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Case Study: Iowa Cities Struggle to Keep Farm Pollution Out of Tap Water

Almost three-fourths of the Raccoon River’s watershed – 1.7 million acres – is planted with corn, soybeans and other crops, treated each year with millions of pounds of fertilizer and other chemicals [1] It is also home to 2.3 million hogs and 16 million chickens and turkeys, [2]  whose manure is applied to millions of acres annually. [3]  At the southern tip of the watershed is the city of Des Moines, where each day the Des Moines Water Works supplies water drawn from the river to just over half a million people. 

Figure 1: The 3,625-square-mile Raccoon River watershed drains 1.7 million acres of cropland.

Source: EWG

Commercial fertilizers and manures contain a chemical called nitrate, a form of nitrogen, which gets into the river when rain washes it off fields. It can be fatal to babies who ingest too much of the chemical in tap water and it has also been linked to cancer in adults.

Between the spring of 2014 and the fall of 2015, the average nitrate level in untreated Raccoon River water was 11.12 parts per million, or ppm. The Environmental Protection Agency’s legal limit for nitrate in drinking water is 10 ppm. This standard was set 25 years ago to protect infants against so-called blue baby syndrome and has not been reviewed since. But recent studies by the National Cancer Institute have found that drinking water with just 5 ppm of nitrate increases the risk of colon, kidney, ovarian and bladder cancers. As such, the EWG Standard for nitrate is 5 ppm.

To keep average nitrate levels below the legal limit – although not below the level linked to an increased risk of cancer – the Des Moines Water Works treated the polluted river water with sodium chloride through a process called ion exchange . In 2014 and 2015, nitrate in treated, or “finished,” water from the utility averaged 5.16 ppm. During that period, average levels met the standard, but nitrate levels in individual samples of finished water went up and down, ranging from 0.08 ppm to 9.21 ppm.

Eighty miles downstream from Des Moines, the city of Ottumwa faced the same challenge of keeping nitrate in the water it served to its citizens below the legal limit.

Ottumwa, with a population of about 25,000, does not have a nitrate treatment system, but relies on blending Raccoon River water from other sources to bring down the level of the contaminant. In 2014 and 2015, nitrate levels in Ottumwa’s finished water averaged 6.42 ppm – again, below the legal limit but above the increased cancer risk level. In January 2015 the nitrate level was 9.7 ppm, perilously close to the legal limit.

Real-time water quality monitoring by the U.S. Geological Survey shows a strong correlation between seasonal averages of nitrogen in the river and nitrate levels in drinking water for Des Moines and Ottumwa (see Figure 2). When nitrate in the river spikes, the utilities manage to keep drinking water below the legal limit, but contamination consistently exceeds the increased cancer risk level.

Communities across Iowa face similar problems.

In 2014 and 2015, nitrate levels for tap water in 45 Iowa public water systems averaged at or above 5 ppm. All but three of those systems draw from groundwater under the surface, while the rest, like those of Des Moines and Ottumwa, depend on the river. According to data from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Source Water Protection Program, 30 of the 45 systems drew from wells classified as highly susceptible to contamination. [4]

Private well water is also plagued by high levels of nitrate. A 2016 study by Iowa Watch, a nonprofit news organization, estimated that 288,000 Iowans rely on water from private wells. The study looked at nitrate levels in 28 wells throughout rural southwest Iowa in May and June of that year. They found nitrate levels as high as 168 ppm, with 11 wells at or above 45 ppm.

In 2016 the Iowa Department of Public Health tested more than 1,700 private wells for nitrate. It found that 19 percent were at or above the legal limit of 10 ppm. [5]  This was up slightly from 2015, but down significantly from 2014, when 29 percent of the more than 5,000 wells tested had nitrate levels at or above the legal limit.   

Nitrate not the only problem

Nitrate is not the only threat to drinking water polluted by agricultural runoff.

When it rains, the runoff from poorly protected farm fields carries phosphorous fertilizer and organic matter like manure, mud and crop residues into streams. Phosphorous triggers blooms of algae, which multiply the amount of organic matter in the stream.

To protect people from fecal bacteria or pathogens, utilities must disinfect the water with chlorine or other chemicals. But those chemicals react with algae and other organic matter in the water to produce disinfection byproducts. The byproducts, called trihalomethanes, or TTHMs, carry long-term health hazards.

Drinking tap water contaminated with TTHMs increases the  risk of developing bladder cancer  in humans. In animal studies, TTHMs are also associated with liver, kidney and intestinal tumors. Studies suggest that TTHMs increase the risk of problems during pregnancy as well, including miscarriage, cardiovascular defects, neural tube defects and low birth weight.

The EPA has set a legal limit of 80 parts per billion, or ppb, for TTHMs in drinking water. The limit was based on the technical feasibility of removing TTHMs from drinking water after disinfection and did not consider long-term toxicity. In 2010,  California state scientists estimated that exposure to 0.8 ppm  of TTHMs – 100 times lower than the federal legal limit – would pose a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer.

EWG’s Tap Water Database , which collects test results from almost 50,000 utilities nationwide,  shows that in 2014 and 2015, 33 water systems in Iowa had average nitrate levels at or above 75 percent of the legal limit for TTHM, or at 60 ppb. Three of those systems are in the Raccoon River watershed.  

Who is responsible for cleaning the water?

Pollution of source water from farm runoff puts utilities between a rock and a hard place. They don’t control what happens in the watersheds or above the underground aquifers from which they draw drinking water. But utilities and their customers bear the cost of cleaning contaminants out of the water and adhering to federal regulations.

In 2015, the Des Moines Water Works brought a lawsuit against three upstream drainage districts within the Raccoon River watershed for nitrate pollution. They also sought to require the districts to obtain permits similar to those required under the Clean Water Act for industrial facilities and other so-called point source polluters. In 2017, the Iowa Supreme Court threw out the lawsuit on the grounds that the drainage districts were powerless to control farm runoff.

Iowa and some other farm states have conducted studies of how farmers can manage their lands to keep more nitrogen, phosphorus and other chemicals the soil, rather than running off into rivers, lakes and streams. Some states have codified these strategies and practices into reduction goals, but those rely on voluntary practices, for which farmers can receive taxpayer-funded assistance grants. But a look at two of those practices in the Raccoon River watershed show that voluntary programs are not enough.

Cover crops

Cover crops are grasses or other plants seeded to cover fields after the commercial crop has been harvested. They are remarkably effective at preventing mud, fertilizers and farm chemicals from running off of farm fields when it rains. Their roots also capture and hold nitrate in the soil that a commercial crop didn’t use, and keep it from flowing into streams or ditches or seeping into groundwater.

Capturing this unused nitrate is critically important in fields that have been underlain with pipes to drain water from the soil, a practice that improves crop yields. The pipes are buried a few feet below the surface, and send water out from below the surface into a ditch or stream. Miles and miles of these drainage pipes are buried beneath fields in the Raccoon River watershed (see Figure 3 below). Water from these pipes, which the Department of Agriculture estimates drain more than half of Iowa’s cropland, is the main source of nitrate polluting Des Moines’ drinking water.

Figure 3. Example of a drainage network beneath cropland.

EWG used satellite imagery to locate fields protected with cover crops between 2009 and 2010, and between 2015 and 2016. The good news is in that period the amount of cover crops planted to protect the Raccoon River grew from 7,000 acres to nearly 24,000 acres. The bad news is those 24,000 acres are less than 2.5 percent of the amount of cover crops needed to clean up the watershed. Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy recommends that statewide, 60 percent of Iowa’s fields should be protected with cover crops every year. That would be more than 1.02 million acres in the Raccoon watershed – 43 times more than were protected in 2016.

