In other news…

J. Nicolas Hernandez-Aguilera, Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), Columbia University, explores how digital tools can empower farmers in developing countries with information and support, and the role that researchers, governments and the private sector can play in bridging digital divides. The digital age of farming is within reach. Among the poorest 20 per cent in low and middle-income countries, 70 per cent of people have access to a mobile phone and one The post Harnessing Digital Tools for Climate and Agriculture appeared first on Farming First.

Robynne Anderson, President of Emerging Ag Inc, explores how innovative technologies are helping agri-value chain actors in developing countries through the COVID-19 crisis, and the role that digital agriculture can play in rebuilding more sustainable food systems post-pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on nearly every facet of life, and food systems are no exception. The disruptions and dislocations caused by the virus have rocked each link in the global food chain from farming, to processing, to The post Digital Agriculture: Strengthening Food Systems Through the Pandemic and Beyond appeared first on Farming First.

Giulia Di Tommaso, President and CEO of CropLife International, discusses the prevailing importance of the Sustainable Development Goals in tackling global issues including hunger, poverty and climate change, and explores how the private sector – and the plant science industry in particular – can play an active role in helping society achieve these Global Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were designed to be the blueprint to adapt to twenty first century challenges and achieve a better and more sustainable The post Why the Sustainable Development Goals Matter to the Plant Science Industry appeared first on Farming First.

James Jenkin, CEO, and Alethia Kang, Director, Business Development at Acceso, explore how strengthening local food systems from end to end can alleviate the poverty, market limitations and economic injustices that many smallholder farmers face globally. We have always considered it a matter of economic injustice that smallholder farmers around the world are often excluded from formal domestic markets – yet millions are. In many developing countries, the poor – mostly involved in agriculture – are concentrated in rural areas, The post Investing in Robust Local Food Systems for a More Resilient Post-Covid Future appeared first on Farming First.

Kindra Halvorson, Chief Transformation Officer at TechnoServe, explores how Covid-19 is affecting farmers, food processors and other small businesses within Africa’s complex food systems and how these can be strengthened through coordinated support.  Phillip Nderitu’s small corner store in Kenya is far removed from any Covid-19 hotspots, but he is still feeling the impact of the global crisis. “The Covid-19 pandemic has been a blow to our shop,” he explains. “Sales have reduced significantly. Prices of items have skyrocketed, reducing The post Helping Africa’s Food Systems Respond to Covid-19 appeared first on Farming First.

Liza Debevec, Senior Gender and Water Specialist at the Global Water Partnership and former Senior Social Scientist at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), explores how local participation in river, reservoir and other water resource management can help improve livelihoods and protect the environment. Thanks to its usually abundant rice production, the Kou River Valley has for decades been known as Burkina Faso’s granary. But then the water stopped flowing. The river is running dry, with local experts blaming climate change The post Local People Hold the Key to Solving Burkina Faso’s Water Challenges appeared first on Farming First.

Alexander Sakal, Chief Business Development Officer at EOS Crop Monitoring, discusses how precision agriculture tools can help U.S. farmers adapt amidst labour shortages, financial worries and future uncertainties brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic is continuing to pose a significant threat to American food production, as well as other industries across the country. But unlike other goods producers, farmers are bound by their planting and harvesting schedule, which gives them less flexibility for crisis management. During these The post Tackling Pandemic Hardships with Precision Agriculture Tools appeared first on Farming First.

Dr Debisi Araba, Managing Director of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) and Malabo Montpellier Panel Member, explores how adapting existing digital tools can help bolster African food systems amidst the Covid-19 crisis. Eminent scientists and opinion leaders are lending their voices to discussions about the coronavirus pandemic – some questioning whether Covid-19 is a ‘Black Swan’ event, and others commenting on its predictability, with reference to Bill Gates’ 2015 TED talk on ‘The Next Outbreak’. What is indisputable, though, The post Bootstrapping Urban Food Systems in African Economies with Digital Technologies appeared first on Farming First.

Laura Elphick, Communications and Engagement Officer at EIT Food, discusses the value of peer-to-peer learning in overcoming the slow adoption of farming technologies and why supporting farmers is more important than ever amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, farmers across the globe are experiencing many difficulties from depleting soil, to pest problems to harsh weather conditions. Climate change in particular is affecting the agricultural sector, causing extreme weather events that lead to reduced crop yields, along with desertification and land degradation The post How Peer-to-Peer Learning Helps Farmers Adopt New Technologies appeared first on Farming First.

Dirk Schattschneider and Iris Krebber, Co-Chairs of the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP), explore how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the world’s most vulnerable and why planning for the post-pandemic recovery is so important for global food security. COVID-19 is having an unprecedented impact on the world. Before this pandemic, there were already more than 820 million chronically hungry people globally. COVID-19 has put food right at the front of everyone’s minds as we hear about possible harvest The post Helping the World’s Most Vulnerable Through COVID-19 appeared first on Farming First.