Climate Agreement and Agriculture

Everywhere you look in the media lately you see news on the new agreement coming out of Paris regarding climate change. This will no doubt have an impact on farmers and agriculture around the globe. Review the linked article and use the discussion points provided below to guide your conversations in your classrooms and communities around the world.

Can the Paris agreement protect farmers?

Discussion Points

• What is the African farmer, Purity, doing to overcome and battle climate change on her farm?
• What can agriculture success and improvement mean to small farm families in developing countries?
• What are the expected ramifications of climate change on the Philippines in the coming years?
• Traditionally why has agriculture been left out of climate negotiations? 
• Why is the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) welcoming this recent agreement in Paris?
• Why are small farmers (especially those in developing countries) more at risk to climate change than larger farmers (in developed countries)?

Additional challenge:

We often hear the doom and gloom projections of climate change and it's impact on agriculture and food production. On my recent trip to Nicaragua I was told that it is projected that by 2050 no coffee would be grown in the region I was visiting, that heavily relies on coffee production, due to a warming climate. I am an optimist. This statement is assuming that everything will stay constant and no change/adaptations will be made. My first thought is what can we do to change this trend? And this is my question for you to think about, discuss, and take action. What can we do to change this trend?

Discovering Nicaragua

Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua to explore agriculture and life in Nicaragua. It was a quick trip with only two days in country, but a lot was accomplished and we look forward to returning with groups to learn more about agriculture in Nicaragua and some of the challenges they are facing. Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with only Haiti coming in below them. Nicaragua is also the largest country, by land area, in Latin America, but is the least populated. It was also noted that Nicaragua is known as the safest country in Latin America. While Nicaragua is known as a poor country I was blown away by the beauty and lush landscape of this great country.

View from a coffee farm we visited in the providence of San Roman. 

I spent my first full day in country exploring the San Roman area which is a mountainous region. On our way to San Roman we passed many processing facilities for coffee and rice along with some tobacco farms. The major crops produced in the San Roman area are: corn, coffee, beans, cocoa, passion fruit, malanga, and vegetables. Beef cattle production is seen throughout the country. Climate change is a major challenge that Nicaraguan farmers are facing. I was able to visit with a foundation in the area that works with farmers to battle climate change and other challenges facing farmers. I, also, was fortunate enough to visit some local schools to see what is being done to improve young lives in Nicaragua. 

On our way to San Roman. I was impressed with much of the infrastructure in Nicaragua. 

We started our second full day in the San Roman area by visiting another organization working with farmers to introduce technology in solar power and irrigation. Soon after we made our way to the city of Leon. As we traveled from San Roman to Leon we left the mountainous areas to lower elevations of the flat lands. As we reached lower elevations we found a lot of rice, peanuts, sorghum, sugarcane, and chia being grown. Cattle production seemed to increase as well.  We enjoyed lunch in Leon before making our way to Los Alpes Ranch where we discussed agriculture and agricultural education in the region.

Active volcano Telica in the background of roaming cattle.

After our time at Los Alpes Ranch we returned to Leon where we met with a gentleman developing and engineering technology in renewable energy and food processing. Elmer shared his work in solar energy, wind energy, and stove technology. We then returned to Managua so I could catch a flight out the next morning. We look forward to returning to Nicaragua with a group to learn more about agriculture in Nicaragua. Thanks to our great hosts with Sister Communities of San Roman, Larry and Anjie. We look forward to our return. 

Elmer showing off his solar powered dehydrator for food preservation. 

Climate Change is Here

Many have heard about the recent global talks on climate change that are taking place in Paris. In the past some have argued the validity of climate change and a warming planet, but as science has shown our world is warming and many are starting to take note. The linked article takes a look at how climate change is effecting food supply and chains around the globe. Use the discussion points provided to guide your conversations.

Big Food Feels the Threat of Climate Change

Discussion Points

• How is climate change impacting farmers in the state of Vermont in the United States? How could this in-turn impact the consumer?
• What is happening in Ethiopia in regards to climate change and farming?
• How is Mars Inc., producer of candy, being effected by climate change?
• Why is Mars not immediately concerned about the effects of climate change on production of chocolate, but more concerned for the farmers on a local level? What are they doing to help?
• Why is it important that large companies are joining together and demanding something be done in regards to climate change?
• Have you seen climate and weather pattern changes in your home area? If so, how has this affected agriculture? In not, why is this the case?

