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  • Is underground farming the future of food?

    There’s a subterranean, organic farm in one of Seoul’s subway stations that could be another way to approach sustainable urban farming. The “vertical” farm, known as Metro Farm, uses a mineral nutrient solution instead of regular soil, and has an automated tech network to control the underground ecosystem’s temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels. While Farm8, the tech startup in charge of the venture, hasn’t made much of a profit yet, the farm produces about 30 kilograms of vegetables per day at a rate that is 40 times more efficient than traditional farming.

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  • How This N.Y. Island Went From Tourist Hot Spot to Emergency Garden Audio icon

    For environmental organization GrowNYC, their one-acre teaching farm on Governor’s Island became a victory garden for New Yorkers who aren’t having their basic needs met during the COVID-19 pandemic. While future land development on the island could impact their work, the farm is on track to produce about 20,000 pounds of food that is distributed by other groups like the Black Feminist Project as free or low-cost coronavirus relief food boxes.

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  • Citrus for Sourdough, Eggs for Yeast

    Food bartering helps families during times of food insecurity, which is often exacerbated by crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Families with lower incomes have bartered for food for a long time but the pandemic has brought diversity to the families exchanging food with friends and neighbors. Food bartering is part of the cultural fabric of different groups, such as the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, which hosts workshops on cultivating gardens. Food bartering is an inclusive and community-building practice but when bartering is the only way to get food, the communal reliance can be an emotional drain.

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  • Amid biting drought, sisters in Zambia fend off hunger with organic farming

    In Zambia, where severe drought due to climate change has negatively affected agriculture, the Daughters of the Redeemer are practicing organic farming to feed hundreds of children and families whose basic needs are not being met. This group of religious sisters do not rely on rainfall to farm; they installed a drip irrigation system that has allowed them to grow crops like cabbage, maize, tomatoes, and beans. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the sisters provided training to local villages about organic farming, and this has allowed families to support themselves during the crisis.

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  • Could a Detroit Experiment Unleash the Power of Urban Soil?

    A multi-year experiment in Detroit is looking at environmentally sustainable ways to build urban soil. Some urban farmers are concerned about the high alkalinity levels in their soils, which can lead to potentially contaminated produce. The project is studying how cover crops, compost, and tillage can improve a piece of land. Early results suggest that these techniques can improve soils for agriculture but also improve the soil’s capacity to absorb carbon to mitigate climate change in major cities.

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  • In Migrant Worker Camps, Wifi Is a Basic Utility

    To expand wifi access during the coronavirus pandemic for those who work in the agricultural community and in migrant farmworker camps, the City of The Dalles partnered and collaborated with Google and other community businesses to purchase hot spots and Chromebooks for farmworkers to use. The hot spots don't work in all areas of the county, but in the orchards with cell service where they have been installed, they have been helping to provide access to telemedicine and educational services.

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  • Investors say agroforestry isn't just climate friendly — it's also profitable

    With the growing trend in regenerative agriculture, Propagate Ventures is working with farmers to transition them from conventional agriculture to agroforestry. This technique focuses on incorporating trees into farmland which can improve soil health and crop production, and reduce carbon emissions. The company offers farmers help to build the system and connections to investor financing. While implementing an agroforestry system can take time, Propagate Ventures is seeing the interest grow: They’ve expanded to eight states and recently received $1.5 million in capital funding.

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  • Trenton's Urban Gardens Foster Food Sovereignty and Civic Engagement

    Isles, Inc. provides plants, seeds, and support to over 70 community gardens in Trenton, 20 of which belong to schools. In a city where many residents experience food insecurity, Isles also maps food-assets and food deserts, runs a training garden to teach new growers the basics of at-home gardening, and hosts a free summer camp to get young people interested in agriculture and nature. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, Isles has distributed over 100 pounds of seeds, 1,000 pounds of fertilizer, and thousands of seedlings to its garden network members and shifted many instructional workshops online.

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  • Ecosystems-based adaptation keeps water running in Bhojdari even in dry months

    Bhojdari, a town in India, faced a severe drought in the early 2000s. The town doesn't have a river or canal nearby. However, after implementing an ecosystems-based approach, the town has reliable access to water, even in the dry months. Some of the methods that were incorporated in this approach included the creation of irrigation models, planting bamboo trees, and creating fish ladders so that fish can move up the stream. Ultimately, the model led to an increase in cultivation for local farmers and sufficient water for the town.

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  • Bridging the gender gap through groundwater monitoring in a Rajasthan village

    A group of farmers in India have been trained to monitor their village’s groundwater levels to help its residents make more informed decisions about irrigation based on water availability. The farmers-turned-researchers are known as “Bhujal Jaankars” and they monitor rainfall, dam water levels, and water quality to notify residents so they can plant crops that don’t require a lot of water. While there is a lack of gender diversity in the group, they are working on developing training to include more functional literacy skills to encourage participation from others.

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