Copy

 

E-NEWS
December 2020
2020 has been a challenging year for everyone – including farmers and others involved in the agri-food chain around the world. Not only has the Covid-19 pandemic affected the health of millions, it has also put huge pressure on food systems and exposed fragilities within them, exacerbating food insecurity in many places – especially those already facing challenges from climate change or conflict.
 
But in 2021, we can look ahead to a crucial period for food and agriculture. With major global events such as the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and the postponed COP26 set to take place, the coming year will help shape the future of food systems to create a more resilient planet for everyone.
 

 

Expert Views from the Last 12 Months
Over the past year, a number of leaders from across various areas of food and agriculture have been featured on our Expert Views blog – here are some of the highlights from the past 12 months!

January: Ed Keturakis, Vice President of Program Development at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) and a New Mexico farmer, discussed the importance of conservation agriculture for building soil health and sequestering carbon.
Read more…
 
February: Rattan Lal, 2020 World Food Prize Laureate and Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science at The Ohio State University, explored the essential role of soil health in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
Read more…
 
March: Chiara Villani, Agrobiodiversity Index Project Coordinator, and Sarah Jones, Associate Scientist for the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, examined why increasing agrobiodiversity is key to developing sustainable food systems.
Read more…
 
April: Dr Chase Sova, Senior Director of Public Policy and Research at World Food Programme USA, investigated the food security threats of Covid-19 and the measures needed to tackle them.
Read more…
 
May: Dr Debisi Araba, Managing Director of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) and Malabo Montpellier Panel Member, discussed how adapting existing digital technologies can help bolster African food systems amidst the Covid-19 crisis.
Read more…
 
June: Kindra Halvorson, Chief Transformation Officer at TechnoServe, looked at how Covid-19 is affecting farmers, food processors and other small businesses and how African food systems can be strengthened with coordinated support.
Read more…

July: Giulia Di Tommaso, President and CEO of CropLife International, discussed the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals in tackling global issues, and how the plant science sector can play an active role in advancing them.
Read more…
 
August: Robynne Anderson, President of Emerging Ag Inc, investigated how technologies are helping agri-value chain actors in developing countries through the pandemic, and how digital agriculture can help rebuild more sustainable food systems.
Read more…
 
September: Lynn Brown, Director of Alliances and Policy at HarvestPlus, examined the importance of strengthening nutrition resilience amongst vulnerable populations to protect against future food system and income shocks.
Read more…
 
October: Dr. Viola Prifti, Postdoctoral Researcher at HTW Berlin, explored the transformative potential of smart farming practices and how open data can help overcome ownership barriers.
Read more…
 
November: Sara Eckhouse, Executive Director of FoodShot Global and Deepa Thiagarajan, Director of the Global Food Systems and Value Chains Programs at MSU, reflected on how to strengthen food systems to address hunger and malnutrition.
Read more…
 
December: Gustavo Teixeira, Module lead at the Breeding Operations and Phenotyping module for CGIAR Excellence in Breeding (EiB), looked at how crop breeding success is inextricably linked to good soil management.
Read more…
 
Read more... img

 

Revisit our 'Innovations for Sustainable Food Systems' Campaign
The world needs innovative solutions to ensure our future food systems can provide sufficient food for all, while promoting livelihoods, inclusivity and environmental sustainability. With next year’s UN Food Systems Summit fast approaching, revisit our ‘Innovations for Sustainable Food Systems’ campaign, in partnership with CGIAR, showcasing on-the-ground solutions for resilient and sustainable food systems.
Read more... img
img Farming First TV
As 2020 winds down, take a look at some of the most watched videos on Farming First TV over the years - exploring various themes like the green economy, climate-smart agriculture and the Sustainable Development Goals!
The Story of Agriculture and the Green Economy
Watch... img

 

Climate-Smart Agriculture in Action
Watch... img

 

Agriculture and the Sustainable Development Goals
Watch... img
Photo credits: Georgina Smith (CIAT), Unsplash. 

 

webversion   |   unsubscribe