Podcasts about smallholders

This is the 5th episode of a five-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro by Map It Forward Podcast, hosted by Map It Forward founder, Lee Safar. The guest on this podcast series is Antonie Fountain, managing director and co-founder of VOICE Network (cocoa) and VOCAL Alliance (coffee).In this series, Lee and Antonie explore the state of the cocoa industry, paying particular attention to the impact recent price spikes are having on producers and the sustainability of the market at large.In this insightful episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by Map It Forward, Lee and Antonie discuss the rapid shift from voluntary to mandatory sustainability practices in the coffee and cocoa industries. They explore how these changes are driven by new EU regulations, such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, requiring companies to ensure their products meet stringent environmental and human rights standards. Antonie explains the challenges corporations face in adapting to these regulations and how it affects smallholders. The conversation also delves into the role of billionaires, government regulations, and the potential impact on global supply chains. This episode provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of sustainability and its implications for the future of coffee and cacao production.00:00 The Urgency of Sustainability00:45 Sponsor Message: Map It Forward Workshop01:23 Introduction to the Series01:35 The Role of Billionaires in Supply Chains02:49 EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)03:59 Voluntary vs. Mandatory Sustainability04:31 Historical Context of Deregulation04:51 Corporate Challenges in Sustainability06:18 The Push for Mandatory Regulations08:04 Corporate Accountability and Compliance10:25 Impact on Smallholders and Producers16:28 Child Labor Laws and Misconceptions22:17 Future of Coffee and Cacao Markets26:21 Conclusion and Contact Information Connect with Antonie Fountain and Voice Network here:https://www.voicenetwork.cchttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antonie/••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

This is the 5th episode of a five-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro by Map It Forward Podcast, hosted by Map It Forward founder, Lee Safar. The guest on this podcast series is Antonie Fountain, managing director and co-founder of VOICE Network (cocoa) and VOCAL Alliance (coffee).In this series, Lee and Antonie explore the state of the cocoa industry, paying particular attention to the impact recent price spikes are having on producers and the sustainability of the market at large.In this insightful episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by Map It Forward, Lee and Antonie discuss the rapid shift from voluntary to mandatory sustainability practices in the coffee and cocoa industries. They explore how these changes are driven by new EU regulations, such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, requiring companies to ensure their products meet stringent environmental and human rights standards. Antonie explains the challenges corporations face in adapting to these regulations and how it affects smallholders. The conversation also delves into the role of billionaires, government regulations, and the potential impact on global supply chains. This episode provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of sustainability and its implications for the future of coffee and cacao production.00:00 The Urgency of Sustainability00:45 Sponsor Message: Map It Forward Workshop01:23 Introduction to the Series01:35 The Role of Billionaires in Supply Chains02:49 EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)03:59 Voluntary vs. Mandatory Sustainability04:31 Historical Context of Deregulation04:51 Corporate Challenges in Sustainability06:18 The Push for Mandatory Regulations08:04 Corporate Accountability and Compliance10:25 Impact on Smallholders and Producers16:28 Child Labor Laws and Misconceptions22:17 Future of Coffee and Cacao Markets26:21 Conclusion and Contact Information Connect with Antonie Fountain and Voice Network here:https://www.voicenetwork.cchttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antonie/••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Support this podcast by supporting our Patreon:https://bit.ly/MIFPatreonThe Daily Coffee Pro by Map It Forward Podcast Host: Lee Safarhttps://www.mapitforward.coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/leesafar••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Better Cotton to Advance Gender Equality and Climate Resilience in India with New Impact Fund The fund will help cotton farming communities accelerate field-level sustainability work in the face of climate change, starting with India. Vetted Farmer Producer Organisations[1] (FPOs) across the country will be eligible to gain funding to expand their services and simultaneously build a positive credit history. Smallholders represent more than 90% of the world's cotton farmers. Supporting climate resilience Better Cotton, the world's largest cotton sustainability initiative, and impact investment firm, FS Impact Finance, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop and launch a fund directed at smallholder farmers in the cotton sector. The fund, initially piloted in India, will help incentivise cotton farming communities to invest in field-level work related to women's empowerment and climate resilience[2] by eliminating traditional financing barriers. Smallholders, who make up more than 90% of the world's cotton farmers, often struggle to access adequate financial support due to their Farmer Producer Organisation's (FPO[3]) lack of credit history. In India, with 16,000 FPOs representing over 5.8 million farmers, only a few large and well established FPOs have access to formal financial markets. However, the vast majority lack the turnover and credit history to qualify for finance, which is a prerequisite for growth. Under this new fund, FPOs will be supported in the implementation of gender and climate resilience activities with the goal of fast-tracking field-level results and improving their bankability. This will enable less developed FPOs to improve their credit history and benefit from services that will help them to create strategic and sustainable growth plans for the future. Better Cotton CEO, Alan McClay, commented, "This collaboration with FS Impact Finance has the potential to accelerate important work already underway in India, and it will do so in an inclusive way. Access to finance for smallholders is always a challenge and we are excited at the prospect of helping to change that." FS Impact Finance Managing Director, Martin Cremer, commented, "We look forward to jointly developing this innovative financing solution in the cotton sector that complements Better Cotton's great work in this area. Our goal is to improve the situation of smallholder farmers and contribute to the development and professionalisation of players along the local value chains". 1 Farmer Producer Organisations will be vetted via both financial- and governance-related due diligence processes. 2 Better Cotton's 2030 Strategy includes Impact Targets relating to women's empowerment and climate change mitigation. The organisation has committed to reaching one million women in cotton with programmes and resources that promote equal farm decision-making, build climate resilience, or support improved livelihoods. This is in addition to ensuring 25% of field staff are women with the power to influence sustainable cotton production. On climate change mitigation, Better Cotton has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% per tonne of Better Cotton lint produced by the end of the decade. 3 FPOs advocate for farming communities and negotiate on their behalf in international markets. About Better Cotton Better Cotton is the world's largest cotton sustainability initiative. Our mission: to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment. In challenging times, we are meeting the challenge head on. In the 2021-22 cotton season, through our network of field-level partners, 22% of global cotton production was Better Cotton, grown in 22 countries around the world. Our programmes reached 2.8 million farmers, which included more than 2.2 million Better Cotton licensed farmers. Over one fifth of the world's cotton is now grown under the Better Cotton Standard. https://bettercotton.org/ A...

