“i thought, you know, what in the world is this guy doing?” said brown, who owns a corn, soybean, hay, and beef cattle farm with his wife, jennifer, in highland county, ohio.

he couldn’t figure out what was growing — it was too tall and lanky for wheat — so he made a point of meeting his neighbor that summer. turns out, he had been tending to his field of cereal rye, a popular cover crop, a type of crop grown usually in off-seasons to improve soil health and mitigate erosion.

the pair got to talking about soil health and erosion, and soon brown set aside one of his bean fields for a cereal rye crop of his own.

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.

“i think the number one way this movement is growing, just like it grew with me, is from another farmer,” said brown, a 40-year-old first-generation farmer.

it’s been 10 years since he spied his neighbor drilling in the winter chill. today, he keeps 90% of his roughly 1,300 acres covered year-round.

wide lens mobile phones are important information-sharing tools for rural farmers around the globe, but many lack access to data and internet service. across africa, less than 40% of farming households have internet access, according to a 2020 study published in nature sustainability.

the missing ingredient

farmer interest in sustainability practices has grown, especially in soil health, said taylor dill, agriculture and natural resources educator for ohio state university’s darke county extension program.

it’s a national trend. the number of organic farms increased 39% from 2012 to 2017, according to the latest united states department of agriculture census, while the average farm put in place no-till practices on 374 acres of land, 29 more acres than in 2012. for cover crops, that average acreage increased from 77 to 100.

dill said that younger farmers — “the next generation that will inherit the land” — show a particular interest. with farmers of any age, “one of the most effective ways that we can teach farmers is being able to have another farmer speak to another farmer about an experience. they’re going to listen to their peers,” she said. 

greg mcglinch owns and operates down home farms in darke county. “word of mouth still means a lot in rural america,” he said.

wide lens farmers use mobile phones to grow their businesses, but the cost of owning a phone can set them back. low-income farmers in asia spend anywhere from 11 to 24% of their income on mobile services, according to a 2009 study. 

in that vein, brown started the “ohio soil health and cover crops” facebook group, which has racked up over 1,600 followers as of august 30, 2021. the feed includes everything from no-till instructional videos to requests for advice on best ratios for soil additives.

brown had a bad slug problem this year, but saw that the unwelcome pests weren’t showing up on his cover crop fields. he threw that idea out for the community to mull over. the page is there for farmers to crowd-source, said brown — “to bounce ideas off of one another, or solutions.”

farmers talk to each other. but that point is often missed on the national scale, dill said. much of the time, farmers are “overlooked,” she says, while the public, clamoring for sustainability measures, “want to go straight to having a policy rather than having a conversation first.”

that’s wonky, said dill, since “all of those decisions directly affect producers.”

science in the field

greg mcglinch’s farm is a checkerboard of harvestable crops, conservation practices and experimentation. on a clear june day, the 41-year-old farmer pointed out all the pieces from behind the wheel of a trundling four-wheeler.

there’s the strip of flowering plants between the forest grove, and a harvest field that acts as a habitat buffer. a low, concrete mass buried at one end of the creek is a head wall that keeps rainwater from ripping up the waterway’s banks. there’s the field of perennial wheatgrass that mcglinch said he didn’t quite know what to do with yet, except to “start playing and learning” how he could sell the hardy crop.

“it’s a real complex career,” he said, between deft sips of coffee from a sloshing mug as the four-wheeler tooled down a path toward his vegetable plot. mcglinch rotates the garden every year from one side to another, and moves the mobile chicken coop he built to the unoccupied side for a season of good fertilizer.

learning these techniques — “it’s kind of hard knocks,” he said. “i do a lot of reading and researching and talking with friends and (seeing) what other farmers are doing.”

sustainable farming practices aren’t just handed down from a lab to farmers, dill said. farmers often offer their own ideas; researchers try the ideas out on a farmer’s fields or at a small plot at a university, which publishes the results in peer-reviewed journals and in fact-sheets that farmers and extension educators use in field trips to disperse the information. and money is always part of the equation.

