News Overview

By Ayorinde Ogunyiola December 2, 2025 Digital agricultural technologies such as precision farming, mobile phone-based advisory platforms, smart irrigation, and satellite crop monitoring systems promise increased efficiency, environmental sustainability, and farm productivity. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence-based applications—in new tools and integrated into existing ones—is accelerating this trend. Yet these digital tools can have significant downsides for many

This ‘switching off’ (or ‘on’) of genetic pathways has occurred forever as part of natural evolution. These natural mutations have led to many improvements, including more resilient wheat and rice varieties with stronger stems, and over time, these tastier and more productive varieties have become the most widely adopted.

Many of us have accidentally eaten a bitter almond: an unpleasant surprise that today is an exception to the rule. Thousands of years ago, a ‘spontaneous genetic mutation’ ‘switched off’ almond tree's production of amygdalin: the cyanide-releasing compound present in bitter almonds.

The diet of Guatemalans has deep roots in the Mayan worldview, which relied on the milpa system composed of maize, beans, and squash—foods that continue to be consumed daily by the population. However, between May and August 2025, it was estimated that nearly 19% of the Guatemalan population was experiencing an acute food insecurity crisis, struggling to access not only these traditional foods but also others essential for diet diversification. This situation stems from a combination of socioeconomic and environmental factors, ranging from rising prices of the basic food basket to extreme climate conditions that lead to crop losses and, therefore, reduced food reserves.

In Kenya’s Central Highlands, the future of feeding communities while conserving biodiversity is at a crossroads. Production systems in the region are hindered by erratic and declining rainfall, soil fertility loss, watershed degradation, and increasing climate stress. Furthermore, intensive farming, land fragmentation, shrinking land and water sources, and overgrazed rangelands are degrading the very ecosystems that sustain rural livelihoods.

By Glenn Concepcion A new opinion piece published in Climate Research argues that effectively tackling the climate crisis requires a radical shift in focus: moving beyond technological fixes and institutional policy to prioritize human and societal transformations.   Authored by a multidisciplinary team from various organizations, including climate scientist Dr. Jon Hellin from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the

In western Uganda, community seed banks are key for maintaining agricultural diversity and climate resilience. A new training initiative is now empowering these farmers with the production and business skills to transform their seed banks into sustainable and income-generating enterprises.

In the face of complex challenges, the Alliance finds hope in coalitions established at COP30: three initiatives to boost resilient landscapes and measure carbon removal. Countries’ continued commitments and climate-smart investments offer a model to inspire further food systems transformation.