California “has always been this incredible leader in terms of social, economic, and ecological progress,” Kristin Coates, Co-Founder and CEO of Regenerative California, tells Food Tank. “And yet, as the fourth largest economy in the world, it’s still quite extractive.” But she wondered what the future could look like if the state prioritized regenerative systems.

To pilot this vision, Coates and her team looked to Monterey County. “At the time, it was considered California’s most wealthy and also poorest county in the state,” she explains. It’s also home to the Salinas Valley, nicknamed the salad bowl of the world.

The Regenerative California team began by interviewing community members to understand the challenges and opportunities they face in creating a more regenerative economy in the region. From these conversations, Coates says that two main themes emerged: the transition to regenerative organic agriculture and the revitalization of the blue economy.

As their priority issues came into focus, they developed a 70-acre demonstration farm, called Regenerate 68! Farm. “Obviously, 70 acres is not going to change the entire system of agriculture in California,” Coates tells Food Tank, “but we’re really using it as sort of a Petri dish.”

Located just off Highway 68 in Monterey County, the farm is a demonstration site for regenerative organic agriculture training, where they can grow nutrient-rich crops. The land is also part of a much larger ranch to be stewarded by the Big Sur Land Trust. Coates says this is an opportunity to prove that their approach to farming can be integrated into broader conservation efforts.

2026 marks the first year that Regenerative California will begin monitoring the farm’s environmental progress. They’re also considering the social and economic benefits that they can offer to farmers and institutional buyers in the area.

Coates recognizes that what’s successful on one farm may not yield the same results on another, but there are ways to translate the lessons they’re learning to scale impact. “We can create a flywheel,” she says. “And we really, genuinely believe that California can lead that work.”

And Regenerative California is capturing the attention of others interested in this transformation. “A dozen other regions want to join in this movement. They want to be the next area where we apply this process of listening, engaging, creating community momentum,” Coates tells Food Tank. “That really excites us.”

This article was written with the support of Katherine Albertson

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

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Food and agriculture systems generate a variety of environmental, health, social, and economic impacts that are not generally reflected in the prices consumers pay for food, referred to as externalities in economics. True Cost Accounting (TCA) is an evolving, holistic framework for measuring and valuing the positive and negative externalities of the food system.

TCA seeks to make the impacts of food production, processing, distribution, and consumption more visible to support improved decision making by policymakers, farmers, and consumers and reduce the true costs of food. Drawing from the four-capitals framework of the TEEBAgriFood Evaluation Framework, TCA assesses four key capitals: natural, human, social, and produced.

The agrifood system generates myriad positive and negative externalities, says Salman Hussain, Coordinator The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Agriculture and Food initiative (TEEBAgriFood).

Common examples of positive externalities include a beekeeper incidentally providing a benefit to neighboring farmers when their bees pollinate the farmers’ crops and community cohesion. Examples of negative externalities include emissions from use of fuel in farm machinery, water pollution from fertilizer runoff, and healthcare costs for workers in unsafe conditions.

Though invisible in market prices, the costs of externalities across agrifood systems are nonetheless borne—just rarely by those who create them. Instead, they are passed on to the environment, workers, consumers, and society more broadly.

Environmental costs show up in the 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions that agriculture produces, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. Workers in food and farming systems face risks like pesticide exposure and heat-related illness and death.

Consumers bear rising rates of diet-related diseases and issues that are linked to modern food environments. 2.5 billion adults suffer diet-related illnesses, 733 million people live in hunger, and 2.8 billion people are unable to afford a healthy diet. And these burdens are often disproportionately carried by vulnerable populations who face higher exposure to environmental risks, poor health outcomes, and economic instability.

The hidden environmental, health, and social costs of global agrifood systems amount to roughly US$12 trillion each year, according to a U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report that Lauren Baker, the Deputy Director of the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, calls a “startling call to action.” A Rockefeller Foundation study attributes US$1.1 trillion unaccounted-for costs to human health, US$900 billion to environmental and biodiversity damage, and US$100 billion in unaccounted livelihoods.

TCA evaluates four forms of capital—natural, human, social, and produced—reflecting the environmental, health, social, and economic dimensions of agrifood systems. The eco-agri-food system is like a puzzle, Alexander Müller, Study Leader for TEEBAgriFood, tells Food Tank. One only understands the full picture when all the pieces are considered together unclear.

TEEBAgriFood established the four-capital framework in 2018 with contributions from more than 150 researchers and experts across 30 countries. It now underpins most True Cost Accounting assessments used today.

Natural capital refers to the stock of physical and biological resources and ecosystem functions that sustain life and enable food production. In agriculture, this includes land, water, soil, biodiversity, and atmospheric systems.

