Food: Land inequality threatens the future of farming and food security A new wave of land grabbing, a surge in green grabs for carbon schemes, the rising loss of farmland to mining, urbanization and mega-developments, as well as the loss of control over food production and land use are putting enormous pressures on farmland and small-scale food producers, a new IPES-Fo...

While farming and nature are inextricably bound together, political bargaining often sets the two in opposition. Recent protests across Europe and worldwide show growing frustration among farmers. The European Commission is responding with row-backs on environmental standards. Could farmers be brought back onside with a CAP U-turn on trade?, ask Angela Hilmi and Emile Frison:

Farmer protests: The Wrong U-Turn Recent protests across Europe and worldwide show growing frustration among farmers. Could farmers be brought back onside with a Common Agricultural Policy U-turn on trade?

More than 80% of the ammonia that leaches into our air comes from farming, specifically nitrogen fertilisers and animal waste. Researchers collected measurements from 69 locations in the UK and mainland Europe and found that ammonia is, on average, four times higher in farming regions compared with other areas.

Ammonia levels four times higher in Europe’s farming regions, study finds Agriculture produces 80% of ammonia in air which forms particle pollution when it reacts with traffic emissions

The area farmed organically worldwide increased by over 26 % between 2021 and 2022, reaching 96 million hectares according to a new report published by Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and IFOAM - Organics International: In 22 countries, 10 % or more of the total agricultural land was managed organically in 2022:

Global organic farmland up 26% in 2022, reaching 96 million hectares The global organic farming area increased by over 20 million hectares or 26.6 % between 2021 and 2022, growing more than ever before. Around 96 million hectares of land were farmed organically in 2022, according to a new report published by FiBL and IFOAM – Organics International on February 13th....

Suriname’s Saamaka Maroons still grow rice from seeds an ancestor escaping from a plantation carried in her hair. Now a gene bank seeks to widen use of the rare species to help fight the climate crisis:

How rice hidden by a woman fleeing slavery in the 1700s could help her descendants Suriname’s Saamaka Maroons still grow rice from seeds an ancestor escaping from a plantation carried in her hair. Now a gene bank seeks to widen use of the rare species to help fight the climate crisis

At COP28 in Dubai last month, were finally put in the spotlight of global climate talks. Though the talks’ long overdue focus on food and agriculture ultimately disappointed, it provides a starting point for future action and advocacy, argues Million Belay, General Coordinator of AFSA.

COP28 just about put food systems on the climate agenda. Now we build | African Arguments Though the long overdue focus on food and agriculture at COP28 ultimately disappointed, it provides a starting point for future action.

Six of our nine planetary boundaries have now been crossed – and industrial agriculture is the main culprit. We will only be able to feed tomorrow’s world, while respecting the conditions for life on Earth, by making major structural changes to the global agri-food system based on frugality, reconnection and agroecology, argues Gilles Billen.

How industrial agriculture is disturbing the nitrogen cycle and undermining conditions for life on Earth At the beginning of the XXᵉ century, two chemists succeeded in fixing nitrogen in the air. Their invention saw the birth of intensive agriculture, gravely disrupting the nitrogen cycle.

What happened with regard to and at ? Read what food experts and NGOs think about the , FAO's Global Roadmap to achieve and the Emirates Declaration on , Resilient & and how they feel about the lack of in the negotiations and the unprecedented presence of meat and dairy lobbyist in Dubai:

What the “Food COP” had in store for food and agriculture On December 13th, after two weeks of lengthy negotiations, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) came to a close with an agreement. COP28 President Dr. Sultan Al Jaber praised the “historic achievement” of the conference, exhausted delegates and observers issued their first statem...

In October 2024, the Committee on World Food Security - CFS's High Level Panel of Experts will publish the report "Strengthening urban and peri-urban food systems to achieve food security and nutrition in the context of urbanization and rural transformation". You can read the zero draft and contribute with your suggestions and proposals in an e-consultation (deadline January 18th):

Strengthening urban and peri-urban food systems to achieve food security and nutrition in the context of urbanization and rural transformation – V0 draft of the HLPE-FSN report #19 During its 50th Plenary Session (10 – 13 October 2022), the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) requested the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) to produce a report entitled “Strengthening urban and peri-urban food systems to achieve food security and nutrit...