In this episode, Somil chats with Josh Knauer, CEO of ReSeed, bringing carbon credits directly from farmers to the market.They focus on the oldest form of carbon capture – vegetation. They support farmers in taking their protective and restorative farming practices, validating them, and then creating the mechanisms to sell those credits to interested parties. We talked about:His strategy to differentiate these credits compared to the rest of the market, What works for them, How he's building an entire protocol around these methods, What he's learned from engaging with smallholder farmers,Why ag may make the best nature-based solution to carbon capture, As always, thanks so much for listening and enjoy the episode!---

Currently in the palm oil sector, smallholders manage 27% of the total palm oil area in Malaysia. To increase yield, the government has suggested consolidating them into clusters overseen by medium or large estates. Could this yield the desired results? Khor Yu Leng, Economist at Segi Enam Advisors shares her insights on the merits and drawbacks of this proposed strategy.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

On 29 June 2023, the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products entered into force. The main driver of the Regulation is the expansion of agricultural land that is linked to the production of commodities like soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, coffee, rubber and some of their derived products.Under the Regulation, any operator or trader who places these commodities on the EU market, or exports from it, must be able to prove that the products do not originate from recently deforested land or have contributed to forest degradation.One of the categories affected by the regulation is that of smallholders, important stakeholders in the production value chain. According to the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), smallholders account for about 41% and 27% of total oil palm planted areas in Indonesia and Malaysia, respectively, and for about 35% - 40% of the global production of palm oil.As the supply chain of independent smallholders is generally informal and there is often minimal documentation of transactions between the smallholder and other stakeholders, the CPOPC believes there is a risk that the Regulation will further exclude palm oil smallholders from the supply chains to Europe.Re-watch the Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products, and particularly its impact on smallholders. Questions to be discussed include:- What is the current state of play of the implementation of the European Union Regulation on Deforestation (EUDR) across EU Member States? What is the level of readiness in the implementation of EUDR?- What steps are necessary from both the EU and the producing countries to ensure the successful implementation of the EUDR from a multilateral perspective?- How can cooperation among stakeholders be sustained in the coming months and years to support the EUDR?- What challenges and potential impacts does the EUDR pose for smallholder farmers, and how can we ensure that they are not left behind?- What financial mechanisms could be established to provide support for smallholders in complying with the EUDR?- How can governments and private companies be encouraged to invest in capacity-building for smallholders, to help them comply with the EUDR?

This week: As a preview of the 2023 future of plastics and packaging conference in Amsterdam, hear from Ignacio Gavilan, formerly of the Consumer Goods Forum, Jodie Roussell from Nestlé, Eastman's Camiel Steffanie and Sofie Vergucht, Jenny Wassenaar from Trivium Packaging and Christina Dixon from the Environmental Investigation Agency as they reflected with Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh last year on how business can build plastics and packaging strategy that delivers impact at scale.   Plus: Wakinya Samuel, smallholder coffee farmer from the Bushika Integrated Area Cooperative Enterprise in Uganda, speaks with Innovation Forum's Bea Stevenson about how farmers can best be supported to counter climate change impacts and the potential for agroforestry to deliver sustainable supply security.   And, the UK government makes a U-turn on key environmental policies; European Union's new regulation to tackle corporate greenwashing; many big plastics companies not linking executive pay to sustainability metrics, according to Planet Tracker; and, Equitable Earth Coalition launched to develop new voluntary carbon market standard to drive finance to forest communities to halt deforestation, in the news digest.   Host: Ian Welsh

A startup in Zambia is using technology to support smallholder farmers. The digital platform allows them to form saving circles, access payment services and receive personalized advice.

This week: On a recent trip to Cambodia, Ian Welsh spoke to Kong Bunchhean, a smallholder farmer living in Sovanna Baitong village in the country's Southern Cardamom region. Kong reflects on how his and his family's lives have benefitted from the region's Redd+ carbon project. This is part of Innovation Forum's ongoing 'From the Forest Front-line' series in partnership with Everland. And, at Innovation Forum's sustainable apparel and textiles conference in New York last month, IF's Toby Webb and Olam Agri's Jordan Lea talk about some of the sector trends that emerged from the conference. In the news: IEA report highlights sharp increase in demand for cobalt and nickel; Western US drought causes a drop in hydropower; and Planet Tracker research finds low interest in biodiversity-specific data from investors.

What is that on the horizon - well, it's Spring of course. The klaxon for warmer, longer days is finally sounding and Head Gardeners Saul and Lucy are looking forward to it immensely. Spring is a wonderful time of year but also incredibly busy for all professional gardeners up and down the country as the gardens come alive with colour, texture and the occasional weed! Join them both as they navigate this beautiful time of year, bringing you the sights and sounds of Stonelands and East Donyland, as well as their home gardens and beyond.With Saul taking a well deserved rest, Lucy delves into her past to explain why she is such a keen horticulturist. Now retired, her smallholder parents had a massive influence on her career choice. Their horticultural heritage also sheds light on a fascinating collective of market gardeners who, between them at their peak, produced 50 per cent of the UK's glasshouse salads. Termed the 'Land Settlement Agency', it brought many happy times for Lucy and her parents, as hopefully the interviews confirm (apologies to those two asparagus customers!!).If you'd like to watch the video I mention in this episode, follow this link, or search for 'Growth with the LSA':https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmvyX3RWv4QTwitter links:Lucy @HeadGardenerLCSaul @GardeningSaulIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Support the showSupport the show

How do we eradicate extreme rural poverty? What can we do to build up communities?  Jacob Foss asked this question when travelling in Africa, and his answer was to co-found Agricycle—a brilliant start-up that connects women, smallholders, and youth in East Africa with global markets.  Don't know what a smallholder is? I didn't either, but we're about to find out! Jacob's been on Forbes 30 Under 30, he's received millions in funding for his work, and Agricycle is an official partner of the United Nations FAO. Join us as we talk about taking the road less traveled. ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-foss-/ ➡️ https://agricycleglobal.com/ ➡️ Highlights: https://rosspalmer.com/jacob-foss

Sylvain gets pretty worked up about Nestle's decision to exit the freezer section with their pizzas and other frozen staples, the latest report from the AgriFoods lab on the cashless economy, Canadian dairy in the dumps, and we visit the discount grocery store sector. Finally, a bit of trouble for our friend Yanick Gervais at Olymel, who is closing some processing plants We get the "T" from our extraordinary guest Shabnam Weber, President of the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada, and a special announcement about the show!About ShabnamFor almost two decades, Shabnam Weber owned and operated her own tea company in Toronto, Canada. With retail stores and a wholesale business, her company was one of the first of its kind in Toronto.  Her passion and love of tea led her to become involved with the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada as a Director, sitting on a number of committees, most notably the Education Committee where she wrote the Tea Sommelier® program.Shabnam divested from her business' and took the position of President of the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada in 2018. She has transformed the association through the programs and resources it offers members and become an industry leader. She is the Canadian representative on the UN FAO's Intergovernmental Group on Tea where she sits on a number of working groups as well as being the Vice-Chair of the working group on Smallholders and co-Chair of the working group on Tea and Health.Through her time as an entrepreneur and her industry involvement for over twenty years, she has a unique perspective on multiple angles of the business advocating for all.  Shabnam values the diversity offered by all parts of the tea industry, both in Canada and beyond and focuses always on the bigger picture.  About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph's Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre's Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa. About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row. Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America.