Social capital captures the networks, institutions, and shared norms that enable cooperation and collective action within societies. This can include labor conditions, fair wages, worker protections, community well-being, and the broader social impacts of food production, such as rural livelihoods, job creation or loss, and community stability.

Human capital refers to individuals’ knowledge, skills, health, and capabilities. This includes farmers’ expertise, agricultural training and education, food system innovation, and the health outcomes associated with both food production and consumption.

Produced capital includes the manufactured and financial assets that support economic activity. This encompasses physical infrastructure such as buildings, machinery, and irrigation systems, as well as financial and intellectual capital that enable food production, processing, distribution, and retail.

The goal of TCA is not to increase retail prices, according to Adrian de Groot Ruiz, Co-Founder of True Price, a Dutch social enterprise that helps identify and measure products’ social and environmental costs. Rather, TCA seeks to reveal information that can ultimately help improve the way food is made and reduce the true costs of food, De Groot Ruiz tells Food Tank.

When externalities go unmeasured, they remain unaccounted for in policy decisions, private purchases and markets fail to prevent or address them. Failing to put a value or price negative impacts “creates a dishonest pricing scheme and perpetuates farming systems which destroy our planet and cause a catastrophic impact on public health,” says Patrick Holden, Founder and CEO of SFT.

By identifying and valuing externalities, TCA can help governments, businesses, and investors design policies, legislation, incentives, and investments that reduce harmful impacts, reward practices that generate public benefits, and support food systems in which nutritious food is accessible, workers are compensated fairly, and consumers can make informed choices.

As detailed in FAO’s reports, The State of Food and Agriculture 2023 and 2024, identifying and assessing all hidden costs across agrifood systems is resource- and data-intensive, requiring collaboration between political, economic and social actors and prioritization of the most decision-relevant impacts.

To be effective, TCA must be incorporated into national and international policy frameworks, accounting standards, and performance evaluation systems, supported by standardized metrics that allow impacts to be measured consistently across food value chains, according to government bodies and industry experts.

Some organizations and researchers advocate for policies under which governments tax activities that impose environmental or social harm so market prices reflect their full costs, alongside subsidies or incentives for practices that generate positive externalities such as improved soil health or ecosystem protection. Ultimately, according to Nature Food, TCA calls for a fundamental change to the valuation of food.

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Barfield returns to her central philosophy often: “Agriculture is the culture.” This means that farming is not separate from daily life. From food to clothing to building materials, agriculture underpins the systems people rely on, even if they rarely see it, she says: “Everything you touch on a daily basis…that is thanks to a farmer somewhere sometime.”

Barfield did not set out to become a farmer. But after spending her early career in a high-volume medical office in Philadelphia, she took a trip to the island of Martinique. There, she encountered a community-based model of food production, where people sourced food directly and regularly from those growing it. The experience shifted her perspective on what food systems could look like.

Barfield describes drinking tea picked fresh from her hosts’ backyard garden and joining community members distributing boxes of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs for their neighbors. These were direct, human-to-human transactions paid in cash—something she rarely saw at home.

“The real magic of that moment was that I then was able to see these multicultural people walking in, and they were coming in and taking these boxes,” says Barfield. She remembers thinking, “What is this that I’m seeing?”

She was hooked, deciding shortly after that she would become a farmer. “I was going to start a tea company, and I was going to start a farm,” Barfield says. “And that’s exactly what we did.”

But bringing FarmerJawn to life required a period of intense work and instability. Barfield says she would drive for ride-share companies from 5 to 9 a.m., manage her business all day, then make grocery deliveries from 5 to 9 p.m. to make ends meet. She experienced housing insecurity for years.

“I built it brick by brick,” says Barfield.

Now FarmerJawn is expanding its impact, with the farm now eligible for regenerative organic certification. Barfield is prioritizing stable, well-paying jobs—an approach she sees as essential to building a more just food system.

“The only way that businesses can actually grow the right way is if you’re paying and taking care of your team,” says Barfield.

Her work has earned national recognition, including a James Beard Award in 2024 and a role in state-level agricultural leadership. But Barfield says visibility does not shield her from the challenges facing Black farmers: “Just a few months after winning that James Beard award, there was an eight-foot swastika painted on my barn. It reminded me and my team that our safety was in question.”

For Barfield, these experiences reinforce the urgency of her work. She sees agriculture as a critical front line in addressing interconnected crises, from climate change to public health.

“What I’m getting to do is really just be used as a tool to tell the story that the Earth can’t,” she says. “That it’s literally dying right before our eyes.”

Barfield believes, however,  that agricultural systems can reconnect people to land, food, and each other. She believes that transforming agriculture can help transform broader systems of health and equity.

