Cattle belonging to the Nuer tribe are shrouded in dung smoke to keep away insects near the town of Nasir in southeastern Sudan. REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly
How Satellites and Insurance Are Securing Livestock in East Africa
Developed in partnership with the International Livestock Research Institute, Cornell University, and University of California-Davis, Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) uses data gathered by satellite to create a vegetation index that can be used to track the density of vegetation available to pastoralists. When the available food for livestock falls below an agreed upon threshold, it indicates there is a drought and the IBLI program compensates herders and pastoralists if they suffer a loss.
Commercial Kitchens Getting a Taste of 3-D-Printed Food
Think of it as farm-to-table 2.0. At the heart of this concept is 3-D printing technology, still in its earliest stages, but offering the promise of greater efficiency in the production of food, with less waste and more customization. The first 3-D food printers are being used primarily in commercial capacities, but with new functionalities and lower prices on the way, the mass market awaits.
Kenyan Farmers Embark on 4-Day Resilience Journey to Demand Investment in Ecological Farming
In Kenya, the effects of climate change have left farmers and consumers reeling from food shortages and price shocks. All the while, their governments embrace unsustainable agricultural practices. It is in this context that farmer representatives from groups practicing ecological farming decided to take matters into their own hands. They decided to bring ecological farming to other farmers who were practicing industrial agriculture.
Access to Data Could Be Vital in Addressing the Global Water Crisis
In a world where only 59% of the population have access to clean water, finding out which bodies of water are unsanitary is vital for those without access to filtration or treated water. One organization that is succeeding at encouraging disparate communities and individuals to share data is mWater. With 8,000 users in 73 countries, mWater has developed a mobile phone app that allows users to analyze water quality and share this information on their global, open-source water monitoring database.