The circular economy is often wrongly characterised as a tech solution, or a solution for tech, but it's about much more than that.As we heard in episode 97, there are two cycles: the technical and biological one. In this episode, we're exploring the latter.Colin Webster from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation talks to farmer and soil advocate Abby Rose, and Gero Leson, Vice President of Special Operations at Dr. Bronner's, to hear about the benefits and practicalities of agriculture in a circular economy.--Useful links:Find out more about food and the circular economyCheck out Abby Rose's podcast FarmeramaLearn more about Dr Bronner's work with farmersDiscover more about the biological and technical cycles Listen to all episodes of the Circular Economy Show PodcastVisit the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's website

Selling livestock this autumn and winter? We have some wise words from Sarah Balfour on what to think about and how to navigate the auction mart system. This is the time of year for sales of breeding and store cattle and sheep.  Sarah and Siobhan discuss the current beef and sheep markets and tips on presentation. Siobhan also speaks to John William Gillies of the North Rasaay Sheep Stock Club, who discusses how they batch lambs at the mart, and the popular Portree sale of store calves.  For further information, have a look at this webinar which details buyer's requirements, feed conversion and handy tips: https://www.fas.scot/publication/going-to-market-managing-your-stock-in-preparation-for-selling/ and you might also be interested in this case study, which although not in a crofting area, describes how Nigel Millar sells his AA & BSH store calves to a finisher: https://www.fas.scot/publication/fas-beef-supply-chain-case-study-co-operative-strategy-finishes-cattle-in-the-scottish-borders/  Sarah mentions Agribusiness News, which is a publication with up-to-date monthly market and policy intelligence for farmers and crofters: https://www.fas.scot/rural-business/agribusiness-news/ Linked FAS resources:  A Guide to Buying and Selling at the Mart - https://www.fas.scot/downloads/a-guide-to-buying-and-selling-at-the-mart/  Croft & Small Farms: Store Livestock - Adding Value in Presentation - https://www.fas.scot/downloads/croft-small-farms-store-livestock-adding-value-in-presentation/  Small Lambs – A Problem or an Opportunity for Crofters and Smallholders? -https://www.fas.scot/downloads/small-lambs-a-problem-or-an-opportunity-for-crofters-and-smallholders/ 

Selling livestock this autumn and winter? We have some wise words from Sarah Balfour on what to think about and how to navigate the auction mart system. This is the time of year for sales of breeding and store cattle and sheep. Sarah and Siobhan discuss the current beef and sheep markets and tips on presentation. Siobhan also speaks to John William Gillies of the North Rasaay Sheep Stock Club, who discusses how they batch lambs at the mart, and the popular Portree sale of store calves. For further information, have a look at this webinar which details buyer's requirements, feed conversion and handy tips: https://www.fas.scot/publication/going-to-market-managing-your-stock-in-preparation-for-selling/ and you might also be interested in this case study, which although not in a crofting area, describes how Nigel Millar sells his AA & BSH store calves to a finisher: https://www.fas.scot/publication/fas-beef-supply-chain-case-study-co-operative-strategy-finishes-cattle-in-the-scottish-borders/ Sarah mentions Agribusiness News, which is a publication with up-to-date monthly market and policy intelligence for farmers and crofters: https://www.fas.scot/rural-business/agribusiness-news/Linked FAS resources: A Guide to Buying and Selling at the Mart - https://www.fas.scot/downloads/a-guide-to-buying-and-selling-at-the-mart/ Croft & Small Farms: Store Livestock - Adding Value in Presentation - https://www.fas.scot/downloads/croft-small-farms-store-livestock-adding-value-in-presentation/ Small Lambs – A Problem or an Opportunity for Crofters and Smallholders? -https://www.fas.scot/downloads/small-lambs-a-problem-or-an-opportunity-for-crofters-and-smallholders/

Title: Episode 42: Using the power of value chains to engage rubber producing smallholders, Interview with Sean Nyquist, FSC Value Chain Development Author(s): Worm, Loa Dalgaard

Across Wales there are hundreds of people farming a range of animals and crops on a smaller scale and through working together, to support each other, they're creating stronger rural communities. The Glamorgan Smallholders Association have seen an increase in membership during the pandemic. This week, Marieclare Carey Jones visits the Association's Produce Market, at Gileston Manor in the Vale of Glamorgan, to explore the smallholders' role in the Welsh countryside.

Horticultural Question Time -  in this podcast we posed the questions asked by you the FAS listeners to horticultural expert Audrey Litterick.  Lots of topics were covered from the difference between growing medium and compost, watering and growing potatoes on the machair to many more!  We hope you enjoyed the podcast with Audrey Litterick.  If you want to learn more, please see the materials on the FAS website https://www.fas.scot/downloads/composts-growing-media-the-facts/ The SCF handbook mentioned Horticulture Handbook - Scottish Crofting Federation

HEAR THE HEADLINES – Sri Lanka Abandons Fertilizer Ban for Tea | Kenya's KTDA Sets a Minimum Price for Auctioned Tea | AVPA Announces Teas of the World Winners| NEWSMAKER – Harkirat ”Harki” Sidhu, Rainforest Alliance India's Consulting Program Coordinator for Sustainable Landscapes & Livelihoods| FEATURES – This week Tea Biz travels to Calcutta, India for an in-depth conversation with Harkirat (Harki) Sidhu, Rainforest Alliance India's Consulting Program Coordinator for Sustainable Landscapes & Livelihoods. Harki is an expert in mechanical tea harvesters. He makes a compelling argument for improving tea quality utilizing labor hours that are gained by farms that invest in these time-saving machines.Mechanical Tea Harvesting Mechanical harvesting gets a bad rap. This is because poorly trained operators using poorly maintained equipment damage bushes, lowering yield and leaf quality. Simple routines such as level trimming in one direction in a single long sweep over half the plucking plane produces excellent leaf. Innovations like creating a seasonal calendar to regulate the gap between plucking rounds and paying workers for the area they shear, instead of by the kilo, keep yields high. Smallholders sharing equipment who then use the many hours of labor saved for field maintenance and to complete agricultural chores like pruning, mulching and weed abatement deliver raw leaf of exceptional quality to factories.

LINKS buymeacoffee.com/changeug The ChangeUnderground Academy No-Dig Gardening Course: https://worldorganicnews.com/changeunderground/ FREE eBook: https://worldorganicnews.com/freeebook/ email: jon@worldorganicnews.com Transcript https://worldorganicnews.com/episode268/ Bubugo Conservation Trust http://www.bubugoconservation.org/ ‘Six chickens somehow turned into 60!' Meet the families trying to live the Good Life in the pandemic https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jul/01/six-chickens-60-families-live-good-life-pandemic-grow-food Episode 267: https://worldorganicnews.com/episode267/ Episode 261: https://worldorganicnews.com/episode261/ URBAN SPRAWL SPARKS AGRARIAN REVOLUTION IN QUEENSLAND https://www.smallfarms.net/urban-sprawl-sparks-agrarian-revolution-in-queensland/ Biodynamics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodynamic_agriculture EPISODE 117 https://worldorganicnews.libsyn.com/117-biodynamics-and-soil-carbon-with-mark-rathbone-worldorganicnews-2018-05-21 Mark Rathbone https://www.saveoursoil.com.au/our-story-1 Episode 264 https://worldorganicnews.com/episode264/ HS2 Petition https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-hs2-from-destroying-anymore-ancient-woodlands-and-areas-of-important-wildlife-habitat?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1618039775&utm_campaign&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_source=facebook&share=3427643a-141b-43ea-a0bd-4f997d03710a&fbclid=IwAR3O86PQQUTlRNRwV4BbkFz8NbBfxhC-13sUkJfIOWXpT3wEsoM2O8rhsQE

