Pandemic! That word strikes at the heart of global sensitivities right now. But while most people are thinking of the coronavirus disease 2019, a.k.a. COVID-19, this post is focused on something else. In a just-published paper, CGIAR scientists talk about the risks of globalization of pests and pathogens and their impact on food systems. Imagine if a pandemic or epidemic affects a crop
Thinking about the future and weighing alternative options are, of course, nothing new. What is new in the context of agri-food systems in recent years is the scale, complexity, and interconnectedness of these systems themselves. by Keith Wiebe and Steven Prager The inaugural (January 2021) issue of Q Open, a new open access journal that is a collaboration between the European
BY ZHE GUO, WAHID QUABILI, LIANGZHI YOU AND DEREK HEADEY Research on the linkages between agriculture, nutrition, and health is hugely hindered by a lack of data: Health and nutrition surveys generally contain little information on agriculture, and agricultural surveys little information on health or nutrition. Yet we know that there are hugely important connections between these different domains, as
In a just-published op-ed, Martin Kropff, Director General, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and Nteranya Sanginga, Director General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), talk about CGIAR centers’ investment on long-term breeding to increase genetic gains in an important food crop like maize using many new tools and technologies. In the op-ed, Kropff and Sanginga make the case
Throughout its 11-year history, the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) has contributed to the knowledge and evidence base with innovative, strategic research linking these critical areas of work. As the program’s second phase draws to a close, some of these learnings and achievements have been captured in a series of strategic briefs, touching on work
Members of the Alliance’s Multifunctional Landscapes Team report on recent capacity-building experiences for small-scale farmers in Ethiopia.
The world of water management is replete with stories about traditional systems that break down, such as the one we reported in November from Karnataka, South India. Age-old, decentralized approaches to managing water and watersheds do fall apart, leaving farmers high and dry. However, a remarkable study published in the Journal of Hydrology documents just how rapidly farmers can reap
“Farmers thought we were coming to steal their money!” Microfinance specialist Lamine Sountoura remembers the first time he tried convincing farmers in Mali to warehouse their produce a decade ago. Sountoura and his colleagues from Soroyiriwaso Microfinance Institute were trekking through villages and hamlets in Sikasso region on a mission to help farmers understand that well-stored, quality grain can be