Category: Food, Agriculture, Land & Ocean (FALO)

Cut Emissions:
– Curb Growing Demands
– Restore & Manage Ecosystems
– Shift Agriculture Practices

  • Memphis Schools’ Fight Against Food Waste is a Fight Against Hunger, Too

    Efforts to reduce food waste in Memphis schools have shown promising results, with initiatives such as share tables and waste audits leading to a significant decrease in unopened milk waste. Clean Memphis has implemented programs involving students in food waste surveys and lessons, as well as utilizing the Careit digital platform for back-of-house donations. The challenge now lies in scaling the program due to the large geographic area of the school district and limited team capacity. Organizers are hopeful for direct investment from the district to expand the successful initiatives and further reduce food waste in schools.

    https://triplepundit.com/2026/clean-memphis-school-lunch-food-waste-hunger/

  • Inspiring Victory Against Big Ag and the GMO Giants

    Soil carbon loss is a significant contributor to CO2 emissions, with over 100 Gt released annually. Implementing regenerative agriculture practices can help reverse climate change by capturing CO2 in the soil and enhancing soil organic matter. This can be achieved by stopping ecosystem destruction, restoring forests and pastures, and discontinuing synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. The Mexican Senate recently approved a constitutional reform to ban GMOs, prioritizing the protection of biodiversity and food sovereignty. Traditional grains like finger millet and sorghum are proving to be more resilient and sustainable in the face of climate variability. The FAO emphasizes the importance of diversifying staple crops in Southern Africa, particularly transitioning from maize to traditional grains like finger millet and sorghum. The impact of the 2024 El Niño on Zimbabwe and Southern Africa led to severe food insecurity, livestock deaths, and the worst hunger crisis in 4 decades. Mexico has banned the planting of genetically modified corn seeds to protect its native corn varieties. The section discusses the importance of regenerative agriculture and organic farming in addressing climate change, highlighting the efforts of organizations like IFOAM Organics International and Regeneration International in promoting sustainable farming practices. The article also mentions the need for African governments to implement agroecology policies to support smallholder food producers and address environmental issues. Overall, the focus is on empowering farmers and communities to take control of their local food systems for a more sustainable future. Stakeholders in Africa are urging states to prioritize agroecology to support farmers and sustainable food production. Glaciers are losing ice mass rapidly, with regional losses ranging from 2% to 39%. The climate crisis is already impacting smallholder farmers, leading to food insecurity and hunger. Industrial agriculture, a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, is unsustainable. Indigenous reserves in the Peruvian Amazon are facing setbacks, putting uncontacted tribes at risk. Supporting monarch populations by planting nectar-rich flowers and milkweed is crucial for their survival. Regeneration International is calling for support to build an international alliance to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon in soils, regenerate ecosystems, eliminate rural poverty, and revitalize communities. They emphasize the importance of regenerative agriculture in restoring farmer independence, promoting social justice, fair trade, and ecological health. The organization aims to build a global network to promote regenerative agriculture practices that provide abundant food, revitalize economies, restore soil fertility, nurture biodiversity, and reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while sequestering carbon in the soil.

    https://us.engagingnetworks.app/page/email/message/view?templateId=372973

  • The Jewish Cemeteries Giving Life to Morocco’s Muslim Communities

    The House of Life project in Morocco, facilitated by the High Atlas Foundation, is utilizing Jewish burial sites to establish organic fruit tree and medicinal plant nurseries for Muslim villagers, promoting interfaith bonds and poverty alleviation. Nearly 300,000 tree saplings have been distributed to farming families since 2012, crucial for Morocco's vulnerability to climate change and need for millions of trees to combat deforestation and food insecurity. This initiative benefits both Muslim villagers and Moroccan Jews by restoring deteriorated sites, promoting cultural integration, and supporting livelihood development in the region.

    https://reasonstobecheerful.world/morocco-jewish-cemeteries-give-life-to-muslim-farms/

  • Half the world’s food never feeds people — In America, it’s far worse

    A recent study found that global croplands produce enough calories to feed twice the world's population, but only half of those calories are consumed as food, highlighting the impact of policy and priorities on land use. Researchers suggest producing food on existing farmland while protecting and restoring nature to balance nourishment with planetary health. Shifting excess beef consumption to chicken or plant-based proteins could free up enough calories to feed millions of people, while improving how cropland is allocated can help meet nutritional needs without expanding into natural ecosystems. Targeted shifts in commodity production and country policies could significantly increase food availability from existing croplands, offering a clear opportunity to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity.