Federal programs could do more to encourage planting of cover crops. Some progress is being made: In 2015, there were 163 contracts through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to support planting of cover crops, up from just three in 2009. In counties within the Raccoon River watershed, support for cover crops through the Conservation Stewardship Program grew more slowly, from 26 in 2012 to 30 in 2015.

But that’s far from enough. A recent EWG mapping project shows that at current levels of spending, it would take 40 to 75 years before enough cover crops are planted to protect 60 percent of Iowa’s cropland.

Riparian buffers

Riparian buffers are strips of grass or trees planted between crops and streams. When it rains, the buffers filter mud, fertilizer, manure and other pollutants out of water running off fields. Buffers also strengthen stream banks that otherwise may collapse and foul streams with mud and other pollutants.

Riparian buffers are critically important to controlling phosphorus runoff, which can spark the growth of harmful algal blooms in streams, rivers and lakes. Algal blooms, along with mud and manure, are a major source of the organic matter that triggers TTHMs and other disinfection byproducts contaminating drinking water.

EWG used high-resolution satellite imagery provided by Planet – a private earth observation company – to check for buffers along over 2,500 miles of waterways bordered by cropland in the Raccoon River watershed. Our investigation compared acres of buffers within 100 and 50 feet of stream banks from 2010 to 2011 and 2015 to 2016.

We found a net loss, as some landowners added 803 acres of buffers within 100 feet of stream banks, but other landowners destroyed 1,070 acres of buffers. Losses also overwhelmed gains within 50 feet of stream banks. And almost one-fifth of the waterways had no protective buffers at all. Most of those streams are intermittent, flowing only after rains, but are still a major source of pollution.

Data from the federal Conservation Reserve Program confirmed our findings. In Raccoon River watershed counties, between 2009 and 2014, there was a net loss of 376 riparian buffer acres enrolled in the CRP.

See riparian buffer losses and gains on an interactive map.

Time to act

Time is running out for the millions of Americans who depend on water flowing through or under intensively farmed land. Exposure to high levels of nitrate and TTHM are putting their health at risk and increasing the cost of clean water. The cost of adding treatment systems to remove nitrate can be crippling for small communities.

Utilities are doing their best to deliver water within the legal limits, but it is an ever-increasing challenge as pollution of source water goes unchecked. EWG's Tap Water Database shows that from 2014 to 2015, water in more than 1,700 public water systems, serving over 6.7 million people, was contaminated with nitrate at or over an average of 5 ppm, the increased cancer risk level. More than 460 systems, serving more than 500,000 people, had average nitrate levels at or above 7.5 ppm.

Government programs that encourage farmers to act have an important role to play, and focusing these programs on getting the right pollution prevention practices in the right places would make them more effective. But decades of experience show that voluntary programs alone aren't enough.

Landowners who voluntarily adopt a protective practice can voluntarily take it out. Funding for these programs is inadequate to address the scope and scale of the problem. And it’s not fair to ask people already paying utilities to treat their water to also pay to keep contaminants out of the water in the first place.

It’s time for states to enact a basic standard of care – a set of common-sense pollution prevention practices that farmers and landowners should be expected to maintain as part of the responsibilities that go hand-in-hand with the rights of land ownership.

States should tighten existing standards or enact new standards to ensure fertilizers and manure are applied when, where and in the right amount to prevent pollution. Minnesota now requires 50 feet of protective vegetation between cropland and public waterways. More states should follow suit. Landowners should be expected to take simple and well-understood measures to prevent gully erosion that delivers mud, fertilizer, manure and farm chemicals to waterways.

The basic standard of care should be tailored to reflect differences between farming systems and local watersheds, or unique threats to water quality. But a basic set of standards must be in place in every county to create a solid foundation on which a far more effective suite of voluntary government programs can be built.

Beyond state action, reauthorization of the federal farm bill in 2018 is a remarkable opportunity to jump-start progress. 

But it is more than fair to expect farmers and landowners to expand their efforts to protect the environment in return for the generous farm and insurance subsidies they receive. According to the Congressional Budget Office, in 2016 alone, those subsidies totaled $14.5 billion, with a projection of another $64.3 billion in spending over the next five years.

The conservation compact between farmers and taxpayers in the 1985 Farm Bill sparked dramatic progress in cutting runoff from the most vulnerable cropland and saving wetlands. More than 30 years later, it’s time for Congress to require all subsidized growers and all the cropland they farm to meet conservation standards to cut polluted runoff.

To remain eligible for farm program benefits and crop insurance premium subsidies, farmers and landowners should take steps on all annually planted cropland earning subsidies to:

• Achieve a rate of soil erosion no greater than the soil loss tolerance level on all annually planted cropland;
• Prevent ephemeral gully erosion; and
• Establish and maintain a minimum of 50 feet of perennial vegetation between annually tilled cropland and intermittent or perennial waterways.

Many farmers are likely already doing everything needed to meet their obligations under a new and stronger conservation compact. Those who aren’t should have five years to get their plans in place and another five years to fully apply the plans on their farms.

Donate today and join the fight to protect our environmental health.

The U.S. Geological Survey national hydrography dataset, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources channelized stream layer, and the Iowa Flood Center top-of-bank data were used to establish a footprint for surface water. Those data were subset to remove all public lands, forest, residential area and any land tracts with less than 10 percent area in cultivated land.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency Common Land Units, or CLU, were used to calculate the percent of agricultural area by summarizing pixels of corn and soybeans taken from the USDA’s Cropland Data Layer.

The buffer universe was created by using a 100-foot and 50-foot distance from all agricultural waterways so long as it intersected with CLU classified as agriculture.

For buffer detection, vegetation was detected from the Normalized Difference Vegetative Index, or NDVI, calculated from 5-meter resolution Rapid Eye imagery from Planet. All vegetation was detected between mid-to-late May 2009 and 2010 and mid-to-late May 2015 and 2016. The grass universe was used to calibrate the existence and longevity of buffers within the buffer universe.

Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI were used to detect the emergence and vigor of grass using derived NDVI to capture the field level persistence and vigor during the spring and fall. All cover crop acres were subset to areas of corn and soybeans using the USDA’s Cropland Data Layer.

1 U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Cropland Data Layer. Accessed June 1, 2017. USDA-NASS, Washington, D.C. Available at nassgeodata.gmu.edu/CropScape/

2 Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Confinement Feeding Operations Registered with the Iowa DNR. 2016. Accessed June 1, 2017. Iowa DNR, Des Moines, Iowa.  Available at programs.iowadnr.gov/nrgislibx/

3 U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2012 Census of Agriculture, Table 41. Fertilizers and Chemicals Applied: 2012 and 2007. Available at www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_041_041.pdf

4 Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Source Water Protection Wells. 2015. Accessed June 1, 2017. Iowa DNR, Des Moines, Iowa. Available at www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water-Quality/Source-Water-Protection

5 Iowa Department of Public Health. Iowa Public Health Tracking Portal. Nitrate Measures. Accessed June 1, 2017. Iowa DNR, Des Moines, Iowa. Available at pht.idph.state.ia.us/Dashboards/Dashboards/Private%20Drinking%20Water/Nitrate%20Measures.aspx

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Farmer-to-Farmer Case Study Series

Farmers adapt to challenges in unique ways. Some of these strategies are unique to a specific location, while others are universal to agriculture. By adopting farming practices such as tillage, residue management, crop rotations, soil organic amendments and resource-use efficiency farmers have been able to overcome barriers, often in unexpected ways. Innovative approaches used by Pacific Northwest farmers to improve on-farm sustainability and longevity are being featured in a series of case studies.