“When I think about, is it worth it?” Barfield says. “Honestly, the only answer, it is.”

Watch Barfield’s story below and find others from our farmer storytelling events on Food Tank’s YouTube channel.

This article is part of Food Tank’s ongoing Farmer Friday series, produced in partnership with Niman Ranch, a champion for independent U.S. family farmers. The series highlights the stories of farmers working toward a more sustainable, equitable food system. Niman Ranch partners with over 500 small-scale U.S. family farmers and is committed to preserving rural agricultural communities and their way of life. 

Photo courtesy of FarmerJawn

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Food sovereignty is the right of peoples, communities, and countries to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through socially just, ecologically sound, and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own policies, strategies, and systems for food production, distribution, and consumption.

While food security names the destination, food sovereignty defines a democratic path to reach it. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food security is a condition in which everyone has reliable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

Food sovereignty accepts that objective but shifts the focus to power and governance, arguing that achieving lasting food security requires placing decision-making in the hands of the people who produce, distribute, and consume food, rather than markets or dominant governments.

Food sovereignty emerged in the 1980s and 1990s as a response and challenge to the social, economic, and environmental consequences of globalization and industrialized agriculture. 44 percent of the world’s population was living in extreme poverty in 1981, and the number of hungry people grew by 15 million between 1970 and 1980, even as surplus food flooded global markets.

Mechanization of agricultural tasks like sowing seeds, harvesting crops, milking cows greatly reduced and sometimes eliminated the need for human and animal labor, leaving many without jobs. The share of the U.S. workforce employed in agriculture fell from 41 percent in 1900 to 2 percent by 2000, and between 1950 and 1997 the average farm more than doubled in size while nearly half of farms disappeared.

The 1980s marked a sharp increase in global temperatures and, in 1988, NASA scientist James Hansen told Congress he was “99 percent sure” that global warming was upon us. Indigenous, rural, peasant, and small-scale farming communities were left facing overlapping crises of poverty, environmental degradation, and hunger.

Recognizing urgent necessity for an organized, collective, and internationalist response, La Via Campesina coined the term food sovereignty at the 1996 World Food Summit. A decade later, 700 delegates from five continents gathered at the 2007 International Forum for Food Sovereignty in Nyéléni, Mali to further deepen collective understanding on the topic, developing the six pillars of food sovereignty.

The framework centers food as a human need rather than a commodity, supports sustainable livelihoods for food providers, and localizes food systems and shortens the distance between producers and consumers. It places decision-making power in the hands of local communities, builds on traditional knowledge strengthened by research, and works with nature instead of industrial, energy-intensive models.

During Canada’s subsequent People’s Food Policy process, members of the Indigenous Circle added a seventh pillar, which states that “food is sacred,” asserting that food is a gift of life and must not be reduced to a commodity.

Nearly three decades after La Via Campesina introduced food sovereignty, the hunger, poverty, ecological degradation, and concentrated market power it sought to confront persist. Today’s industrial food system generates record levels of calories, yet nearly one-third of the global population remains food insecure. Food systems contribute up to one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, and agriculture threatens more than 80 percent of species at risk of extinction.

Corporate consolidation has deepened across the food system, with four firms controlling nearly 70 percent of the global pesticide and seed market. And small-scale and family farmers comprise over 98 percent of farms, but control just 53 percent of agricultural land.

Beyond codifying the right to food and control over food systems, and recognizing the contribution of indigenous peoples, pastoralists, forest dwellers, workers and fishers to the food system, food sovereignty offers a framework to address the harms of industrial agriculture.

By localizing production and prioritizing agroecological methods, food sovereignty can shorten supply chains and reduce emissions while restoring soil health and biodiversity. Research also finds that food sovereignty–based approaches, such as strengthening school food systems, improving soil fertility, advancing gender equity, and confronting structural racism, can support long-term health equity.

Scaling food sovereignty requires structural reforms that confront concentrated power and expand equitable access to land. IPES emphasizes the need to democratize governance and counter corporate control of the food system through stronger conflict-of-interest safeguards, revitalized antitrust enforcement to reduce market concentration, and stricter transparency and lobbying rules.

Others like the National Young Farmers Coalition call for eliminating inequities in land ownership, protecting farmland, securing affordable land tenure, and supporting farm viability and transition.

“If people don’t control the food, they don’t control the power,” Morgan Ody, General Coordinator for La Via Campesina, tells Food Tank.

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I’m in Nairobi right now conducting ground-truthing research alongside farmers, plant biologists, beekeepers, and local food system leaders in cooperation with our partners at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe).