    https://www.oneearth.org/half-the-worlds-food-never-feeds-people-in-america-its-far-worse/

  • How to protect animals from lightning in agrivoltaics

    Researchers in Germany and Costa and her colleagues have identified key lightning risks in livestock-integrated agrivoltaic systems, emphasizing the need for animal-specific earthing designs and protection measures to prevent economic losses for farmers. The studies establish safe step and touch voltage limits under lightning conditions and propose mitigation strategies to reduce hazards to animals. The importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as solar power, is highlighted as a key climate solution, with government policies and incentives playing a crucial role in promoting adoption. The overall goal is to maintain public acceptance of agrivoltaic concepts by quantifying potential risks and implementing optimized design to limit the impact on the cost of energy.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/02/24/how-to-protect-animals-from-lightning-in-agrivoltaics/

  • Environmental News Network – CSU Project Uses AI to Turn Soil Data into Actionable Insights for Farmers

    An interdisciplinary research team at Colorado State University is using artificial intelligence through the TerraScope project to help farmers understand soil health, crucial for farming success. By combining on-the-ground measurements and remote sensing data, AI reveals patterns and relationships for better decision-making. This approach will assist farmers in navigating challenges like drought, weather variability, and maximizing crop yields by supporting water retention, root growth, and nutrient cycling.

    https://www.enn.com/articles/77831-csu-project-uses-ai-to-turn-soil-data-into-actionable-insights-for-farmers

  • How airflow modifications in agrivoltaics affect crop yield, energy output

    Research from France shows that PV panel height influences airflow and evapotranspiration in agrivoltaic systems, with heights under 3 meters affecting crops. Scientists emphasize the need for accurate measurements and computational fluid dynamics for water and energy exchanges. Panel height is crucial for determining impact on agricultural yield and energy production. Airflow modifications can significantly affect energy, water, and gas exchanges, as well as photosynthesis. High panels with proper spacing can reduce panel temperature and enhance energy generation. The section discusses a study on an experimental agrivoltaic plant with bifacial PV modules mounted on trackers, showing that soil moisture in the agrivoltaic section remained above field capacity until spring, while the control zone experienced water stress by May. PV panels affected airflow, reducing wind speed and turbulence, with variations depending on panel tilt and wind direction. The researchers emphasized the need for a specific evapotranspiration formulation for agrivoltaic systems, considering panel geometry, airflow, radiation, and plant height, with computational fluid dynamics simulations confirming the qualitative trends observed in the study.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/02/23/how-airflow-modifications-in-agrivoltaics-affect-crop-yield-energy-output/

  • Rethinking Nature As Economic Climate Capital – And A Really Valuable Investment

    The sections highlight the importance of nature-based solutions to protect coastal communities from sea level rise and the need for economic growth to align with the health of the planet. They emphasize transitioning to industries compatible with nature, reframing the cost of addressing climate change as an investment in the future, and valuing natural landscapes for their environmental services. The focus is on recognizing the finite nature of land and natural resources, supporting biodiversity, and promoting sustainable practices to maximize the value of all lands. The key message is to shift towards a wealth model that benefits organisms and accumulates wisdom for future generations, moving away from extraction and exploitation towards a more sustainable approach.

    https://cleantechnica.com/2026/02/22/rethinking-nature-as-economic-climate-capital-and-a-really-valuable-investment/

  • Environmental News Network – Exploring the Promise of Regenerative Aquaculture at an Arkansas Fish Farm

    MIT engineering student Kiyoko "Kik" Hayano collaborated with Keo Fish Farms through MIT D-Lab to create a model for regenerative water systems, showcasing a trend in U.S. universities towards addressing national food security challenges in rural communities. This partnership exemplifies how applied engineering and academic collaborations can result in innovative solutions for regenerative agriculture in the United States.

    https://www.enn.com/articles/77818-exploring-the-promise-of-regenerative-aquaculture-at-an-arkansas-fish-farm

  • Idemitsu switches on 2 MW of solar above rice paddy

    Japanese petroleum company Idemitsu Kosan has launched a 2 MW agrivoltaics project in Japan, utilizing a movable mounting system to optimize sunlight for rice growth and power generation. This community-based model returns profits to farmers and aims to utilize 5% of the country's farmland for solar facilities. Agrivoltaics have the potential to increase renewable energy capacity in Japan, with research showing benefits for productivity in rice plantations. Recommendations include using double-axis tracking technology and vertical bifacial PV installations with safety measures and land-sharing approaches.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/02/19/idemitsu-switches-on-2-mw-of-solar-above-rice-paddy/