“when we’re talking with farmers, we’re talking about how we can be more sustainable,” dill said, “but also we need to be able to make sure they’re still productive.”

it’s not a simple yes or no as to whether sustainability practices cut costs, brown said. there are a lot of factors that make up the cost and profit of any one plot or field. he said he sees returns on expenses for seeding and tending cover crops in the reduced use of fertilizers and nutrient applications.

it’s a lot of looking forward, brown said. if his soil is healthy, for example, it will hold more water, making his crops less vulnerable in dry years.

“when i sit down and look at my budgets,’ he said, “i don’t want this to be an extra expense.” 

mcglinch also knows that balance well. “you’ve got to make a profit, or you can’t keep going,” he said. “at the same time, you’ve got to find a good balance, because we want to keep the land in the best shape.”

the farming industry hasn’t reached equilibrium yet, he said, but it can.

“we do need large-scale agriculture because we have a population to feed. it’s just a matter of how do we balance all that, too. i think there’s a way, it’s just, we’ve got to learn.”

it’s not all up to farmers, though. “at the end it’s going to come down to consumer decisions,” mcglinch said. “it’s the buying power. it’s what the consumer wants.”

—

about this series: the planet forward-fao summer storytelling fellows work was sponsored by the north america office of the food and agriculture organization of the united nations (fao), and the fellows were mentored by lisa palmer, gw’s national geographic professor of science communication and author of “hot, hungry planet.”

the average age of u.s. farmers is 57, but the number of farmers under 35 grew 11% from 2012 to 2017, according to the latest census from the united states department of agriculture (usda). young farmers made up 9% of u.s. farm producers as of 2017.

sustainable farming practices are on the rise as well. farmers are turning away from tilling practices that chop up and erode nutritious topsoil. the amount of heavily tilled land decreased nearly a quarter from 2012 to 2017 while no-till acreage increased 8%. cover crops, which help farmers reduce erosion and increase biodiversity on their soil, doubled in acreage in the same period.

land use for certified organic products is also up by 9% from 2016 to 2019, and people are eating it up — sales rose 31%.

despite the numbers, sustainability is still a huge term. melissa kenney, director of research and knowledge initiatives at the university of minnesota’s institute on the environment, tackles it in two parts: “sustainability is not just an environmental concept. it is a concept that involves both the environment and society interwoven together,” she said.

environmentally, sustainability means minimizing or eliminating pollution and leaving the planet in better condition for future generations. sustainability also means providing people with basic necessary resources, kenney said.

“you can’t have solutions that are good for the environment if they don’t also benefit people right now.”

farmers are trying new things like cover cropping, no-till, and organic farming to preserve and regenerate the land. none of these methods is a catch-all, and their effectiveness can vary depending on any one farm’s geography, said paul west, co-director and lead scientist of the global landscapes initiative at the university of minnesota’s institute on the environment.

“but certainly, having a bundle or a suite of these approaches all at once certainly can lead to healthier soils and fields,” he said.

to get to the point of experimentation, though, young farmers need resources. the obstacles they face are varied, but they need at least three things to get their foot in the door: land, income, and community support.

—

about this series: the planet forward-fao summer storytelling fellows work was sponsored by the north america office of the food and agriculture organization of the united nations (fao), and the fellows were mentored by lisa palmer, gw’s national geographic professor of science communication and author of “hot, hungry planet.”

one of our neighbors here at gw, the north america office of the food and agriculture organization of the united nations, has long been a supporter of this mission.

together, we’ve taken exceptional students to report from the world food prize in iowa, and to fao headquarters in rome for world food day at the committee on world food security. since the pandemic limited our ability to offer these travel-based experiential learning opportunities, we had to get creative.

now, i am thrilled to announce our first ever planet forward-fao storytelling summer fellowship, through which four students will produce stories in any medium 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.

allow me to introduce our 2021 storytelling summer fellows:

• sejal govindarao is a rising sophomore studying political communication at george washington university. sejal is based in the san francisco bay area and will be reporting on minority communities there.

