Special Envoy for Global Food Security Dr. Cary Fowler

We know that the current pace of incremental change in crop yields is going to leave us far short by 2050. We need to act boldly. We need some game changing developments in agriculture and food security. U.S. Department of State, The Rockefeller Foundation, African Union, FAO, AGRA, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), CGIAR, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Feed the Future

U.S. Department of State Deputy Special Envoy Anna Merrall Nelson talks with Agri-Pulse Communications about global food security and its intersection with the U.S. agriculture sector during the Borlaug Dialogue.

Caught up with Agri-Pulse Communications Lydia Johnson during the Borlaug Dialogue and discussed crop diversity and the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Thank you for the opportunity to share what we are doing at the U.S. Department of State to address global food insecurity.

Our moment is now. We need some options that fit neatly into farming systems of grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits to provide for nutrition security. Cowpea can be one of those options! I agree, AGNES KALIBATA said it best during "The Humble Cowpea" event organized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One). "Cowpea is a super crop. It is good for people, it is good for animals, it is good for the soil, and it is good for business.” Watch the whole event here: https://lnkd.in/eq-dV6MA Thank you Kira Everhart-Valentin for organizing the event and to all those who participated in showcasing this opportunity crop. Another excellent panel at the 2024 Borlaug Dialogue, World Food Prize Foundation. AGRA, CSIR-Savanna Agriculture Research Institute, Jerry Nboyine, Barry PIttendrigh, U.S. Department of State, USAID

ICYMI: In Iowa, Dr. Victor Oladokun led us in a conversation where we talked bold measures to address food security. We championed opportunity crops for their nutrition, climate-resilience, and soil enrichment properties. To view the entire event, click here: https://lnkd.in/emzxEHZS Appreciate the comments from a strong panel including Gerardine Mukeshimana, @Soon-Kwom Kim, John Olajide, Tara Nathan. African Development Bank Group, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Mastercard Foundation, Mastercard

Putting farmers' concerns front and center. A fascinating conversation on creating demand for nutritious, climate-resilient opportunity crops with U.S. Department of State Deputy Special Envoy Anna Merrall Nelson and Dr. Lawrence Haddad CMG, Executive Director at Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). This and more took place in Des Moines, Iowa at the Borlaug Dialogue.

Yesterday, we met with Dr. Laura Suazo Torres, Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock in Honduras. We discussed the agricultural sector including our efforts through SoilFER, which is helping farmers determine which soils can produce crops sustainably. The creation of a National Soil Laboratories Network is a gamechanger for building and strengthening capacities on soil analysis. More to come, stay tuned. Cornell University, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, U.S. Department of State, Brian Andrew Nichols

U.S. Department of State Deputy Special Envoy Anna Merrall Nelson and FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero discuss the VACS Partnership and efforts FAO is jointly coordinating with International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) as well as other partners including Crop Trust and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). CGIAR, U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome, Jeffrey A. Brez, George Kourous, Kimberly Sullivan, Beth Bechdol, Robert Boenish, Ph.D.

1,267,127 seed samples safely backed up from 102 genebanks. Happy birthday to the Crop Trust! Celebrating 20 years of leadership preserving global crop diversity. Very happy to be part of this memorable night with opportunity crops. Thank you! Stefan S., Chefs Manifesto.

FAO has been with us from the beginning, and together we are very focused on expanding value chains for opportunity crops. Very much appreciated meeting with #VACS leader and partner Director General Qu Dongyu, where we discussed our continued collaboration to institutionalize the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils. A heartfelt thank you to DG Qu! Beth Bechdol, Maximo Torero, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome, Anna Merrall Nelson, Joseph Forcherio, Jocelyn G. Brown Hall, Jeffrey A. Brez, George Kourous, Kimberly Sullivan