March 29, 2019
What We’re Reading: Cyclone Idai and the need for global climate action
The Editors
EcoAgriculture Partners
In 2018, extreme weather affected 62 million people worldwide and forced two million people to relocate as climate change worsened. This month, Cyclone Idai, one of the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect the Southern Hemisphere, ripped through Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi bringing strong winds, severe flooding and catastrophic damage that has left more […] ...
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March 28, 2019
Empowering regional and district level planners to address climate change threats to agriculture
The Editors
EcoAgriculture Partners
In the Morogoro region of Tanzania, seasonal rains came late this year. Farmers are eager to learn new techniques to plan and cope. Erratic and extreme weather conditions, like floods and droughts, brought on by climate change are one of the top threats to global food security. Crop yields are expected to decline globally after […] ...
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March 22, 2019
What We’re Reading: World Water Day
The Editors
EcoAgriculture Partners
By 2030, an estimated 700 million people will be displaced by water scarcity. Globally, the impact of climate change is felt through changing patterns in water availability and the notable decline in water quality, both of which endanger human and ecological well being. This week, we read about the global magnitude of water scarcity, […] ...
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March 21, 2019
The Potential and Promise of Agroforestry Landscapes
Eghosa Asemota
Cornell University
EcoAgriculture Partners
Louise Buck
Today, more than three-fourths of the Earth’s arable lands are severely degraded, effectively threatening the livelihood and well-being of two-fifths of the world’s population. With such widespread ecosystem degradation, no wonder food insecurity, water scarcity and conflict over dwindling resources are intensifying. More than ever, we need to scale up food production syste ...
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March 15, 2019
What We’re Reading: Mitigating Climate Change and Managing Waste with Circular Economies
The Editors
EcoAgriculture Partners
Combating environmental degradation requires a redefinition of traditional systems of consumption. This week, we read about new insights on the impact and costs of pollution, campaigns to move the world toward a circular economy and efforts to write waste out of existence. Sixth Global Environment Outlook (GEO): Healthy People, Healthy Planet – UN Environment According ...
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March 15, 2019
Responding to EAT-Lancet: There’s no Great Food Transformation without farmers
Sara Scherr
EcoAgriculture Partners
Initial steps towards a Great Food Transformation are being driven by the creativity and ingenuity of farmers. Last week I raised three key issues with the EAT-Lancet Commission’s report calling for a “Great Food Transformation.” In today’s post, the last in the series, I address a glaring omission in the process and outcome of the EAT-Lancet Commission: […] ...
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March 12, 2019
Responding to EAT-Lancet: Local challenges and solutions need to be in the analysis too
Sara Scherr
EcoAgriculture Partners
Global perspective provides useful view of problematic trends, but understates local challenges and over-emphasizes top-down solutions. Last week I raised three key issues with the EAT-Lancet Commission’s report calling for a “Great Food Transformation.” In today’s post I tackle the issues that arise when a global perspective is applied to the local conu ...
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March 11, 2019
Responding to EAT-Lancet: Consider agroecological solutions
Sara Scherr
EcoAgriculture Partners
The EAT-Lancet Commission report never overcomes a reliance on 20th century industrial farming methods as a baseline, chronically underestimating the potential of agroecological systems to generate healthy diets within planetary bounds. In an introductory post last week, I shared the three main gaps I see with the EAT-Lancet Commission’s recommendations for a ‘Great Food Tr ...
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March 7, 2019
Responding to the EAT-Lancet Commission from the Integrated Landscape Perspective
Sara Scherr
EcoAgriculture Partners
Major new report provides the most ambitious synthesis and analysis yet on a critical issue facing humanity in the 21st century. As such it requires considered response. In January, The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical research journals, co-published a major report with the non-profit EAT Forum that “addresses the need to feed a […] ...
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March 1, 2019
What We’re Reading: What does biodiversity have to do with food security?
The Editors
EcoAgriculture Partners
To many of our readers, the connections between thriving habitat for other species and a healthy planet for humans probably seem obvious and clear (if complex). Yet, for many who do not work with farmers or land managers, or as researchers in nature, these connections are far from obvious. This week a major report out […] ...
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