LINKS buymeacoffee.com/changeug The ChangeUnderground Academy No-Dig Gardening Course: https://worldorganicnews.com/changeunderground/ FREE eBook: https://worldorganicnews.com/freeebook/ email: jon@worldorganicnews.com Transcript https://worldorganicnews.com/episode267/ Bubugo Conservation Trust http://www.bubugoconservation.org/ Journey to Forever: Small farms http://www.journeytoforever.org/farm.html UN agency urges support for small farmers to help them not just get by, but thrive and feed others https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/01/549962-un-agency-urges-support-small-farmers-help-them-not-just-get-thrive-and-feed Blue Corn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_corn Gabe Brown https://worldorganicnews.com/episode-254-when-we-lose-diversity/

Title: Episode 17: A FSC relevant for communities, smallholders and Indigenous Peoples; FSC Global Strategy 2021-2026, Episode 3 of 3 featuring Vera Santos, New Approaches Program Manager and Francisco Souza, Managing Director, FSC Indigenous Foundation Author(s): Worm, Loa Dalgaard

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to say that we are always in an age of crisis. Whether this entails more apocalyptic tendencies or more tempered framings, crisis seems to be a constant companion throughout human history.  At present, crises abound regarding climate change, exploitation of land, and soil degradation. We’re seeing major cracks in political economies, many of which stem from misguided cultural paradigms.  With an industrialized global economy based on fossil fuels and an ethos that disregards limits, we find ourselves in an unsustainable present, with what is becoming an increasingly likely catastrophic future. Most people agree that we can’t continue along the same trajectory we're currently on. Yet, many attempts to forestall the further collapse of prevailing systems appear insufficient for the tasks at hand. What will it take to shift toward more egalitarian and low-carbon societies? Is it possible for global supply chains to be ecologically sustainable and ethically justifiable? What negative impacts do global and industrialized political economies have regarding personal autonomy, spiritual fulfillment, community connectedness, and ecological conviviality? When should we practice skepticism toward centralized and tech-optimist solutions to our many crises? Jeffrey Howard speaks with Chris Smaje, a farmer and social scientist that has coworked a small farm in southwest England for more than 15 years. In his new book, A Small Farm Future (2020), he argues that societies built around local economies, self-provisioning, agricultural diversity, and commoning of certain ecological resources are our best shot for creating a sustainable future—in terms of the ecological, nutritional, and psychosocial.  In this small farm future, Smaje doesn’t imply that there will be no place for large farms or industrialization. Similarly, he doesn’t propose this vision as a panacea for all our problems nor as a utopia looking backward toward a romanticized past. There will be trade-offs. Difficult ones. He offers a melioristic way forward, believing that ecological and moral limits are going to force our hand, compelling us to consider more radical alternatives than the status quo allows. A Small Farm Future advances a surprising amount of optimism despite how much dominant systems are not only showing signs of significant breakdown—made more pronounced by the COVID pandemic—but suggesting their likely collapse. Whether or not the types of collapse Smaje discusses actually happen in the ways he anticipates, he believes that the earth’s population will be better off if we shift toward small-holding property ownership, oriented around place-based communities and local economies.  Several questions worth contemplating. In what ways does scaling up systems make us less able to deal with crises effectively? What advantages do permaculture and regenerative agriculture have over large-scale, monocultural approaches? What are some politically feasible ways to make land access more egalitarian? And what trade-offs might we have to make in moving toward a small farm future? Show Notes A Small Farm Future: Making the Case for a Society Built Around Local Economies, Self-Provisioning, Agricultural Diversity, and a Shared Earth by Chris Smaje (2021) Degrowth by Giorgos Kallis (2018) Limits: Why Malthus Was Wrong and Why Environmentalists Should Care by Giorgos Kallis (2019) Less Is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World by Jason Hickel (2021) Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm's Practical Guide to Liberation on Land by Leah Penniman (2018) Smallholders, Householders: Farm Families and the Ecology of Intensive, Sustainable Agriculture by Robert McC. Netting (1993) Stuffed and Starved: Markets, Power, and the Hidden Battle for the World’s Food System by Raj Patel (2007) Peasants and the Art of Farming by Jan Douwe van der Ploeg (2013) Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States by James Scott (2017) Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia by Steven Stoll (2017) A Small Farm Future blog by Chris Smaje

This week: Golden Agri-Resources head of sustainability implementation Gotz Martin talks about finding solutions for viable smallholder farmer communities, and some of the obstacles that prevent participatory conservation planning, including land title questions, insufficient incentives, lack of government support and up-front costs. Plus: over 1,500 net zero commitments from big business since 2019; brands accused of hypocrisy on plastic pollution in new Changing Markets report; and, innovators develop tyre microplastics solution, in the news roundup. Host: Ian Welsh

Genevieve Leveille, Founder and CEO of AgriLedger, a blockchain solution built on  R3’s Corda which has been used to support fruit growers out of Haiti. In this podcast, Genevieve shares with us how their solution enables supply chain through the use of value chain – value transfer and value retention throughout. She also shares how AgriLedger has helped farmers in Haiti get a 750% increase in revenue per kilo of quality mangos sold.   What is blockchain? For Genevieve, blockchain is an infrastructure technology. Blockchain is a mechanism to allow different parties, with different needs, to collaborate and create information exchange. It’s about capturing data in a fashion that is known to be true at the moment of capture. Genevieve is interested in the application of blockchain technology for the food industry. She explains that having food poisoning is usually due to the fact that you don’t know where the food came from, if it had the right refrigeration and other factors which blockchain could address.   Challenges of the Agro-Food Industry According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO): “An estimated 30% of the food produced for human consumption globally is lost or wasted somewhere along the food supply chain.” the world’s population is predicted to reach 9.1 billion by 2050 and this will require an increase of 70% in food availability. “Smallholders provide up to 80 percent of the food supply in Asian and sub-Saharan Africa.” At the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced a new global challenge for world leaders and individuals from all sectors: create a world where no one is hungry. He emphasized that there is enough food in the world to feed our population, so the challenge comes from making sure that everyone has access to the food they need to live happy, healthy lives. Ban called this initiative the Zero Hunger Challenge.   The Zero Hunger Challenge has five pillars: 100% access to food and nourishment all year round Ending stunting among children under two years of age Making all food systems more sustainable Doubling productivity and income for smallholder farmers Reducing food waste and post-harvest losses In spite of efforts to meet the zero hunger challenge, global hunger has been increasing even before the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations has warned, putting its Zero Hunger 2030 target in doubt. An annual study estimates almost 690 million people went hungry in 2019 – up by 10 million from 2018 and by nearly 60 million in five years according to the latest edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI).Across the globe, the Covid-19 crisis could tip over 130 million more people into chronic hunger by the end of 2020, the report predicts. According to Oxfam: “COVID-19 is deepening the hunger crisis in the world’s hunger hotspots and creating new epicentres of hunger across the globe. By the end of the year 12,000 people per day could die from hunger linked to COVID-19, potentially more than will die from the disease itself.” With classrooms closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two UN agencies are urging governments to act now to shore up the futures of the 370 million children worldwide who depend on school meals. Genevieve disagrees with the point that 30% of the food produced is wasted as this only measures food going from the farm to the table. It doesn’t measure the amount of food that goes into the fridge and that is ultimately thrown out. In her opinion it isn’t that we’re not producing enough food to feed everybody, it is that we’re wasting so much of it, or we don’t know where it is and it isn’t going to the right places. She believes that if we change and we reduce the amount of ways we handle food we can get closer to zero hunger. In addition to those challenges as there is a drop-in remittance coming in,

Title: Episode 9: Making FSC relevant for smallholders and communities worldwide. Interview with Vera Santos, New Approaches Project Manager at FSC Author(s): Loa, Worm

In this podcast Nnaemeka talks about how he got started on his journey, the role his companies play in helping farmers, how social entrepreneurship is a challenge must one jump into headfirst and lastly he hopes that everyone can be a change agent.