Averting catastrophic climate scenarios requires that we phase out fossil fuels and transform food systems at the same time, argue Anna Lappé and Patty Fong:

Decarbonizing Our Food | by Anna Lappé & Patty Fong - Project Syndicate Anna Lappé & Patty Fong show that two of the sectors most relevant to climate change are more interlinked than many realize.

Kenya, like many other countries, is grappling with rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns. The impact of is undermining agricultural productivity, threatening the livelihoods of farmers and the country's food security. can help Kenya become more and food-secure, argues Julius Sigei:

Agroecology can help Kenya become more climate-resilient, food-secure Agroecology also helps build healthier soils with farming practices like cover cropping and minimal tillage.

Joining other experts on the South African food system in a collaborative webinar, ACB's Dr Stephen Greenberg will on Wednesday, 22 November, elaborate on the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) on Food Security and Nutrition's 13 principles as a framing for agroecology.

The webinar, 'Multiple perspectives, one goal: food system transformation', will explore the complexity of the food system, its interconnected challenges as well as what type of interventions should be taking place.

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdD9jQhOEXNNY_NpXiZ7OyFr2wanRSMTL2G-fHQIsP1-4ch0A/viewform

Agriculture stands as the cornerstone of the Ukrainian economy- Ukraine's fertile lands, favorable climate, and investment climate have not only nourished its people but also fueled food exports to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Yet, the dynamics within the agricultural sector are complex, with large-scale agribusiness and family farming sharing the landscape.

Ukrainian agriculture in wartime | Transnational Institute Agriculture stands as the cornerstone of the Ukrainian economy, providing sustenance for a significant portion of the population. Ukraine's fertile lands, favorable climate, and investment climate have not only nourished its people but also fueled food exports to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Y...

🔥 In Guatemala, Indigenous peoples and other communities are participating in an ongoing national strike, now entering its 4th week. One of the demands: STOP the adoption of a bill which will privatise . They call it "the Monsanto Law". If adopted, Guatemalan farmers would see their traditional seeds usurped by transnational companies that can then take them, tweak them and get monopoly rights over them. This legal regime is governed by an international convention called , which the government of Guatemala wants to join. But local commmunities are well aware that it will make it illegal for farmers to save, exchange and replant protected seeds, so they reject it and aim to stop it.
Support and follow the struggle through ➡ REDSAG

Little progress has been made in fighting hunger since 2015. According to the , released by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, hunger remains serious or alarming in 43 countries, affecting especially young people and women. Multiple crises like , & the are also impeding efforts to tackle hunger. The report warns that young people are inheriting that are failing on multiple fronts:

GHI: Multiple crises are hampering fight against hunger Global hunger remains too high, and progress in reducing hunger has largely stalled. The combined effects of several crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, economic stagnation, the impacts of climate change, and war and conflicts in many countries of the world, have led to a c...

🚨 36 side events will be held on the margins of the this year!

Check out the schedule and learn more: fao.org/cfs/plenary/cfs51/side-events/en

Human activities have destabilized biophysical systems and processes that regulate the functioning of life support systems on Earth, pushing the planet beyond a “safe” zone, scientists have warned. Six of nine planetary boundaries have already been crossed: , , (novel entities), and cycles, and land system change:

Six of nine planetary boundaries crossed, scientists warn Human activities have destabilized biophysical systems and processes that regulate the functioning of life support systems on Earth, pushing the planet beyond a “safe” zone, scientists have warned. According to a study, published on September 13th in the journal “Science Advances“, six of ni...

