Insecurity, Land Scarcity Drive Kwara Farmers To Sack Farming

Solar-powered irrigation systems are helping Nigerian smallholder farmers reduce fuel costs by over 60%, extend their growing seasons, and increase crop yields, while also improving local air quality and reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Disabled farmers in Kashmir are adapting agricultural practices through locally-fabricated tool modifications, adjusted work timing, and traditional soil/seed management techniques that reduce physical labor by 15-50% and enable them to continue farming despite increasing climate stress.

The effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and hotter global temperatures, are already having drastic impact on many communities, especially the rural, agricultural regions of countries such as Myanmar (formerly Burma) and Mozambique. Earthrise explores how people in these communities are learning new skills, implementing new techniques, and are striving in every way possible to adapt to these environmental changes while creating hope for sustainable growth in the future.

Solar-powered cold storage units operated through Farmer Producer Organizations in India have reduced post-harvest losses from as high as one-third of crops to minimal levels. This enables smallholder farmers to save on storage and transportation costs while gaining control over when to sell their produce at better prices.

As harvesting lobsters becomes more uncertain along the Maine coast due to climate change, many fishers are turning to kelp farming as a way to diversify their income. Atlantic Sea Farms purchases 1 million pounds of kelp a year from dozens of farmers resulting in The Pine Tree State becoming one of the top aquaculture producers in the United States.

Alaska usually imports most of its food, but due to supply chain issues and climate change making the growing season longer, more small farms are popping up in The Last Frontier state. While the number of U.S. farms has decreased between 2007 and 2017, Alaska saw them increase by 44 percent. With their farming boom, residents are becoming more sustainable on their own crops rather than relying on global food systems.

Federal funding helped local food producers expand their operations to include processing plants which enables farmers to meet the demand of Montanans who sought an alternative to the empty grocery store shelves. The lack of processing plants has caused a bottleneck in the local food supply chain, a sore point which was amplified when the pandemic disrupted international supply chains, sending shoppers to their neighborhood farms. Small operators rarely have their own processing plants and must outsource that step in order to take their products to market.

Solar powered assistive technologies boost economic gains and quality of life for rural communities in Nigeria. Rural farmers can rent solar dryers for a faster and more efficient way to dry their harvests, which can earn them greater profits. Solar refrigeration kiosks also allow farmers to sell more by extending the shelf life of foods, while solar home systems provide an affordable way for rural communities to tap into electric grids to power appliances, opening up more possibilities for work, education, and ease of daily life. Many of these products and services are run by women entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs in the Navajo Nation face unique challenges finding talent and funding. One business struggling is the North Leupp Family Farm, which grows healthy food and employees local people. The Native American Business Incubator Network helped the farm grow by overcoming some of these challenges. This is part of a broader effort to create jobs and help young people stay in the region.

Fresh Harvest farms is the first foray into social enterprise and agriculture by revolutionary consulting firm Innovation Alchemy. It reflects a positive and growing trend in the professional services community to directly innovative and experiment with models and ideas before pitching them to clients. They provide insights on social innovation, sustainability, supply chain management and advice on how to scale up solutions for the base of the pyramid by experiencing firsthand what their clients need through the management of Fresh Harvest.