An NGO is organizing training camps in Kenya for coffee farmers. Here the next generation of growers can learn different cultivation methods and how to deal with the sudden and unexpected effects of climate change.

The focus of our special Covid-19 pandemic Weekly Wrap podcast series now turns to smallholder and emerging farmers, and the impact of Covid-19, and related restrictions on trade, on these farmers as Farmer's Weekly speaks to Aggrey Mahanjana, group managing director of the National Emergent Red Meat Producers' Organisation. South Africa's five-week long, hard lockdown will be ever so slightly eased from 1 May, when the country moves to a level-4 lockdown. In this episode of our special coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic podcast Farmer's Weekly SA editor, Denene Erasmus discusses some of the articles featured in the latest, 8 May, free digital issue of Farmer's Weekly. The magazine, (which can be read here www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-news/south-africa/read-the-8-may-digital-farmers-weekly-magazine-free/) features an article on the financial assistance available for farmers affected by COVID-19, an article on macadamia production with advice to help farmers achieve better crack-out, as well as a story explaining on how livestock farmers can rebuild their herds and veld, as well as recover financially, after a drought. The podcast also includes an interview that Farmer's Weekly journalist Sabrina Dean conducted Aggrey Mahanjana, group managing director of the National Emergent Red Meat Producers' Organisation. The conversation highlights how a lack of technology and other challenges specifically impact farmers in deep rural areas when it comes to being able to continue selling, or even apply for government aid during times of crisis, such as has been experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic and related national lockdown. Stay up to date with the latest agricultural news, views and analysis with a print or digital subscription to Farmer's Weekly visit www.farmersweekly.co.za

The focus of our special Covid-19 pandemic Weekly Wrap podcast series now turns to smallholder and emerging farmers, and the impact of Covid-19, and related restrictions on trade, on these farmers as Farmer's Weekly speaks to Aggrey Mahanjana, group managing director of the National Emergent Red Meat Producers' Organisation. South Africa's five-week long, hard lockdown will be ever so slightly eased from 1 May, when the country moves to a level-4 lockdown. In this episode of our special coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic podcast Farmer's Weekly SA editor, Denene Erasmus discusses some of the articles featured in the latest, 8 May, free digital issue of Farmer's Weekly. The magazine, (which can be read here www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-news/south-africa/read-the-8-may-digital-farmers-weekly-magazine-free/) features an article on the financial assistance available for farmers affected by COVID-19, an article on macadamia production with advice to help farmers achieve better crack-out, as well as a story explaining on how livestock farmers can rebuild their herds and veld, as well as recover financially, after a drought. The podcast also includes an interview that Farmer's Weekly journalist Sabrina Dean conducted Aggrey Mahanjana, group managing director of the National Emergent Red Meat Producers' Organisation. The conversation highlights how a lack of technology and other challenges specifically impact farmers in deep rural areas when it comes to being able to continue selling, or even apply for government aid during times of crisis, such as has been experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic and related national lockdown. Stay up to date with the latest agricultural news, views and analysis with a print or digital subscription to Farmer's Weekly visit www.farmersweekly.co.za

Conference minipod: Stephen Donofrio, director of Forest Trends’ Supply Chain Initiative, talks with Innovation Forum’s Tom Idle about the importance of business methodologies that engage with smallholder farmers and build long-term relationships. This one of a series of short podcasts summarising conference sessions recorded at Innovation Forum's sustainable landscapes and commodities event in London.  

On this podcast, Eco-Business talks to experts on how more smallholders can adopt sustainable practices. Tune in as we talk about: Smallholders—are they really responsible for the haze? What is the biggest challenge of moving smallholders towards sustainable practices? Is certification out of reach for smallholders? How has RSPO’s new standard for smallholders affected the market? What a sustainable future look like for smallholders, and how can we get there?

45 years. 22 countries. 350 cooperatives. 4 million farmers. These are easy numbers to share, admits Pim Mol, Director of Rabo Foundation. But they don’t tell the whole story of how a corporate foundation is empowering farmers to become self-reliant. A resilient global food system starts with the smallholder farmers who grow a staggering percentage of the world’s food. “Rabo Foundation focuses on the economic, social, and ecological impact,” says Mol. “It’s easy to state the big numbers, but what is happening with the smallholder farmers?”

Despite producing 80% of the world’s coffee, smallholder coffee farmers are struggling to survive. Smallholders are key to coffee sustainability and a core component of the third wave coffee movement and premiumization. How can the industry help smallholders improve yields and coffee quality? And then how does that benefit larger roasters and traders? To answer these questions, we recruited Isabel van Bemmelen, managing director of the Progreso Foundation, to discuss smallholders, big roasters and her organization’s block chain-backed trading platform, Beyco. This Episode also features Global Strategist, Stephen Rannekleiv, Sr. Analyst Jim Watson, and Analyst Bourcard Nesin.

LINKS CONTACT:  podcast@worldorganicnews.com Podcast Essentials: mrjonmoore.com PODCASTING LIKE A PRO: https://www.facebook.com/ProPodcasting/   Blog: www.worldorganicnews.com Facebook Page:  World Organic News Facebook page. WORLD ORGANIC NEWS No Dig Gardening Book: Click here Free Downloadable PDF Farming Books Click Here PodThoughts Click Here Permaculture Plus http://permacultureplus.com.au/ Scientist Develop Paper-Based Biodegradable Batteries to Curb e-Waste, Power Wastage https://wp.me/p5Cqpo-n1Z   Better many small than a few large: how landscape configuration affects arthropod communities in rice agroecosystems – The Applied Ecologist's Blog https://wp.me/p5Cqpo-n2g   High Yields Coupled With Habitat Preservation May Reduce Agricultural Carbon Emissions : The Salt : NPR https://wp.me/p5Cqpo-n1q   Truth or Click Bait: Did you Read “The Organic Industry is Lying to You”? | Organic Matters https://wp.me/p5Cqpo-n0u

LINKS CONTACT:  podcast@worldorganicnews.com Podcast Essentials: mrjonmoore.com PODCASTING LIKE A PRO: https://www.facebook.com/ProPodcasting/   Blog: www.worldorganicnews.com Facebook Page:  World Organic News Facebook page. WORLD ORGANIC NEWS No Dig Gardening Book: Click here Free Downloadable PDF Farming Books Click Here PodThoughts Click Here

