By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) — While Afghanistan’s health system is on the brink of collapse, as the head of the World Health Organisation, WHO, has warned, families on the streets of Kabul are suffering from hunger. The fate of the drought-stricken in rural parts of the country is no better.
Tale Of Two Peoples’ Summits – Who Can Help to Feed the World?
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — There were two “Peoples’ Food Summits” held on September 23, one hosted by the United Nations from New York with some world leaders appearing virtually, while the other was hosted completely virtually with peoples’ movements bringing grassroots voices to the world.
World Food Systems Summit Needs to Recognise Right of Farmers and People Not of Corporations’, Say Critics
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — The Heads of State and Government from more than 90 countries are expected to announce their commitments to transform food systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the historic UN Food Systems Summit this week held virtually from New York. But many civil society and farmers’ groups […]
USAID’s Agricultural Transformation for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems
By Henry Prillaman The writer is a student at the University of Virginia and an Intern at the High Atlas Foundation. NAIROBI, Kenya (IDN) — I attended the 2021 pre-summit for the world’s premier forum for African agriculture, the Agricultural Transformation for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems (AGRF). The forum consisted of many great speakers […]
Former Pastoral Nomads Considering In-Place Farming
By Jacqueline Skalski-Fouts The writer is an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia. VIRGINIA, USA (IDN) — North African pastoralism, an agricultural method used for centuries by nomadic people in the steppe highlands, is on the decline. Facing limited grazing land due to overuse and drought, pastoral nomads are favouring more sedentary farming methods […]
ADB Warns Covid-19 Threatens Asia’s Progress Towards Achieving Global Development Goals
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — A new report released by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) says that an estimated 75 to 80 million people in the developing regions of Asia have been pushed back into poverty last year threatening to derail the region’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
‘Khettara’: The Past & Present Treasure in Morocco’s Haouz Region
Morocco’s indigenous people Khettara helped build a civilization and transferred deserts into green paradises and stood against climate change problems. The following article shows the value of this water heritage and sustainable water initiatives. By Errachid Montassir* RHAMNA, Morocco (IDN) — Water is the great essence of life in all its manifestations and ways of […]
A Widespread Famine Accelerated by Floods, Droughts — and Guns
By Thalif Deen* NEW YORK (IDN) — A recent joint press release by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had an arresting headline: Famine Relief Blocked by Bullets, Red Tape and Lack of Funding. But not necessarily in that order.
Acute Food Insecurity Threatens World’s 23 ‘Hunger Hotspots’
By Jaya Ramachandran ROME (IDN) — A new report by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that “life-saving aid” to families on the brink of famine is being cut off in several countries by fighting and blockades. Of serious concern, says the report, are 23 ‘hunger hotspots’ […]
Indian Farmers Continue to Innovate with Their Protests
By Arun Srivastava* NEW DELHI (IDN) — World history is full of narratives of peasant struggles and uprising. India also has seen many of them which had different perspectives and dimensions. Early peasant movements were usually against feudal and semi-feudal societies and resulted in violent uprisings.