• terrius harris, who is currently pursuing his master’s of legal studies for indigenous peoples law at university of oklahoma, is a previous storyfest winner, a past senior planet 世界杯欧洲预选赛免费直播 , and previously traveled with planet forward to the committee on world food security in 2018. terrius will be reporting from oahu, hawaii, on indigenous population’s access to food.

• jules struck, from emerson college and who is pursuing a master’s degree in journalism, will be reporting from the boston, massachusetts, area.

• benjamin thomas, a junior studying environmental studies at franklin & marshall college, will be reporting from a sustainable farm in havre de grace, maryland.

our fellows begin june 7, and while stories will be completed this summer, the fellowship will culminate with events surrounding world food day in october. keep an eye on planetforward.org and our social media accounts for more from and about these amazing students!

it was a fitting end to a week spent learning about human-environment issues from some of the world’s preeminent experts at the united nations food and agriculture organization’s 46th committee on world food security. just as pompeii experienced a catastrophic environmental event in 79 a.d., we in 2019 are facing down climate change on a global scale. the difference is that unlike the unfortunate souls of pompeii, we have advance warning and the tools to adjust how we interact with the environment – if only we can agree on how to do so.

agriculture is one of the major contributors to the processes causing climate change, and it’s also incredibly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. the ways that we’ve manipulated the land to produce food are not sustainable if we want to continue living on this planet, and many delegates to the committee on world food security seemed to acknowledge that. but at least in the sessions i attended, few speakers gave climate change the attention that it demands. the only climate change moment that stood out to me from the week was when an official from nicaragua spoke to the plenary about how his nation is one of those most vulnerable to climate change despite contributing negligible greenhouse gas emissions. it was a powerful moment, but it was fleeting.

spending a week with researchers and officials from around the world taught me so much about the issues we’re facing and what governments and institutions are doing to address them. most of my personal interests in sustainability are focused on energy and climate, so it was an amazing opportunity to learn about issues that are unfamiliar to me and gain new research interests. but i did find myself wishing climate was more central to the week’s discussions of sustainable development, and my visit to pompeii helped me realize why: none of our accomplishments in development will matter if our environment becomes inhospitable. we must address climate issues in every goal, plan, and agreement, even if the issue at hand seems far removed from climate change. if we don’t, we will be seeing more lost cities and civilizations in the future.

thank you, planet forward and fao, for this experience!

more than ever, after attending cfs, i have a renewed sense of passion for using the camera to shed light on injustice. for me, this revelation couldn’t have come at a more necessary time.

while i have clung onto my dream of being a journalist, amid the rigor of college, my passion for storytelling has, admittedly, taken a backseat. when people would ask me about my plans post-grad, i would hesitantly reply, “possibly, journalism… but maybe finance, or marketing, or business. i’m not sure yet.”

however, at cfs, i was reminded that journalists serve a worthy and righteous cause as the recordkeepers of history. as attacks on the free press are made around the globe, persisting to tell the truth is a responsibility that is worth the risk; even if it means stepping on the toes of corrupt bureaucracies and being considered a nuisance.

furthermore, given the complexities of environmental issues, i realized it is not enough to be able to regurgitate facts and statistics. while i have committed myself to the mastery of the production elements of journalism, as delegates from the sahara to the pacific spoke, i recognized that developing intellectual insight was an equally, if not more, important element to telling informative, powerful stories. 

as the plane lifted off of the ground from san francisco, i felt a shedding of my old self. i knew that i was in for a dramatic internal transformation, but i did not know in what ways they would come. however, as i strapped into my seat and left the city of seven hills, rome, i realized that i didn’t necessarily become a new person but rather i shed the fear, self-doubt, and uncertainty that were quieting my inner self.

