World Food Prize Twitter Exploration

It is World Food Prize week! This is a time when world leaders gather to tackle the challenges around food insecurity. The Borlaug International Dialogue has so many engaging sessions throughout the week. Many of these sessions' main points are highlighted via Twitter and can be found by following #FoodPrize21. Many topics are covered including sustainable agriculture, research and innovation, gender equity, climate change, best practices, and much more. If you are on Twitter grab your phone and search #FoodPrize21. If you are not a Twitter user you can still follow the conversation via this link as long as posts are not protected/private.

We encourage you to explore the Tweets that have the hashtag #FoodPrize21 and complete the challenges below. You may discuss your findings/thoughts with others or quote retweet and start a conversation online.

• Find a #FoodPrize21 tweet that you agree with. Explain why this is the case for yourself.
• Find a #FoodPrize21 tweet that you disagree with or question. Why is this the case?
• Find a #FoodPrize21 tweet that surprises you and you would like to explore further. Why did this Tweet grab your attention?

Keep in mind that throughout this week Tweets will continue to be posted. Return often to explore further conversations!

COVID-19 and Kenyan Agriculture

COVID-19 has impacted everyone around the globe including those in Kenya engaged with agriculture. There have certainly been challenges, but also success stories involving innovation and determination. Three stories from around Kenya are shared below. We encourage you to watch all three short videos and engage with others utilizing the discussion points provided. 

Mwatate Smallholder Tomato Farmers

Taveta Smallholder Banana Farmers

Voi Smallholder Farmers and Micro Gardens

Discussion Points

• What are the challenges facing smallholder farmers in Kenya as a result of COVID-19?
• How are smallholder farmers in Kenya being innovative to overcome challenges they are facing due to COVID-19?
• As a result of watching the videos what surprised you? What did you learn? What were your big takeaways?
• Is COVID-19 impacting farmers and agriculture in your home area? How does what you are seeing (or not seeing) in your area relate to the situation in Kenya?

Innovative Technology for Farmers

Highlighted below you will find a video (4 minutes) sharing the utilization of technology around the globe by farmers to increase efficiency and productivity. This includes solar pumps in India, farming apps in Nepal, and improved crop varieties in Nigeria. We encourage you to watch the linked video and utilize the discussion questions to guide your conversations around the globe. 

Innovative Technology Helping Farmers Around the World

Discussion Points

• Discuss the three innovations highlighted and share the impact that each has had in their respective locations.
• Of the three examples shared (solar pumps, farming app, and improved crop varieties) which do you feel had the largest impact and why?
• Could your local region benefit from these or similar innovations? Why or why not?
• Brainstorm additional innovations that you could see having a positive impact in your local area as well as around the world. Explain the benefits projected from these innovations. 

Brazil: Single Line Cotton Harvester

 This week we highlight innovation created in Brazil to assist small farmers in cotton production. We encourage you to watch the video linked below and utilize the discussion points provided to guide your conversations around the globe.

Single Line Cotton Harvester

Discussion Points

• In what ways does this new technology help farmers in Brazil? 
• Does innovation have to involve technology? Explain. Does this look differently around the world?
• Think about agriculture in your home area/community. What innovations could be developed to help small farmers, large farmers, and/or the agricultural industry?
• What other innovations could you see as beneficial around the globe and outside of your local community/home area? Explain the need and potential benefits?

More Food = More Water

We hear time and time again the need to produce more food sustainably as the population of our world continues to grow. One of the challenges that accompanies this is the need for more water or creative ways to capture water to be more efficient. Linked below is a short video that shares this challenge and possible solutions. We encourage you to watch the video and utilize the discussion points provided to guide conversations around the globe.

More food means more water to grow it...We need creative solutions.

Discussion Points

• Why is water so important to food production and our growing world population?
• There were several ways shared to increase the availability of water for food production (reclaimed water, rainwater harvesting, cloud seeding, desalination, and fog harvesting). Briefly descried each of these techniques. Complete additional research if needed. 
• Of the techniques shared which do you feel could be most beneficial in your area? Which may be most beneficial in different regions of the world? Consider cost, environmental implications, infrastructure, technology, education, etc.

