Donna Bowater

Hunger crisis is set to get worse in west and central Africa – why and what to do about it Millions of people in west Africa and the Sahel region face starvation.

An overview of the factors behind the hunger crisis in West and Central Africa, which could leave around 53 million people facing food insecurity in just a few months' time via @ifpri.org @cgiar.org @theconversation.com

theconversation.com/hunger-crisi...

To truly beat sleeping sickness we need to treat animals too Progress in eliminating the parasite will depend on uniting key players in the fight against livestock disease

Sleeping sickness is one of Africa’s most feared diseases. And it's just as bad in animals, costing rural economies up to $4.5 billion a year.

GALVmed is one of the few organisations working to stop the disease from devastating communities reliant on livestock.

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-healt...

EXPERT REACTION: Genetically modified purple tomato approved in Austra EXPERT REACTION: Genetically modified purple tomato approved in Australia A genetically modified purple tomato has received all necessary approvals for commercial sale in Australia, accord

To paraphrase Aerosmith, purple is my favourite crayon.

www.scimex.org/newsfeed/exp...

The underground network: Prehistoric fungi feed the world’s plants and resist climate change, but face an uncertain future Trillions of miles of tiny fungal tubes embedded in soil transport nutrients to crops and other plants and fight climate change by storing carbon. Scientists are racing to understand how these fungi—i...

“What we seek to achieve is to tap into a strategy that nature invented 450 million years ago and make use of it in modern agriculture."

Fantastic feature by @tullis.bsky.social for @thebulletin.org on the soil fungi that sustains plant life.

thebulletin.org/2026/01/the-...

Home | Blue Resilience: Nature, Health and Equity in the Pacific The Financial Times and World Vision are hosting this forum in Bangkok to give climate finance leaders, policy-makers, scientists, and health experts a place to align on what works. Join us on 27 Janu...

"Investing in mangroves is as important as investing in hospitals" - powerful opening from Ajay Bhushan Pande,
VP at Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, during @financialreports.bsky.social #PMAC25 event on blue resilience blueresilience.live.ft.com

For the World’s Food Supply, Federal Funding Cuts Have Long-Term Impacts The U.S. Agency for International Development has been a major supporter of global agriculture research. Now many studies are being scuttled or scaled back. Crops and livestock that are essential for....

What America's retreat from agricultural science means for global food security: “Cutting back now is casting the die for the productivity performance in the 2030s and 2040s.”

pulitzercenter.org/stories/worl...

Read the full transcript of Carney’s speech to World Economic Forum - National | Globalnews.ca Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a forceful speech in Davos, Switzerland, on the 'new world order' and how middle powers like Canada can benefit by working together.

"A country that cannot feed itself, fuel itself, or defend itself has few options. When the rules no longer protect you, you must protect yourself. But let’s be clear-eyed about where this leads. A world of fortresses will be poorer, more fragile, and less sustainable."
globalnews.ca/news/1162087...

New report out now: "Moving the Technology Frontiers in African Agrifood Systems", including a new index of AI readiness and a new ranking of agricultural R&D capacity, plus lessons from China, the EU and Latin America. Crucial insights for the Kampala CAADP Agenda www.resakss.org/node/6931

The International Year of the Woman Farmer is a chance to close the gender gap in agriculture Ending hunger is not only a question of producing more food - it is about who grows it, who has access to resources, and who reaps the benefits. Investing in the empowerment of women farmers is one of...

UN's @fao.org launches #YearOfTheWomanFarmer today - but recognition for women farmers is just the first step. Removing the barriers and prejudices they face must come next, writes Surita Sandosham, CEO and president of Heifer International for Rural 21.

www.rural21.com/english/opin...

Africa’s youth have a growing appetite for change. Agrifood systems can feed their ambitions From Nairobi and Kampala to Accra and Maputo, the streets of Africa’s capitals have filled with young people demanding change. Over the past year, youth across the continent have marched to protest co...

Africa’s young people are energetic, educated—and frustrated, writes former Ethiopian prime minister Hailemariam Dessalegn. With the right structural tweaks and investments, agriculture can offer enormous opportunities for Gen-Z.

www.cnbcafrica.com/2025/africas...

COP experts: How could the UN climate talks be reformed? - Carbon Brief with another round of negotiations looming at COP30 in November, there has been growing discontent with the UN climate process.

Great round-up of views on how the climate talks could be reformed via @carbonbrief.org. Consensus seems to be a more streamlined, frequent and focused set of meetings rather than a single, heavy-handed and slow-moving COP.

www.carbonbrief.org/cop-experts-...

16th Malabo Montpellier Forum MONEYWISE: Policy Innovations to Finance Africa's Agrifood Systems.

Coming up at 9am GMT tomorrow: the 16th Malabo Montpellier Forum, where a new report on financing Africa's food systems transformation will be launched.

Join @aruhweza.bsky.social, @cgiar-emd.bsky.social and others here: www.mamopanel.org/Forum/16th-m...

Global hunger declines for first time since the pandemic, data shows But report warns that hunger is still climbing in much of Africa and that the overall improvement is not enough to meet UN targets

Despite inflation, ultra-processed foods were c.47% cheaper than minimally processed foods as of 2021.

“Transforming food systems without addressing healthy diets and nutrition is like air without oxygen,” says Afshan Khan, @scalingupnutrition.org coordinator.

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-healt...

