October 27, 2021 | No. 34 |
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Call for Chapters: Global Agricultural and Food Marketing in a Global Context: Advancing Policy, Management, and Innovation
This book will aim to provide relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings in the area. It will be written for agricultural graduates, academics, agricultural economists, and agricultural extension officials who want to improve their understanding of the strategic role of trust at different levels of the information and knowledge society, that is, trust at the level of the local and global economy, of networks and organizations, of teams and workgroups, of information systems and, finally, trust at the level of individuals as actors in the agricultural marketing environments. Read more
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Cornell alumni honored for plant breeding work in Africa
Two Cornell alumni with deep ties to plant breeding efforts in Africa were recognized for outstanding work building capacity to improve food security on the continent. Ronnie Coffman, Ph.D. ’71 and Joe DeVries, Ph.D. ’95 received the Distinguished Award for Meritorious Service from the African Plant Breeders Association (APBA) Oct. 26 at the APBA conference in Rwanda. Read more
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How Adaptation Can Make Africa Safer, Greener and More Prosperous in a Warming World
State and Trends in Adaptation 2021 combines in-depth analyses, case studies, and viewpoints from those on the frontlines of climate change impacts in Africa. It presents a detailed blueprint for action: offering innovative adaptation and resilience ideas, solutions, and policy recommendations. The results are clear and compelling. Adaptation measures can be enormously cost effective and have the potential to start a positively reinforcing cycle of benefits. As these measures protect people and communities from floods, droughts, and others impacts, they also help lift people out of poverty, reduce hunger and undernourishment, raise incomes and living standards, fight diseases, create jobs, reduce inequality, mitigate the risk of conflicts, and give voice to the most vulnerable. These realizable results, in turn, further increase resilience to climate impacts. Read more
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New Free Econometrics Courses on the Econometrics Academy
There is a new Econometrics course by Ani Katchova on the Econometrics Academy website and her YouTube channel. This is a Master’s level Econometrics course taught with Stata or R. Topics include multiple linear regression, regression inference, heteroscedasticity, indicator variables, panel data models, instrumental variables, probit and logit models, and more. Each topic has a video with lecture material and then a video with Stata or R estimating the models. The Econometrics Academy has previously posted a PhD level Econometrics course. Videos on Stata and R tutorials, panel data models, probit and logit models, propensity score matching, and time series econometrics have been the most watched. Read more
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The Land Accelerator: A curated network and accelerator program for entrepreneurs who restore degraded forests and farmland
From boosting agricultural yields to creating jobs and fighting climate change, there are multiple benefits to making degraded land healthy again. Landscape restoration creates environmental and economic benefits by revitalizing ecosystems and rural communities. Across the world, companies with a wide range of business models are making money from growing millions of trees and transforming agriculture. Yet in rural areas, where producing agricultural commodities on restored land is cost-effective, entrepreneurs face limited access to capital and technical expertise. https://www.wri.org/initiatives/land-accelerator. Read more
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Call for Chapters: Agricultural Education for Development in the Arab Countries
This book provides the reader with all the essential knowledge, know-how and ways and means to enhance all elements of agricultural secondary, post-secondary, and university education programs to effectively prepare students for successful careers in global agriculture, multi-national food supply chains and natural resource management. This text, with emphasis on the Arab world, is of great value to higher education and agricultural technical school systems, ministries of education and agriculture, agribusiness and community leaders, policy makers, environmental agencies, and international research and development entities. Read more
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Impacts of the Cocoa Living Income Differential Policy in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire
Poverty continues to be a widespread issue among cocoa farmers while chocolate consumers become increasingly sensitive for the sustainability issues associated with the supply chain. The poverty issue is often attributed to the low prices of cocoa and the unequal distribution of profit margins across the chocolate value chain, at least partially. Poverty, in turn, is considered to be the root of further sustainability issues. To raise the value share and price accruing to their farmers by leveraging their collective market power, the two biggest cocoa producing countries Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana jointly announced in 2019 the cocoa Living Income Differential (LID) policy. The question is to what extent and under which circumstances could the policy reach this goal in the long run, considering the numerous unknowns around the details of the policy and market actors’ reactions, and how sustainable it is. Read more
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FAO launches radio program on climate-smart agriculture in Somalia
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said Tuesday it has introduced a new cycle of radio programs mainly focusing on the impact of climate change on food security in Somalia. Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO Representative in Somalia said the programs which will focus on climate-smart agriculture, will be an extension of the radio training modules which the FAO launched in 2020 to adapt to COVID-19 constraints. Peterschmitt said there is a need to highlight the impact of climate change on food production and educate stakeholders on the same. Read more
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With #COP26 around the corner, explore how a proactive approach to drought management could help Southern Africa
Southern Africa has historically been one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to the effects of droughts. Over the past 30 years, rainfall has been declining in the southern African drylands. From 1980 to 2015, droughts cost the region US$3.4 billion, directly affecting more than 100 million people. Looking ahead, the region is expected to become hotter and drier with climate change – a trend that will increase the likelihood of even more extreme droughts. Read more
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COP26: Funding Innovation is Crucial for Strengthening Climate-Stressed Food Systems
Today’s agrifood systems no longer simply feed people. They must also provide nutrition, promote livelihoods, protect the environment, and tackle climate change – often all at once. Financing and unlocking innovations are needed to address these challenges together. If our food, land and water systems are ever able to achieve society’s mounting demands, we must ensure our priorities are in order and begin to properly finance them. Ultimately, all of the ambition generated around the UN Food Systems Summit will fall short if we fail to finance the new research and innovation we know we need. Read more
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African Association of Agricultural Economists c/o University of Nairobi, C.A.V.S, Upper Kabete Campus Loresho Ridge Road, Nairobi, Kenya |
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