1treellion.org Global Funds’ Post

Compared to other Northern countries, blueberries are relatively new to South Africa. Although there are many varieties that require a few “chill hours” during winter in the cooler parts, there are many newer varieties that are propagated and can be planted in our milder, sub-tropical regions along our coast and lower altitude regions which will produce excellent quality fruit, size, firmness and high yield. 🫐 Health Fact 💁♂️ Blueberries get their intense blue color from anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant. Blueberries contain different types of antioxidants, which fight the free radicals that cause cell damage. It is believed that blueberries can aid in the fight against cancer, ageing and more. 💙 Visit our website to learn all about growing blueberries in South Africa. 🔗 www.berriesforafrica.co.za #berriesforafrica #berrycultivation #sustainability #berryplants #agriculture #berryfarmers #berrysuppliers #berries #healthy #growberries #berryproducers #berriessouthafrica #gojiberries #healthyfood #healthfacts #blueberries #health #superfood #superfruit

#JustPublished by Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Wageningen University & Research, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), CIRAD, and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found #children 6-59 months old living close to a #forest in Southern #Ethiopia to have lower #diet(ary) intake of #energy, #iron and #zinc than children living few kilometers away from it. However, seasonal variations were smaller in the diets of children living close to the forest.   In previous publications related to the same site, we found the #landscape close to the forest to host more #biodiversity (#bird and #tree species) while having a higher total (#food, #feed, #fuel) productivity, and hosting #farms that are more #sustainable and #resilient, and that produce staple food (#wheat) of higher #nutrient concentration. However, we found #labour productivity to be lower in farms close to the forest. Despite increasing population density, we also found tree number to increase in all landscapes, regardless of their distance to the forest, with likely benefits for wheat yield. https://lnkd.in/du5Gh89p

African countries have become reliant on a few food items. Just 20 plant species now provide 90% of our food, with three—wheat, maize, and rice—accounting for 60% of all calories consumed on the continent and globally. This deprives the continent of diverse food sources at the very time when research has found massive food and nutrition insecurity in Africa. By 2020, about 20% of the continent's population (281.6 million) faced hunger. This figure is likely to have increased, given the impacts of successive droughts, floods, and COVID-19. Yet historically, Africa had 30,000 edible plant species, and 7,000 were traditionally cultivated or foraged for food. The continent is a treasure trove of agrobiodiversity (a diversity of types of crops and animals), and its countries could easily feed themselves. https://lnkd.in/gYNNyvut #africancountries #reliance #food #wheat #rice #maize #calories #nutrition #insecurity #hunger #droughts #edible #plants #agrobiodiversity

Ancestral seeds, often overlooked, and now considered “forgotten” crops by some may in fact help make sub-Saharan food systems more resilient, and more nutritious, as climate change makes it harder to grow the maize, rice, cassava and yams that the region currently relies on. #seedsovereignty = #foodsovereignty This is one of many important reasons why farmer/community managed seed systems are essential! Agroecology Fund

#NewPodcastAlert Enjoy this Kuli Kuli(super cool 😎) episode with our amazing guest Lisa Curtis founder of Kuli Kuli Foods 🌱Moringa is a crucial crop in India, Ethiopia, the Philippines and the Sudan, and is being grown in West, East and South Africa, tropical Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Florida and the Pacific Islands. (source: Food & Agriculture Organization) Lisa got introduced to Moringa through farmers in West Africa but introducing this superfood to the US is quite an exciting part of her journey. The brand is here for a purpose - they want to help farmers grow this super nutritious crop, focus on local nutrition, improve the livelihood of farmers and grow together. As per FAO(Credit: Food & Agriculture Organization) 👇 This plant’s special qualities •Leaves are rich in protein, vitamins A, B and C, and minerals – highly recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers as well as young children. •Plant produces leaves during the dry season and during times of drought, and is an excellent source of green vegetables when little other food is available. •It is fast-growing and drought-tolerant (does not tolerate water logging). •Moringa products have antibiotic, antitrypanosomal, hypotensive, antispasmodic, antiulcer, antiinflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, and hypoglycemic properties. Importance for smallscale farmers •Source of maternal and child nutrition, medicine and household income; •Trees provide wind breaks and reduce soil erosion. (The link to the episode is in the comments) #moringa #superfoods #superfood #climateaction #foodandbeverage

In sub-Saharan Africa, ‘forgotten’ foods could boost climate resilience, nutrition https://lnkd.in/eW6cM59i * A 2023 study was recently awarded the Cozzarelli Prize from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences for its work identifying “forgotten” food crops in sub-Saharan Africa that may be more resilient to climate change than the region’s current staple crops of maize, rice, cassava and yams. * The study found that West Africa and Central Africa would experience the largest decrease in suitability for current staple crops by 2070, and that maize was the most vulnerable of the staples. * In addition to identifying 52 food crops that will likely be better-suited to the region’s future climate — and which have more nutritional value than staple crops — these researchers have already succeeded in introducing some of the overlooked crops to local communities. #Food #Africa #ClimateCrisis #Seeds CC Enoch Gbenato Achigan-Dako