i returned back to the 6th grader in me that beamed when she saw her classmates excitedly watch her documentary. i reunited with the 16-year-old version of myself that spent nights studying amanpour, winfrey, and lisa ling. most importantly, i made the declarative decision that my aspirations of being a professional journalist wasn’t going to be a mere “possibility,” but my reality.

my name is marisa umeh, i’m a planet 世界杯欧洲预选赛免费直播 , and i am going to be a professional journalist.

for one week i joined planet forward at fao’s committee on world security (cfs) 46th conference in rome, italy. as i sit down to reflect on the gathering, i feel as if a million doors have opened before me. 

i’m a college student at suny’s college of environmental science and forestry, a small stem campus in syracuse, new york, studying environmental studies. that said, it often feels like a bubble, and that bubble can sometimes be blinding. in rome, we’ve met and heard from delegates, stakeholders, youth, and others from around the globe working to solve issues around world hunger and nutrition. my mind has opened to a greater understanding of what is going on on a national level, and of course, a global level. i know this will be useful information to know as i move forward in my life and career surrounding environmental and humanitarian issues. 

prior to this week, i have had an ingrained way of thinking that encompassed a relatively strong distaste for technology. i thought that the issues facing the earth, such as world hunger, and climate change could not be fixed by technology, because in my mind, these issues were caused by technology. as i moved forward through the week, i listened. i heard what the technology advocates had to say, i heard from the farmers themselves, and the people fighting for the right to food, that technology holds a great deal of space in the solution to world hunger. i don’t believe that it is the only solution, but i can now zoom out from the space i am from, and understand there are other ways to go about addressing issues of this suffering. this is just one example of the many takeaways i have received from the past week.

this all said, as a correspondent with planet forward, i viewed much of this week through the lens of a storyteller. as of late, i am in the process of creating a story highlighting the fine balance of technology in development. as my perspective and understanding transformed throughout the week, i recognized its relevance in the battle against troubling issues, such as world hunger. through a series of journal entries, tracking the days i spent in the fao building in rome, i will unravel my fear of technology in development, and refer to its power in reducing suffering and actually getting humans closer to the land; closer to the earth.

“i want to solve climate change!” i said in a jet-lagged voice, hoping to entice laughter from him.

i could not help but wonder, why would someone be interested in hearing more about solving global issues through science and technology? 

i had impatiently waited to attend the committee on world food security in rome for the past four months. little did i know that i was about to step inside a place that would dramatically change my perspective on global issues that i am so passionate about solving, and give me a new hope to address them through the lens of technology. 

as i stepped foot in the plenary hall on the first day of the conference, i felt myself being surrounded by the world. while hearing the diplomats speak on their country’s plans for action to combating global hunger, i could witness the power dynamics in the room. i realized what the former president of the general assembly, maria fernanda espinosa, meant when she explained in one of her speeches that i attended on why things don’t always work the way they are supposed to at the united nations. 

it was heartwarming to see a plethora of side events on addressing malnutrition and climate change by leveraging technological innovations. after one of these sessions, i had the amazing honor and opportunity to interact with the keynote speaker, the first lady of colombia, maría juliana ruiz sandoval, and interview her about colombia’s plans for enhancing their technical resiliency to engage more youth. it was a pleasure to see dr. jeffrey sachs present live on the sustainable development goals and hear his perspective on solving these issues. 

i could not have been more astonished by the humility and the willingness to engage in discussions of all the leaders, diplomats, and presenters i had the chance to interact with. i connected with people that are currently using data science and ai to solve climate change and fight global hunger. to save a life. 