Agriculture Change in Small Island Developing States

Natural disasters, climate change, and numerous other challenges face many small island developing states such as the Comoros, Cabo Verde, Samoa, and others. Through many programs farmers and producers in these small island developing states are looking for opportunities in agriculture to improve the livelihoods of citizens within the country. Linked below is an article that highlights initiatives in small island developing states around the globe and includes a video highlighting the fishing industry in Cabo Verde. We encourage you to read the linked article, view the short video, and utilize the discussion points below to engage in conversations with others around the globe!

Something to Crow About in the Comoros

Discussion Points

• What are some of the major challenges facing small island developing states? 
• What initiatives are being implemented around the globe to help farmers in small island developing states? Of all the initiatives mentioned which do you feel has the greatest potential and why?
• What additional initiatives would you like to see implemented and why would they be beneficial?
• After viewing the video "Our Islands, Our Oceans - Cabo Verde," what do you see as the biggest challenge facing the island and what do you see as the best potential solutions? Explain your thoughts.

Floating Dairy Farm

Our world is covered 70% by water so why not farm or raise livestock on the water? This is exactly what is being developed in the Netherlands as they are creating a floating dairy farm with plans for additional floating farms. Below we have linked a video created by AgCultures from the University of Minnesota. AgCultures travels around the globe and documents the story of agriculture at all levels. We encourage you to watch the linked video and utilize the discussion points provided to guide your conversations. 

The World's First Floating Dairy Farm

Discussion Points

• Explain the concept of the floating dairy farm? 
• There are plans for a dedicated space on the farm for education. Why is this so important?
• The importance of "transparency" is mentioned in this video and we have heard and seen this in other European countries as well. Why is transparency important? Is agriculture transparent in your home community/country? What could be done to improve transparency?
• Besides the floating dairy there are plans for two additional floating farms as well. Do you see this concept working? What other types of farms could become floating? 

Sharing Agricultural Innovations Around the World

Today was a great first day at the Global Agriculture Summit at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa! This event is designed to create connections and relationships locally and globally in agriculture while encouraging action. To open the conference four key words were highlighted and shared as the theme of the conference. These are as follows: inspire, connect, equip, and act. Below you will find some highlights from the conference, a recap of the Agri-Ed Talk that I presented, and then discussion points to foster conversations in your classrooms, communities, and around the globe.

Some key quotes from the conference:

• "My African friends say, We want trade, not aid." Doug Seebeck
• "You have to experience a life changing event before you can change the world." Doug Seebeck
• "We are making stunning progress in feeding our growing world." David Beckmann
• "We must focus and invest in agriculture and nutrition in our poorest countries." David Beckmann
• Two-thirds of those living in poverty depend on agriculture as their livelihood." David Beckmann
• "Soil and life are married." Fred Kirschenmann
• "We always have to change to stay sustainable." Fred Kirschenmann
• "Change has to come from the bottom up, not the top down." Fred Kirschenmann

As part of the day I represented the Global Agriculture Learning Center and gave a short talk titled "Sharing Agricultural Innovations Around the World." This talk addressed the following areas: 

• Definition of innovation
• Why is it important/needed to share innovation in agriculture 
• What innovation looks like in different parts of the world
• How the Global Agriculture Learning Center is sharing innovation around the world
• Challenged participants to find opportunities to share innovation in agriculture with others

Discussion Points

• Explain your interpretation of the quote that Fred made above "Soil and life are married."
• Which one of the other "key quotes" sticks out to you? Why? Explain and expand on the quote.
• Why is sharing innovation in agriculture with others around the world important? 
• How can you share innovation in agriculture with others in your local community, state, country, and around the world? I challenge you to take action regarding your response!

We look forward to great day two at the Global Agriculture Summit!