The REACCH Producer Survey showed that other farmers are the most trusted source of information for producers. The goal of these case studies is to inspire others to take management risks on their farms that can improve their overall sustainability and resiliency into the future, by showcasing producers who have done so successfully. Case studies are in progress and will be added to this page as they are completed.

Profiled Farmers

Dryland case studies.

Ron and Andy Juris: Stripper Header (low rainfall)    Video     Full Case Study Highlights the experiences of a father-son team who use the stripper header and direct seeding to maximize water retention and residue retention in a low-rainfall area of WA.

Ron Jirava: Conservation Tillage in a Winter Wheat-Fallow System (low rainfall)    Video    Full case study in progress. Explores tillage strategies used by an innovative farmer in an area that receives 11.5 inches of precipitation annually. These strategies include use of an undercutter sweep, and experimentation with a no-till winter wheat-fallow rotation.

Bill Jepson: Flex Cropping (low rainfall)    Video     Full Case Study Features a direct-seed, OR grain farmer who produces cash crops annually in a traditional wheat-fallow system using a flexible approach based on weather and markets. In addition to increasing the overall farm profit, this system has improved weed control and increased soil organic matter on the farm.

Steve and Becky Camp: Enhancing Crop Diversity (intermediate rainfall)   Video     Full Case Study Features a husband and wife team who have been able to improve soil health and moisture retention by diversifying to a 4-5 year crop rotation utilizing unconventional crops in a low-rainfall area in eastern WA.

Eric Odberg: Precision Nitrogen Application (high rainfall)    Video     Full Case Study Highlights the experiences of a fourth generation, no-till grain farmer for incorporating variable rate nitrogen technology into his farm management strategy in a high-rainfall dryland production region in ID.

Drew Leitch (high rainfall)    Video    Full Case Study in progress Highlights a third-generation farmer who has successfully produced both spring seeded and fall seeded cover crops on his farm in Nez Perce county. Cover crops improve soil health and provide needed grazing for his cow-calf herd.

Steve and Nate Riggers (high rainfall)     Video   Full case study in progress

Irrigated Case Studies

Dale Gies: Biofumigant Cover Cropping in Potatoes    Video     Full case study in progress.  Demonstrates how a wheat-potato farmer has incorporated a mustard cover crop to act as a soil fumigant without destroying soil structure in an irrigated agriculture system in WA.

Jake Madison: Deficit Irrigation    Video    Full Case Study in progress Relates unique strategies used by an Oregon farmer to cope with water limitations. By providing wheat, corn, and alfalfa with less water than they would need to achieve maximum yields, but still enough to be profitable, this farmer saves water for the farm's most valuable crops, primarily potatoes and onions.

Lorin Grigg: Strip-Tillage for Onions and Sweet Corn    Video     Full Case Study in progress Discusses Grigg’s cover cropping and strip tillage strategy to protect onion and sweet corn seedlings from windblown sand near Quincy, WA.

Eric Williamson: Strip-Tillage of Vegetables with Livestock Integration    Video    Full Case Study in progress Williamson's vegetable farm in the Columbia Basin has transitioned to strip-tillage and direct seeding over the past 15 years in order to reduce soil loss and crop damage caused by high winds. The farm also incorporates cover cropping, soil amendments, and integrated livestock.

Rangelands and Dairy Case Studies

Maurice and Beth Robinette: Holistic Management (ranching) Near Cheney WA, Maurice Robinette and his daughter Beth use holistic management practices to run their ranch. See videos on Maximizing Water and Summer Calving

Jay Gordon: A Community-Based Response to Flooding (dairy)    Video     Full Case Study in progress Gordon, a sixth-generation dairy farmer and member of the Washington State Dairy Federation, is part of a group of community partners and researchers who are developing proposals to respond to flooding in the Chehalis Valley.

Ron and Andy Juris: Stripper Header (low rainfall)

Highlights the experiences of a father-son team who use the stripper header and direct seeding to maximize water retention and residue retention in a low-rainfall area of WA.

Left: The Jurises' stripper header, mounted on their combine. Photo by Hilary Davis.

Ron Jirava: Conservation Tillage in a Winter Wheat-Fallow System (low rainfall)

Left: Undercutter. Photo by Bill Schillinger

Bill Jepsen: Flex Cropping (low rainfall)

Features a direct-seed, OR grain farmer who produces cash crops annually in a traditional wheat-fallow system using a flexible approach based on weather and markets. In addition to increasing the overall farm profit, this system has improved weed control and increased soil organic matter on the farm.

Left: Spring wheat grows in winter wheat stubble. When sufficient water is stored in the soil profile over the winter, Jepsen plants spring wheat or spring barley. Photo by Bill Jepsen. 

Steve and Becky Camp: Enhancing Crop Diversity (intermediate rainfall)

Features a husband and wife team who have been able to improve soil health and moisture retention by diversifying to a 4-5 year crop rotation utilizing unconventional crops in a low-rainfall area in eastern WA.

Left: Austrian winter peas farm contrast with wheat and fallow in the background—a more common pattern for the Camps’ area. Photo by Karen Sowers.

Eric Odberg: Precision Nitrogen Application (high rainfall)

Photo by Guy Swanson

Highlights the experiences of a fourth generation, no-till grain farmer for incorporating variable rate nitrogen technology into his farm management strategy in a high-rainfall dryland production region in ID.

Drew Leitch: Grazed Cover Cropping (high rainfall)

Left: Cows grazing in cover crop. Photo by Doug Finkelnburg.

Steve and Nate Riggers: Enhancing Cropping Diversity (high rainfall)

Steve and Nate Riggers grow winter and spring wheat on the Camas Prairie in Idaho, but have incorporated spring broadleaf crops such as peas, lentils, and canola. They also grow less-common crops like buckwheat, turf grass seed, crested wheatgrass seed, and alfalfa in an area that receives about 22 inches of rain annually.

Dryland alfalfa by Darrell Kilgore

Dale Gies: Biofumigant Cover Cropping in Potatoes

Trials of biofumigant efficacy at the Gies farm. Photo: Andy McGuire.

Demonstrates how a wheat-potato farmer has incorporated a mustard cover crop to act as a soil fumigant without destroying soil structure in an irrigated agriculture system in WA.

Jake Madison: Deficit Irrigation

Because Madison’s water sources are limited, Madison deficit irrigates wheat, corn, alfalfa and other hay crops, while high-profit vegetable crops, including potatoes and onions, receive full water. Photo: Darrell Kilgore

Relates unique strategies used by an Oregon farmer to cope with water limitations. By providing wheat, corn, and alfalfa with less water than they would need to achieve maximum yields, but still enough to be profitable, this farmer saves water for the farm's most valuable crops, primarily potatoes and onions.

Lorin Grigg: Strip-Tillage for Onions and Sweet Corn

Grigg plants onions into tilled strips between spring wheat residues. The residues reduce wind erosion, protecting emerging onion seedlings. Photo: Darrell Kilgore

Eric Williamson: Strip-Tillage of Vegetables with Livestock Integration

Planting wheat in strips facilitates planting of the following corn crop using strip tillage. Photo by Darrell Kilgore

Livestock-related case studies are also available at the website of Washington State University’s Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources .

The Camp, Gies, Grigg (video), Jepsen, Jirava, Juris, Leitch, Madison, Odberg, Riggers and Williamson case studies are material that is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, under award number 2011-68002-30191 (Regional Approaches to Climate Change for Pacific Northwest Agriculture). The Grigg case study (written and video) relied on support from Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (Western SARE). The Gies case study was completed with the support of the Laird Norton Family Foundation.

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Case Study: How Would You Save This Farm?

