Fishing and Transshipment

Fishing around the globe is a giant business with challenging logistics. The linked video below explores the benefits and challenges of transshipment in the fishing industry. We encourage you to watch the video and utilize the discussion points below to guide your conversations around the globe!

Regulating, Controlling, and Monitoring Transshipment

Discussion Points

• What is transshipment?
• Identify the benefits and challenges of transshipment in the fishing industry.
• What could the impacts to global food security be if individuals or groups take advantage of transshipment in improper ways?
• Imagine you have been tasked with battling the challenges of misuse and abuse of transshipment with fishing. What solutions would you suggest and who might be responsible for monitoring and regulating?
• Do you believe there are things we can learn from transshipment logistics that could be applied to other areas of agriculture or other fields? Explain. 

American Leadership, Agriculture, and a Global Pandemic

This week's blog comes in the form of a vlog! The video below is a recap of a webinar that Brad Kinsinger, director of the Global Agriculture Learning Center, attended organized by the United States Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC). The USGLC is a bipartisan group that promotes international development and diplomacy as part of the international affairs budget. Below the video link I will summarize some of the areas to further analyze as suggested in the video.

American Leadership and a Global Pandemic

Discussion Points

• "The economic crisis is just starting." What does this look like to the agriculture world? How has the agriculture economy been impacted or will it be impacted by COVID-19?
• "As long as there are cases in the world this is a United States issue." Why is this?
• "This global pandemic will magnify the global food crisis as well as regional and domestic food challenges. Long term investment in food security is so important." Why is long-term investment in food security so important? Explain.
• "When America leads, others follow. There is no substitution for American leadership. Science based and data driven global leadership is needed from the United States." Do you agree with this? Why or Why not? Does your view of this statement change if you are from different parts of the world?

Agriculture Foreign Market Impacts

Agriculture has such an important impact on our day to day lives, but sometimes we overlook the impact that agriculture can have on the world as a whole as we move about our busy lives. With this blog post we challenge you to think about how agriculture and foreign markets interact to impact trade and foreign policy. Utilize the short video linked, from the Chicago Council on global Affairs, below along with the discussion questions to engage with others on this important topic.

Wait Just a Minute: Dan Glickman

Discussion Points

• What stood out to you the most from the comments made in this video? Why?
• What is the current status of agricultural markets/trade around the globe with your home country and others? What are the impacts you are seeing at a global level? 
• How does agriculture trade impact you and your local community?

From Sea to Plate

Did you know that keeping illegally captured fish off supermarket shelves is a problem around the world? This is a challenge that is facing the fishing/seafood industry and one of the heaviest traded commodities in the world. We encourage you to read the linked article and then utilize the discussion points provided below to guide conversations around the globe.

Tracking Fish Through the Global Supply Chain

Discussion Points

• Why is it so important to track and monitor the sale and trade of seafood products around the world?
• Explain what is being proposed to help protect against illegal, unprotected and unreported fishing. 
• Why is international buy-in so crucial to this initiative? 
• Which countries have led the way by already adopting similar initiatives? How can buy-in be increased globally in your opinion?

China and Rooftop Agriculture

About a month ago I came across an interesting article that I wanted to share. The article linked below describes a rooftop farm in China. Along with the article two videos are shared. The first video gives you an up close look at the rooftop garden that is featured in China. The second video discusses agriculture practices and policy in China. I encourage you to read the article and watch the two videos included in the article and discuss the points below.

Sky-high farms: Rooftop agriculture growing in popularity

Video 1: Sky-high Farms

• How is this rooftop farm connecting urban populations to agriculture?
• Would something like this be successful in your home country, state, or local community?
• Rooftop gardens are becoming more common, but what is your thought on adding animals to this rooftop farm?

Video 2: China's Agriculture Sector

• What factors are causing a shift in agriculture production and practices within China?
• How is China looking to modernize farms and why is this needed?
• What is China's stance on GMO's? May their stance be changing moving forward?
• How does land ownership work in China?

Let the conversations begin! Discuss in your classrooms, coffee shops, and communities around the world!