After India imposed an export ban on rice following destructive rains, prices have soared – now other countries across south-east Asia are following suit. There are heavy concerns over the arrival of El Niño but even if the phenomenon is not as severe as feared, researchers say there is an undeniable need for rice farmers to adapt to the hotter temperatures brought by the climate crisis.

‘Major disruptor’: El Niño threatens the world’s rice supplies After India imposed an export ban on rice following destructive rains, prices have soared – now rising temperatures put crops across south-east Asia at risk

Industrial has not helped overcome in Africa. It's time for and giving African farmers a seat at the table, argue Timothy Wise and Mutinta Nketani in view of AGRA's corporate-driven top-down approach:

Feeding big agribusiness, starving Africans Industrial agriculture has failed to eliminate food insecurity in Africa. It is time for a radically different approach.

GMO-Free Europe Conference '23 We will examine and discuss its potential impact on environmental protection, agricultural practices, food markets, farmers and consumers rights. We invite politicians, scientists, farmers, NGOs, businesses and institutions to join this exchange of views.

The catastrophic fire that just ravaged more than 2,000 acres on Maui is inextricably linked to the island’s agricultural history. Civil Eats spoke with Noa Lincoln, an assistant professor of Indigenous crops and cropping systems at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, about water diversion, deforestation, and Big Ag’s impact on the island:

How Centuries of Extractive Agriculture Helped Set the Stage for the Maui Fires The sugar and pineapple plantations that dominate the Hawaiian island changed its water system and contributed to the devastation of the fire.

Have you ever wondered who IPES-Food is and what the panel does? In this video, Co-chairs Lim Li Ching and Olivier de Schutter explain how, since 2015, the 24 experts from 16 countries have uniquely shaped debates on how to transition to sustainable around the world.

Changing food systems is key to tackle major challenges IPES-Food is needed in today’s world, because changing food systems is essential to address some of the major challenges that our societies face today. https...

August 2nd marks , the day humanity has used more from than the planet can regenerate in the entire year. For the rest of the year, we are building up an ecological deficit by overusing resources and accumulating CO2 in the atmosphere. But there are solutions to and plays an important role:

Overshoot: We have exceeded our natural resource budget for 2023 We have already reached Earth Overshoot Day this year: August 2nd marks the date by which humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services has exceeded what Earth can regenerate in 2023. For the rest of the year, we will be living on resources borrowed from future generations. This is the s...

Up to 783 million people worldwide are undernourished. This number has increased by 122 million since the outbreak of the pandemic, pushing the world far off track to achieve , the report shows. Moreover, 3.1 bn people cannot afford a healthy diet:

Up to 783 million people in the world are suffering from hunger The number of people suffering from hunger globally has increased by 122 million since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing the world far off track to meet the goal of zero hunger. According to a report released on July 12th by five UN agencies, as many as 783 million people worldwide were...

6 July, event at the European Parliament and online organised by Green/EFA MEPs and No patents on seeds: "Patents and new genomic techniques: Do not risk the future of our seeds!"

Patents and new genomic techniques The agricultural biotechnology industry is lobbying hard to exclude plants derived from ‘new genomic techniques’ from the EU's GMO law. This conference will provide new information on recent patent applications and discuss the potential impacts of patented seeds on EU plant breeding, farming and...

The world is characterized by considerable that are particularly stark within where they exacerbate already alarming conditions of hunger & , warns a new report released by the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) of the Committee on World Food Security - CFS. The report provides recommendations to support a fundamental making them more equitable and inclusive:

HLPE report calls for action to reduce inequalities in food systems The world is characterized by considerable inequalities that are particularly stark within food systems, where they exacerbate already alarming conditions of hunger and malnutrition, presenting a serious impediment to achieving global goals and national policy promises. This is the message of a new....

Pesticide companies failed to disclose a series of studies assessing brain toxicity to European regulators, according to new research, despite the same studies having been submitted to US regulators. bit.ly/PestSyn2

Pesticide firms withheld brain toxicity studies from EU regulators, study finds Exclusive: The same studies were submitted to US regulators and some are relevant to safety levels, the researchers say