• Forest L. Reinhardt
• Alison Beard

Drought is forcing a tough choice.

Pete Walker liked to start each morning with a drive around the fields. Of course, he could monitor his crops by scanning computer screens back in the farmhouse, but he liked to see and smell the tilled soil, sprouting tendrils, bushy trees, and ripe produce for himself. He sat back in the seat of his Jeep, sipped his coffee, and looked out at the horizon. The 23,000 acres of Walker Farms stretched before him under a pale blue, invariably cloudless California sky.

• Forest L. Reinhardt is the  John D. Black Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. He also serves as faculty chair of the HBS Asia-Pacific Research Center and chair of HBS Executive Education, Asia-Pacific Region.
• Alison Beard is an executive editor at Harvard Business Review and previously worked as a reporter and editor at the Financial Times. A mom of two, she tries—and sometimes succeeds—to apply management best practices to her household. alisonwbeard

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A Biodiversity Success Story from Puerto Rico

Efren Robles

Northern America : Efren Robles, the co-founder of a culinary agro hub in Puerto Rico, shares how biodiversity is helping his farm produce the best yields.

Harnessing Agritourism to Promote Sustainable Agrifood Systems in Albania

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Africa & Middle East : A wave of extreme weather has led to a climate crisis mounting strain on agriculture, food security and access to safe water across Burundi. A program by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is, however, helping over 2,000 farmers adapt through nature-based solutions.

How Diverse Crops Create a Safety Net for Solomon Islanders

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Unlocking the Potential of Entrepreneurial Rural Youth in Agriculture

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Bridging the Gender Gap in Animal Health Services

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Rwandan Biofortified Bean Farmers Prosper From Greater Yields and Income

Jose Funes & Ekin Birol

Africa & Middle East : The adoption of biofortified bean seeds has resulted in greater grain yields and higher incomes for Rwandan farmers, says new study.

Building Sustainable Futures in Kenya Through Regenerative Agriculture

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Global : Focusing on local standards can improve the adoption of Voluntary Sustainability Standards in developing countries, says UNCTAD's research.

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U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit

• Steps to Resilience
• Case Studies

• Climate Change and Agriculture in the United States: Effects and Adaptation

Increases of atmospheric carbon dioxide, rising temperatures, and altered precipitation patterns will affect agricultural productivity. Livestock production systems are vulnerable to temperature stresses. Projections for crops and livestock production systems reveal that climate change effects over the next 25 years will be mixed. Climate change will exacerbate current biotic stresses on agricultural plants and animals. Agriculture is dependent on a wide range of ecosystem processes that support productivity including maintenance of soil quality and regulation of water quality and quantity. The predicted higher incidence of extreme weather events will have an increasing influence on agricultural productivity. Over the last 150 years, U.S. agriculture has exhibited a remarkable capacity to adapt to a wide diversity of growing conditions amid dynamic social and economic changes.

Options Considered

The following resilience actions were considered in the development of this plan. To explore other resilience actions that may be applicable to your community, visit the complete Options Database .

7 Steps to Define Your Business Process by  Stefano Borghi . Used via  CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED , via Google.

Climate-smart agriculture Projects from around the world case studies 2021

Addressing climate change and transforming agri-food systems are key to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With nearly 690 million people around the world facing hunger today (FAO et al., 2020), agri-food systems emitting one third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions (Crippa et al., 2021) and a growing public demand for climate action, it is pressing to achieve food security while adapting to - and mitigating - climate change. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has grown from a concept into an approach implemented throughout the world, by all types of stakeholders. This publication describes climate-smart agriculture case studies that apply the five action points for CSA implementation. The action points are: 1) expanding the evidence base for CSA, 2) supporting enabling policy frameworks, 3) strengthening national and local institutions, 4) enhancing funding and financing options, and 5) implementing CSA practices at field level. The five action points were created by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as a methodology for implementing the climate-smart-agriculture approach at a national scale. These action points provide the structure for this publication. The case studies discuss context-specific activities that contribute to CSA’s three pillars: sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes, adapting and building resilience of people and agri-food systems to climate change, and reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions where possible. Many of the case studies pay special attention to smallholder farmers, including women and indigenous groups, who are particularly affected by the impacts of climate change.

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Urban Agriculture: Findings From Four City Case Studies

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Farm to school is taking place in all 50 states, D.C. and U.S. Territories! Select a location from the list below to learn more or contact a Core Partner.

Bringing the Farm to School: Case Studies

Throughout the Bringing the Farm to School: Agricultural Producers' Toolkit training you will find case studies (in written, video, and podcast format) that highlight how farmers have applied key concepts on their own farms or business operations. These case studies offer real-world examples of the concepts taught in the Local Producer Training lesson plans. Bringing the Farm to School was developed in partnership by USDA Food and Nutrition Services, the National Center for Appropriate Technology, and the National Farm to School Network.

Case Studies

These case studies were specifically developed for the Bringing the Farm to School program.

Anthony Youth Farm

Anthony, new mexico.

Alma Maquitico

Arizona Microgreens

Phoenix, arizona.

Joseph Martinez

Bear Paw Meats

Chinook, montana.

Camas Country Mill & Umi Organics

Tom & Sue Hunton and Lola Milholland

Cattail Organics

Athens, wisconsin.

Katrina Becker

Common Ground Farm

Wappingers falls, new york.

Sember Weinman and Erika Rincon

Farm to School of Park County

Park county, montana.

Rachel Jones

Fayetteville Public Schools

Fayetteville, arkansas.

Ally Mrachek, Director of Child Nutrition

Fiery Ginger Farm

West sacramento, california.

Hope Sippola

Food Connects and Windham Northeast Supervisory Union

Grasmick Produce

Boise, idaho.

Chris Gaskell

Holmes County Food Hub and New North Florida Cooperative

Marianna, fl.

Glyen Holmes

Kansas City Food Hub and KC Farm School

Kansas city, missouri.

Alicia Ellingsworth

L&R Poultry and Produce

Goodhue county, minnesota.

Living Root Farm

Hardin, montana.

Teri and Evan Van Order

Sweat’s Produce

Wrightsville, georgia.

Kenneth Sweat

Additional Case Study Examples : We have compiled a playlist of additional videos that offer helpful case studies to learn from as you consider ways to launch or grow your efforts to market to schools.

Have Questions?

Contact Tomas Delgado, NFSN Program Manager, [email protected] , or Tammy Howard, NCAT Agricultural Specialist, [email protected] .

This project has been funded in part by federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service through an agreement with the National Center for Appropriate Technology in partnership with the National Farm to School Network. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.

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Agribusiness →

• 18 Jun 2024
• Cold Call Podcast

How Natural Winemaker Frank Cornelissen Innovated While Staying True to His Brand

In 2018, artisanal Italian vineyard Frank Cornelissen was one of the world’s leading producers of natural wine. But when weather-related conditions damaged that year’s grapes, founder Frank Cornelissen had to decide between staying true to the tenets of natural wine making or breaking with his public beliefs to save that year’s grapes by adding sulfites. Harvard Business School assistant professor Tiona Zuzul discusses the importance of staying true to your company’s principles while remaining flexible enough to welcome progress in the case, Frank Cornelissen: The Great Sulfite Debate.

• 15 Nov 2018

Can the Global Food Industry Overcome Public Distrust?

The public is losing trust in many institutions involved in putting food on our table, says Ray A. Goldberg, author of the new book Food Citizenship. Here's what needs to be done. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

• 17 Oct 2016

Business Solutions That Help Cut Food Waste

Up to 40 percent of food grown in the United States for human consumption is wasted. But solutions are starting to come together from retailers, farmers, academics, policy makers, and social service organizations, according to José Alvarez. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

• 09 Apr 2012
• Research & Ideas

Who Sways the USDA on GMO Approvals?