This is a coffee farmed by selected outgrowers and processed at the Frinsa Estate located in West Java, locally called Sunda. Frinsa is a farm that's about 110 hectares in size and sits between 1,300 - 1,600 metres above sea level. They have a wetmill located at 1,400 m.a.s.l. as well as a well ventilated storage space and a dry mill which means they are in fully control of their product from harvest to grading, sorting and shipment. The coffee is dry fermented, soaked, pre-dried on raised beds and finished off on the patio. Wildan and his wife Atieq started their first coffee project in Sindangkerta, Weninggalih area in 2010 which later became the main growing area at his farm Java Frinsa Estate. Since the first year of production, Wildan has aimed to focus on quality which requires meticulous attention and processes. While the majority of Indonesian producers are doing the wet hulled coffees, even for specialty, Wildan is focusing on the fully washed. Besides the quality, and social and economic impact for the community, I believe his coffee project will also have long term benefits for water conservation and reforestation in the area. Frinsa Estate have 6 main growing plots spread out in the area and they buy cherries from a few selected outgrowers from the surroundings of the Estate. Weninggalih : 60 hectare (plan for another 50 hectare expansion) Altitude is about 1,400 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Sigararutang, Lini S795, Borbor, Timtim, Andungsari, Ateng Super, P88, Blue Mountain and Belawan Pesuma. Mekarwangi: 10 hectare, altitude about 1,400 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Typica, Sigararutang and Lini S795. Tilu Mountain: 10 hectare altitudes about 1,600 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Sigararutang, Lini S795, Borbor, Timtim, Andungsari, P88 and Kopyol. Pengalengan: 20 hectare, altitudes about 1,500 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Typica, Sigararutang, Borbor, Andungsari and P88. Malabar Mountain: 5 hectare, altitudes about 1,600 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Sigararutang, Lini S795 and Andungsari. Garut: 4 hectare (in partnership with the local smallholder farmers) Altitudes is about 1,300 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Sigararutang, Lini S795, Andungsari and P88. Most of the coffees are fully washed but they do some wet-hulled and naturals, mainly for the local market. Their coffees are always separated in lots by field location, cultivar, and date of picking. The parchment are stored in plastic bags with LDPE liners Through cooperation with a coffee research center they have been planting a lot of other different unknown cultivars, all separated by blocks in the farm. As the farm and the trees are still very young nobody knows how the flavour profile for many of these trees will come out, but how exciting is that?! Harvesting: coffees are harvesting from May – September, with the main harvest from June- August. The coffees are picked and then hand sorted for unripe and diseased cherries. Processing: after harvesting the coffees are dry fermented in small tanks 15-18 hours before they are rinsed and soaked under water for another 10-12 hours and washed under clean water. Drying: they mainly dry on patio, but are investing in way more drying tables for the future. Currently most of the coffees are pre dried on beds for a day or two in green houses and then transferred to the patio. Drying can take 14-20 days, depending on the rain during the drying period. Varietal: there's some disagreement on the exact history of the Sigarar Utang varietal, but it's become a popular one in Indonesia. It's thought to be a Catimor, descended from Hibrido de Timor (also the parent of many other catimors around the world and a natural Robusta-Arabica hybrid that was discovered in Timor). Sigarar Utang roughly translates as Paid Debt and refers to the fact that the varietal starts producing a crop in only 18 months to 2 years rather than the 3 years typically needed for new coffee plants - so farmers can start to earn money back on their investment quickly. It's considered a semi-dwarf varietal - usually quite short but occasionally said to grow tall when left unattended. In the cup it starts unexpectedly with the flavour of apricot yoghurt, before swinging into the more classic Indonesian flavours of dark chocolate digestive biscuit and a shoulder of peppery spice on the finish. Country: Indonesia Region: West Java Region: Weninggalih City: Sindangkerta Farm: Frinsa Estate Producers: Smallholder Farmers Varietal: Sigarar Utang Processing method: Fully Washed Altitude: 1,300-1,600 m.a.s.l. CUPPING NOTES Apricot yoghurt, dark chocolate, digestive biscuit, pepper. Clean cup: (1–8): 6 Sweetness: (1–8): 6.5 Acidity: (1–8): 6 Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6.5 Flavour: (1–8): 6.5 Aftertaste: (1–8): 6.5 Balance: (1–8): 7 Overall: (1–8): 6 Correction: (+36): +36 Total: (max. 100): 87 Roasting Information Medium dark - through first crack and all the way up to the cusp of second crack and drop before it really starts to get going. "Quick Look" Guide Apricot yoghurt, dark chocolate, digestive biscuit, pepper.

This is a coffee farmed by selected outgrowers and processed at the Frinsa Estate located in West Java, locally called Sunda. Frinsa is a farm that's about 110 hectares in size and sits between 1,300 - 1,600 metres above sea level. They have a wetmill located at 1,400 m.a.s.l. as well as a well ventilated storage space and a dry mill which means they are in fully control of their product from harvest to grading, sorting and shipment. The coffee is dry fermented, soaked, pre-dried on raised beds and finished off on the patio. Wildan and his wife Atieq started their first coffee project in Sindangkerta, Weninggalih area in 2010 which later became the main growing area at his farm Java Frinsa Estate. Since the first year of production, Wildan has aimed to focus on quality which requires meticulous attention and processes. While the majority of Indonesian producers are doing the wet hulled coffees, even for specialty, Wildan is focusing on the fully washed. Besides the quality, and social and economic impact for the community, I believe his coffee project will also have long term benefits for water conservation and reforestation in the area. Frinsa Estate have 6 main growing plots spread out in the area and they buy cherries from a few selected outgrowers from the surroundings of the Estate. Weninggalih : 60 hectare (plan for another 50 hectare expansion) Altitude is about 1,400 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Sigararutang, Lini S795, Borbor, Timtim, Andungsari, Ateng Super, P88, Blue Mountain and Belawan Pesuma. Mekarwangi: 10 hectare, altitude about 1,400 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Typica, Sigararutang and Lini S795. Tilu Mountain: 10 hectare altitudes about 1,600 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Sigararutang, Lini S795, Borbor, Timtim, Andungsari, P88 and Kopyol. Pengalengan: 20 hectare, altitudes about 1,500 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Typica, Sigararutang, Borbor, Andungsari and P88. Malabar Mountain: 5 hectare, altitudes about 1,600 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Sigararutang, Lini S795 and Andungsari. Garut: 4 hectare (in partnership with the local smallholder farmers) Altitudes is about 1,300 m.a.s.l. The cultivars grown are Sigararutang, Lini S795, Andungsari and P88. Most of the coffees are fully washed but they do some wet-hulled and naturals, mainly for the local market. Their coffees are always separated in lots by field location, cultivar, and date of picking. The parchment are stored in plastic bags with LDPE liners Through cooperation with a coffee research center they have been planting a lot of other different unknown cultivars, all separated by blocks in the farm. As the farm and the trees are still very young nobody knows how the flavour profile for many of these trees will come out, but how exciting is that?! Harvesting: coffees are harvesting from May – September, with the main harvest from June- August. The coffees are picked and then hand sorted for unripe and diseased cherries. Processing: after harvesting the coffees are dry fermented in small tanks 15-18 hours before they are rinsed and soaked under water for another 10-12 hours and washed under clean water. Drying: they mainly dry on patio, but are investing in way more drying tables for the future. Currently most of the coffees are pre dried on beds for a day or two in green houses and then transferred to the patio. Drying can take 14-20 days, depending on the rain during the drying period. Varietal: there's some disagreement on the exact history of the Sigarar Utang varietal, but it's become a popular one in Indonesia. It's thought to be a Catimor, descended from Hibrido de Timor (also the parent of many other catimors around the world and a natural Robusta-Arabica hybrid that was discovered in Timor). Sigarar Utang roughly translates as Paid Debt and refers to the fact that the varietal starts producing a crop in only 18 months to 2 years rather than the 3 years typically needed for new coffee plants - so farmers can start to earn money back on their investment quickly. It's considered a semi-dwarf varietal - usually quite short but occasionally said to grow tall when left unattended. In the cup it starts unexpectedly with the flavour of apricot yoghurt, before swinging into the more classic Indonesian flavours of dark chocolate digestive biscuit and a shoulder of peppery spice on the finish. Country: Indonesia Region: West Java Region: Weninggalih City: Sindangkerta Farm: Frinsa Estate Producers: Smallholder Farmers Varietal: Sigarar Utang Processing method: Fully Washed Altitude: 1,300-1,600 m.a.s.l. CUPPING NOTES Apricot yoghurt, dark chocolate, digestive biscuit, pepper. Clean cup: (1–8): 6 Sweetness: (1–8): 6.5 Acidity: (1–8): 6 Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6.5 Flavour: (1–8): 6.5 Aftertaste: (1–8): 6.5 Balance: (1–8): 7 Overall: (1–8): 6 Correction: (+36): +36 Total: (max. 100): 87 Roasting Information Medium dark - through first crack and all the way up to the cusp of second crack and drop before it really starts to get going. "Quick Look" Guide Apricot yoghurt, dark chocolate, digestive biscuit, pepper.

