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The project addresses climate-related risks in western North America, specifically focusing on weather extremes, water scarcity, and food security. It aims to strengthen adaptive management by promoting the exchange of climate information between scientists and policymakers in northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States, while examining the role of cyclone precipitation in reservoir storage and the tradeoffs between water augmentation and energy consumption.

The document examines the relationship between soil microorganisms and plants, focusing on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). It argues that land-use and climate changes affect these microorganisms, which in turn impacts plant nutrition and agricultural yields. Findings indicate that AMF diversity and symbiotic capacity can decline during warm and dry seasons, potentially leading to a loss of the symbiotic relationship. In the páramos region, this research has been applied to create biofertilizers that increase potato growth in Bolivia and Ecuador.

The document highlights the tension between global trade and agricultural sustainability, noting that while trade is essential for food security, it can exacerbate deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. It argues that while individual governments can implement sustainable trade tools, collective action through the WTO would increase effectiveness. The author suggests several avenues for this cooperation, including reinvigorating existing committees, utilizing the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD), or adopting a dedicated dialogue proposed by Brazil.

The document details a climate adaptation initiative in Costa Rica's Reventazón River basin, where changing precipitation patterns have created water deficits of up to 30%. To combat drought and ensure food security, the government and local partners are implementing the National Adaptation Plan (PNA) 2022–2026, specifically through the construction of water reservoirs on agricultural farms. These reservoirs allow farmers to maintain year-round production, optimize irrigation, and reduce agrochemical use. The project emphasizes inter-institutional coordination and community participation, with plans to scale the model to approximately 100 reservoirs over the next three years using public and international funding.

The policy brief examines the drivers of food insecurity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), highlighting a 'ratchet effect' where domestic food prices remain high even as global prices fall. It attributes recent price spikes to agribusiness profiteering and financial speculation rather than supply shortages. To combat this, the author proposes the establishment of public buffer stocks, countercyclical interventions in commodity futures markets, stricter financial regulation of global commodity exchanges, and capital flow management to reduce currency volatility. The document specifically suggests that the South African G20 presidency could lead an expert review with the FAO and UNCTAD to stabilise global food prices.

The document argues that the meat and dairy industry employs misleading narratives—including claims about food security, nutritional necessity, and 'regenerative' farming—to obstruct climate action and maintain high production levels. It contends that these tactics distract from the urgent need to reduce methane emissions and shift toward plant-rich diets to meet Paris Agreement goals.

The report identifies the intersection of food insecurity and climate change as a critical threat to US national security, citing risks such as political instability, the weaponization of food by adversaries, and geopolitical competition over agricultural technology and fish stocks. It highlights gaps in the US policy landscape, including institutional silos and underfunding of agricultural R&D. To address these, the authors propose 'The Feeding Resilience Plan,' which recommends a new Food Security Executive Order, a standing National Security Council process, expanded forecasting via FEWSNET, increased investment in climate-resilient agricultural innovation, and diplomatic engagement to oppose food weaponization and cooperate with partners and competitors like China.

The document examines the diplomatic, military, and economic ties between Egypt and Russia over the last decade, highlighting a shared preference for authoritarian stability and a mutual desire to balance Western influence. While cooperation has expanded in arms procurement and nuclear energy, the author contends the relationship remains transactional and flexible, as Egypt employs a strategy of diplomatic hedging to maintain ties with both Moscow and the West.

Agri-PV, the simultaneous use of land for food production and solar electricity, offers significant potential for Central Europe to increase renewable energy generation and improve farmer livelihoods. Analysis shows that Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia could deploy 180 GW of agri-PV, potentially tripling the region's annual renewable electricity production. While agri-PV can increase yields for certain crops like berries by up to 16%, it can also offset yield losses in shade-sensitive crops like wheat through electricity revenues. Despite this, Czechia is currently the only country in the region with agri-PV legislation, and the report recommends that other Central European governments introduce regulations to secure CAP subsidies and incentivize the transition.