Government agencies can be "captured" by the very companies or industries they regulate. Looking at how genetically altered food products are approved, Assistant Professor Shon R. Hiatt finds unexpected influencers on the US Department of Agriculture. Key concepts include: "Regulatory capture" describes the phenomenon whereby regulatory agencies tasked with serving the public instead end up advancing the interests of the companies they regulate. Traditional theories of capture such as lobbying and campaign contributions had little effect on whether the US Department of Agriculture approved any particular genetically altered agriculture product. What did seem to affect the approval process was the influence of third-party groups such as associations and even related regulatory agencies. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

• 19 Jun 2009
• Research Event

Business Summit: The Evolution of Agribusiness

Agribusiness has come to be seen not just as economically important, but as a critical part of society. The future for this massive industry will be both exciting and complex. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

• 03 Nov 2008

Economics of the Ethanol Business

What happens when a group of Missouri corn farmers gets into the energy business? What appears to be a very lucrative decision quickly turns out to be much more risky. Professor Forest Reinhardt leads a case discussion on what the protagonists should do next. From HBS Alumni Bulletin. Key concepts include: The case examines the complex political and economic underpinnings of the ethanol industry. By investing in corn-based ethanol, farmers reduce their exposure to corn prices, but at the expense of exposure to the oil market. The case promotes greater understanding of the way materials and energy flow in the modern U.S. agricultural system. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

• 02 Jul 2001

Ray A. Goldberg

Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

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Case Studies: Agriculture

All agriculture case studies.

Deep in the Weeds of Organic Farming

By Matthew S. Taylor, Mariëlle H. Hoefnagels, Mark E. Walvoord

The Stakeholders of Gorongosa National Park

By Andrea M.-K. Bierema, Sara D. Miller, Claudia E. Vergara

Are Oxpeckers Friends or Foes?

By Andrea M.-K. Bierema

Fishing Midst the Morning Dew

By Adela M. Acosta

Fields of Gold

By Gokhan Hacisalihoglu, Courtenay C. Strickland

Too Hot to Trot?

By Ashley E. Rhodes, Timothy G. Rozell

The Canadian Canola Controversy

By Susan E. Gass, Danielle Scriven

Aisles of Confusion

By Justin A. Pruneski, Enya J. Granados, Kaylee M. Wilburn

The Demise of the Forest People

By Katherine A. Kurth, Tomika M. Haller, Annalisa L. Sharkey

Could Grazing Be Dangerous? Ask the Cows!

By Kevin Pyatt, Michelle C. Pyatt, Michael I. Rule

CASE STUDIES OF AGROECOLOGY

 See more case study collections on …. Land & Soil , Pastoralism , Seed sovereignty.

AFSA’s collection of case studies shows how agroecology benefits Africa in terms of food security, nutrition, poverty reduction, climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation, cultural sensitivity, democracy, and value for money.

Agroecology works in harmony with nature. It builds on traditional agricultural practices using research, technology and indigenous knowledge, while ensuring that farmers are in control of all aspects of food production.

With agroecology, African farmers produce abundant healthy food sustainably.

Ugandan Universities pledge to collaborate with civil society and spearhead action towards transition to Agroecology.

Nurturing Nature: Agroecological practices and strategies for enhancing soil health, seed vitality, and resilience

ZAMBIA’S TRAILBLAZING BOKASHI FERTILIZER INITIATIVE RESHAPES AGRICULTURE

LANDSCAPE RENAISSANCE: THE ETHIOPIAN VILLAGE REVERSING DEGRADATION AND DROUGHT

RESTORING VITALITY TO AFAR REGION’S DRY VALLEYS: A BEACON OF INNOVATION IN ETHIOPIA

AGROECOLOGY INITIATIVE ADDRESSES FOOD INSECURITY IN CAMEROON’S SAHEL REGION

KENYAN FARMERS TRIUMPH OVER CLIMATE ADVERSITY WITH AGROECOLOGICAL PRACTICES

CAMEROONIAN YOUNG AGRICULTURAL ENTREPRENEURS REVOLUTIONIZE FERTILIZATION

TURNING ARID LANDS INTO BREADBASKETS: REHEMA FARM’S JOURNEY TO FEED AFRICA

PIONEERING AGROECOLOGICAL INITIATIVE FLOURISHES AT “LE JARDIN D’EDEN” IN BENIN

UNVEILING UNION ALHERI’S BLUEPRINT FOR SOIL REVITALIZATION IN NIGER

Sixteen Healthy Soil Healthy Food and Agroecology Success Stories From Across Africa

AGROECOLOGY FARMERS MORE RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF THE RISING PRICES OF AGRICULTURAL INPUTS

BIBA KENYA CHAMPIONS SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN NAKURU: A BEACON OF HOPE AND RESILIENCE

BLOOMING RESILIENCE: THE TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY OF N’GORAL GUIDALA’S WOMEN IN MAURETANIA

BUSAINO FRUITS AND HERBS: A GREEN OASIS TRANSFORMING UGANDA’S AGROECOLOGY LANDSCAPE

A Revolutionary Farming Blueprint in Uganda: “Plant Every Day to Harvest Every Day”

Food forests in Kenya create food sovereignty

Ugandan women securing land for agroecology

Agroecology saves soil and boosts yield in the hills

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Phoebe Nakakande is a Certified Public Accountant of Uganda-CPA(U). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Development Economics from Makerere University and is also a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU). She has over 10 years’ working experience handling Finance and Administrative roles in both NGO and private sectors.

Email: [email protected]

Ruth Nabaggala is the African Agroecological Entrepreneurship (AAE) Project Officer of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA). Ruth has over 15 years of experience in managing agricultural projects, and coordinating Agroecological entrepreneurial assignments at community, regional and national levels.

She headed the Agroecology Market & Business Development Department at Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM Uganda) for over 10 years. As a coordinator, manager and supervisor, Ruth has been in charge of directly coordinating projects, supervising staff, supporting publication development, and organizing conferences and high-level events.

Ruth has led teams of over 20 NGOs at a time, and has supported the transition of over 100,000 farmers from subsistence agriculture to farmer entrepreneurship. Through Ruth’s leadership, PELUM Uganda developed a farmer-led Value Chain Development Model (PESA Agro Enterprise Marketing model), which has supported a 20+% increase in income for over 50,000 farmers.

Email: [email protected]

Abbot started his professional journey in the healthcare industry, where he worked alongside local communities of individuals living with HIV. His role included managing partnerships with sub-grantee organizations and overseeing their activities. Abbot has a strong inclination towards Monitoring and Evaluation, coupled with a deep passion to support organizations in accomplishing their objectives and strengthening their capabilities. For over a decade, Abbot has been involved in measuring the impact of interventions related to agroecological agriculture and reproductive health. Throughout his career, he has worked with a variety of organizations, ranging from community-based NGOs to national and international NGOs. Abbot is an active member of the Uganda Evaluation Association, which is the professional body of evaluators in Uganda.

Email: [email protected]

Charles is a seasoned pan-Africanist and development practitioner with 13 years of experience in public policy analysis and effective social change organizing. He holds a Master of Human Rights degree from Makerere University, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Governance and Public Policy from the Uganda Management Institute. As Advocacy and Campaign Coordinator, Charles oversees Policy Research and Advocacy campaigns aimed at mobilizing citizen support for sustainable food systems. He also serves as a secretariat liaison staff for the Citizen Working Group in Agroecology. Charles has written extensively on a variety of development-related topics, and he is deeply committed to promoting active citizenship and proactive citizen agency in order to position civil society as the vanguard for justice, equity, and human dignity. Charles has played a critical role and held leadership responsibilities primarily in civil society and the NGO sub-sector throughout his career.

