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Return of indigenous crops helps reduce farm distress and restore ecosystems

Basudev Mahapatra

February 10, 2020 |

Mongabay |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Odisha

By returning to indigenous varieties of crops, farmers can increase ecological diversity and reliance to climate change. In India, hundreds of farmers in the state of Odisha have been returning to indigenous crops, like millet, vegetables, and tubers. In contrast to the high yield varieties of seeds provided by the government, heritage crops prove more resilient to changes in climate, water shortages, and local pests. Using heritage crops also reduces the need for pesticides, helping to restore ecological balance in the region.

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Can charcoal make beef better for the environment?

Mikki Cusack

February 06, 2020 |

BBC |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Australia, Manjimup

An unusual mixture of biochar — a charcoal-like substance that is produced by burning organic matter — and dung beetles is one way farmers could reduce their cows’ methane emissions to combat climate change, while also improving the health of their soil. Studies on Doug Pow’s farm in Australia have shown an improvement in soil-water retention and an increase in the amount of carbon retained in the soil, which prevents it from escaping into the atmosphere. “We are doing our bit to re-engineer the soil in a positive way, for the long-term benefits of our world,” Pow says.

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Most of America's Farm Owners Are White. This Program Is Rooting for More Diversity

Monica Humphries

December 31, 2019 |

NationSwell |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Cultivating a more diverse generation of farmers requires training and mentorship. In New York, GrowNYC’s FARMroots program trains new farmers of diverse backgrounds. The FARMroots Beginning Farmer Program offers courses on everything from finances to driving tractors. The program also pairs the new farmers with an experienced mentor. Hailing from a range of backgrounds, the new farmers bring new crops, new ideas, and new skills to their communities.

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Shouldering the Burden

Sena Christian

December 17, 2019 |

Comstock's Magazine |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Guinda, California

Drastic solutions to climate change tend not to pan out (like trying to get everyone to stop eating meat), but careful adaptation is making real progress. In California, many smaller-scale farms are trying out new methods of adapting to the new realities of climate change, including not tilling the land so that nutrients build up and the soil strengthens. This article covers a range of approaches that farmers take to protect their livelihood and conserve their resources.

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Why this farmer moves his cows every day

Hannah Long-Higgins

December 10, 2019 |

BBC |

Video |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Bluffton, Georgia

Pastures are able to replenish when livestock can move around. By permitting cattle to travel between pastures for feeding, Will Harris’ ranching technique allows the soil to retain more carbon. The carbon captured by the healthier soil also helps to offset the emissions caused by livestock production.

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Turning Farm Workers Into Farmers

Johnny Magdaleno

November 27, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Salinas, California

Farm incubators provide aspiring farmers with training, land, and access to business networks. Across the United States, organizations like California’s Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) are working to support small farmers by serving as small farm incubators. Following a ten-month training course for aspiring farmers, ALBA allows the fledgling entrepreneurs to rent land at below-market rates while they expand their businesses.

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A Wasteful Life: Rethinking Sustainabilty

Sydney Brown

November 13, 2019 |

The Daily Evergreen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Kooskia, Idaho

In Kooskia, a rural area in Idaho, local farmers are finding success in working with residents to make sure produce is being used to its fullest. From using the leftover apple chunks from cider-making to feed livestock to relying on neighbor's produce to provide for local businesses, sustainable homesteads are gaining popularity amongst communities.

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Turning Paris's underground car parks into mushrooms farms

Dougal Shaw

November 11, 2019 |

BBC |

Video |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: France, Paris

Mushroom farms are popping up in underground parking lots in Paris. The city, facing a surplus of lots as car ownership declines, has been holding competitions to find creative, new purposes for them. Urban farmers, Cycloponics, won one of these competitions and now operates three of these mushroom farms, selling their crops to local organic grocery stores in the area.

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In Detroit, A New Type of Agricultural Neighborhood Has Emerged

Biba Adams

November 04, 2019 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

Whereas urban farms provide supplemental nutrition, agricultural neighborhoods make farming one of their central features. In Detroit, Michigan, the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI) has grown from a local community garden into a nationally recognized agricultural neighborhood that has fueled transformation and investment into the area. MUFI partners with other community organizations to combat food insecurity. And while providing free food to the surrounding community, MUFI also sells products like hot sauce.

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Leading Maggot Farmer to Expand From Cape Town to California

Antony Sguazzin

October 31, 2019 |

Bloomberg |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: South Africa, Cape Town

AgriProtein, a large-scale maggot farm in Cape Town, is one of many companies addressing the “long on waste and short on protein” problem the world is facing. Maggots provide protein sustenance for animals like fish, poultry, and pigs while also eating organic waste. While the facilities are costly to make, the industry has been booming as the world shifts how it thinks about waste and sustainability.

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