(A man walks before a rainstorm in Kogelo village, Kenya. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya)
Another Milestone Toward Making Cell Phones the Future of Weather Observations
Scientists have found that it is possible to monitor global rainfall using the telephone antenna network. With the lack of weather data in many technology-poor locations, this could prove be a game-changer in the future of global weather observations and forecasting. A new study details how simple measurement of the loss in signal between telephone antennae can predict whether it’s raining.
5 Futuristic Food Wrappers That You Don’t Have to Throw Away
Swedish design group Tomorrow Machine has a novel approach to sustainable packaging: food wrappers that are meant to be composted or washed down the drain. It hints of a Jetsonian pantry-of-the-future, but the inspirations behind Tomorrow Machine’s designs are very, very, old: fruit and eggs.
Cool Planet: Can Biochar Fertilize Soil and Help Fight Climate Change?
Napa Valley grower Eckhard Kaesekamp believes his grapevines have achieved a 5% higher yield than expected thanks to a soil treatment called CoolTerra—a product made from a carbon-rich substance called “biochar.” Biochar results from the carbonization from plant matter, which is supposed to improve soil fertility and increase water and nutrient retention.
Exploring a Tree One Cell at a Time
Michael Knoblauch, a plant cell biologist, is seeking to prove the longstanding hypothesis that what drives the flow of nutrients in the phloem of plants is pressure differential. Proving the hypothesis is more than an academic exercise. Fully understanding how plants function could lead to improvements in crop yields or resistance to pests and disease.
About
The Global Food and Agriculture Program aims to inform the development of US policy on global agricultural development and food security by raising awareness and providing resources, information, and policy analysis to the US Administration, Congress, and interested experts and organizations.
The Global Food and Agriculture Program is housed within the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, an independent, nonpartisan organization that provides insight – and influences the public discourse – on critical global issues. The Council on Global Affairs convenes leading global voices and conducts independent research to bring clarity and offer solutions to challenges and opportunities across the globe. The Council is committed to engaging the public and raising global awareness of issues that transcend borders and transform how people, business, and governments engage the world.
Support for the Global Food and Agriculture Program is generously provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The latest post in the Agri-Pulse and Council column series features Lieutenant General John Castellaw, on the linkage between food security and national security.
The third recommendation from our recent report, Stability in the 21st Century, offers actions that the US government can take to leverage the power of the private sector in promoting global agricultural development.
Check out the second post in our series highlighting recommendations from the new report, Stability in the 21st Century: Global Food Security for Peace and Prosperity.
As UC Berkeley’s College of Natural Resources gears up for its upcoming conference, “Strategic Perspectives on Innovation in Agrifood Supply Chains”, check out a preview of the topics and speakers who will be presenting at the event.
Beginning this week, the Council will highlight recommendations from the new report, Stability in the 21st Century: Global Food Security for Peace and Prosperity, in a weekly blog series.
Daniel O’Neill Vogwill, high schooler at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, discusses his perspective on global food security as an urban student in a rural industry.
