Water is the basis of life. It is essential to the existence and health of ecosystems, and to all life that depends on them. Water has an indispensable role for all productive and reproductive activities like agriculture, industry, energy generation, hygiene, and sanitation. Likewise, access to clean drinking water is a prerequisite to meeting basic human rights. Despite the above
For about 200,000 years, since humans became the dominant species, we have made many transformations to nature in order to survive and evolve. Without getting into the rightness and wrongness of this process, it’s essential to acknowledge that we have a symbiotic relationship with the planet, and that the more we take care of it, the more well-being we will
In a world where global challenges such as climate change, food security, and environmental degradation demand collective efforts, the recent symposium held in Nairobi, Kenya, from September 25–27, 2023, shed light on the power of collaboration and innovation in transforming Africa’s economy for the betterment of society and the environment. This can be achieved through collaboration on upscaling innovation and
Climate change means we must change how we grow coffee For centuries, coffee has grown nestled amongst other trees – in the understory of biodiverse tropical forests in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These agroforestry systems support biodiversity and ecosystem services that store carbon, regulate pests and diseases, maintain soil health and cycle water and nutrients. But with ever-increasing demand
According to World Bank statistics, the female share of labor in crop production across Ethiopia, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda is about 40%, but demographic changes are transforming the region. Women farmers play key roles in farmer-managed seed systems, as seed custodians and crop production managers. Women are especially important in community seedbanks, which conserve crop varieties cultivated and
Crop diversity is often overlooked in climate discussions, yet it’s crucial to adaptation: we need diverse crops to meet the needs of current and future generations. The climate crisis poses a grave threat to global food systems. Crop failures and poor yields mean lost and blighted lives, migration, and conflict. We must act to adapt agriculture to climate change, or
Small scale farming is positively impacting millions of households in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) while contributing to the recovery and resilience of local food systems, providing access to affordable, safe and nutritious foods. The Alliance through the project: Improving dietary quality and livelihoods using farm and wild biodiversity through an integrated community-based approach in Kenya, has worked with farmers in
Today, we face a myriad of water-related challenges, ranging from water scarcity and drought (due to increasing demand and rising temperatures), extreme weather events and storms, and insufficient access to safe drinking water for many people across the world. Some cities – including Sao Paolo (Brazil), Cape Town (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), and Chennai (India) – have been on the