Fake Pesticides Harming India

Counterfeit pesticides are causing an array of challenges and issues in India. From harming crops to human health the results are not good. Linked below is an article that discusses the challenges that India is facing regarding fake pesticides. Utilize the discussion points below to guide discussions in your classrooms and around the globe!

Fake Pesticides Endanger Crops and Health

Discussion Points

• What are the negative effects of the distribution of fake pesticides to the following areas?
• Crops
• Production throughout the country
• Health
• Society
• What penalties are in place in India to combat the sale/distribution of fake pesticides?
• How could the sale of fake pesticides in India affect other countries and policies around the globe?
• The overuse of pesticides was mentioned in this article. What practices are utilized around the world to diminish the overuse of pesticides?

China Company Interested in Syngenta and Others

We take a look at an article discussing the interest of ChemChina to purchase Swiss based Syngenta. China for years has been trying to get it's hand on GMO (genetically modified organisms) seeds. They have gone to great lengths to do so. They may be closer than ever now to doing so with the possible purchase of Syngenta and other seed companies. Read the linked article and use the discussion points below to guide your conversations.

China's Hunger for GMO Seeds

Discussion Points

• Why is ChemChina so interested in purchasing Syngenta?
• Why is China's president, Jinping, in such great support of the possible acquisition?
• What other companies is ChemChina interested in purchasing and why?
• What could the acquisition of Syngenta by ChemChina mean for:
• China?
• your home country?
• for the rest of the world?

Global Food Security: Why Science Matters

The middle of October the Global Agriculture Learning Center at Hawkeye Community College hosted David Lambert as he presented his lecture "A Closer Look at Global Food Security: Why Science Matters" as part of the World Food Prize Lecture Series. David hit on many of hot topics relating to global food security ranging from climate change to child nutrition. Linked below is David's lecture. It is about 45 minutes in length. Unfortunately, David passed away just a few days after sharing his lecture with us. In his honor I encourage you to share his lecture with others and start discussion around global food security.

David Lambert's Lecture

Discussion Points (Feel free to share these points and questions ahead of time to guide notes while watching.)

• Why should we even care about hunger around the world?
• What does hunger look like in the United States and around the world? What facts surprised you?
• What role does science play in global food security?
• Explain the concept behind "1,000 Days."
• What does agriculture's global footprint look like?
• What facts were shared regarding climate change?
• What has history and science said about the safety of biotechnology and genetically modified foods? Explain.
• How does food loss and waste factor into global food security?
• David shared the best policy solutions for global food security. Which policy/policies that he shared do you feel has the biggest potential for a positive impact and why?

Feeding Our World Utilizing Technology

We have all heard the challenge of feeding a growing world by 2050. At first projections were a population of over 9 billion by 2050 and now recent projections are showing a projected population of over 9.6 or 9.7 billion by 2050. There are many thoughts and plans on how we will achieve feeding our continually growing population. One of the key concepts is the fact that we will need to produce more with less utilizing technology and innovation. The linked article takes a look at how agriculture is investing more and more into technology and precision agriculture practices. Read the linked article and use the discussion points below to guide conversations in your classrooms and coffee shops around the globe.

Farming by sub-inch: What the future of food looks like

Discussion Points

• What is precision agriculture and how will it help us increase agriculture production and sustainability to feed a growing population? How would you explain this to someone that you run into on the street and have a minute or less to give your explanation?
• What policy change in China just happened recently that could affect food demand? In your opinion how big of an impact will this have? Justify your response.
• Specifically discuss and share with others the trends we have seen in agriculture technology investments over the past years.
• What factors are causing John Deere to invest more resources into Chinese markets?
• In the section "land productivity side-effects" some negative light is shed on agriculture. Are these accusations legitimate? Is it completely an agriculture issue? How is/can agriculture be a part of the solution?