A Kenyan farmer sends a text message to enquire about the latest maize prices from her maize field in Thigio. REUTERS/Antony Njuguna
Africa: Impending Drought? There's an App for That—or Should Be
According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, adopting smart tech strategies would help Africa to address the drought challenges in many ways from analyzing drought risk to monitoring and predicting the intensity of an upcoming drought, depending on the action strategy and the technology and its application.
Organic or Starve: Can Cuba's New Farming Model Provide Food Security?
There is a new organic farming movement in Cuba that seeks to provide a model solving food scarcity. Rather than a reaction to a crisis, the current push into organics is planned and promoted on the ruins of the industrial sugar economy. Much of the push towards small scale organic farming stems from a 2002 program that provided new farmers with resources and education.
On the Farm, Investors Get Their Hands Dirty
There is a new trend of investing in sustainable farming practices like debt and equity ventures that require smaller contributions to farms and land that cost millions of dollars. Amazon’s recent purchase of Whole Foods, which is likely to drive up organic food purchases, could draw more interest from investors. Clean sustainable agriculture has shown to be a top area for people to increase their investments year to year.
Want to Know When Ebola Will Strike Next? Look to the Forest
Researchers are suggesting that Ebola outbreaks tend to occur two years after forests have been cut down or cleared in West and Central Africa. Africa’s tropical forests are being lost to industrial agriculture, logging, urbanization, and more. Ebola outbreaks may increase in the coming decades as humans continue to penetrate deeper into Africa’s remaining forests.
How Wood Got in Our Food, Then Out of It, Then Back into It Again
The story of edible (or less-than-edible) wood is the story of food regulation in a nutshell. In the 1700s, millers started adding sawdust to flour for a cheaper product. Eventually, increasing government inspections and consumer demand gave rise to companies that promoted unadulterated food. But today, manufactures can add cellulose, a wood sourced fiber, to various food products.
Can Religions Help in the Fight against Climate Change?
Many of the world’s religions consider nature sacred, and religious leaders have increasingly come out in favor of protecting it. Experts say religions can fill in the gaps where facts and politics have failed. Faith groups are increasingly looking to actively invest in projects that protect the planet, such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, or forest protection.