most importantly, i had the great pleasure of spending the week with an incredible team of individuals from across the united states. answering frank’s curiosity every evening at dinner made me think about topics that i had never given enough thought to. sharing my love for pop music and taylor swift with marisa was a heartfelt moment. walking the streets of rome with lindsay and matilda made the experience only more memorable. going into a bar and ordering “chocolate-flavored” milk with “my man” dan was a moment i’m sure both of us will share with our grandchildren. running into my biggest celebrity crush, alexandra daddario, on the streets of rome and talking about her for the rest of the night to kim, ahdi, and edona. 

at the end of it all, i finally realized that “rome wasn’t built in a day” and “all roads [do] lead to rome.” all i know is, if given a chance, i would come back to this place in a heartbeat.

sadly, we also heard figures that batter the soul: 820 million people around the world who are hungry. two billion who live on the edge amid “food insecurity.” war, political instability, drought, climate change, corruption, economic collapse that deprive too many of their right to sustenance and security. the crises have multiplied in the past few years as instability has grown.

we heard debate and controversy, too. the urgency to innovate and modernize. the contribution the rich, developed world should make. the role of science and technology. the potential for gmo and biotech to revolutionize productivity. 

on one thing everyone agreed: if the world is to achieve the u.n.’s sustainable development goal to eliminate hunger by 2030, there is massive work to be done. 

student reflections

• hear reflections on the experience from our student travelers: 
• rohan agrawal
• lindsay eberhart
• matilda kreider
• marisa umeh

the 46th committee on world food security conference in rome, hosted by the food and agriculture organization of the u.n., with 111 countries in attendance was a crash course in food diplomacy for planet forward and four amazing students who had written winning stories to join us. the students, who were sponsored by the fao liaison office of north america, came from universities across the united states: matilda kreider from the george washington university, the home of planet forward; marisa umeh from uc-berkeley; rohan agrawal from the university of mississippi; and lindsay eberhart from suny’s college of environmental science and forestry. 

each student brought a different major and a distinct life experience to rome. all have dedicated themselves to the future, wanting to find answers to hunger, climate change, inequality. each wants to leverage that commitment through storytelling to engage others and catalyze informed, solution-oriented action to 2022年卡塔尔世界杯官网 .

the students attended plenary sessions and side-events. they listened and they interviewed. they had access to global diplomats and local activists. they heard david beasley, executive director of the world food program, the biggest humanitarian organization on the planet, call on countries to end hunger by ending war, embracing education and technology, and empowering women. 

“we understand the impact on the world when women get the same access to credit and finance as men,” he said. “that can lift 150 million people out of poverty.” 

they heard aishatu ali from cameroon, a country on central africa’s west coast, talk about her work as an advocate for women, girls, and land rights. an advocate and a stirring role model, she is the agenda and women promotion program coordinator for the mbororo social cultural development association. in her pastoral community, women do not own cattle and have little access to capital. ali’s mother never even went to school. but ali did, and she told us eloquently that things are starting to change. women still don’t own cows, but they’re starting to own sheep. and they’re asserting their rights 

the students met with ambassador kip tom, a seventh-generation american farmer who is now the united states permanent representative to the united nations agencies for food and agriculture in rome. he said it’s unlikely hunger will be eliminated by 2030. but there can be dramatic progress. he’s worked the land and he knows how dramatically agriculture has changed. he says farmers should have access to seeds that resist pests, be able to grow where drought is increasingly common, take advantage of productivity on farms large and small. he calls for a greater acceptance of science, biotechnology, and the farming know-how that can bring life-saving productivity to farmers from southern asia to sub-saharan africa where heat and drought, worsened by climate change, climate threaten entire communities.

for all of us, this was a sobering trip. but a hopeful one, too, because we heard about solutions and breakthroughs. we met incredible, committed people — a lot of them — who have dedicated their lives to helping others grow nutritious food, protect their land, drink their water, assert their rights. we met inventors and investors, leaders from business and nonprofits, activists and advocates, and brave pioneers of change.

it is my belief that the students who traveled with us to rome will be motivated, now and throughout their lives, to add to stories that educate, inform, and inspire change. watch for their stories. watch what they will do. they are part of a generation that must rise to unprecedented challenge to 2022年卡塔尔世界杯官网 .

