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The Kinship of Farmers: We're All in This Together

Johny Goerend
Two tractors harvesting a field

In this series, Agri-Pulse and the Council have partnered to explore how the US agriculture and food sector can advance food security.

Climate Change Affects All Farmers

The farmer fell to his knees, landing hard on the barren soil, and raised his arms to heaven.  “God, have mercy on us,” he prayed, opening his palms to embrace his forlorn field. 

The supplication of a farmer in the American Midwest this summer? Certainly many farmers sent prayers heavenward during the relentless spring rains that foiled so many planting efforts, leaving vast stretches of fields empty of crops this summer. 

But this particular prayer came from a farmer in Kenya, Francis Wanjala Mamati, who faced not a deluge but a drought.  The image of Francis on his knees, under a scorching sun that pushed the temperature toward 100 degrees Fahrenheit, comes to my mind during every extreme weather condition that threatens to destroy a growing season--no matter where it may be.  As does what Francis said next as he slowly rose to his feet, grabbed his hoe, and began to strike the earth: 
 
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About the Author
Roger Thurow
Former Senior Fellow, Global Food and Agriculture
Headshot for Roger Thurow
Roger Thurow spent three decades at The Wall Street Journal as a foreign correspondent based in Europe and Africa prior to joining the Council in 2010. His coverage spanned the fall of the Berlin Wall, the release of Nelson Mandela, the end of apartheid, and humanitarian crises. He is the author of three books.
Headshot for Roger Thurow