Carbon markets can help fill the climate finance gap. Here’s how we can unleash their potential After growing strongly over five years from 2016, the voluntary carbon market shrank for the third consecutive year last year, weighed down by continuing concerns around quality and reputational risk, despite progress to improve integrity standards.

New sources of private sector climate finance are urgently needed, and businesses want to invest in quality carbon markets. So how do we connect the dots? Mark Kenber, executive director at VCMI, explains the need for clear, stable and aligned rules via @reuters.com

www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

Progress still needed on food Four years after the first UN Food Systems Summit, the world needs progress, write Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted and Ismahane Elouafi.

Four years ago, the UN held its first Food Systems Summit. Despite some progress, hunger remains stubbornly high.

Investing in science and collaboration can make up ground, write Shakuntala Thilsted & Ismahane Elouafi of @cgiar.org for @scidevnet.bsky.social #UNFSS+4
www.scidev.net/global/opini...

Animal Health IS Public Health—It’s Time We Act Accordingly - Health Policy Watch Furthermore, these zoonotic diseases are on the rise. Virus jumps from animals to humans are increasing around five per cent annually, meaning these pathogens

As yet new Covid strains take hold, an annual reminder for World Zoonoses Day that animal health _is_ public health.

Cross-species diseases are rising around 5% annually. Preventing disease in animals protects people. Via @healthpolicywatch.bsky.social

healthpolicy-watch.news/animal-healt...

The U.S. reneged on aid commitments. Nepal’s malnourished children are paying the price Hard-won progress in improving child and maternal nutrition hangs in the balance

“In the end, it’s always the most vulnerable women and children that suffer.”

Excellent, devastating reporting on the impact of recent aid cuts on childhood malnutrition in Nepal via @cofford.bsky.social @science.org

www.science.org/content/arti...

These former USAID staff are working to match donors to urgent, lifesaving aid projects that had their funding slashed | CNN In a warehouse in Nigeria, a nonprofit’s stocks of food to treat malnourished children and pregnant women are running low. Former US aid workers have set up an initiative to find donors to save this a...

The best use of a shared spreadsheet for quite some time.

Former USAID staffers match victims of aid cuts with new donors.

edition.cnn.com/2025/06/22/a...

We finally may be able to rid the world of mosquitoes. But should we? Gene editing holds the potential of suppressing mosquito species that carry deadly diseases — and raises ethical questions.

Yes please eradicate the mosquito that carries malaria.

I don't think it's an ethical question, but a practical one. We have to weigh anticipated benefits vs. harms. There's a lot of uncertainty on the harm side, but the anticipated benefits are huge.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

Aggressive online baby formula campaigns must end A global resolution on digital marketing of breast milk substitutes must be rigorously enforced, writes UN Assistant Secretary-General Afshan Khan.

ICYMI @who.int members recently adopted a landmark resolution to curb digital marketing of baby formula and protect parents’ right to accurate information.

Afshan Khan, @scalingupnutrition.org coordinator, outlines the next steps for @scidevnet.bsky.social

www.scidev.net/global/opini...

Famine stalks Gaza as Israel blocks aid at the border Famine stalks Gaza as Israel blocks aid at the border

The entire population of Gaza — 2.1 million people — is now in a food crisis, with one in five on the brink of starvation as aid remains blocked.

Diseases continue to cross species barrier as global bird flu cases double | The National Climate change, animal trade and falling vaccination rates leading to rise

Animal health is often overlooked within public health, yet animal diseases are spreading to new regions and new species.

First report on the world's animal health is a reminder that human and animal health are interconnected. Via @thenationalnews.com

www.thenationalnews.com/health/2025/...

Diseases continue to cross species barrier as global bird flu cases double | The National Climate change, animal trade and falling vaccination rates leading to rise

Animal health is often overlooked within public health, yet animal diseases are spreading to new regions and new species.

First report on the world's animal health is a reminder that human and animal health are interconnected. Via @thenationalnews.com

www.thenationalnews.com/health/2025/...

Analysis: By matching Brazil and the UK's climate ambitions, the world could secure a liveable future Few countries have promised to cut emissions enough to avoid catastrophic levels of global heating.

Analysis: By matching Brazil and the UK’s climate ambitions, the world could secure a liveable future

theprogressplaybook.com/2025/05/20/a...

Food literacy: Why food origins matter for a sustainable future Knowing where food comes from and how it’s produced can empower consumers to make better choices. Here's how policy change and tech can drive systemic change.

"Improving food literacy – the knowledge of food, its origins, and use – among the global community is crucial for transforming food systems to become healthier, fairer and more sustainable."

www.weforum.org/stories/2025...

@emilyanthes.bsky.social Hi, have flagged a forthcoming report by email that I thought might be of interest.

#WorldSeed2025: Opening Ceremony YouTube video by Channel World Seed by ISF

Happening now: opening ceremony of the 2025 World Seed Congress, convened by @seedfed.bsky.social

Watch live: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEBu...

The 'Oscar' of food prizes goes to a Brazilian who harnessed the power of bacteria This year's $500,000 World Food Prize, for advances in agriculture and nutrition, goes to Mariangela Hungria, who boosted Brazil's farming revolution, turning the country into a soybean superpower.

Congratulations to Dr. Mariangela Hungria, this year's World Food Prize Laureate, a microbiologist who helped make Brazil a global breadbasket.

Great piece from @dancharles.bsky.social @npr.org

www.npr.org/sections/goa...

Coming up today: the World Food Prize Foundation announces the 2025 Laureate(s).

Watch live from 18:00 CT: www.worldfoodprize.org/en/events/la...