Three recent publications examine pathways to sustainable, productive farming, including agroecology in Africa and examples from our global agricultural heritage.

On April 1st, GFAR Partner Food Tank held their Boston Summit which brought a wide range of voices together—farmers, eaters, businesses, policymakers, academics, youth, funders, media, and civil society—to have uncomfortable conversations that will help make the food system better for all.

The international body that oversees plant health has taken a big step forward with the adoption of a new global standard to help ensure that the international trade in plants and seeds, while very profitable, is also safer.

Launched in October 2009, the Global Dairy Agenda for Action (GDAA) committed the dairy industry to actively reducing GHG emissions and also took the opportunity to profile the efforts of the sector to reduce GHG emissions throughout the value chain. The Commitment also involved the development of ‘tools’ that supported emission reduction strategies in a way that was environmentally sound, economically viable and socially responsible. 

The facts are startling. More than 2 billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiency – 795 million of whom are undernourished. The challenge to nutritiously and securely feed the growing population is further exacerbated by climate change which has led to extreme weather patterns and decreasing crop yields.

This news is adapted from the original release by World Rural Forum, a Partner in GFAR. 

Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world with a production of about 54 million tons, but its yield per hectare of cassava roots is about 8 tons, less than half of the realizable yields of more than 20 tons per hectare