agriculture is a field with historic relevance leading back to the early hunter-gatherer societies of humanity. during these times, it was a cultural expectation that everyone had a role in maintaining the land. traditionally, men would embody the role of the hunter, while women maintained the agricultural land as the gatherer. although having different roles, commonality was met with the expectation that all youth would continue the tradition and become the agricultural leaders needed to ensure the survival of their society. a tradition that has since diminished in the majority of society, as generational farmers continue to exist, but their children are becoming less likely to carry-on the family legacy.

the idea that young people think that farming is not cool, the desire of youth to live in thriving cities, or that farming is hard physical work that young people today don’t desire; are some but not the main points of why youth are not interested in farming. additionally, yes, though job security and our society’s push toward medical, technological, and engineering careers are a greater cause for this generational divide; i believe that the answer to this question is rooted in a greater issue: knowledge.

with our world globalizing at a pace faster than ever before, information is at its optimal point of accessibility in today’s society. it is in this society where the media focuses on trending topics where agriculture is lost among the millions of strands of information accessible by a click of a button. without this knowledge, the mundane traditional perceptions of farming will continue to spread, as the field continues to diminish, while youth continue to believe that there is not a place for them in agriculture. however, what if i told you that this was just not true; and that in fact the agriculture field is a place of opportunity for youth and older generations alike? here are three debunked misconceptions about youth in agriculture.

1. technology is growing in agriculture. in fact, it even has its own word, agri-tech. agri-tech, is the use of technology for agriculture, aquaculture, and horticulture that is developed to improve efficiency and profitability. this includes the usage of mobile applications for agriculture focused on efforts of connecting farmers and sponsors, to the usage of drones for agriculture, focused on monitoring fields and livestock. it even includes information communication technologies (ict) like podcasts and other social media efforts (on platforms like planet forward) to bring awareness to agriculture. lastly, and what i found most impressive is that it there is even blockchain for agriculture, which allows the usage of virtual money such as bitcoin to be used in investment and sales of produce and agritech. in fact, according to forbes magazine, agri-tech is a key area of focus for investors globally. a field that continues to surprise, and actually has many career paths and even more job opportunities in agriculture technology.

2. farming can be very profitable. though sometimes becoming a farmer may have humble beginnings, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make a profit out of it. in fact, there are actually multiple financial resources available in the u.s. alone. additionally, if you’re considered to be youth, there are even more financial opportunities for you. with there being such high-demand in the agricultural field, specifically in farming, many governmental and non-profit organizations are creating financial opportunities and rewards to encourage people, specifically youth, to pursue a career in the field. after you’ve secured this funding the next part can be tricky, but with the right practices, your farm can be very profitable. this highly depends on two things: the type of crops you grow and how you choose to operate your farm. from a face-value level, the type of crops you grow can increase your potential profit greatly. just check out these two links which explain the five and 10 highly profitable farming ventures. through this method, you are essentially guaranteed a higher potential profit by growing and raising produce that is in high demand on the market. on the contrary, for someone who does not have the capabilities or environment of producing products such as this, your second option is to alter the manner in which you operate your farm. according to agweb.com, though all farms can be profitable, there are common denominators in the farms that have the biggest success. this includes things from the inclusion of more technology or using outside experts, to revamping their accounting practices to better represent their actual costs. nevertheless, if they can do it, so can you.

