January’s food for thought…

• New Survey: 87% of Agricultural Finance Institutions See Climate Change as a Material Risk to Business
• Livestock: A Key Solution for the Climate Crisis and Women’s Empowerment
• Why I worry for dairy-deprived mums and kids
• WBCSD releases new climate transition scenario tool for companies in the Food, Agriculture and Forest Products sectors
• Meet the Australian carrying the weight of kiwi dairy farmers methane busting hopes
• Reducing Food Loss: Lessons from Bangladesh’s Dairy Sector

New Survey: 87% of Agricultural Finance Institutions see Climate Change as a Material Risk to Business – EDF website.  As climate change threatens food production and crop yields around the world, agricultural finance institutions also face material threats to their businesses — yet most have not incorporated climate change into decision-making or taken action to support their farmer clients in navigating climate threats. That’s the topline finding of a new survey of 167 agricultural financial institutions in North America, Europe and India, released at the recent COP27 by Environmental Defense Fund and Deloitte. Read the full article

Livestock: A Key Solution for the Climate Crisis and Women’s Empowerment – Agrilinks.  Women make up almost two-thirds of the world’s 600 million low-income livestock keepers. Evidence has shown that empowering women leads to healthier communities, animals and environments. Investing in gender-equitable livestock production in LMICs will lead to more economically and climate-resilient agricultural systems, increase the availability of nutritionally rich animal-source foods in vulnerable communities, and restore ecosystems globally.  Read the full article

Why I worry for dairy-deprived mums and kids – eDairyNews. Standing in the queue for my morning cappuccino has recently become a troubling experience for me. It is because of the frequent requests I hear from young women, particularly those who are obviously pregnant. They are asking for an almond, soy or oat milk coffee as an alternative to standard cow’s milk. Read the article

WBCSD releases new climate transition scenario tool for companies in the Food, Agriculture and Forest Products sectors – WBCSD Sustain Newsletter.  The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) recently launched a new Climate Scenario Tool, which includes the first-ever climate scenarios designed specifically for the Food, Agriculture and Forest Products sectors. The tool will explore plausible futures and help companies understand climate risks and opportunities.  Click here to read more

Meet the Australian carrying the weight of kiwi dairy farmers methane busting hopes – eDairyNews.  New Zealand’s native asparagopsis red seaweed has been hyped for its methane-busting potential. Nikki Macdonald investigates its progress and talks to the Tassie farmer shouldering the weight of Kiwi dairy farmers’ hopes. Read the article

Reducing Food Loss: Lessons from Bangladesh’s Dairy Sector – Agrilinks.  Improper food preparation, processing, storage and transportation play a major role in food wastage, which contributes to food shortages, water stress, deteriorating biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions increases.  Read the full article