Nourishing the Planet TV: Banking on the Harvest

by NourishingthePlanet

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.

In this week’s episode, Nourishing the Planet research intern, Abigail Massey, explains how women in Nigeria are using an innovative kind of bank to help their communities get through the hungry season between harvests. Instead of money, these banks give out credit in the form of cereal. And because they are managed entirely by women, the banks not only improve food security, but also help to improve overall gender equity.

continued at Daily Kos....

Nourishing the Planet TV: Turning an Invasive Species into a Sustainable Livelihood

by NourishingthePlanet

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.

In this week’s episode, Nourishing the Planet research intern, Elena Davert, explains how, in Kenya, the potentially devastating invasive plant, the water hyacinth, is being transformed into a boon for local livelihoods. With the help of organizations like Village Volunteers, farmers living on the shore of Lake Victoria are harvesting the water hyacinth to produce biodegradable furniture, fertilizer, and other commercial products to simultaneously clear the water of the dangerous plant and improve local livelihoods.

continued at Daily Kos....

Nourishing the Planet TV: Beating the Heat to Reduce Post Harvest Waste

by NourishingthePlanet

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.

In this week’s episode, Nourishing the Planet research intern, Abby Massey, introduces a simple but effective way to beat the heat and reduce post harvest loss due to heat. In the Sudan and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the non-profit organization, Practical Action, is using clay, concrete, sand and water to create small "refrigerators" to preserve fruits and vegetables and improve diets and incomes.

continued at Daily Kos....

Nourishing the Planet TV: From the Township Garden to the City Table

by NourishingthePlanet

Around 1 million people in South Africa—the majority of whom are recent arrivals from the former apartheid homelands, Transkei and Ciskei— live in the shacks that make up Khayelitsha, Nyanga and the area surrounding the Cape Flats outside Cape Town.  Just under half, or 40 percent, of the population is unemployed, while the rest barely earn enough income to feed their families. In this week’s episode, Nourishing the Planet research fellow, Molly Theobald, introduces an innovation that is helping families in these settlements become farmers to improve their diets, create a source of income, restore the local environment and bring fresh produce to the city.

continued at Daily Kos....

Nourishing the Planet TV: Water From Thin Air

by NourishingthePlanet

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.

In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, people are forced to travel long distances and several hours a day collecting the water for cooking and drinking. In this week’s episode of Nourishing the Planet TV, Nourishing the Planet research intern, Dan Kane, explains how one community in South Africa has developed a unique solution for the area’s lack of clean water. By setting up nets across a high mountain pass, the village of Cabazane is harvesting fog to produce water from thin air.

continued at Daily Kos....

Nourishing the Planet TV: Staying Tuned for More Innovations

by NourishingthePlanet

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.

Nourishing the Planet research intern, Abisola Adekoya, explains how Farm Radio International is taking advantage of radio’s popularity throughout sub-Saharan Africa to improve livelihoods for smallscale farmers. By broadcasting shows about improved composting methods and organic fertilizer, for example, Farm Radio International is helping farmers to repair degraded soil, increase harvests, and improve their incomes.

continued at Daily Kos....

Nourishing the Planet TV: Reducing Post-Harvest Waste

by NourishingthePlanet

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.

In this week’s episode, research intern, Matt Styslinger discusses how in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 239 million people are hungry, more than a quarter of the food is lost before it can be eaten due to waste. Innovations in improved food storage can be an important tool for reducing world  hunger. From hermetically sealed bags developed by Purdue University to metallic silos in Afghanistan, innovations to improve food storage and reduce food waste are helping to improve food security around the globe.

continued at Daily Kos....

NtP TV: Funding a Blue Revolution

by NourishingthePlanet

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.

In this regular video series, we bring you images, interviews and more in-depth information about different agricultural innovations. Get to know the NtP team and the innovations we are highlighting regularly, and stay tuned for more NtP TV in the coming weeks!

continued at Daily Kos....

Introducing Nourishing the Planet TV!

by NourishingthePlanet

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet.

Nourishing the Planet is excited to introduce a whole new way to experience innovative projects and practices that are helping to alleviating hunger and poverty around the world. A new weekly video series, NtP TV brings you images, interviews and more in-depth information about different agricultural innovation. Get to know the NtP team and the innovations we are highlighting regularly, and stay tuned for more NtP TV in the coming weeks!

continued at Daily Kos....