3. agriculture can complement your life goals. there are a multitude of agriculture jobs beyond farming. although farmers are in high-demand, the remainder of the agricultural field is vast. this includes jobs from agricultural engineering and wildlife/forest conversation to forest health specialist. this field is not only sustainable within itself, but can easily pair with your own ambitions and goals. for example, if you’re a student majoring in finance with hopes of venturing into banking, consider adding a focus in agriculture and there are jobs such as a wells fargo senior business relationship manager – agriculture available. banking isn’t your thing, but you’re really interested in working in communications? perfect. most companies or organizations focused in agriculture, aquaculture, etc., also have to maintain communication and public relations with the surrounding world. so as you’re thinking about your future, think about how agriculture might pair well with your career goals and apply to an internship or two to give it a try.

agriculture is the world around us, and just like the world around us, it is versatile and open to all. though it has had a negative perception, the agricultural field is actually a field of opportunity. so, truth be told, it’s not that there is not a place for youth in agriculture, instead, it’s that youth have the opportunity to make agriculture something that it never has been before.

the future of agriculture is technology, it’s youth, and it’s change. for the agriculture of tomorrow begins now, with you.

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editor’s note: this series, a zero hunger future, is generously sponsored by the un-fao. all editorial content is created independently. to discover more experiential learning opportunities, email editor@planetforward.org.

the un had just released an alarming report, which warned that 12 years from now we will be beyond the tipping point — the point-of-no-return — when the global warming trend will be irreversible.

global warming isn’t the only issue on the u.n.’s agenda. this year, delegates at the un-fao launched a mission to end world hunger by 2030. the u.n. estimates that more than 820 million people are hungry. that number has been increasing since 2014, despite the un-fao’s previous efforts to rid the world of hunger.

what are global leaders doing differently now to ensure that their end world hunger campaign works this time around?

one of their focuses is to build resilience. several weeks before the un-fao’s annual world food day conference, the fao partnered with the european union on a €77 million (approximately $80 million) project to build global resilience to food crises.

a community is considered to be in a food crisis when at least one in five households have high malnutrition, even with humanitarian aid, according to the famine early warning systems network.

“investing in resilience is key to fighting hunger today and in the future. in view of the magnitude and persistence of food crises,” josé graziano da silva, head of the fao, said in a press release. “we need to invest more in resilience interventions and create stronger alliances with all parties.”

food crises are caused by conflict, drought, flood, disease, and unstable food prices, the un-fao reports. in 2017, a total of 51 countries were affected by food crises, according to an fao report. the same reported estimated that 125 million people are food insecure as a result of food crises. these individuals equal 15% of the global hungry population.

günther hemrich, deputy director of the fao’s nutrition and food systems division, lived in mwingi, kenya—a town tormented with food crises—for three years.

hemrich said that the first crop season he witnessed in mwingi was a failure. the village survived off of humanitarian aid, which was mostly corn. the second season also failed. corn for dinner again. then so did the third. and the fourth. so, more corn was delivered to mwingi.

finally, the fifth season prospered. the rainy season allowed the crops to thrive, but it also triggered a devastating cholera outbreak.

disease is among the top causes of food crises, the un reports. hundreds of village members were affected. those who were healthy enough would carry their neighbors to health centers in wheelbarrows, hemrich said.

although kenya faces food crises, it is not a country that will receive aid from the fao and eu’s 3-year-long project. the food resilience project will focus on 12 countries: yemen, cuba, venezuela, myanmar, madagascar, ethiopia, somalia, sudan, niger, chad, mali, and nigeria.

yemen was the most hunger-stricken country on the globe last year with more than half of the population—about 17 million people—considered food insecure as a result of conflict, displacement and economic collapse.

other countries on the list, such as ethiopia and madagascar, have been affected by extreme weather. ethiopia is still facing the effects of the el nińo drought and madagascar has been impacted by cyclones.

it is not yet clear what these projects will entail or how they will build resilience, but leaders agree that the effort is necessary.

with a growing global population — which is projected to hit 10 billion by 2050 — and the effects of climate change, un leaders feel the pressure to enact monumental change.

“either we carry on doing the same thing, which is not getting us any closer to zero hunger, or we do things differently,” arvelo said.

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editor’s note: this series, a zero hunger future, is generously sponsored by the un-fao. all editorial content is created independently. to discover more experiential learning opportunities, email editor@planetforward.org.