Trade War to Trade Deal

Recently China and the United States struck a new trade deal that will look to open up the movement of beef, natural gas, and cooked chicken. I encourage you to read through the linked article that shares some of the details of the recent trade talks. At the bottom of the article there is a five minute video clip of analysts looking closer at the trade deal and bringing up some intriguing points. We encourage you to explore the article and video and use the discussion points below to guide your conversations.

China, US Reach Agreement

Discussion Points

• What are the initial details of this trade agreement? 
• To you what is the most significant part of this trade agreement and why?
• Why have some cautioned against immediate excitement over the trade deal?
• Give your predictions of this trade deal. What will be the impact of beef, pork, and/or natural gas prices in your home country for the consumer and producers? Explain and justify your reasonings.

Silos in Afghanistan

In developing countries there are often solutions that can be introduced that seem "simple" to the developed world. Things that we take for granted can be life changing to developing countries. An example of this is when we shared in season fertilizer practices with our partner university in Haiti. By using fertilizer sources available to them and the concept of in season fertilizers yields tripled in one year. Below is a video from the FAO that shares how a silo project in Afghanistan is positively impacting agriculture. Watch the short video (under two minutes) linked below and utilize the discussion points to guide your conversations around the globe.

Silos for Afghanistan 

Discussion Points

• Explain the silo project implemented in Afghanistan.
• How has this project benefited farmers and citizens of Afghanistan?
• Why is it key that this project utilized locals to create the silos?
• This project was tabbed "a simple solution to food and seed loss." What are other "simple solutions" that you can think of that could improve agriculture in developing countries? What are the possible benefits and negatives of your potential solution? What are potential challenges facing your solution and how would you overcome them?

Climate Smart Agriculture

At a recent event of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) farmers from different areas of the world shared successes utilizing climate smart agriculture practices. The linked article below explains climate smart agriculture and explains the successful practices utilized in Tanzania and Vietnam. Read the linked article below and utilize the discussion points to guide your conversations around the globe!

Countries Share Lessons on How to Tackle Climate Change

Discussion Points

• In your own words explain "Climate Smart" agriculture. 
• Explain the successful climate smart practices utilized in Tanzania and their impacts.
• Explain the successful climate smart practices implemented in Vietnam and their impacts.
• Of all of the climate smart practices in agriculture that were shared which do you feel is the greatest innovation and why?
• What additional practices do you feel could be implemented to promote climate smart agriculture around the world?