Opinions

Increasing biodiversity is the new kid on the block for sustainability professionals. But solving it will require investing in the old guard that we keep overlooking. February 9, 2023 Biodiversity is poised to become this year’s biggest sustainability trend. Following the “Paris agreement for biodiversity” reached at COP15 in Montreal …

Agriculture is a major contributor to climate change. But it is also part of the solution. Smallholder farmers are key to reducing emissions as they tend not to use harmful fertilizers or machinery powered by fossil fuels. That’s why, at COP27, IFAD and the United States launched the Global Methane Pledge partnership to …

There is widespread agreement that land reform in South Africa has failed to deliver the changes many hoped it would. Racially based dislocation and land dispossession were central features of colonial conquest and apartheid rule. To redress this, in 1994, the newly elected African National Congress (ANC) set a target of …

The Middle East is beatified with the highest rate of deposit minerals as home to over 80% of oil and 40% of gas deposits globally. Despite these blessings and natural resources, the region is unable to meet its food needs due to a lack of arable land, a shortage of …

By Berrak Birgili, The Qur’an al-Kahf Surah 32-34. The verses describe the agro-forestry system and it is defined as a form of production that brings high income for years. Surah: 32-” Give them the example of these two men, who We granted two vineyards to one of them, surrounded them …

Open Sesame! This is the magical phrase that seems to work wonders. Is there anyone who does not know this expression from the tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, one of the exciting stories of the Thousand and One Nights? The expression “Open Sesame Open” was first used in the …

It’s been an extremely hot couple weeks since we last spoke. Europe has had devastating fires, and more than 2,000 people have died there of heat-related illness. China and India sizzled in extreme heat, and the consequences for countries in the Global South were devastating. In Seville, Spain, the deadly …

These days, we order cheese on everything, from pizzas to burgers, tacos, and chicken sandwiches. But that wasn’t always the case. This week, we’re exploring the intersection of agriculture, history, and economics to take you back to a specific date and unpack how chaotic, unsettled, and flat-out bizarre history can be. …

According to the United Nations, we’re moving into a cost-of-living crisis unlike anything seen in a generation. One large component of that crisis is skyrocketing food prices. In March, the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Food Price Index hit a record high, retreating only slightly in April and May. However, …

Author Michael Pollan on how coffee and tea awakened a new form of consciousness for Western civilization… Whether in the form of tea, coffee, or a potent energy drink, there’s no denying the near-universal appeal of caffeine. This tiny molecule has been consumed for centuries in beverages and foods that …