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Two Andean agricultural engineers are learning from their ancestors and catching water in artificial ‘lagoons’ to avoid drought. They are being built high in the Peruvian mountains to cope with the effects of melting glaciers that leave many communities short of water. About 40 years ago, the snow that once covered the Andes mountains near the Peruvian city of Ayacucho started to…

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, solar power contributes to providing a stable supply of energy for hospitals and paves the way for the ‘green recovery’. The generation of electricity from sunlight gives rural regions in Africa the opportunity to secure an independent and continuous supply of green energy. Since 2005, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH…

Investments in agroforestry systems are growing along with the recognition that this model of farming is climate-friendly, environmentally sustainable, and profitable. Recently the startup company Propagate Ventures raised $1.5 million in seed funding to help farmers in eight U.S. states transition from conventional agriculture to agroforestry. For-profits ranging from…

Growing safe food sustainably, saving the increasingly scarce water resource Growing food without soil or natural light is not something many Rwandans had seen or heard about. Agriculture – growing crop in soil and relying on natural rain and sun is embedded in the culture of the people of Rwanda. Currently, about 67 percent of Rwandans – of 12 million population–are…

The COVID-19 pandemic affects food security and food systems in many low- and middle-income countries, according to a survey conducted by alumni of Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation. The survey proved to be a quick and practical way to gain insights into the field – including what corona-smart agriculture might look like. The survey was held among alumni of the course on…

A full account of the human consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, beyond the immediate health effects, remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the global economic recession and physical, economic and social disruption are being borne by the most vulnerable. The pandemic risks doubling the number of people who face acute hunger. Even before COVID-19 the world was…