Email: [email protected]

Simon is an impassioned advocate for sustainable development, climate and social justice, the right to healthy food, and community development issues in Africa. Simon earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Uganda Christian University and is currently serving as a Program Officer at AFSA. Simon is actively involved in the organization’s Climate Working Group activities, displaying his commitment to promoting sustainable practices across Africa. Additionally, Simon serves as the focal person for facilitating the AFSA Youth Group, responsible for organizing the organization’s youth-oriented programs

Email: [email protected]

Charles is an agricultural extension, training, and rural development expert with eight years of experience working for government and non-governmental organizations in Uganda. In his current role as an AFSA Healthy Soil Healthy Food (HSHF) project officer, Charles is responsible for overseeing capacity-building initiatives for HSHF organizations. Charles has published several journal articles on topics such as agroforestry, stakeholder analysis, community action planning, and Ugandan indigenous seeds and foods and has taught in both academic and rural farm settings. He is passionate about agroecology and climate adaptation strategies and holds a Master’s degree in Environmental and Natural Resource Management, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Project Monitoring and Evaluation, and a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture.

Email: [email protected]

Ndèye Awa holds a Master’s Degree in Local Development Engineering and a Professional Degree in Applied Foreign Languages from the Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis. She has four years of experience in community development through her volunteer services with the NGO CorpsAfrica/Senegal and management of the Baba Garage Women’s Entrepreneurship Centre. Ndèye Awa also gained two years of experience in Marketing and Communication. During her community service, she built a school canteen in a primary school covering six villages and 130 children. She also managed a centre for training and coaching more than 600 women in various income-generating activities. As a Project Officer with AFSA, she is implementing the policy advocacy strategy for the recognition of Farmer Managed Seed Systems (FMSS) and the promotion of neglected crops in Niger, Chad and Tanzania with a vision of going regional (Africa) within four years. Ndèye Awa is a very dynamic woman, committed to sustainable development, especially in agriculture, resilience/food sovereignty, women’s entrepreneurship and education of children in rural areas.

Email: [email protected]

Kirubel is an avid Pan-African who is committed to environmental, social justice, and human rights causes in Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Addis Abeba University and has worked in both national and international NGOs for over ten years in environmental advocacy and communication.

Email: [email protected]

Michael’s first career was in water supply, including six years drilling boreholes in rural villages across West and Central Africa, then two years running a local authority water department in the Kalahari, Botswana. Returning to UK, he became a community activist in London, gained a master’s degree in rural development, then worked in community regeneration in deprived post-industrial areas of Northern England. Now back in Africa, he worked for seven years promoting ecological organic agriculture in Tanzania, managing farmer training, advocacy and climate change adaptation projects before joining AFSA working on communications, research and project management.

Email: [email protected]

Famara Diédhiou holds an MBA from the African Center for Higher Studies in Management (CESAG, Dakar, Senegal) and a master’s degree in regional planning, environment and urban management. Famara has 12 years’ professional experience working mostly in rural development, particularly in the establishment of community seed and cereal banks, and organizing women’s groups for urban-rural partnership and advocacy. Active in organic and agroecology movements, he also developed strong international experience both in Africa and outside the continent. Currently Famara is active in various networks in West Africa to advance the food sovereignty struggle and African driven solutions.

Email: [email protected]

Juliet is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). She also holds a Bachelor’s of Commerce degree (Accounting Option). Juliet is currently perusing a Master of Business Administration at Heriot-Watt University- Edinburgh.

She brings over 15 years of experience working with NGOs and the private sector to her role as AFSA’s Finance and Administration Officer. Juliet is in charge of handling, supervising, and planning AFSA’s financial tasks.

She provides strategic leadership in financial management in line with AFSA strategies, policies, procedures, statutory laws, and international financial standards to the Secretariat and Over 30 partners in 54 countries across African continent where AFSA operates. She has vast NGO experience, including sub granting to partners and provides training and capacity building to AFSA partners.

Email: [email protected]

Million has been working for over two decades on intergenerational learning of bio-cultural diversity, agriculture, the rights of local communities to seed and food sovereignty and forest issues. He has a PhD in environmental learning, an MSc in tourism and conservation, and a BSc in Biology, and is a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food).

Email: [email protected]

Bridget is a social scientist with over 15 years work experience with NGOs in management, strategic planning, budgeting, fundraising, and gender mainstreaming. Her competencies are mainly in policy analysis, campaigns and advocacy, capacity building, generation and dissemination of information on food sovereignty. As AFSA’s Program Coordinator, Bridget oversees policy advocacy on seed sovereignty, community land rights, climate justice, and consumer action, supporting AFSA working groups to implement agreed strategies and work plans, and spearheading fundraising initiatives within the organization. She has a Master of Arts Degree in Social Sciences (Public Administration), Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences (Sociology) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation.

Email: [email protected]

Joyce Brown is the Director of Programs and lead on Hunger Politics work at Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in Nigeria.

She also coordinates the youth forum of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa and co-coordinates the Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria. Joyce is a passionate food sovereignty and public health activist who has worked to resist the spread of GMOs and corporate control of the Nigerian food system.

She believes that systemic problems, driven by false narratives, are at the root of global and African issues and her work focuses on exposing these narratives and promoting real, people-centered, contextual, and sustainable solutions. Joyce holds a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and a Master’s degree in Public Health and is skilled in program coordination, communication, research, writing, and editing.

Amadou C. KANOUTE is the head of CICODEV Africa, a Pan-African Institute for Consumer Citizenship and Development. The organization aims to inform, educate, protect, and represent consumers and has a vision of a world where citizens and decision makers are aware of the impacts of their choices as consumers and the impact of production models on trade, the environment, and development.

In 2007, Amadou joined Greenpeace International and served as Project Leader and then Executive Director, helping to develop Greenpeace Africa’s three-year development plan and establish the organization’s first permanent base on the continent.

Previously, he was the Regional Director of Consumers International’s Office for Africa for seven years and Director of the sub-regional office for West and Central Africa for nine years. Under his leadership, Consumers International’s membership grew from 5 consumer organizations in 3 countries to 120 organizations in 46 countries in Africa.

He initiated programs that built the capacity of African consumer organizations to participate in and influence policy formulation in areas such as public utility reform and food and nutrition security. Amadou holds an MBA in project management and evaluation and is fluent in English and French. He was born in 1954 in Thies, Senegal and is married with 4 children.

Hakim Baliraine has a strong background in agriculture and advocacy, having completed various training programs and obtaining certifications in sustainable agriculture, soil and water conservation, land use management, and agroecology.

Currently, Hakim holds multiple leadership positions nationally, regionally, and globally. Nationally, He chairs ESAFF Uganda and sits on the National Steering Committee of Agroecology and Organic Agriculture.

At the regional level, he is the current Chairperson of ESAFF region and the Vice Co.Chair of the regional steering Committee of AU EOA-I. And globally, he represents the People Coalition on Food Sovereignty in Africa to the Global Executive Committee, he represents ESAFF Uganda in World Rural Forum and was recently elected as the Chairperson of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA).

Hakim Baliraine possède une solide expérience dans le domaine de l’agriculture et du plaidoyer, ayant suivi divers programmes de formation et obtenu des certifications en agriculture durable, conservation des sols et de l’eau, gestion de l’utilisation des terres et agroécologie.