Links Cricket Is Just a Better Chicken http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-eZa Joel Salatin: Polyface Farm Small Scale Farming the Only Way Forward http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-f1B UN Reports: Wake Up Before it’s Too Late UN report from 2010 **** This is the World Organic News for the week ending 8th of May 2017. Jon Moore reporting! From the blog ilkkataponen comes an infographic post: Cricket Is Just a Better Chicken. The premise of this infographic is industrial. The argument goes like this: insects use less water, pollute less and are a better form of protein for us than beef, pork, chevon, lamb or poultry. In a factory setting, cattle, pigs, goats, sheep and poultry suffer unspeakably in factory farming situations. Part of the argument in favour of moving to crickets or locusts or whatever insect you might choose is that they will suffer less because their living requirements are far less demanding than the “higher”, in inverted commas, animals. This is a questionable starting point. These animals do have nervous systems and, therefore, can feel suffering. So let’s take a deeper look at this idea. Apart from the ick factor which is purely a consequence of most of us never having lived through a famine, the idea is has some merit. The idea isn’t that we sit down, necessarily, to a plate of barbecued crickets on sticks, although that is one option. My understanding is insects will be bred, grown out on some sort of “waste” product, killed, dried and milled. That’s milled as in wheat through a grain mill. The end product is a protein based powder, perfect for adding to manufactured foodstuffs. Hopefully you can see where this going. Feedlots or CAFOs as they are euphemistically called are not all that efficient. CAFO, of course, standing for confined animal feeding operations. So the “inefficient” in inverted commas, cattle are to be replaced with the far more industrially suited crickets. The cricket powder can then be combined with all sorts of things to create burgers, sausages, protein drinks and on and on. Under the banner of cruelty free efficiency, cows are out and crickets, locusts, maybe some sort of beetle will be the food source of the ever growing urban agglomerations. Indeed if we take this to it’s logical conclusion, the pupae state of the insect’s life cycle may hold sufficient protein to save even more time and resources. Imagine, powdered maggots! Now this will need the marketing types to put it through their magical processes but maggots raised on dog droppings. The efficiencies are truly mind blowing. I am reminded of a quote from Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms that goes something like this: We humans are really good at hitting any target we aim at. It’s just that we don’t seem to ask if the target was worth hitting. I hear you ask, could there, perhaps, be another way of feeding the world that doesn’t involve the incarceration of chickens, pigs and cattle or the mass raising and processing of insects? I’m glad you asked. The blog: TAUNTON FARMERS MARKET brings us an interesting post entitled: Small Scale Farming the Only Way Forward Longish Quote: The UN has commissioned several reports in recent years regarding climate change and the effect agriculture has on it and, as a consequence, world hunger. The reports make interesting reading, especially in regard to how changes in farming practices could have a profound impact on slowing global warming and alleviating poverty and hunger throughout the world.  ‘Wake Up Before it’s Too Late‘, an extensive report drawing from over 60 experts worldwide, and an earlier document, UN report from 2010, both show that the only realistic way to feed the world in the future is to use organic and sustainable methods. End Quote These reports seemed to have been euthanized by ignoring them. Promoting local sustainable production of healthy, poison free food is going to ruffle some feathers. Pretty big feathers that are receiving government subsidies, good profit margins and healthy future growth projections. Yet we must, I believe, look more deeply into the material raised by the UN. A short sidetrack. Unlike quite a few people I’ve discovered online, I do not believe the UN is a stalking horse to place us all under their direct control. Further I don’t believe that such a conspiracy could be possible. I’ve worked at large organisations and spent time in the military. From these examples I have formed the conclusion we are just too erratic as a species for any global level conspiracy to work. Of the two causes of history, conspiracy or cock up,I’m firmly in the cock up school. End podcast sidetrack. The post points out that although the UN calls for a reduction in ruminant numbers to meet greenhouse gas emission targets this is not pertinent to smallholders: Quote: This is mainly an issue for industrialised livestock systems and not for smallholders. Due to carbon sequestration in pastures, pastoral livestock systems can even be carbon-neutral if herd sizes are adequately low. End Quote. Indeed, as I discussed last week, when talking about soil carbon, having stock on pasture, distributing their manures themselves is a great way to build soil carbon. Having the farms closely co-located with the people being fed has other advantages too: Quote: 20-40% of food is lost globally, mainly as a result of wastage in industrialised countries. Avoiding losses and wastage would reduce the output needed and the corresponding GHG emissions. End Quote We’ve discussed this before too. It’s not just the waste, which is a concern itself but the food kilometres or miles. Transport of inputs to feedlots, transport of outputs and weather the manures are processed at all, all add to the carbon footprint of industrial meat. You can see why the cricket idea could appeal but I’d prefer to see smallholders encouraged and supported by the political system. I’m not holding my breath for that to happen. The advantages of smallholdings make them viable, if debt free, without government initiatives. They can, therefore, become a sort of economic insurgency movement until enough are up and running. Imagine a world where food traveled from as far afield as your nearest golf course. Imagine that golf course redistributed as a series of smallholdings, interconnected, supporting each other and feeding their local communities. Think on this the next time your pass any golf course and imagine what could be. And that brings us to the end of this week’s podcast. If you’ve liked what you heard, please tell everyone you know any way you can! I’d also really appreciate a review on iTunes. This may or may not help others to find us but it gives this podcaster an enormous thrill! Thanks in advance! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms of the podcast or blog are most welcome. email me at podcast@worldorganicnews.com. Thank you for listening and I'll be back in a week. **** Links Cricket Is Just a Better Chicken http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-eZa Joel Salatin: Polyface Farm Small Scale Farming the Only Way Forward http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-f1B UN Reports: Wake Up Before it’s Too Late UN report from 2010