🚨 Healthy Kids, Healthy Future! 🚨 Last week in Viwandani, Nairobi, we had an incredible session with parents of children under 5, delivering life-changing nutrition education! 🥦🥕👶 From teaching the seven essential food groups for complementary feeding to sharing tips on safe food practices—these are the building blocks of healthier communities! 🏘️🍽️ We’re helping families make smarter food choices, use fresh seasonal ingredients, ensure clean drinking water, and avoid non-nutritive drinks. These practical tips are CRITICAL in areas like Viwandani where access to resources is limited but healthy habits are more important than ever. 🌱💪 We’ve also been emphasizing the importance of consuming safely produced foods through #agroecology and #organic farming. Why? Because it promotes overall health, ensures children and everyone in the community aren’t exposed to harmful toxic pesticides, and supports a sustainable future for all. 🌱🍏 Together, we’re fighting malnutrition and empowering communities, one family at a time! 🙌 Let’s make sure every child grows up healthy and strong, no matter where they live.  #NutritionEducation #HealthyKids #CleanEating #Agroecology  KENYA NUTRITIONISTS & DIETICIANS INSTITUTE Global Climate and Health Alliance Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute Biovision Foundation Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT African Population and Health Research Center World Diabetes Foundation Agroecology Fund Global Fund for Children

My fantastic co-authors Melodie Al Daccache, Hala Ghattas, Ghassan Baliki and I just published an #openaccess paper on how #horticulture supports #foodsecurity in #Syria! What did we study? Small-scale agricultural and horticultural interventions play a critical role in improving nutrition and food security of vulnerable households in peaceful settings. However, scant rigorous evidence exists on the impacts and sustainability of such interventions in conflict settings. In this paper, we address this knowledge gap by analyzing the short- and medium-term impacts of a small-scale vegetable input support program involving asset transfers on food security and diets in war-time Syria. How did we do it? We use longitudinal panel household survey data from a quasi-experimental study collected at three rounds: before, one year, and two years after the horticultural intervention ended. We use propensity score matching and fixed-effect regression models to estimate the average treatment effects on the treated. The results are very clear: We find that the vegetable support significantly improves food security by 21% and 19% in the short- and medium-term, respectively. More specifically, we find that the intervention significantly increased the consumption of nutrient-rich food groups such as vegetables, root tubers, fruits, eggs, pulses and nuts, milk, and oil and fats. Moreover, we find that the intervention reduces in the short-term the use of harmful coping strategies by 17%. However, this effect dissipates two years after the end of the intervention. So what? Our study demonstrates the importance of small-scale vegetable support in addressing food insecurity in protracted conflict settings like Syria. Sometimes, small modest support can go a long way, especially in crises settings. #vegetables #research #impactevaluation FAO ISDC - International Security and Development Center

Why is Safflower a Climate Smart crop for Botswana and other Semi-Arid Regions of Southern Africa Today I want to share part of my research on Safflower Cultivation as a Cash Crop for Botswana.  Safflower has been neglected or underutilized for so many years and yet has the potential to thrive through the climate change conditions of extreme temperatures such as heat waves, frost, drought, and salinity incidences. In most regions of Botswana, Safflower varieties can grow all year round in both winter and summer seasons with an average of 90-160 days to reach maturity. The seed yield ranges from 3500-5000 kg/ha depending on variety and season. It has diverse uses such as a source of high-quality oil with high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, the leaves are highly nutritive as leafy vegetables, and safflower colorful petals are used as food colorants and for herbal tea. These petals are common in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat heart diseases through their use as stimulants for blood circulation, reduction of hypertension, and inhibition of thrombosis. Also, safflower forage and cake are useful for animal feeding. This research has been the most impactful, currently over 1000 farmers are cultivating the crop in more than 100 ha across regions of Botswana for commercial purposes. The adopted uses of safflower in Botswana include the sale of seeds, cooking oil, petals, herbal tea, and leafy vegetables as dried and fresh including cosmetics.

Happy #WorldMilkDay ! 🥛 Did you Know? ‘World Milk Day’ was initiated by the FAO in 2001 to highlight milk’s importance as a global food and to celebrate the dairy sector. It is celebrated on June 1st and all aspects of milk are celebrated in different ways on this day. There is one common theme for this day: the potency of milk and the milk industry. This year’s theme celebrates the vital role dairy plays in delivering quality nutrition to nourish the world. Why celebrate it?  Milk isn't just a beverage, it's a nutritional powerhouse packed with essential vitamins and minerals for our well-being. Beyond its nutritional value, milk also plays a significant role in revitalizing rural economies, offering sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers, and fostering community prosperity. With over one billion people relying on the dairy sector for their livelihoods and approximately 240 million individuals employed in the dairy sector directly or indirectly, celebrating World Milk Day means honoring the hard work of farmers, the resilience of rural communities, the essential role milk plays in nourishing our bodies, and supporting economies worldwide. 🌍🥛 Heifer’s Initiative: With active projects like the Milky Way, a joint initiative of the governments of Nepal, South Korea, and Heifer International, Heifer is working to transform the dairy sector of Nepal sustainably through genetic improvement of cattle and the creation of a vertically integrated dairy value chain. #WorldMilkDay #CommunityProsperity #Dairy #OrganicMilk #SustainableDairy #EnjoyDairy