Musings on sustainable food systems, agriculture vs. agroecology, and more!
Every year, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) presents a report on what happened in the previous 12 months in the global food policy arena. Of course, it is nearly impossible to shed light on every development, but the full report, spanning more than 120 pages, does a great job at attempting it! You … Continue reading IFPRI 2013 Global Food Policy Report – What You Need to Know
Writing this blog is a great way to experience the truism that policy-making is a marathon, not a sprint. Or, as we say in German, you have to be ready to drill holes into thick slates of wood (weird expression much?) What I want to say is – the next episode of the story of … Continue reading EU Parliament Rejects Draft Seed Regulation
For journalism, the internet has been a blessing and a curse simultaneously. Our attention spans are steadily declining, and few find the time to sit down and read a long-form article when they could be surfing 10 other sites. On the other hand, it has provided so many means to make e-magazines glossier, prettier and … Continue reading Fight For the Farm: 'Narratively' Feature Articles
When we talk about sustainable supply chains and the need for transparency in the entire production process of a product, oftentimes it’s argued that such detailed information is impossible to provide because of the complexity of our global food system. Well, think again – a French organic yoghurt company called “Les 2 Vaches” (“The 2 … Continue reading "Les 2 Vaches" Shows You Where Your Yoghurt Really Comes From
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!
It’s no secret that Wendell Berry is another one of my inspirations when thinking about sustainable food systems – my post about his work “The Pleasures of Eating” has been one of the most-viewed posts on this blog, and his name repeatedly comes up in things I read and am influenced by. A friend of … Continue reading "Land That Is In Human Use Requires Human Care" – An Interview with Wendell Berry
Happy Tuesday! If anybody else need help to start their day (my pot of coffee is already brewing), here are some interesting and entertaining little videos to get your brain juices flowing: This is a satirical take on the meaning of the “all-natural” label you can find on so many products and whose lack of … Continue reading Let's Watch Some TV – Just the Good Kind Though đ
It’s always a pleasure to find people that blog [talk, debate, are passionate] about similar issues as you are. The best evidence of that is if 10 minutes into a Skype conversation you are deep in a discussion on the necessities of reducing our environmental footprint and the practicalities of only working 50% and spending … Continue reading Lead.Ahead: How Can We Foster Sustainable Leadership?
Have you heard of agroecology? This is a holistic agricultural production system that is similar to organic methods, but yet not exactly the same. The Christensen Fund has made a great infographic that compares and contrasts the agroecological with the conventional system from sky to soil: As this handy policy brief explains, “based on a … Continue reading Agroecology: The Alternative of the Future?
There might be some rain coming soon, but it might still not be enough to quench the drought in California. Apparently, this past year has been the driest in the past half millennium for the state. Currently, the federal government says that “every square mile of California is in some state of droughtâand 14.62% of … Continue reading Drought in California = Food Shortage in the USA?