agriculture
In 2015, in collaboration with Indigenous leaders and Indigenous youth, FAO identified 6 pillars of work and 2 focus areas—Indigenous women and Indigenous youth—as part of FAO’s goal of freeing the world of hunger and malnutrition (Photo courtesy of UN Women/Ryan Brown https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/).
Planet Forward FAO Fellow | University of Oklahoma
Indigenous Peoples’ communities' challenges and priorities of “food security, food sovereignty, and health have accelerated and intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to Indigenous Peoples’ Liaison Mikaila Way.
(Photo by Terrius Harris)
Planet Forward FAO Fellow | University of Oklahoma
For many organizations, COVID-19 meant doors closed. Yet at one sacred, Native Hawaiian fishpond, community members worked to advance their efforts to reclaim the land, culture, and traditions of sustainable aquaculture.
(Photo courtesy of Keegan Houser/Unsplash - https://unsplash.com/photos/W6ZFtDLR27g)
Planet Forward FAO Fellow | University of Oklahoma
"Mo‘olelo," or storytelling, is embedded deeply in the Hawaiian culture. Now, groups of Native Hawaiians and allies are using it to destigmatize the traditional practice of fishponds and reunite with their roots.
Greg McGlinch owns Down Home Farms, a 450-acre family farming operation in Darke County, Ohio. “I hate seeing soil go down the creek because you’re losing a lot of valuable nutrients,” he said on June 26, 2021. “A lot of that you can’t put a monetary value on” (Photo by Jules Struck).
Planet Forward FAO Fellow | Emerson College
Interest in sustainable farming practices is building, and while independent and governmental conservation organizations can be good resources for promoting ecological practices, farmers say that swapping information peer-to-peer works best.
Recipes for Food Security | Dollars and diversity: Why young farmers need investment, representation
Decker Woods and Sophia Cooper exchange farming tips in Big Muddy Farms’ biggest plot, July 6, 2021 (Photo by Jules Struck).
Planet Forward FAO Fellow | Emerson College
Big Muddy Urban Farm minimizes some of the financial barriers that keep potential farmers from entering the industry, like low profit.
Hannah Breckbill, the founder of Humble Hands Harvest, stands near the farm’s vegetable patch, July 2, 2021. “I didn’t grow up in farming, so I didn’t come with any preconceived notions,” she said. “Sustainability seemed like the obvious thing to aim for, as a farmer” (Photo by Jules Struck).
Planet Forward FAO Fellow | Emerson College
It's hard for new farmers to find affordable land to buy. A community of Iowans banded together to solve that issue for a farmer in their neighborhood.
A farm in Ohio, where soybean and corn are the biggest crops, June 23, 2021 (Photo by Jules Struck).
Planet Forward FAO Fellow | Emerson College
Farming sustainably is already hard work, and young potential farmers need to be creative to find a foothold in an aging industry.
Northwestern University
According to The Nature Conservancy, intense weather will transform hydrology, health, economics, and ecosystems in Illinois, as reported by Eva Herscowitz for Medill.
As the need for food continued to grow during the pandemic, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank called on the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and opened an additional, temporary food box packing site. Food access, food security, nutrition, and environmental justice challenges are among the topics our fellows will explore in their stories this summer. (Melissa Murray/Creative Commons)
Founder and Chief Executive, Planet Forward
Four students will produce stories at the nexus of food security, agriculture, and nutrition, and work under the guidance of GW’s National Geographic Professor of Science Communication, Lisa Palmer.
California farmworkers have had to endure heatwaves, wildfires and a pandemic that continues to spread during peak harvest season for almonds and wine grapes. (Photo courtesy of UFW/United Farm Workers)
Arizona State University
The race to deliver fresh foods during peak harvest season means farmworkers are facing the threats of climate change acceleration and COVID-19.