The 'Big Five' agricultural commodity traders—ADM, Bunge, Cargill, COFCO, and LDC—dominate the global trade of staples like grains and oilseeds, controlling 70-90% of the commercial grain market. The author contends that these companies used the 2021-2022 food price spikes, driven partly by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to dramatically increase net profit margins, with profits in 2022 being 200-300% higher than the 2016-2020 average. This dominance is maintained through strategies of market consolidation (M&As), vertical integration across the value chain, and interconnectedness via joint ventures. The document criticizes EU competition regulators for a narrow focus on immediate consumer prices, which has led to the approval of nearly all M&A cases involving the Big Five, including the recent 34-billion-dollar Bunge-Viterra deal. The author concludes that while stronger anti-trust enforcement is necessary, a systemic shift toward degrowth and decolonization is required to dismantle the incentives for such concentration.

The document positions agroforestry as a critical tool for bioenergy security, noting that traditional biomass is unlikely to be displaced by modern energy sources in the near term in specific rural regions. It emphasizes that integrating biomass production on farms reduces environmental risks and labor drudgery while supporting food security. To achieve sustainable sourcing, the brief advocates for scaling up efficient energy conversion technologies—such as improved cookstoves, briquettes, and biogas infrastructure—and implementing adaptable land tenure systems.

The CoolCycle project in Lagos State, Nigeria, deployed a 15 kWp solar off-grid system with 30 kWh battery storage to power cold rooms and a packhouse. Funded by Zero Emission Generators (ZE-Gen), the project aims to replace diesel generators with clean energy to preserve agricultural produce. Initial results show a reduction in post-harvest losses by up to 90% and the creation of employment for 48 women in produce processing. The project utilizes 'Energy as a Service' and 'Cooling as a Service' subscription models to ensure commercial viability and is seeking $750,000 to expand to 30 additional locations.

The document evaluates the alignment of Sénégalaise des Filières Alimentaires (SFA), a Senegalese rice miller supported by the Smallholder Safety Net Up-scaling Programme (SSNUP), with international responsible investment standards. SFA demonstrates moderate compliance, characterized by a transparent structure and positive contributions to local livelihoods, though it faces challenges with government price setting and operational health and safety enforcement.

The case study evaluates Mahembe, a Rwandan coffee producer, processor, and exporter, against the CFS-RAI standards. It finds that the company maintains a high level of compliance because it deliberately pursues socially responsible business development. However, the report recommends that Mahembe formalize its policies and procedures, specifically regarding community support and young farmers, to ensure long-term adherence to responsible investment standards as the business scales.

Tropic Coffee, a Rwandan coffee processor supported by the impact investor Alterfin, demonstrates a moderately high level of compliance with international responsible investment standards. While the company actively empowers women through improved market access and the formation of savings groups, it faces financial challenges due to competitive rates, lack of a dry mill, and reduced global demand for organic coffee. The study recommends that the board improve its understanding of responsible investment principles to enhance strategy and accountability.

The document evaluates LIMBUA Group Limited's adherence to international responsible investment standards in Kenya's fruit and nut sector, finding a high level of compliance and identifying areas for further improvement in farmer support and employee training.

The document argues that South Africa's food system, specifically the beef sector, is characterized by high environmental impacts and deep socio-economic inequalities. It finds that current industry responses—focused on technological efficiency and market growth—fail to address the precarious conditions of farm workers, the concentration of power in large-scale feedlots, and the urgent need to reduce methane emissions. The authors recommend a transformative approach to adaptation and mitigation that prioritizes labor reform, gender justice, and the right to food over industrial expansion.

North Africa faces critical ecological security threats from water scarcity and advancing desertification, which are expected to intensify by 2040 due to climate change and population growth. The region is experiencing declining rainfall, extreme heat waves, and sea-level rise, which threaten food security and socio-economic stability. Key vulnerabilities include the overexploitation of groundwater and a high dependence on food imports. The document recommends a transition to sustainable agriculture, including drip irrigation and drought-resistant crops, alongside wastewater recycling and community-based resilience initiatives.

The report details a collaborative modelling effort by the International Food Policy Research Institute, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, IISD, and Kiel University to address challenges in Indonesia's agrifood systems, such as food insecurity, malnutrition, and deforestation. By using three economic models, the project aims to provide technically sound and politically feasible policy interventions to support Indonesia's medium- and long-term development planning and climate commitments.

The study examines how climate change disrupts food production systems in Kenya's arid and semi-arid rangelands, identifying that reduced water availability and temperature variability threaten value chain sustainability. It argues that resilience requires integrating tailored strategies, improving access to climate information services, and fostering collaboration between government, private sector, and local communities to mitigate economic losses and food insecurity.