tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056962024-03-23T13:46:41.669-04:00International Agriculture and DevelopmentInternational Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comBlogger264125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-11512739318499138972016-01-30T02:42:00.000-05:002016-01-30T02:42:01.607-05:00Best Practices in Identifying and Working with women-headed and other vulnerable families
As resources for development projects continue to shrink, deciding how to best use your limited
funds has become essential. One way to do this is to develop a criterion that determines who is going to benefit from your project. This exercise - called ‘targeting’ in development jargon – can help you ensure that the benefits of a development project are captured by those families that need them International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-47219387168857383562015-09-30T12:10:00.001-04:002015-09-30T12:10:37.926-04:00 José Graziano da Silva on Seed Security
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Director General Visits the Vault from Crop Trust on Vimeo.
27 August 2015, Svalbard, Norway - Varieties of one of the world’s most important staple crops will be stored for perpetuity deep in the Arctic ice today. José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is joining International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-9801665976765403332015-09-30T02:15:00.000-04:002015-09-30T02:15:00.892-04:00Food Security and Nutrition Online Courses
Hi there -
If you want to increase
your knowledge of nutrition, agriculture and food security, consider enrolling in these free courses offered by USAID Agrilinks and FAO ELearning platform. They were released recently so feel to disseminate.
1) COURSE: Nutrition-Sensitive
Agricultural Programming
Link: http://agrilinks.org/training/International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-55441573515467894432015-09-01T13:35:00.003-04:002015-09-01T13:47:55.912-04:00Wheat Rust: A Threat to the Afghan Bread
Wheat Cropping Systems in Afghanistan Central Highlands. Lal, Ghor. (c) 2015
Farmers in the Afghan Central Highlands depend on wheat as their main source of calories. Wheat is the key ingredient to make naan and other products that keep rural families somewhat nourished through the winter months.
There are two types of wheat cropping systems: irrigated and rain-fed. The irrigated wheat cropsInternational Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-79811941443184154842015-08-28T09:03:00.001-04:002015-08-28T09:03:56.958-04:00Low-cost Potato Storage Technologies in Afghanistan's Central Highlands
Bamyan Valley cover with potato crops. Aug 2015 (c) Rafael Merchan
Growing potatoes in Afghanistan’s Central Highlands is easy. The narrow valleys in the provinces of Bamyan, Ghor, and Daikundi abound with rich, meters-deep, fertile soil. Its surrounding mountain peaks accumulate a thick snowpack during winter, providing plenty of water during spring and summer. Using an intricate International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-58830679829412012612015-08-26T01:00:00.001-04:002015-08-26T01:00:51.283-04:00Grains and Leaves: Weekly Ag-Related News, Events, and Others
Hi there fellow readers -
Here are some good links for your weekly reading list. Suggestions are always welcome. Happy reading.
GMO-Free salt! The WSJ on how companies are finding profitable adding the 'GMO-Free' label to things that don't even have genes.
Meanwhile Scotland ban all GMO grown in the country, which amounts to a remarkable 0%! reports Politico
Fred Perlak - oneInternational Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-44930786143320944862015-01-30T13:48:00.000-05:002015-01-30T13:48:50.144-05:00Goat Cheese Paradise - Shvil Izim
One of my favorite parts of visiting other countries is getting to know farmers. While I don't hold anything against large, mechanized farming, I'm a lot more interested in farmers that are more attuned to the environmental limits of their work, and are willing to challenge the conventional wisdom of modern agriculture. Progressive farmers always offer a unique perspective, leaving you International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-22987750845220429532014-08-15T04:04:00.000-04:002014-08-15T04:04:08.475-04:00Saying bye to East Africa
After a wonderful year in Malawi and Zambia, Agdes is now moving to Afghanistan. The pictures below capture the highlights of my time in the warm heart of Africa. More updates coming soon about the new location. For more pics, check out https://www.flickr.com/photos/rafamerchan/
Market in Chikwawa, Malawi
Indigenous Veggies - Chikwawa, Malawi
Local community in Nsanje, International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-75493070607894410052014-05-22T09:52:00.001-04:002014-05-22T09:54:41.319-04:00A TED Classic: Cary Fowler - One seed at a time, protecting the future of foodInternational Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-89649983815234825412014-05-12T17:27:00.001-04:002014-05-12T17:27:51.182-04:00Where does your food come from?