Actuellement, Hakim occupe plusieurs postes de direction au niveau national, régional et mondial. Au niveau national, il préside l’ESAFF Ouganda et siège au comité directeur national de l’agroécologie et de l’agriculture biologique.

Au niveau régional, il est l’actuel président de la région ESAFF et le vice-président du comité de pilotage régional de l’AU EOA-I. Au niveau mondial, il représente la Coalition populaire pour la souveraineté alimentaire en Afrique au Comité exécutif mondial, il représente l’ESAFF Ouganda au Forum rural mondial et a récemment été élu président de l’Alliance pour la souveraineté alimentaire en Afrique (AFSA).

Fifamè Fidèle Houssou-Gandonou is the Regional Coordinator of the Campaign on Food Security in the Association of Councils of Churches in West Africa, based in Lomé, Togo.

Fidele is a parish priest and a teacher at the Protestant University of West Africa. Born on 23 April 1974 in Cotonou, Benin, Fidele is married and mother of a boy. She studied theology in Porto-Novo (Benin), Yaoundé (Cameroon) and Paris (France).

She is a pastor of the Protestant Methodist Church of Benin (EPMB) and holds a doctorate in theology. The objective pursued in her research is to entrench feminism in Benin using ethical tools to demonstrate the validity of feminism.

Her thesis was published in the edition Globethics under the title: The ethical foundations of feminism: a reflection from the African context. Fidele is a member of the Circle of Concerned African Theologians, and a trainer in Animation and Applied Bible Studies.

Anne Wanjiku Maina is a development practitioner who has been actively working with communities and challenging false solutions being pushed in Africa like Genetic Engineering, the push for a green revolution in Africa and carbon markets as a strategy to cope with climate change in Africa.

Anne articulates these issues at the national, regional and international level in forums such as the UNFCCC and CBD.

She has over fifteen years’ experience and has been instrumental in the growth and development of various regional networks in Africa; the Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers’ Forum (ESAFF), Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Association and the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA).

Anne is the National Coordinator of the Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya (BIBA Kenya) a member of AFSA. www.bibakenya.org

Mariama Sonko is a small-scale farmer, the treasurer of her AJAC LUKAAL grassroots association, the national coordinator in Senegal, and the chair of the international movement “We Are The Solution”. Mariama lives in Niaguiss, a village in southwestern Senegal.

In 1990 she joined the movement and since then she has been supporting local knowledge and farming practices. She has five children, and her own agricultural produce is the basis of her family’s diet. She fights for the human and socio-economic rights of women and youth. We are the Solution practices agroecology and family farming, encourages food sovereignty, farmer seeds, biodiversity and the demand for equitable access to resources.

‘We Are the Solution’ stemmed from a 2011 campaign for food sovereignty in Africa. In 2014, it became a rural women’s movement. The movement works for the promotion of farmer knowledge and practices, better agricultural governance by decision-makers and valorization of the production of African Family Farming (agroecology and farmer seeds), which have always preserved food sovereignty in Africa.

Fassil Gebeyehu Yelemtu (PhD) is the general coordinator of the African Biodiversity Network. ABN accompanies Africans in expressing their views on issues such as food and seed sovereignty, genetic engineering, agrofuels, biodiversity protection, extractive industries and smallholder farmers’ rights.

ABN focuses on indigenous knowledge, ecological agriculture and biodiversity rights, policies and legislation.

They are at the forefront of culturally centered approaches to social and ecological issues in Africa by sharing experiences, co-developing methodologies and creating a united African voice on the continent on these issues.

Mariama SONKO est une paysanne, trésorière de son Association de base AJAC LUKAAL, coordinatrice nationale au Sénégal, et présidente du mouvement international “Nous sommes la solution”.

Mariama vit à Niaguiss, un village du sud-ouest du Sénégal. En 1990, elle a rejoint le mouvement et depuis lors, elle soutient les connaissances locales et les pratiques agricoles. Elle a cinq enfants et ses propres produits agricoles sont à la base de l’alimentation de sa famille.

Elle lutte pour les droits humains et socio-économiques des femmes et des jeunes. Nous sommes la Solution pratique l’agroécologie et l’agriculture familiale, encourage la souveraineté alimentaire, les semences paysannes, la biodiversité et la demande d’accès équitable aux ressources. Nous sommes la solution ” est née d’une campagne 2011 pour la souveraineté alimentaire en Afrique. En 2014, il est devenu un mouvement de femmes rurales.

Le mouvement œuvre pour la promotion des connaissances et des pratiques paysannes, une meilleure gouvernance agricole par les décideurs et la valorisation de la production de l’agriculture familiale africaine (agroécologie et semences paysannes), qui ont toujours préservé la souveraineté alimentaire en Afrique.

Fifamè Fidèle Houssou-Gandonou est la coordinatrice régionale de la Campagne sur la sécurité alimentaire de l’Association des Conseils des Eglises en Afrique de l’Ouest, basée à Lomé, Togo. Fidele est curé de paroisse et professeur à l’Université protestante d’Afrique de l’Ouest. Née le 23 avril 1974 à Cotonou, au Bénin, Fidele est mariée et mère d’un garçon.

Elle a étudié la théologie à Porto-Novo (Bénin), Yaoundé (Cameroun) et Paris (France). Pasteur de l’Église méthodiste protestante du Bénin (EPMB), elle est titulaire d’un doctorat en théologie. L’objectif poursuivi dans sa recherche est d’enraciner le féminisme au Bénin en utilisant des outils éthiques pour démontrer la validité du féminisme.

Sa thèse a été publiée dans l’édition Globethics sous le titre : Les fondements éthiques du féminisme : une réflexion dans le contexte africain. Fidele est membre du Circle of Concerned African Theologians et formateur en animation et études bibliques appliquées.

Fassil Gebeyehu Yelemtu (PhD) est le coordinateur général du Réseau africain de la biodiversité. ABN accompagne les Africains dans l’expression de leurs points de vue sur des questions telles que la souveraineté alimentaire et semencière, le génie génétique, les agrocarburants, la protection de la biodiversité, les industries extractives et les droits des petits exploitants agricoles.

ABN se concentre sur les savoirs autochtones, l’agriculture écologique et les droits, politiques et législations liés à la biodiversité.

Ils sont à l’avant-garde des approches culturellement centrées sur les problèmes sociaux et écologiques en Afrique en partageant leurs expériences, en co-développant des méthodologies et en créant une voix africaine unie sur le continent sur ces questions.

Juriste de formation, Jean-Paul SIKELI est titulaire d’un DESS en droits de l’homme et d’un DEA en droit public, option droit international.

Ses recherches ont porté sur la tension entre les droits de l’homme et la biotechnologie moderne dans le contexte de la sécurité alimentaire d’une part, et la lutte contre le terrorisme en droit international, d’autre part.

Il est l’auteur de plusieurs articles et d’un ouvrage sur les OGM publié aux Editions Universitaires Européennes. Au niveau professionnel, Jean-Paul SIKELI a été consultant pour la FAO à l’occasion d’un projet national sur les semences et consultant à l’Inades-Formation International.

Il a occupé les postes de Chargé de Programme puis de Secrétaire Exécutif de la Coalition pour la protection du Patrimoine Génétique Africain (COPAGEN), poste qu’il occupe depuis août 2014.

COPAGEN est un mouvement associatif citoyen qui défend les droits des communautés sur les ressources génétiques contre diverses formes de menaces, y compris les OGM et le phénomène d’accaparement des terres et des ressources naturelles. Jean-Paul SIKELI a mené de nombreuses initiatives de plaidoyer pour sauvegarder le patrimoine génétique africain.

