Agriculture & Nutrition

Quinoa genome unveiled in search for hardy crop to feed world
Some strains can tolerate 38-degree days, salty soils and high altitudes, say researchers. The near-complete genome of quinoa was unveiled on Wednesday by scientists who say the grain cultivated centuries ago by Incas in the Andes could help feed a hungry world....
Video: Soybean Innovation Lab SMART Farm Improves Livelihoods of Smallholder Farmers in Africa
Watch how the Soybean Innovation Lab's SMART Farm is generating critical new data for increasing smallholder farmer yields....

Microbiome experts to speak at World Economic Forum
Three Cornell University faculty members are presenting ideas about tiny things to a gathering of influential thought leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland. Microbiomes, the combined genetic material of microorganisms in a particular environment, too small to be seen with th...

Open data aims to boost food security prospects
Rothamsted Research, a leading agricultural research institution, is attempting to make data from long-term experiments available to all. In partnership with a data consultancy, is it developing a method to make complex results accessible and useable. The instit...

The Vertical Farm: Growing crops in the city, without soil or natural light.
Today in the U.S., vertical farms of various designs and sizes exist in Seattle, Detroit, Houston, Brooklyn, Queens, and near Chicago, among other places....

Dispelling myths around the Arctic Circle’s famed ‘doomsday’ seed vault
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a hedge against potential disasters that could wipe out varieties of crop seeds, causing hunger. The vault today houses more than half a billion seeds representing 881,473 unique varieties of plants used to feed people. The seeds come from the existing seed banks ...

Here’s what healthy food looks like in 7 different countries
Diets vary around the world but nutrition is a concern for everyone. Check out what healthy diets look like in these seven countries. ...
Student-led initiatives aim to promote agriculture on U.S. campuses
Across the United States, students are developing initiatives to promote agriculture and increase access to healthy food on campus. There are different types of initiatives, including student farms, gardens, food cooperatives, food justice programs, food access programs, food waste programs, and f...

Farmer-led irrigation in Africa: Driving a new Green Revolution?
A new open access review paper is just out in the Journal of Peasant Studies on farmer-led irrigation in Africa. The paper offers a fantastically useful overview of the debate about what form of irrigation is most likely to support increases in smallholder production and livelihoods in Africa. ...

Listen: Food Insecurity-a cause and consequence of conflict
In a world where conflict affects so many communities, it is important to recognize the connection between food insecurity and social unrest. Kimberly Flowers, Director of the Global Food Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), was brought to Rome by U.S. Miss...