2021 Annual report News and social media

How to breed a climate resilient sunflower? Look to its ancient cousins. 

Alliance researcher Colin Khoury’s work on crop wild relatives is featured in this story, which cites recent research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

Wake-Up Call: Climate Change Threatens Rice Farming 

The Alliance’s Louis Verchot is interviewed by Scientific American to discuss the threats facing food systems due to the climate crisis. 

'Nature is not a commodity': Can the world learn from indigenous peoples' food systems, before they are lost? 

CNN was one of the many global media outlets to cover the report on indigenous food systems co-authored by the Alliance and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 

Colombia custodia las semillas que aseguran la seguridad alimentaria del mundo 

This feature story by Spanish news agency EFE discusses Future Seeds, the Alliance’s new genebank in Colombia. Forbes was one of many news outlets to publish this story in piece by the Spanish news agency.

OPINION: Educating eaters as a way to save the planet 

This opinion piece by Luca Di Leo, of the European Institute for Innovation and Sustainability, argues for greater education about food since it is at the center of “every major sustainability issue we face.” The piece discusses the Alliance’s collaboration on how to sustainably feed 10 billion people by 2050 and its proposals to the UN Food Systems Summit. 

Climate change threatens age-old indigenous food systems, says UN 

Reuters also covered the Alliance’s report on indigenous food systems co-authored with the Food and Agriculture Organization. 

OPINION: More biodiverse food systems will help address climate and nature crises 

Alliance Director Juan Lucas Restrepo and João Campari of the World Wildlife Fund discuss how protecting biodiversity will also help in the struggle against climate change.

Kenya: Poor Need Different Lockdown Restrictions to Survive, Scientists Urge 

The Alliance’s Christine Chege discusses research that demonstrates how wide-scale lockdowns due to the pandemic hurt the poorest the most in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Kenya's world-famous java faces potential climate disaster 

On-the-ground reporting on climate threats to Kenyan coffee production included a reference to Alliance research cited in this report about coffee production in the East African country. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and new pest and disease incidents are among the challenges faced by producers. 

Madre de Dios: el radar se convierte en un nuevo aliado en lucha contra la minería ilegal 

Peru’s news agency covers work by the Alliance-NASA-USAID collaboration SERVIR Amazonia to keep tabs on illegal gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon. 

Disponen medidas para controlar plaga que afecta cultivos de plátanos y bananos 

Miguel Dita, an Alliance specialist in the banana disease Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4), helped Peruvian officials quickly respond to a suspected outbreak of TR4, which has phytosanitary officials on high alert around Latin America. 

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Cassava 

This excellent explainer article tells the story of the “nearly indestructible” cassava plant, from its origins to its global use as a food and industrial ingredient. Featuring interviews with U.S. restauranteurs from countries where cassava is a staple – including Nigeria and Ecuador – the piece features cooking recommendations and recipes that can be made with the gluten-free tuber. The piece includes recent research from the Alliance on cassava’s potential for reaching development goals. 

Belgian scientists claim breakthrough in cloning coconut trees; may help trees fight Lethal Yellowing Disease 

This story covers the Alliance breakthrough, in collaboration with KU Leuven university, in cloning coconuts. The discovery could help the global coconut industry select better, higher-producing trees, battle pests and diseases, and make production for smallholders more profitable. 

Fighting Loss of the Greater Mekong’s Prized Rosewood Forests 

The Alliance’s Riina Jalonen talks to IPS about the plight of rosewood tree species in Southeast Asia. Because their wood is some of the most valuable in the world, the trees are highly threatened. The Alliance and collaborators are working to safeguard the genetic diversity of these tree species to support conservation and reforestation efforts. 

Country Climate Risk Profiles Critical and Timely for Kenya’s Struggling Smallholders 

Reporting from outside Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, IPS chronicles how smallholder farmers are struggling to continue producing in the face erratic weather linked to climate change. Alliance-developed climate risk profiles for all of Kenya’s rural counties are helping farmers and others in the agricultural value chain adapt to climate change. 

U.N. declares decade of ecosystem restoration to ‘make peace with nature’ 

Alliance gender scientist Marlène Elias says the success of land restoration strategies will depend on considering the people who live and rely on land targeted for restoration. 

An Indigenous community in India’s Meghalaya state offers lessons in climate resilience 

Mongabay reported on the Indigenous People’s Food Systems report published by the Alliance and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. 

Fabulous foods fighting for survival 

This slideshow covers many of the foods that are at risk due to the climate crisis, including chocolate. See slide 23 that mentions climate change’s impact on cacao production in Ghana and Ivory Coast, according to research by the Alliance. 

Farmers using community seed banks to fight climate change 

This story discusses recent seed fairs in Kenya’s Nyando and Kisumu county, which provided 150 farmers knowledge and access to suitable seeds of sorghum, millet and beans. The seed trials were performed by local farmers. The article features interviews with the Alliance’s Gloria Otieno and Suzanne Ngo-Eyok, the managing director of the Alliance in Africa. 

Uma revolução sustentável para combater a destruição da Amazónia brasileira

This story covers Alliance work in Brazil done in collaboration with USAID and other partners in Brazil. It focuses on the Partnership Platform for the Amazon, which is private-sector supported initiative for sustainable development and conservation in the Brazilian Amazon. 

Saving Hawaii's Banana Industry 'One Good Banana' At A Time 

Banana scientist Gabriel Sachter-Smith, also known as “Banana Gabe,” is helping rebuild Hawaii’s banana industry with varieties that are not the standard (and threatened) Cavendish known around the world. Where does he source his plants? From the Alliance’s Musa genebank in Belgium.

From eyebrow beans to 'lost' rice: Community seedbanks are protecting China's crops 

This article covers Alliance research on community seed banks in China and how they are being used to protect and promote crop diversity, which is reported to be on the decline. Phys.org, which is a global reference for science news, regularly reproduces Alliance press releases on scientific papers such as this one.

Agricultura familiar andina requiere más apoyo de políticas públicas 

The Alliance’s Mark Lundy talks to SciDevNet about how smallholder farmers face barriers to market entry that limit their ability to generate income for their families. The leader of the Alliances Food Environment and Consumer Behavior research area also points out how market restrictions faced by smallholders contribute to food insecurity.