Links   WORLD ORGANIC NEWS in the Australian Podcast Awards Click here   Addressing smallholder farmers’ needs with green manure cover crops and agroforestry in Zambia http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-eay   Improved manure management – getting more from a limited resource | Africa RISING http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-ebT   Conservation agriculture – a system to adapt to climate variability and declining soil fertility in Zambia | Africa RISING http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-edg   Soil networks become more connected and take up more carbon as nature restoration progresses – Permie Flix http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-eeh   ***   This is the World Organic News for the week ending 13th of February 2017. Jon Moore reporting!   This weeks focus is Small Holders! I saw a graphic on facebook the other day showing the production from industrial farms Versus smallholders. 30% of the world's food production coming from the industrial sector and 70% from smallholders.   This is a sector in need of support. Starvation or rather the threat of starvation tends drive systems to stability. If we change something we might well starve next winter. This is quite understandable yet something over which we have no control is changing, The Climate.   Watching an edition of Landline on the ABC last month I heard a farmer here in Australia telling the interviewer he was certain the climate was changing. His evidence? Silage making used to start in the first week of November, late Spring. Now He starts in the last week of August, two and a half months earlier. Even Alice Springs, in the dead centre of the Australian Continent is now regularly receiving rain during winter. So when the people on the ground can see the changes we need to take heed.   Smallhalodings are more resilient as a rule. They have greater tree cover, deeper soils full or organic matter and are by their nature not monocultural. A variety of crops and livestock are kept. This means some form of production will always occur barring a ten year drought. And these are happening too.   The blog Africa RISING brings us three posts: Addressing smallholder farmers’ needs with green manure cover crops and agroforestry in Zambia, Conservation agriculture – a system to adapt to climate variability and declining soil fertility in Zambia & Improved manure management – getting more from a limited resource.   The danger for smallholders is the enticement of the petrochemical industry and the call of “The West”. Perhaps fortunately inorganic fertilisers are 3 to 5 times the price they are in Europe. Growing as if these fertilisers had been applied but not doing so depletes the soil and leads inevitably to the collapse of the system. A poverty trap of enormous proportions.   Africa RISING provides a solution. An example from Zambia: Quote: In Eastern Province of Zambia, farmers are being offered a range of solutions by Africa RISING that provide a way out of this poverty trap. These technologies, options, and approaches include drought- and stress-tolerant maize germplasm, conservation agriculture (CA), improved rotation and intercropping with grain legumes, agroforestry, and green manure cover crops. End Quote.   In effect, apart from the seed selection options, a return to the traditional smallholder’s way of farming.   That being said, pretty much the entire globe is now trapped in a money system of some sort. The need for income has also driven many mixed livestock/cropping smallholders to feed off crop residues rather than leave them on the soil surface to protect that precious resource.   Quote: The use of CA (CA = Conservation Agriculture) principles (minimum soil disturbance, crop residue retention, and diversification through rotation and intercropping) hinges on the ability of farmers to retain sufficient surface crop residues to protect the soil from erosion, runoff, evaporation, and excessive temperatures. However, farmers in mixed crop-livestock systems face competing demands for these residues because they also feed them to their animals. Green manure and selected agroforestry species are therefore grown to improve the soil, generate biomass for ground cover, and provide fodder; some also produce high protein grain for food, feed, or for sale on the market. End Quote   This is the way I’d like to see more of the world’s agronomic resources put to use. It overlaps rather nicely with the methods and principles of Permaculture.   And the system has been tested in the fire of El Nino. Quote: Conservation agriculture systems have been successfully tried and tested in eastern Zambia since 2011. More than 20,000 farmers have been exposed to CA by SIMLEZA-Africa RISING, the predecessor project of Africa RISING, which continues to sensitize and train more farmers. Farmers benefitted from increased use of CA technologies by gradually increasing crop yields leading to a solid yield benefit of 117% (1942 kg/ha) in a manually direct seeded maize crop following cowpea as compared with the conventional practice in the 2014/2015 cropping season. Rip-line seeding led to a 109% yield benefit (1993 kg/ha) as compared to the conventionally tilled practice. It is the years with seasonal dry-spells and erratic rainfall, such as this last El Niño year, where CA provides its greatest benefits to smallholder farming systems. End Quote.   This stuff works, this will feed the world without any doubt. I used to think some large broad acre grain producers may be needed to cover severe drought and flood conditions. Upon reflection and through a real estate search of north western Europe I discovered nearly every village had a grain mill, local varieties of wheat were grown, well, locally. A return to this sort of diversification may be still be an option. Either way a workable transport system is essential to move foods from areas of surplus to those of deficiency.   The principles of Conservation Agriculture are well established as workable. The previous quote showed how it can be introduced: by running it next to paddocks not using the CA principles. Seeing is believing.   Our last article this week is from the blog Permie Flix. They tend to specialise in Permaculture related videos but this is a written post. Soil networks become more connected and take up more carbon as nature restoration progresses.   These underground systems just become more fascinating for me with each passing article. Not only do these fungal communities communicate between trees, pass nutrients in exchange for sugar they also sequester carbon! I wonder what would happen if we ended deforestation and then started reafforestation? Do you think we could first ameliorate and then reverse the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? It’s almost as if the great forests of the world act as a buffer to atmospheric variations. Who'd have thunk it?   And that brings us to the end of this week’s podcast.   If you’ve liked what you heard, could please follow the link in the show notes and vote for World Organic News in the Australian Podcast Awards Click here Thanks in advance.   Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms of the podcast or blog are most welcome. email me at podcast@worldorganicnews.com.   Thank you for listening and I'll be back in a week.   *** Links   WORLD ORGANIC NEWS in the Australian Podcast Awards Click here   Addressing smallholder farmers’ needs with green manure cover crops and agroforestry in Zambia http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-eay   Improved manure management – getting more from a limited resource | Africa RISING http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-ebT   Conservation agriculture – a system to adapt to climate variability and declining soil fertility in Zambia | Africa RISING http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-edg   Soil networks become more connected and take up more carbon as nature restoration progresses – Permie Flix http://wp.me/p5Cqpo-eeh  

If you experience any technical difficulties with this video or would like to make an accessibility-related request, please send a message to digicomm@uchicago.edu. Stephanie Hanson, director of policy and outreach at One Acre Fund, gives a presentation titled "Can Smallholder Farmers Feed the World?" at Swift Hall on June 25, 2012. Her presentation provides an overview of One Acre Fund's outreach in East Africa in training and equipping small farmers and outlines One Acre Fund's ambitious plans for expansion by 2020. Hanson's presentation was part of a three-day Summer Teacher Institute titled "Feeding the World: Challenges to Achieving Food Security." The Institute was presented by the University of Chicago Center for International Studies and cosponsored by the Program on the Global Environment, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the Center for East European and Russian Eurasian Studies, and the Global Health Initiative. The resources associated with this lecture can be found at: http://cis.uchicago.edu/outreach/summerinstitute/2012/resources.shtml#hanson