Union for the Mediterranean’s Post

I’m happy to share that our research brief, titled “Analysis of Policy Responses to Seed, Fertilizer, Food, and Fuel Shocks in Three African Regional Economic Communities,” has been published in the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD)! This work explores critical policy responses to address shocks in agricultural inputs and resources, offering insights into how African Regional Economic Communities can strengthen food systems resilience. 🔗 Read the abstract and full brief here: https://lnkd.in/dzGAaVBR Let’s continue driving impactful conversations on sustainable food systems and policy innovation! 🌱📊 #PolicyAnalysis #FoodSystems #AfricanAgriculture #JAFSCD #Research #Sustainability Dr Joyce Maru

Very insightful Research brief on Analysis of policy responses to seed, fertilizer, food and fuel shocks in three African Regional Economic Communities. worth a read. https://lnkd.in/d2iVTGcy

“Food production increasingly has a broad environmental impact on our planet. About 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. Additionally, agriculture accounts for approximately 80 percent of water usage. If we continue with business as usual, we run the risk of seriously damaging our planet. This report explores how revolutionizing the food system can lead to a better future by decoupling environmental impact from food production. Policymakers should take inspiration from this report and incorporate scientific findings into their decision-making processes to steer us towards a more sustainable path.” Børge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum on the new Food System Economics Commission Global Policy Report. 👉 https://bit.ly/3HNU88x

Towards integrating the WEF nexus into food systems thinking: A case study of the Philippi Horticultural Area In a case study of the peri-urban Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA) outside Cape Town, South Africa, AMIENA BAYAT and MARK VOLMINK uncover the many issues and racial legacies that negatively impact the security and equitable distribution of water, land and energy resources and suggest how the embryonic water, energy and food or WEF nexus applications, already prevalent in the PHA, could strengthen food production and security. By Amiena Bayat and Mark Volmink 📌 Read this article from New Agenda 94: Towards integrating the WEF nexus into food systems thinking --> https://bit.ly/na94_wef 📚 Read the full publication --> https://lnkd.in/dW9keq36

✨ Exciting News! ✨ I’m proud to share that I am a co-author of the newly published chapter titled "Methods for Soilborne Disease Regulation from a Systems Perspective in the Global South"! 🌱📚 In this chapter, we explore how a healthy soil system, with its interconnected components like substrate, microbiome, and environmental factors, is crucial for sustainable crop production. Our research emphasizes that integrated soilborne disease management strategies—such as tillage, crop rotation, biological control, and soil sanitation techniques—are essential for balancing productivity and environmental stewardship. We address the challenges of soilborne diseases, especially in the context of the Global South, and provide a comprehensive overview of current methods like steam sterilization, solarization, and biofumigation. We also discuss their strengths, weaknesses, and how they can be integrated into sustainable agricultural practices. Our work sheds light on future perspectives for maintaining soil health while ensuring ecosystem integrity. This research is vital for advancing crop production and food security in a world facing growing environmental challenges.

Did you know that microplastics can inhibit the water holding capacity of soils? Or that there are hundreds of thousands of potential antibiotic compounds in soil yet to be identified? Neither did I until I read this paper. We're still so much in the dark about soils and their impact on human health, despite a massive accumulation of qualitative data. This is true of so much of the natural world. Our reductionist, human centric view of the last several centuries, has blinkered us to the interconnectedness of all things. Time for that to change ... https://lnkd.in/g3Yq8xbQ

Public procurement powering agroecological transformation in Europe Local governments, public procurers, and researchers in big and small cities across Europe are coming together to alter enable food procurement from agroecological and local farmers. For instance, Copenhagen municipal policy now ensures the environmental impact, quality, and diversity of products are weighted more than the price of the products in choosing food vendors. Other changes seen are happening in the creation of dedicated ‘food schools’ where food literacy and experiences on farms and cooking are incorporated into the curriculum. Moving forward, structural changes within EU policy is needed to help other cities along in their support of local agroecological farmers. https://lnkd.in/eFRDncTt Authors: Csilla Kiss and Lindy Binder are from Coventry University’s Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR) in the UK. Csilla supports international research projects at CAWR, and Lindy is a writer and communicator specialising in environmental and justice narratives. This article is an outcome of the COACH research project, in which both authors are involved.

Check out the #bioeconomy and #food focus for #HorizonEU

What does cropland expansion mean for our planet? How can we feed a growing population without expanding croplands into valuable natural ecosystems?     Register for our webinar to hear from crop monitoring experts from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Bezos Earth Fund and Land & Carbon Lab, and find out how the latest advancements in geospatial monitoring of the world’s crops can help create more sustainable food systems: https://bit.ly/3WbW9Uh CGIAR

Just food study📄   Join us as we delve into one of our studies uncovering insights on reducing GHG emissions in Finnish agriculture. Just food researchers Heikki Lehtonen, Ellen Huan-Niemi, and Jyrki Niemi from the Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus shed light on challenges and solutions for a more sustainable food system. Swipe through to learn more! 📚   Link to the full article 👉 https://lnkd.in/dFVSNPzz