Climbing Commodity Prices and Food Insecurity in a Complex World

A recent report from the Foreign Agricultural Service of the United States Department of Agriculture shares the interconnected complex issues driving up commodity prices and food insecurity. We encourage you to read the linked report and utilize the discussion points below to guide your conversations around the globe. 

The Ukraine Conflict and Other Factors Contributing to High Commodity Prices and Food Insecurity

Discussion Points 

• What are the multiple complex challenges driving up commodity and food costs? Are you seeing these increases in your daily life?
• What ideas do you have to alleviate these rising commodity and food prices locally and in other locations around the globe? Provide support for your reasonings.
• What challenges face more vulnerable countries and populations around the globe?
• What worried you most from the article? What gave you hope? Explain your thoughts. 

Ukraine - Russia Conflict Impact

Today we had virtual collaboration between individuals in Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Hungary, the Netherlands, and the United States as part of a virtual exchange with the Global Agriculture Learning Center. Each month these students gather via Zoom to discuss topics in agriculture. In the past month the eyes of the world have turned to Ukraine. This morning students came together from several continents to share their experiences and insights around the ongoing conflict with Ukraine and Russia. We want to challenge all reading the blog to continue these conversations. Below you will find questions that we posed to the group that gathered and shared their responses this morning. 

Reflect and Discuss the Following:

• How is the ongoing conflict impacting you/us personally and professionally?
• How does the conflict influence agriculture (i.e. crop production, animal science, horticulture, viticulture, etc.)?
• How does the conflict influence biodiversity?
• What can we do to ensure food security?
• How might things change as a result of the conflict? What might be done differently or what opportunities may arise?

Wheat Recovery in Syria

Highlighted below is a video from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on seed multiplication for agriculture recovery of Syria. The video highlights how the FAO is working with farmers in increase yields and recover from conflict. We encourage you to watch the linked video and utilize the discussion points below to guide your conversations around the globe. 

Seed Multiplication for Agriculture Recovery

Discussion Points

• How is the FAO working with farmers to revive agriculture in Syria?
• What did you discover from this video and why did it stick out to you?
• In the second half of the video a Syrian farmer is interviewed about his work with FAO to improve agriculture production. He shares how he was skeptical at first to take their recommendations and many others did not believe he could be successful. Why are so many skeptical to try new practices in agriculture?
• How do we get farmers, producers, and people in general to try new practices? What techniques can be utilized? 

Global Food Crises

The 2019 Global Food Crises report is now available. This week we share a story from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) which gives an overview of the report as well as links to the full report from the Food Security Information Network. Along with the article FAO also shares a short video recap of the report. Both are linked below. We encourage you to check out the material shared and utilize the discussion points to guide further conversations.

FAO Article

FAO Video

FSIN Full Report

Discussion Points

• What pieces of information or facts surprised you the most and why?
• There are a couple major factors mentioned contributing to global hunger. Which of these do you feel provides the greatest threat and why?
• Of the factors mentioned, contributing to global hunger, which do you think is the easiest to combat and why?
• What can be done to decrease global hunger around the world? What can we do as individuals to help reduce global hunger? 

Acute Hunger Grows

A recent report emphasizes the rise in acute hunger around the globe and why it is so alarming. Acute hunger is defined as so severe that "it poses an immediate threat to lives and livelihoods." We encourage you to read over the linked article and utilize the discussion points provided to guide your conversations around the globe.

Acute Hunger Intensifies

Discusion Points

• Last year globally there was an increase in acute hunger. Why did we see this increase?
• Conflict and weather are key factors that were noted as contributing to world hunger.  Explain why these two factors contribute so greatly to hunger.
•  How do we combat the challenges that conflict and weather bring to world hunger? How do we solve these issues in your opinion? Give specific examples.
• Towards the end of the article key messages are shared. Of these key messages what stuck out to you the most and why?

World Hunger on the Rise

World hunger and malnutrition is a battle that continues to be fought. A recent report found that hunger is on the rise after several years of decline. We encourage you to look over the linked article and utilize the discussion points to guide conversations with others around the globe!

World Hunger Again on the Rise

Discussion Points

• Explain the trend of global hunger over the past years.
• Two main factors have been attributed to the resurgence of hunger and malnutrition. Identify and explain these two factors.
• Look over the "Key Numbers" section. Which facts stick out to you and why?
• In your opinion how do we work towards eradicating hunger and malnutrition?

Syrian Agriculture Needs Help Now

We have all heard about the horrifying events taking place in Syria. Agriculture is, also, hurting in Syria. The linked article takes a look at a recent report put out on the struggles of agriculture in Syria and the need for action to improve it. We encourage you to read the linked article and then utilize the discussion points to spark conversations around the world! If you are looking for further information the full report and a video summary can be found at the right side of the linked article.

Syrian Farmers Call to Kick-Start Agriculture Now

Discussion Points

• Why is it so important to give attention to agriculture in Syria sooner, rather than later?
• Under the heading "Other main findings are:" in the article there are five findings listed. Of these five which stands out to you the most and why?
• How has agriculture been impacted in Syria and to what extent?
• What do you believe are the first steps to improving agriculture in Syria and why?

World Food Prize is Here!

It is mid October which means one thing...It's World Food Prize time! Each night following the Borlaug Dialogue we will post highlights from the day to get you thinking and discussing these topics around the globe. Tuesday of this week we hosted Emiliano Mroue on campus, as part of the World Food Prize Lecture Series, to share the work he is doing in Sierra Leone with The West African Rice Company. He is truly doing amazing work and making a huge impact. We are working on getting this video uploaded to share with all.

Today (Wednesday) we traveled with a group of students to Des Moines to kickoff the Borlaug Dialogue as part of the World Food Prize Events. The afternoon started with Ambassador Kenneth Quinn kicking off the 30th World Food Prize, many great sessions throughout the afternoon, and concluded with a program and reception recognizing the winner of the Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application.

Here is a picture at the Hall of Laureates with students and faculty from Hawkeye Community College.

Below we will give brief highlights of each session to spark discussion around the globe! Here is a recap of day one.

Conflict, Stability, and Achieving Global Food Security

• There are three big areas that are causing food insecurity:
• Climate change
• Poor/failed government
• Conflict
• Today we have more people displaced from their homes due to conflict than we have had since World War II.
• In regards to worldwide conflict and stability things are bad now, but they will be far worse three months from now. "It's not going to be pretty, it's not going to be easy, but we must do something."

Global Food Security and National Security

• We must look at more than food availability, but food governance and control.
• Food production is currently good. We must address distribution and price worldwide.
• More frequent extreme weather events will threaten agriculture production.

Food Security in Crisis

• Key to success in all agriculture development projects are strong partnerships.
• One problem is technology is on the shelves in developing countries, but it never reaches the farmer.
• More training and extension services are needed for farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and developing countries.

Availability of a Healthy Global Diet

• Obesity rates are increasing worldwide.
• We need improved dietary diversity around the world.
• We need safer storage and to find ways to extend life of fruits and vegetables throughout the year.

Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application

This years award winner is Dr. Andrew Mude of Kenya. Mude was recognized for his work developing an "Index-Based Livestock Insurance" program. In an area where insurance had not existed before he created a system that uses technology from NASA and satellite imagery to identify areas experiencing weather disasters, such as floods and droughts that take animal life, that in turn identifies farmers in these areas and automatically sends insurance checks. 

It was a great first day and we look to continue dialogue tomorrow as we face the challenges and opportunities before us in agriculture and feeding our growing world!