Thanks to @calestous for sharing:
International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-39826047705204135412014-05-12T17:10:00.000-04:002014-05-12T17:10:27.437-04:00Baobab - My Favorite Tree and its Juice
I’ve always been fascinated with big trees. Growing up in
Colombia’s Cauca Valley, the beauty and magnitude of the Ceivas (Ceiba Pentandra) tree was an essential
part of my childhood and its fantasy. I would see these giants on our trips
around the countryside and think that they must be in charge of the forest: so
tall and thick, they must control where other trees grow and animals dwell. I
International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-34799909767327743412014-05-07T03:30:00.000-04:002014-05-07T06:03:07.347-04:00Promoting Agricultural Development with Video Technology
Readers of this blog are probably familiar with the impressive work of Digital Green, an international NGO which uses pico projectors to disseminate extension messages. Their work started in India and spread quickly to other countries in Africa and elsewhere. Today, they are reaching almost 90,000 farmers with more than 2,000 videos. The impact of their work has attracted the attention of donorsInternational Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-10882870932703555012014-04-29T03:13:00.000-04:002014-04-29T03:13:51.719-04:00IFPRI 2013 Global Food Policy Report
IFPRI just published it flagship report examines the major food policy issues, developments, and decisions of 2013. It puts into perspective the year’s food policy successes and setbacks, and suggests how to advance policies that will improve the food situation for poor people in developing countries.
Chapter 4, Sustainable Agriculture Intensification, is a must read. It reviews the different International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-10511861347109149272014-04-28T03:25:00.000-04:002014-05-07T05:56:42.214-04:00Notes from the Field - Seeds and Voucher Fairs
Right before the Shire River meets the mighty Zambezi, in
the Southern tip of Malawi, lay two of the poorest district in the country.
This beautiful valley, dotted with baobab and sugar cane plantations, has very
erratic weather, ranging from dry spells and droughts to flash floods.
Traditionally, development agencies have used seed
distribution to help farmers mitigate the impact of these International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-8498685942200621502014-02-19T09:15:00.000-05:002014-02-19T09:15:10.745-05:00Lifting Farmers out of Poverty in Malawi
This is a nice video that of WALA - a project that among other things supports farmers transition from subsistence production into commercial farming.
Now that Agdes is based in Malawi, expect to see more blogpost about agriculture and food security from the warm heart of Africa.
International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-10358006430186012472013-08-14T15:05:00.000-04:002013-08-14T15:05:20.283-04:00Promoting Community Health Workers (CHWs) International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-79170482728150689882013-07-08T11:29:00.001-04:002013-07-08T11:29:11.053-04:00Summer Plans
This summer Agdes will be working for CRS in their "5 Skill Program." These are the skill CRS has identified as essential to become more viable farmers and link more effectively to farmers.
The skills include:
How to manage themselves as a group (developing and implementing a common vision, democratic decision-making, conflict resolution, etc.)
Savings and financial skills (crucial for International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-68072829332428639202013-05-26T18:45:00.000-04:002013-05-26T18:45:00.301-04:00TED Talks about Food and Nutrition
Our friends from the FoodTank have compiled an excellent list of TED talks that touch on the issue of agriculture, food and nutrition. Watch and listen:
1. Roger Thurow: The Hungry Farmer - My Moment of Great DisruptionThurow, author of The Last Hunger Season: A Year in an African Farm Community on the Brink of Change, explains the profound "disease of the soul" that International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-26625120794470090782013-04-23T10:29:00.002-04:002013-04-23T10:29:44.144-04:00Development Boy - A Parody Produced by Some Classmates
International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-70643210223670916742013-04-17T17:01:00.001-04:002013-04-17T17:01:26.930-04:002012 Global Food Policy Report
International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-7502740417694259102013-04-08T10:30:00.001-04:002013-04-08T10:30:11.286-04:00Save the Bees
Check out the NYTimes reports on the bee crisis and its excellent editorial demanding action. While many questions remained unanswered, I'm glad that the times, CBS, and others are covering the story and pressuring officials to respond. The culprit, so far, seems hard to identify. In the UK, studies have liked the bee crisis to increased use of a International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-78877915115924765222013-04-06T21:57:00.001-04:002013-04-06T21:57:56.792-04:00Al Jazeera's Inside Story on the Politics of Global Food Security
International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-70233036750978216312013-04-06T17:32:00.000-04:002013-04-06T17:32:13.088-04:00Much Needed Reform to Food Aid - We Hope
© Flickr: usaid.africa
What better way to end the month-long hiatus than by sharing the good new on food aid reform. According Politico, NYtimes and others, the Obama administration is expecting to announce a full transition to local procurement and cash vouchers. Instead of the sending containers full of US-grown commodities across the ocean, humanitarian and development International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-16877536417521864772013-02-22T15:31:00.001-05:002013-02-22T15:31:27.262-05:00Reforming American Food Aid
Below are two key policy recommendation that Agdes has been advocating for a while. Thanks to The Chicago Council on Global Affairs for preparing the summary below and providing the leadership to support these important reforms.
The 2012 US Agriculture & Food Policy
Panel and 2009 Global Agricultural Development Leaders Group issued the following recommendations:
International Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22905696.post-65793760808279308542013-02-04T16:12:00.000-05:002013-02-04T16:12:09.076-05:00Egypt and its Forgotten Farmers
In an excellent mini-documentary, PBS explores Egyp's agriculture sector and its impact of the revolution. The film explores how disfranchised farmers had to migrate to the urban centers after export-oriented policies left little of their livelihoods after access to capital and water was redirected to the well-connected. Poor farmers, and urban consumers tired of increasingInternational Agriculture and Developmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08947746164501177332noreply@blogger.com