Agriculture/Food Security

1984 MZ woman sq

THP perspective: The vast majority of those living in chronic hunger are women food farmers. Due to deeply entrenched gender discrimination, they are systematically denied the information, resources and freedom of action they need to be successful.

Key Interventions: THP works to ensure all small-scale farmers gain affordable access to the following:

Key messages:

Global campaigns and initiatives:

  • World Food Day. October 16, the day of the founding of the FAO.
  • Zero Hunger Challenge:  The personal advocacy campaign of the UN Secretary-General, with 5 goals, launched at the 2012 Rio Earth Summit. THP is a partner. It is accompanied by an independent Community for Zero Hunger, at which John Coonrod serves as an advisor.
  • L’Aquila PledgeThe 2009 G8 commitment to reverse the decline of aid to agriculture (completed in 2012) that let to the US Government’s Feed the Future initiative.
  • New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition – the G8 initiative in 2012 that followed the L’Aquila pledge, and seeks to mobilize private sector investment in African agriculture.
  • GROW AfricaAn economic initiative of the Africa Union and the World Economic Forum.
  • 2020 Vision: Series of IFPRI conferences begun in 1995 – the next will be in Addis in 2014 and will focus on resilience.
  • World Food PrizeEstablished by Nobel Peace Prize winner and father of the Green Revolution Norman Borlaug in 1986 (who served for many years on our Africa Prize Jury), as the “Nobel Prize for Agriculture” – first awarded to our former chair M.S. Swaminathan. It is awarded on World Food Day and is accompanied by a symposium – the Borlaug Dialogue.
  • Agr-ProFocus. A partnership with Dutch roots to promote farm entrepreneurship.
  • Chicago Council on Global Affairs – Global Agriculture Development Initiative, holds a major conference each year in Washington.

Key agencies:

Key reports and data sources:

Relevant posts on this site:

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Key blogs and newsfeeds:

  • Nourishing the Planet, focus on agroecology – by World Watch Institute
  • FoodTank, co-founded by the former head of Nourishing the Planet.
  • The Guardian – Global Development Professionals Blog
  • Global Food for Thought – Expert commentary and analysis on global agriculture and food- by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs

Must read books: