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From: Lee, Sung [mailto:slee@thechicagocouncil.org]
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To: Marshall Matz
Subject: Global Food For Thought: February 22-28, 2014

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[Global Food For Thought News Brief]
February 22-28, 2014
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Just think of all the changes we’ve seen. Restaurants are investing millions of marketing dollars to promote low-calorie menus. Food companies are cutting sugar, salt, and fat from their products. Child care centers are offering healthy snacks and meals, and instead of plopping little ones in front of the TV, they’re making sure they’re playing and running around. And soon, millions more kids will be attending healthy after-school programs every single day. And make no mistake about it, all of this is starting to have a positive effect. Listen to this—today, the CDC announced that obesity rates among young children have dropped to 8.4 percent. That’s the lowest rate we have seen in a very long time." - First Lady Michelle Obama at a Let’s Move! After-School Event, February 25, 2014

Photo Credit: Roger Thurow


Contents

Key Articles and Reports
Chicago Council News & Commentary
Relevant US Administration and Congressional Activities
Upcoming Events
Agricultural Issues
Foreign Assistance
Nutrition
Environment (Water/Climate)
Women & Girls
Market Access and Trade Issues
Agribusiness


Key Articles and Reports

Food Price Watch<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDA/index.html>, World Bank, February 2014
Prices of internationally traded food commodities continued to decline-by 3%-between October 2013 and January 2014, adding another quarter to previously observed price declines since the August 2012 historical high. Record harvests in wheat, maize and rice, increasing availability of supplies, and stronger global stocks have continued to drive down prices. Yet, international prices are still not overly far from their historical peak.

SEE ALSO: Rampant Food Waste A Barrier To Cutting Poverty<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDE/index.html>, Reuters, February 27
In regions where undernourishment is common, such as Africa and South Asia, the food losses translate to 400 to 500 calories per person, per day. In the developed world, the losses can be more like 750 to 1,500 per day. In Sub-Saharan Africa, just 5 percent of food losses are at the consumption stage, but vast amounts of food are wasted during production and processing.

Despite Tug-of-War, USAID Gains Leeway on Food Aid<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDI/index.html>, Roll Call, February 28
The administration and its opponents have each declared victory, but the tug-of-war between them over how the United States — the world’s top humanitarian food aid donor — provides food assistance seems likely to continue. The direction of the Food for Peace program has been a contentious topic over the years, causing divisions among key players such as agriculture groups, food processors and nonprofit food aid organizations. The recently signed 2014 farm bill gives the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Department of Agriculture more leeway to use money to buy emergency food closer to areas of need.

Precision Agriculture<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDM/index.html>, Opinion, Marshall Matz, Agri-Pulse, February 2014
The world is facing a double-barreled shotgun: population explosion and climate change. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs will highlight the interaction between climate change and food security at its symposium to be held on May 22 in Washington. The theme is “Advancing Global Food Security in the Face of Climate Change.” The response to this challenge must be the full application of science and innovation to agriculture. Agriculture begins with seeds and farmers have been breeding seeds for thousands of years. The current research being done to develop seeds that require less water and fewer inputs through genetic modification must be complimented with the full range of agriculture innovation and technology.

Hearing on Prospects for Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Great Lakes Region, Testimony by Ben Affleck<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDQ/index.html>, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, February 26
And finally, call upon USAID to scale up its economic development initiatives in eastern Congo. DRC’s agriculture sector has massive potential, and ECI has trained cocoa farmers to increase the quality and quantity of their production so it can be sold for a fair price on the global market. USAID should be encouraged to invest in more programs like these. Targeted investment in promising Congolese-driven solutions can and will drive economic growth and create jobs.

SEE ALSO: Testimony By Russell D. Feingold<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDU/index.html>
SEE ALSO: Testimony By Roger Meece<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDY/index.html>
SEE ALSO: Testimony By Raymond Gilpin<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDc/index.html>

Behind The Brands<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDg/index.html>, Oxfam, February 2014
While the food system is complex and its problems multi-faceted, we know that the world’s largest food and beverage companies have enormous influence. Their policies drive how food is produced, the way resources are used and the extent to which the benefits trickle down to the marginalized millions at the bottom of their supply chains. Oxfam’s Behind the Brands campaign aims to provide people who buy and enjoy these products with the information they need to hold the Big 10 to account for what happens in their supply chains.

SEE ALSO: How Ethical Is Your Favorite Food Company?<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NDk/index.html>, CNN, February 27
International development group Oxfam is asking people to think about food producers' attitudes towards issues such as climate change and workers' rights the next time they dig into their favorite treat.

USAID Gets Relief In Legislation<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTA/index.html>, Editorial, Chicago Tribune, February 26
The $1 trillion farm bill signed into law this month is largely a missed opportunity for taxpayers and a gift to special interests. But deep in the guts of this monstrous legislation, the careful reader will find at least one pleasant surprise. There's a reform that stands to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of hungry people around the world, at no additional cost to this nation. These changes will help the image of the U.S. abroad, and U.S. taxpayers will see their money spent more wisely.

Interview With Nancy Lindborg: Humanitarian Aid Groups Prepare For Long-Term Crisis In Syria<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTE/index.html>, PBS, February 27
We turn now to two who have focused on the humanitarian crisis caused by the Syrian civil war. Nancy Lindborg is assistant administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, in charge of conflict and humanitarian assistance. And Michael Gerson is a Washington Post columnist and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush.

Big Data Comes to the Farm, Sowing Mistrust<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTI/index.html>, Wall Street Journal, February 25
DuPont and Monsanto are excited about their data-driven services, partly because they can be rolled out to farmers much faster than new seeds, which often must endure a decade of development and regulatory review. Many farmers who have tried prescriptive planting are enthusiastic about the results. Other farmers are reluctant. The American Farm Bureau Federation, a trade group for farmers, has warned members that seed companies touting higher crop yields from prescriptive planting have a vested interest in persuading farmers to plant more.


Chicago Council News & Commentary

Meet the Experts: Jay Kaufman<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTM/index.html>, Global Food for Thought Blog, February 27
There are a range of diverse and complex challenges facing today’s farmers. Climate change is impacting farming communities across the globe and in many ways. At the same time, international food markets are increasingly sophisticated and marked by constantly evolving trends. This is in addition to the higher prices we are seeing for fuel and inputs. In many countries, problems are also compounded by limited access to technologies and markets due to poor physical infrastructure, storage and transportation services.

2014 Agricultural Act’s impact on International Food Aid<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTQ/index.html>, Global Food for Thought Blog, February 26
The 2014 Agriculture Act (farm bill) authorized $1.47 billion for the PL 480 Title II Food for Peace program, a slight increase over FY 2013. The Act contained reform measures, designed to increase the flexibility and effectiveness of the food aid program. According to USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, the Act will allow the agency to reach 600,000 more people with the same resources.


Relevant US Administration and Congressional Activities

Water and Conflict<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTU/index.html>, USAID, February 2014
Water is an essential ingredient for human security and sustainable development. From growing food and supporting economic growth to ensuring disease is kept at bay, water is a fundamental and irreplaceable resource in all societies. Given its centrality to human life, it is not surprising that water management is complex and that water-related interests are frequently contested.

SEE ALSO: Effective Water Management Can Prevent Conflict, USAID Says<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTY/index.html>, IIP Media, February 25
Countries with unreliable supplies of water are more vulnerable to conflict, according to a new report from USAID. Effective water management also should take into account factors like intense agricultural and industrial demands and needs to share water supply fluctuation and water safety data, the report says.

Hearing on U.S. Policy Toward Sudan and South Sudan: Opening Testimony By Rep. Christopher Smith<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTc/index.html>, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, February 26
We must develop, support and implement policies toward Sudan and South Sudan that make sense in the long-term and not just produce temporarily satisfying peace accords that have no sustainability

SEE ALSO: Testimony by Donald Booth<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTg/index.html>
SEE ALSO: Testimony by John Prendergast<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NTk/index.html>
SEE ALSO: Testimony by Walid Phares<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NjA/index.html>
SEE ALSO: Testimony by Adotei Akwei<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NjE/index.html>

Secretary Kerry’s Remarks At The Economist World Ocean Summit<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NjI/index.html>, State Department, February 25
The other reason that it’s important is that keeping our oceans healthy is a food security issue and therefore a global security issue. More than one billion people worldwide depend on fish as their primary source of protein. And most of these people live in the poorest, least developed countries, where other protein options are either too limited or too expensive for the average family to buy.

South Sudan Crisis Fact Sheet<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NjM/index.html>, USAID, February 25
Although improved security conditions would increase trade flows and access to humanitarian assistance, FEWS NET reports that populations will likely face below-average food security outcomes regardless of security improvements during the April-to-August lean season due to significant obstacles impeding the resumption of market operations.

H.R. 2548, Electrify Africa Act of 2013<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NjQ/index.html>, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, February 24
To establish a comprehensive United States government policy to assist countries in sub-Saharan Africa to develop an appropriate mix of power solutions for more broadly distributed electricity access in order to support poverty alleviation and drive economic growth, and for other purposes.

SEE ALSO: House Foreign Affairs Committee Passes Electrify Africa Act<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NjU/index.html>, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, February 27
The bipartisan legislation would establish a U.S. strategy to support affordable, reliable electricity in sub-Saharan Africa in order to improve economic growth, health and education in Africa, while helping job creation in the United States through greater exports.

Designing Sustainable Water Projects Is Harder Than You Think<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NjY/index.html>, Opinion, Cynthia Berning, MCC Blog, February 28
Traditionally, water-related projects have been classified as strictly irrigation, livestock or water and sanitation projects—but in reality, people use water for many uses. People use water for drinking, cooking, washing, livestock watering, agriculture, and business purposes. When development professionals fail to consider these multiple uses, overuse, asset degradation, breakage and the inability of water-management institutions to actually manage these unintended uses have threatened a project’s sustainability.

How To Reach Millions Of Poor Farmers By Scaling Up Agricultural Technology<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4Njc/index.html>, Opinion, Johannes Linn, Feed the Future Blog, February 27
To achieve the needed productivity improvements, governments, aid agencies, foundations, NGOs and the private sector need to focus interventions systematically on scaling up the use of agricultural technologies. What do we mean by scaling up? It simply means that more poor farmers benefit from access to and effective use of agricultural technology.

Insights From Administrator Rajiv Shah<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4Njg/index.html>, USAID Frontlines, January/February 2014
We are building a model of public-private partnership that can carve viable pathways for energy innovations to brighten the future for hundreds of millions who live without electricity and everything it enables. Through our collaboration with local communities and private sector partners, we can continue to support infrastructure projects to bring electricity—and all of the opportunities that come with it—to the rest of the developing world.

SEE ALSO: Lighting The Lives Of The Rural Poor<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4Njk/index.html>
SEE ALSO: For Rural Sri Lanka, Ancient Technology Eases Water Woes<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NzA/index.html>
SEE ALSO: Building a Climate-Smart Vietnam<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NzI/index.html>


Upcoming Events

Borlaug Summit on Wheat for Food Security<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NzM/index.html>
Date: March 25-28, 2014
Location: Ciudad Obregón, Mexico

IFPRI 2020 Consultation and Conference: Building Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NzQ/index.html>
Date: May 15-17, 2014
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

CropLife America National Policy Conference: The Devolution of AgriCULTURE<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4NzY/index.html>
Date: May 22, 2014
Location: Washington, DC

African Green Revolution Forum<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4Nzg/index.html>
Date: September 2-4, 2014
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2014 Global Water for Food Conference<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4ODA/index.html>
Date: October 19-22, 2014
Location: Seattle, WA

Grand Challenges—Great Solutions: ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4ODE/index.html>
Date: November 2-5, 2014
Location: Long Beach, CA


Agricultural Issues

REPORTS

Changing Sources Of Growth In Indian Agriculture<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4ODM/index.html>, IFPRI, February 2014
To sustain agricultural growth, investment in agricultural research must be increased, and the agricultural research agenda must be revisited in view of the emerging challenges and market opportunities in agriculture and the agrifood industry. Promoting high-value agriculture will require enabling policies, institutions, and infrastructure that facilitate farmers’ access to remunerative markets.

MEDIA ARTICLES

A New Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4ODQ/index.html>, Agri-Pulse, February 28
A new Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research was authorized by the new 2014 Farm Bill. FFAR is intended to complement—not replace—USDA's research, education, extension, and economics activities conducted by various agencies in the Research, Education, and Economics mission area. The Farm Bill authorizes $200 million in mandatory funding as match to solicit private donations for additional research on plant health; animal health; food safety and nutrition; renewable energy, natural resources and environment; agricultural and food security; technology; and agricultural economics and rural communities.

China's Approval Process For GMO Grains 'Overly Political,'<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4ODY/index.html> Reuters, February 27
China's approval process for GMO grains has become "overly political", "unpredictable and nontransparent", an American industry group said on Thursday, in the strongest criticism of Beijing's biotech policy since China began rejecting thousands of tons of GM corn last year. China is the world's top importer of soybeans and among the top importers of corn. All of its soybean imports are genetically modified. However, it rejected around a fifth of its corn imports last year after they were found to contain Syngenta's MIR612 gene, which has not been approved by Beijing.

We Have No Bananas Today<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4ODg/index.html>, The Economist, February 27
There is one genuinely global monoculture. It is a crop in which the dominant variety has been wiped out by disease within living memory. And it is facing new threats to its survival. It is the humble banana.
There are over 1,000 varieties of wild banana in the world. But 95% of banana exports come from a single cultivated variety, the Cavendish. They are basically clones, that is, genetically identical plants. This means they do not have seeds and are nicer to eat. It also means that if one plant is at risk, they all are.

New Threat To Brazil's Breadbasket: A Pesky Caterpillar<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4ODk/index.html>, Reuters, February 27
While crop losses have thus far been limited, Brazil is now on red alert over the nation's third major pest outbreak in 30 years. Officials have stepped up port controls, farmers are rethinking planting patterns and the hardest hit are blaming the government's cumbersome bureaucracy for not allowing the import of pesticides that have helped control the bug in other nations. Most importantly, the caterpillar appears to be eating away at Brazil's proud claim to have conquered the craft of growing reliable crops in a tropical region where pests and disease can spread more quickly than for other major growers.

Key Food Crops Head To Arctic 'Doomsday Vault,'<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4OTE/index.html> BBC, February 26
More than 20,000 crops from more than 100 nations have arrived at a "Doomsday vault" in the Arctic Circle. The latest delivery coincides with the sixth anniversary of the frozen depository in Svalbard, which now houses more than 800,000 samples. The shipment includes the first offering from Japan, where collections were threatened by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The facility is designed to withstand all natural and human disasters.

California Farmers Told Not To Expect U.S. Water<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4OTM/index.html>, New York Times, February 22
Without a lot more rain and snow, many farmers caught in California’s drought can expect to receive no irrigation water this year from a vast federally controlled system of rivers, canals and reservoirs interlacing the state, federal officials say. The federal Bureau of Reclamation released its first outlook of the year on Friday, saying the agency would continue to monitor rain and snowfall, but current levels confirmed that the state was in one of its driest periods in recorded history.


Foreign Assistance

REPORT

Proposed Elements For Consideration In The Post-2015 Framework For Disaster Risk Reduction<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4OTQ/index.html>, UNISDR, December 2013
Dangerous and irreversible climate change is generated by the same economic processes associated with increasing hydrometerological disaster risk, and will often magnify effects of these underlying risk drivers, many of which are trans boundary in nature. Unless these drivers are addressed, in coming decades climate-related and other physical and economic losses will dramatically increase, gains in reducing mortality may stall or be reversed, and impacts on food security and environmental health will threaten the viability and sustainability of nations, enterprise and communities.

SEE ALSO: Lack Of Cast ‘Foiling African Disaster Risk Reduction,’<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4OTY/index.html> SciDev, February 27
African governments are committing insufficient funding for disaster monitoring and management despite many placing disaster risk reduction high on their national agenda, a UN official has said.

MEDIA ARTICLES

It's Time To Reassess The Goals Of Humanitarian Aid<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4OTc/index.html>, Opinion, David Miliband, Guardian, February 28
The classic definition of humanitarian action is simple: we exist to save lives. But in fact we have other priorities too. Protecting women and girls from violence, investing in disaster risk reduction, promoting economic livelihoods are part of the humanitarian enterprise. With the MDG revision process under way, and a humanitarian summit announced for 2016, now is the time to debate what purpose humanitarian goals could serve, and what they should be. At the moment we are playing catch up. It is time to get ahead of the curve.

Conflict, Migration Contributing To Food Insecurity In Near East, Says UN Official<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ4OTk/index.html>, UN News, February 27
Conflict, the flow of refugees and migration are worsening food security in the Near East, along with constraints on food production and a growing dependence on imports, the head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said. The Director-General called on countries to support the implementation of three regional initiatives for the Near East and North Africa that FAO has launched in response to priorities identified by Member States.

Remittances Make Foreign Aid Look Like A Paltry Sum<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MDA/index.html>, Opinion, Tom Murphy, Humanosphere, February 27
Campaigners for foreign aid like to point out that the massive sum of US spending is less than 1% of the annual US federal budget. It is also small when held next to the $123.273 billion that foreign migrants send back home from the US in 2012. While attention is paid to the assistance given by governments to poor countries, individual remittances total more than $500 billion. Supporters of more free migration rules often point to the vast sums that are sent back to families.

UK Aid To Syria 'Smart' But Still Not Enough — Aid Groups<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MDI/index.html>, Devex, February 26
British aid to Syria is a “lifeline” for operations on the ground and the U.K. Department for International Development should be commended for the generosity and “smart” approach of its aid — but as needs continue to rise, finding ways to sustain and increase funding will only become more urgent. That was the overall conclusion of the discussion on Tuesday at the parliamentary committee for international development, where members of parliament and aid chiefs reviewed the status of the United Kingdom’s humanitarian response and how to continue moving forward after almost three years of conflict in the Arab state.

How To Fix Foreign Aid<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MDQ/index.html>, Opinion, Paul A. Brinkley, Reuters, February 25
America’s inability to provide even symbolic access to economic opportunity is crippling our image abroad. The mistaken belief that the United States is the great rebuilder of postwar countries — a belief that stems from the U.S.-funded aid to the postwar economic expansions in Japan, Germany and South Korea — has fostered expectations that our diplomatic and foreign aid institutions cannot fulfill. When these unrealistic expectations are combined with the fact that major U.S. foreign aid programs fail to establish sustained economic opportunity in recipient countries, we have the worst of all worlds.

UN, Businesses Collaborate On Long-Term Plan To Help Developing Nations<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MDU/index.html>, VOA News, February 24
U.S. presidential advisor John Podesta said a much better job needs to be done in connecting the "poorest of the poor" to economic and social resources. “We cannot expect the poor to raise themselves up if they cannot open a bank account, if they cannot hold their inherent land, if they have no legal identity or if they are cut off from crucial infrastructure, like schools, roads, electricity, access to primary care," he said.

U.N. Secretary General Seeks More Help For Central African Republic<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MDY/index.html>, New York Times, February 21
The country has been ravaged by sectarian killings since last fall. Nearly 6,000 African Union troops are on the ground now, aided by about 2,000 French soldiers. Mr. Ban said that the mission needed 3,000 more soldiers and police officers and $38 million to buy food and fuel for the African troops. He also said that the country needed urgent international aid to restore a functioning government.

SEE ALSO: Central African Republic: UN Urges Better Security, More Resources To Aid Civilians<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MDg/index.html>, UN News, February 25
Since December 2012, violence and instability have displaced more than 700,000 people inside CAR and forced over 288,000 to flee to neighboring Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo.
SEE ALSO: Central African Republic Fact Sheet<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MTA/index.html>, USAID, February 21
With USAID/FFP support, WFP reached more than 32,800 Central Africans with approximately 220 MT of emergency food rations between February 1 and 12. The assistance included some 170 MT of food commodities distributed to an estimated 26,700 IDPs at the M’Poko International Airport site, as well as another 5 MT of food provided to 830 beneficiaries elsewhere in Bangui.

Syria Crisis: Thousands Waiting For Food In Yarmouk<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MTI/index.html>, BBC, February 25
In Yarmouk, the Palestinian refugee camp in southern Damascus, Syria, people are desperate for food. More than 20,000 have been living under a punishing siege there for nearly a year. They have been unable to move because of endless fighting and their plight is increasingly desperate. Residents gather daily, hoping to collect food parcels being given out by aid workers.

SEE ALSO: Syrian Refugees In Lebanon At Risk Of Dying From Malnutrition<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MTQ/index.html>, Reuters, February 25
Lebanon is struggling to support the refugees, which the World Bank estimates will cost around $2.6 billion over three years. Western countries have been reluctant to assist by giving money directly to Lebanon's government, which includes ministers from the military and political movement Hezbollah - designated a terrorist organization by Washington and its allies.

Malawi's Paradox: Filled With Both Corn And Hunger<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MTY/index.html>, Opinion, Tim Wise, Global Post, February 25
The right to food has gained traction in recent years as part of the broader recognition within the international community of economic, social, and cultural rights. Under the leadership of UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier De Schutter, the concept has translated into national legislation and constitutional guarantees. In India, the Supreme Court found in favor of plaintiffs claiming their right to food had been violated by the elimination of key government programs. For a country as vulnerable as Malawi, Mayaya says the movement made perfect sense.

U.N. Orders Both Sides In Syria to Allow Humanitarian Aid<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MTg/index.html>, New York Times, February 22
In a rare show of unity among world powers, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Saturday ordering the warring parties in Syria to stop blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid, though without the immediate prospect of punishment for those who disobey.

SEE ALSO: Syria Aid Still Stalled After UN Resolution<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MjA/index.html>, Reuters, February 25
World powers have passed a landmark Security Council resolution demanding an end to restrictions on humanitarian operations in Syria, but aid workers doubt it has the punch to make Damascus grant access and let stuck convoys deliver vital supplies.
SEE ALSO: PHOTOS: Scale Of Suffering At Syrian Refugee Camp Is Revealed By Photo Of Huge Queue For Food<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MjE/index.html>, Guardian, February 28


Nutrition

MEDIA ARTICLES

Can Agriculture Play A Bigger Role In Solving Malnutrition?<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MjI/index.html>, Opinion, Marc Van Ameringen, Guardian, February 2014
Forging stronger links between agriculture and nutrition sectors is a critical big part of eliminating malnutrition. So we need to start using the investments pledged in London for programs on the ground in countries around the world. Let's start developing more programs that combine multiple interventions across agriculture and nutrition, and also more aggressively begin building markets for nutritious foods that reach the poor.

Poor Nutrition Stunts Growth Of One-third of Cameroon Children<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MjM/index.html>, VOA News, February 25
The ratio is a stunning one in three. An estimated one third of Cameroon’s children are smaller than they should be and some of them will not have long to live. UNICEF and other humanitarian relief organizations say as many as 1.2 million children are affected by the health condition resulting malnutrition across the nation.

Malnutrition A Silent Threat Emerging Among Syrian Refugee Children In Lebanon<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MjQ/index.html>, UNICEF, February 25
Preliminary results show that almost 2,000 Syrian refugee children in Lebanon are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and need immediate treatment to survive. As malnutrition is linked to such factors as poor hygiene, unsafe drinking water, the cold season, lack of immunization, diseases and improper infant and young child feeding practices, the situation could deteriorate even further.

Call For Shake-Up In Africa Nutrition Research<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MjY/index.html>, IRIN, February 24
The Rwandan model could be used in other African countries, where foreign donor-driven initiatives tend to focus on treatment and technical solutions. Change will only come when nutrition research is led by Africa, and interventions are designed to meet a country’s priorities, according to the findings of a two-year European Union-funded SUNRAY (Sustainable nutrition research for Africa in the years to come) project, published recently in PLOS Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal.

Malnutrition Could Jeopardize Zimbabwe’s Development, UN Official Warns During Visit<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5Mjg/index.html>, UN News Center, February 21
Food insecurity featured high on the agenda of Executive Director Ertharin Cousin, who arrived on Wednesday in Zimbabwe, where 2 million people are now food insecure, according to the latest assessments.
It is estimated that at this point of the lean season–the pre-harvest period when many families have depleted their own-produced stocks–one in four people in rural areas is having problems meeting food needs.


Environment (Water/Climate)

REPORTS

The Globe Climate Legislation Study<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MzA/index.html>, GLOBE International, February 27
The Study is the most comprehensive audit of climate legislation across 66 countries, together responsible for around 88% of global manmade greenhouse gas emissions. The 700 page study reviews almost 500 pieces of legislation that have been passed in the 66 study countries.

SEE ALSO: Law On Mother Earth<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MzE/index.html>, The Economist, March 1
The survey by GLOBE International, a group of lawmakers, and the Grantham Research Institute of the London School of Economics, shows that the world’s stock of climate laws has risen steeply, from fewer than 50 in 2000 to almost 500 in 2013. The most active period was in 2008-09, in the run-up to an international climate conference in Copenhagen, at which the signing of a treaty restricting carbon emissions was widely expected. Those hopes were dashed, but have since been rekindled, this time focused on a meeting to be held in Paris in 2015.

MEDIA ARTICLES

Jordanian Farmers Face “Driest Season In Decades,”<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MzI/index.html> IRIN, February 26
Jordan’s agriculture relies on the rain that falls heaviest in December and January. This year has been exceptionally dry. The ministry warns that the country’s dams hold only 43 percent of their total capacity of 325 mcm. Jordan’s is one of the world’s most water scarce countries, with an annual per capita water supply of 145 cubic meters - less than 15 percent of the UN defined 1,000 cubic meter “water poverty” line.

Climate Policy Robs The World’s Poor Of Their Hopes<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MzQ/index.html>, Opinion, Roger Pielke and Daniel Sarewitz, Financial Times, February 26
A recent report from the non-profit Center for Global Development estimates that $10bn invested in renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa could provide electricity for 30m people. If the same amount of money went into gas-fired generation, it would supply about 90m people – three times as many. In Nigeria, the UN Development Program is spending $10m to help “improve the energy efficiency of a series of end-use equipment ... in residential and public buildings”. As a way of lifting people out of poverty, this is fanciful at best.

Indonesia: Rising Sea 'Threatens 1,500 Islands,'<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5MzU/index.html> BBC, February 25
Twenty-four islands have already disappeared off the coast of Aceh, North Sumatra, Papua and Riau, according to official research, and experts are worried this trend could accelerate. Indonesia comprises around 17,500 islands, of which approximately 6,000 are permanently inhabited. What's more, rising acidity in sea water is causing supplies of fish to dwindle. Fish have moved further out to sea, depriving communities of once-secure fishing stocks.

NENA Region Faces Fresh Water Scarcity<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5Mzc/index.html>, VOA News, February 21
The FAO reports in the previous 40 years “per capita freshwater availability in Near East and North African countries plummeted by two-thirds.” The U.N. agency estimates that agriculture uses more than 85-percent of the “available rainfed, irrigated and groundwater resources.” The problem is the Near East and North Africa population is growing faster than the global average—and along with it the demand for food, forcing countries to produce more food with dwindling water resources.


Women & Girls

REPORTS

Ending Newborn Deaths<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5Mzk/index.html>, Save the Children, February 2014
This report shows that, in 2012, 2.9 million babies died within 28 days of being born: two out of every five child deaths. Of these, 1 million babies died within 24 hours, their first – and only – day of life. Causes of these deaths include premature birth, complications during birth and infections. This is heart-breaking and unacceptable.

SEE ALSO: Child Mortality Levels 'Still Too High,'<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NDA/index.html> BBC News, February 25
Despite progress against child mortality, every day more than 18,000 children under five still die from preventable causes, according to a report from Save the Children. Every year the lives of two million newborn children could be saved by provision of better basic healthcare, the charity says.
SEE ALSO: More Than A Million Babies Die On The Day Of Their Birth Every Year<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NDE/index.html>, Guardian, February 24
Save the Children says the Millennium Development Goal to reduce child deaths by two-thirds by 2015 will not be met unless childbirth is made safer. By 2025, the charity says, every birth should be attended by a trained and equipped health worker and user fees for all maternal, newborn and child health services should be removed.

Closing The Gender Asset Gap<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NDI/index.html>, IFPRI, February 2014
This paper explores initial findings from four case studies in the Gender, Agriculture, and Assets Project on changes in gender relations in different agricultural interventions. Findings suggest that the dairy and horticulture value chain cases have successfully increased the stock of both men’s and women’s tangible assets and those assets they own jointly.

MEDIA ARTICLES

Challenging Child Marriage In India<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NDQ/index.html>, Opinion, Isobel Coleman, Council on Foreign Relations, February 25
A new program, a partnership between the government of West Bengal and Landesa, the organization I work for, is offering girls the opportunity to challenge age-old tradition and change perceptions in the process. In the program, girls learn to grow fruits and vegetables on whatever free space they can find around their family’s homes. A rigorous study has found that these girls are staying in school longer, marrying later, and are more likely to inherit land and have an economic asset in their name.

Seven Months Pregnant And Working In The Fields<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NDY/index.html>, BBC, February 23
Women in Nepal do the lion's share of agricultural work, and it's common for them to continue working in the fields throughout pregnancy. But this can seriously affect their health, and that of their unborn child. In recent years, Nepal has made a big push to improve the health of pregnant women. The government has built new birthing centers. It has covered the cost of delivering babies in clinics. It has given out medication to prevent excessive bleeding, which can be fatal. These efforts are working. The country has seen a dramatic drop in the number of women dying during childbirth.


Market Access and Trade Issues

MEDIA ARTICLES

Drought Threatens S.E. Asia Food Price Gains Amid Haze<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NDg/index.html>, Bloomberg, February 28
The drought parching Singapore and swaths of Malaysia and Indonesia threatens to raise food prices, slow economic growth and disrupt water supply in the region, home to the world’s oldest tropical rain forests. The drought’s fallout may escalate to slower economic growth from just “discomfort” if it continues next month, Malaysia’s international trade minister said yesterday. The price of palm oil, one of Southeast Asia’s most important crops, is surging as the weather hampers production.

Thailand’s Rice Mountain Offers Grain Of Hope To Neighbors<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NTA/index.html>, Financial Times, February 26
The government’s pledge to buy rice from farmers at 40-50 percent above market price pushed up the price of Thai rice and made it uncompetitive in the global market. It has led to ballooning losses for the state, costing it at least $4bn a year and triggering criticism from the International Monetary Fund as well as voters. The country’s caretaker administration this month said it would suspend the annual scheme at the end of February when the program expires due to limited budgetary powers. However, unless Thailand abandons or reforms the pledging program, analysts say it will not regain the top spot in the global market.

Crackdown On Rice Smuggling Blamed For Price Jump In Philippines<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NTI/index.html>, Wall Street Journal, February 26
The conflict comes from a government policy that aims to have domestic farmers grow all the rice the nation needs by the time President Benigno Aquino III leaves office in 2016, even though the archipelago is short on space for irrigated land. Population growth makes the goal still harder to achieve, but the idea of the nation's being able to feed itself is popular among voters. Demographics pose a challenge to the self-sufficiency dream. The population of the Philippines, now around 97 million, is growing by nearly 2 million a year, erasing gains made by improving crop yields.

Japan No Country for Old Farmers as 7-Eleven Takes Plow<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NTU/index.html>, Bloomberg, February 26
Takeshi Niinami, who heads an agricultural reform committee advising Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and is the chief executive officer of Lawson, the nation’s second-largest operator, started 12 farming joint ventures since 2010 and plans 28 more. He’s expanding as Abe cuts subsidy payments to food-rice growers and creates land banks to consolidate small holdings into large tracts that can be leased by companies as older farmers put down their plows.

Indian Farmers Struggle To Escape Middlemen<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NTc/index.html>, Wall Street Journal, February 26
The rising cost of food that has hurt both Indian pockets and politicians’ electoral prospects in the past year is often blamed on a multi-layered system of middlemen involved in the distribution of produce from farm to fork. A crop cultivated by a farmer in a far-flung village goes through as many as four intermediaries before reaching the local vegetable market in a semi-urban or urban area, according to analysts. Many of these intermediaries provide money in advance to the farmers to cover cultivation costs and recall their loan in the form of produce after the harvesting.

Syrian Exporters Try To Revive Businesses<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NTk/index.html>, Reuters, February 25
The agricultural sector has also suffered greatly, and Syria faced its worst wheat harvest in three years this season. Estimates collated by Reuters from over a dozen grain officials and local traders in late July suggested the crop was under half the prewar norm. But even as financial and logistical problems continue to dominate, the head of the exporters federation argues that for some, there is no choice but try to make things work in Syria.

Saudi Looking Abroad To Secure Food For The Future<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NjE/index.html>, Wall Street Journal, February 25
The country is counting on a new program for agricultural investment in foreign countries that aims to encourage the private sector to provide the kingdom with its needs of grains. The initiative represents a shift in government agricultural strategy as it moves to phase out a 30-year program to reach self-sufficiency in wheat and other crops. That goal has been reached, but it has also depleted the kingdom’s scarce supplies of underground water. Saudi Arabia will become fully dependent on imported wheat from overseas destinations by 2016.

SEE ALSO: Indian-Saudi Joint Venture To Build Rice Distribution Hub In Dubai<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NjM/index.html>, Financial Times, February 25
The UAE, along with other Arab Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, has been investing in overseas farm land and agricultural food producers as they seek to secure their populations against disruption in global commodities markets.

Almond Drought Boosting India Sweets to Australian Farms<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NjU/index.html>, Bloomberg, February 25
After three years of drought in California, the biggest U.S. agricultural producer, farmers may face $5 billion on lost revenue as they struggle to secure water for everything from milk, beef and wine to some of the nation’s largest fruit and vegetable industries. Municipalities have imposed restrictions on watering lawns and washing cars, and the drought stirred interest in desalination plants and $15 billion tunnels to deliver water to cities in Southern California.

Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks End Without Deal<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5Njc/index.html>, Wall Street Journal, February 25
Negotiators from the U.S. and 11 other nations in the Asian-Pacific region failed to ink a free-trade pact but claimed to be moving toward a deal. The negotiators wrapped up a meeting in Singapore on Tuesday to work out details of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement. The talks, which the U.S. views as a way of extending its economic clout in Asia, were supposed to conclude last year. But a number of sticking points, especially between the U.S. and Japan about agriculture and autos, meant that deadline was unachievable.

G-20 Vows To Increase Global Economy By $2 Trillion<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5Njk/index.html>, New York Times, February 23
The world’s top economies have embraced a goal of generating more than $2 trillion in additional gross domestic output over five years while creating tens of millions of new jobs, signaling optimism that the worst of crisis-era austerity was behind them. The final communiqué on Sunday from the two-day meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers in Sydney said they would take concrete actions to increase investment and employment, among other overhauls.

SEE ALSO: G20 Meeting Targets An Additional 2% Economic Growth<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NzE/index.html>, BBC, February 23
Financial leaders from the 20 biggest economies have set a goal of generating $2 trillion in extra output over the next five years. During that period they aim to boost the GDP of G20 countries by 2% above the levels currently expected. It is hoped the move will create tens of millions of new jobs. The goal was announced at the Group of 20 weekend meeting in Sydney. The main G20 meeting is in Brisbane in November.
SEE ALSO: G-20 Leaders Back A Plan To Spur Global Growth<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NzM/index.html>, Wall Street Journal, February 23
Under the G-20 plan, advanced economies would continue with their easy-money policies while emerging markets would seek to restructure their economies and tame inflation. In addition, governments everywhere would be expected to channel private-sector finance into new infrastructure projects.

After Farmers Commit Suicide, Debts Fall On Families In India<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5NzU/index.html>, New York Times, February 22
India’s small farmers, once the country’s economic backbone and most reliable vote bank, are increasingly being left behind. With global competition and rising costs cutting into their lean profits, their ranks are dwindling, as is their contribution to the gross domestic product. If rural voters once made their plight into front-page news around election time, this year the large parties are jockeying for the votes of the urban middle class, and the farmers’ voices are all but silent.


Agribusiness

MEDIA ARTICLES

Cofco of China Taking Control of Nidera to Boost Food Supply<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5Nzc/index.html>, Bloomberg, February 28
Cofco Corp., China’s largest food company, agreed to buy 51 percent of Dutch grain trader Nidera BV to expand food supplies to the world’s most populous nation. China is seeking to secure food supplies as rising incomes encourage people to eat a protein-rich diet, adding to pressure on land, water and farming resources. The country, the biggest buyer of soybeans, is poised to allow more agricultural imports in a shift in policy that would aid exporters from the U.S. to Ukraine, two people with knowledge of the plan said this year.

Pioneer Sees $500 Million In Annual Revenue From Farm Services<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5Nzk/index.html>, Des Moines Register, February 27
DuPont could generate more than $500 million annually from farm technology data that helps farmers improve productivity and profitability, the company says. DuPont Pioneer said additional services will be introduced under the Encirca brand in 2015 and beyond. Separately on Thursday, DuPont said its agriculture and nutrition and health segments are expected to contribute meaningful growth for the company.

Monsanto At Center Of Intensifying Debate On Food<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5ODE/index.html>, Financial Times, February 26
There are few companies that polarize opinion more than Monsanto, the US GM seeds group. For the company’s opponents, it is a ruthless agricultural monolith, using technology to dominate the food chain with its genetically modified seeds, while keeping a tight grip on farmers over its seed patents and licensing agreements. Its supporters, however, point to the company’s role in promoting agricultural productivity, and see it at the forefront of pushing up agricultural yields in the face of a growing global population. GM food labeling is set to be the next focal point of attack for the company’s opponents.

ADM’s Juan Luciano Takes Over President Role From CEO<http://ccga.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zODUwMjk5JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY2NTE1OTImbGk9MjE1NjQ5ODM/index.html>, Bloomberg, February 25
Luciano, who holds an industrial engineering degree from the Buenos Aires Institute of Technology, currently oversees the commercial and production activities of ADM’s corn, oilseeds, and agricultural services businesses. He’s also responsible for research, project management and risk management.


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