When Is Hug A Farmer Day? Of Farmers’ Mental Health and Suicide

The other day, I was researching health externalities of our current food system and came across a shocking statistic: In many countries in the world, farmers are more than twice as likely as the general population to commit suicide. They are frequently cited as the occupational group most likely to have suicidal thoughts and follow through … Continue reading When Is Hug A Farmer Day? Of Farmers’ Mental Health and Suicide

SR on the Right to Food Delivers His Final Report to the Human Rights Council

Today, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Olivier de Schutter delivered his last report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. He held the post from 2008 until 2014, and has during that time published a number of important reports and observations on the necessity of switching over to a sustainable global … Continue reading SR on the Right to Food Delivers His Final Report to the Human Rights Council

Happy International Women's Day! Let's Celebrate with a Women In Agriculture Link Roundup!

The celebrations surrounding today’s International Women’s Day have given rise to a number of great resources recognizing the importance of women in agriculture. Instead of writing my own contribution, I thought I’d give you a handy link roundup for your surfing and perusal pleasure – have fun! From Food Tank: 23 Women Changing Food. Is … Continue reading Happy International Women's Day! Let's Celebrate with a Women In Agriculture Link Roundup!

"Science ≠ Production, and Production ≠ Food Security" – A Message to the World Food Prize

You guys. This is one of these speeches where I just want to yell “hear, hear!” after every single sentence – and it is all the more remarkable where Dr. M Jahi Chappell, the director of agroecology and agricultural policy for the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, made this speech: at the World Food … Continue reading "Science ≠ Production, and Production ≠ Food Security" – A Message to the World Food Prize

Reclaiming the Land in The Gambia

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=U5e2NB6U9dw] This is a really enjoyable clip describing how successful development work can work: these women in The Gambia traditionally only had access to unproductive, degraded land, since the men were working in the more fertile areas. Yet, the women are the ones that bear the responsibility to feed their families and provide extra income … Continue reading Reclaiming the Land in The Gambia

A Genius Idea for Gender, Climate Change Resilience and Food Security

Yesterday I went to a really inspiring event put on by the GIZ under the topic of “Gender, Climate Change and Food Security”, which highlighted different aspects of how gender (in)equality can be highlighted in climate change negotiations and how women are affected by the challenges of adapting rural self-sufficient farming communities to the future … Continue reading A Genius Idea for Gender, Climate Change Resilience and Food Security