Ali Aii Shatu détient un diplôme national supérieur en soins infirmiers vétérinaires. En octobre 2000, elle a été recrutée en tant que coordonnatrice du programme de promotion des femmes et des femmes à MBOSCUDA et a occupé ce poste pendant six ans et a été élue au conseil d’administration de MBOSCUDA en tant que présidente du sous-comité des finances en 2010, poste qu’elle détient encore.

Pour sa vaste expérience et son excellence, Ali a été élu pour représenter le Comité de coordination des peuples autochtones d’Afrique (IPACC), un réseau de 150 organisations de peuples autochtones dans 20 pays africains de l’AFSA. Elle a également été le point focal de l’IPACC sur les questions liées à l’alimentation et à l’agriculture.

En novembre 2016, elle a été élue pour servir l’Alliance en tant que trésorière. Une mère de trois, deux fils et une fille, Mme Ali s’est consacrée au mouvement de souveraineté alimentaire qui promet à ses enfants un avenir meilleur.

Josephine Atangana est basée au Cameroun. Elle représente la Plate-forme sous-régionale de l’Afrique centrale des organisations de producteurs – PROPAC au sein de AFSA. Fondé en 2005, PROPAC regroupe des plates-formes nationales de 10 pays dans la sous-région de l’Afrique centrale.

PROPAC est un membre fondateur de l’Organisation panafricaine des agriculteurs (PAFO). La mission de PROPAC est d’aider au positionnement des producteurs et de leurs organisations comme de véritables entrepreneurs et partenaires dans l’élaboration, la mise en œuvre et l’évaluation des politiques agricoles en Afrique Centrale.

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LIMBUA Group Limited

A Kenyan processing and marketing enterprise in the fruit and nut sector

This case study analyzes the extent to which a small agribusiness in Kenya complies with international standards for responsible investment in agriculture.

Responsible investment in and by agribusinesses—including crop producers, processors, and traders—can play a transformative role in driving innovation in agrifood systems, building market and supply chain linkages, and contributing to local economies and communities. These outcomes can be enhanced when agribusinesses align their policies, operations, and practices with the Committee on World Food Security’s Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI).

The agribusiness in this case study, LIMBUA, is supported by the impact investor Incofin as part of the Smallholder Safety Net Up-scaling Programme (SSNUP). This program brings together investors to promote sustainable, climate-smart farming practices and improve food security and living standards in developing countries. It is part of a series aimed at analyzing how well SSNUP investees perform and comply with international standards for responsible business conduct, such as the CFS-RAI.

LIMBUA is representative of small and medium-sized processing and marketing enterprises in Kenya and operates in the fruit and nut sector. It faces several challenges—from competition for farmer crops to difficulty in accessing local finance and climate-related production uncertainties. It sources its products from local farmers who are certified both organic and Fairtrade. The company provides advisory support on correct organic production techniques, as well as on good agricultural practices for food crops produced for home consumption and the local market.

We measured LIMBUA’s compliance with principles for responsible investment across seven key dimensions. Overall, the company demonstrates a high level of compliance and offers a learning opportunity for other companies. Its operations and processes are relatively honed to ensure responsible and sustainable business conduct at all levels. This is due to conscious choices from the outset to set very clear goals and expectations, develop an innovative business model, and work with stakeholders who could support their aims in the short and long terms.

The case study nevertheless makes several recommendations to LIMBUA, its investors, the government, and other stakeholders to make further improvements. These include suggestions for LIMBUA to boost employees’ understanding and approach to organic farming and to support farmers with seasonal cash flow challenges. It also encourages investors to consider further capital investment to support the company’s continued expansion and diversification.

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Hafiz mirza.

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Long-term sustainability of the water-agriculture-energy nexus in Brazil’s MATOPIBA region: A case study using system dynamics

• Trajectories of Social-Ecological Systems in the Global South
• Published: 08 August 2024

Cite this article

• Minella Alves Martins   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6856-692X 1 ,
• David Collste 2 ,
• Francisco Gilney Silva Bezerra 1 ,
• Marcela Aparecida Campos Neves Miranda 1 ,
• André Rodrigues Gonçalves 1 ,
• Jocilene Dantas Barros 1 ,
• Manoel Ferreira Cardoso 1 ,
• Amanda Sousa Silvino 1 ,
• Taís Sonetti-González 3 ,
• Jean Pierre Henry Balbaud Ometto 1 ,
• Celso von Randow 1 ,
• Javier Tomasella 1 &
• Ana Paula Dutra de Aguiar 1 , 2  

The global demand for agricultural commodities has driven extensive land conversion to agriculture in Brazil, especially in the MATOPIBA region. This area encompasses the Rio Grande Basin, a major tributary of the São Francisco Basin that is known for expanding intensive irrigated agriculture and hydropower generation. However, recent data reveal declining precipitation and aquifer recharge, potentially exacerbating ongoing water and land conflicts. This study investigates the long-term sustainability of agricultural expansion amid the worsening water scarcity using a system dynamics model. Findings suggest that rising costs and decreasing profits due to irrigation water shortages may hinder the expansion of irrigated land. By 2040, the irrigation demand may remain partly unmet, while downstream flow and baseflow could decrease. Additionally, agricultural expansion will significantly raise energy demand, posing a developmental challenge. We suggest that ensuring the sustainability of the Rio Grande Basin depends on improved water management and exploring alternative energy sources to address existing constraints.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the NEXUS Project, funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation–FAPESP, under Grant Numbers 2022/00917-0 and 2017/22269-2. DC, FGBS, TSG, and APDA acknowledge support from the XPaths project—Science in Action: Intersecting Pathways to the SDGs Across Scales in Drylands. CvR acknowledges CNPq grant number 314780/2020-3, and JT acknowledges CNPq grant number 304695/2020-3.

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Minella Alves Martins, Francisco Gilney Silva Bezerra, Marcela Aparecida Campos Neves Miranda, André Rodrigues Gonçalves, Jocilene Dantas Barros, Manoel Ferreira Cardoso, Amanda Sousa Silvino, Jean Pierre Henry Balbaud Ometto, Celso von Randow, Javier Tomasella & Ana Paula Dutra de Aguiar

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Martins, M.A., Collste, D., Bezerra, F.G.S. et al. Long-term sustainability of the water-agriculture-energy nexus in Brazil’s MATOPIBA region: A case study using system dynamics. Ambio (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-024-02058-9

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3.1. Oilseed Rape Yield

3.2. reflectance of oilseed rape plants, 3.3. vis of oilseed rape plants, 3.4. pca of vis, 3.5. performance of oilseed rape yield prediction model.

3.6. Comparisons of Predicted and Measured Yield

4. discussion, 5. conclusions, author contributions, institutional review board statement, data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

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Share and Cite

Hu, H.; Ren, Y.; Zhou, H.; Lou, W.; Hao, P.; Lin, B.; Zhang, G.; Gu, Q.; Hua, S. Oilseed Rape Yield Prediction from UAVs Using Vegetation Index and Machine Learning: A Case Study in East China. Agriculture 2024 , 14 , 1317. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081317

Hu H, Ren Y, Zhou H, Lou W, Hao P, Lin B, Zhang G, Gu Q, Hua S. Oilseed Rape Yield Prediction from UAVs Using Vegetation Index and Machine Learning: A Case Study in East China. Agriculture . 2024; 14(8):1317. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081317

Hu, Hao, Yun Ren, Hongkui Zhou, Weidong Lou, Pengfei Hao, Baogang Lin, Guangzhi Zhang, Qing Gu, and Shuijin Hua. 2024. "Oilseed Rape Yield Prediction from UAVs Using Vegetation Index and Machine Learning: A Case Study in East China" Agriculture 14, no. 8: 1317. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081317

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