In fact, we just announced an event with Enviu and The Rockefeller Foundation, “Celebrating our Farmers and Spotlighting Food System Visionaries.” Please share with colleagues on the ground or join us in person on Saturday April 11 if you’re local in Kenya. Tickets are free and available HERE!

One of the things I appreciate about icipe’s work is how deeply rooted it is within what they call the One Health paradigm: integrating plant, human, animal, and environmental health.

And insects sit at the intersection of these spheres, making them a vital player in solutions to climate risks, biodiversity loss, poverty, hunger, and other global challenges. Sometimes, we lump all insects together into negative categories—bugs, pests—which I think shows how tragically misunderstood some of these creatures can be!

“Food is produced in the field. You have a diversity of living beings, including insects, that are part of that production landscape,” Abdou Tenkouano, Director General of icipe, tells Food Tank.

One example: in just the commercial poultry sector, replacing half of conventional protein and energy feed sources (fishmeal, soymeal, maize) with insect-based feed could free up fish and maize as food for 4.8 million people per year; create employment opportunities for 33,000 people per year; and lift 740,000 people out of poverty in Kenya alone.

As I’m seeing first-hand here in Kenya this week, this is just one potential success story of many. Insects can be used “to recycle organic waste [into fertilizer], mitigate environmental pollution, and produce rich biomass,” among other benefits, says Chrysantus Tonga, Senior Scientist and Head of icipe’s Insects for Food, Feed, and Other Uses Program.

Today, I’m opening up my notebook to you and introducing eight of the many beneficial insects that can help shape a healthier food system.

Black Soldier Flies: icipe researchers consider the black soldier fly to be one of the most versatile insects. Larvae can become high-protein feed for livestock and aquaculture. Mature flies can be used to manage organic waste. Then, an organic mixture called frass fertilizer (made of uneaten substrate, feces, and exoskeletons) can also help boost agricultural productivity.

Crickets: When it comes to insects and food systems, crickets have earned their high profile: A study of 60 edible species shows they’re rich in protein and also contain notable levels of calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, zinc, manganese, and copper, as well as vitamins in the B group and vitamins A, C, D, E, and K. Researchers at icipe say crickets are “among the praised insects that are gaining recognition as human food and livestock feed with a potential of contributing to food security and reduction of malnutrition,” and they’re investigating how the insects can also contribute to ethnomedicine, livestock feed, and pest management strategies.

Dung Beetles: I know the name isn’t doing them any favors, but these insects have huge potential, icipe research concludes. Their larvae are protein-rich and safely consumed globally. When mature, these beetles recycle nutrients from organic waste and carry more nitrogen into the soil, which can help soils retain water and support healthy crops.

Locusts: This week was also Passover, so let’s talk about locusts! A small swarm can consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people, per the World Bank. But for millennia in more than 65 countries, about half of known locust species have been consumed by humans or fed to animals, and icipe research shows that “their nutritional composition is comparable or superior to that of conventional meat” and may support heart health.

Mealworms: Yellow mealworms are high in protein and rich in micronutrients including zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin B12. Fascinatingly, mealworms can also be used to combat plastic waste! An icipe study shows that these insects can ingest polystyrene, which could offer a better alternative to current recycling practices that are expensive and can actually produce toxic byproducts.

Parasitic Wasps: Another insect whose name belies the good it can do: Yes, these wasps lay their eggs on or in the bodies of other arthropods—but icipe finds that one particular species can be used to naturally control an invasive and highly destructive caterpillar known as a tomato leafminer, which tends to quickly develop resistance to major pesticides. These wasps have also proven helpful in controlling fall armyworm, which can be “devastating” to maize crops on the African continent.

Silkmoths: Silk farming, or sericulture, offers sustainable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for women and youth, icipe finds. And the global silk market is projected to double in value to around US$34.1 billion by 2031—making sericulture especially attractive for rural off-farm employment and in areas where the risk of crop failure is high. And icipe has provided direct support to these folks through its MOre Young Entrepreneurs in Silk and Honey (MOYESH) Program.

Stingless Bees: Stingless bees, like other bees, offer important ecosystem services by pollinating crops. But in particular, these more than 600 species with highly reduced stingers make honey used for medicinal and traditional purposes, and beekeeping offers yet another way for smallholder farmers—particularly women and youth, like silk farming—to diversify their income.

And, as I do with all Food Tank’s ground-truthing trips around the globe, I want to continue bringing you along with me! Over the next couple days here on the ground, we’re continuing to meet with farmers and conduct interviews and field observations. And in the coming weeks, I’ll share more updates in the newsletter and in our “On The Ground with Dani Nierenberg” series on FoodTank.com. Plus, filmmaker Haven Worley, who directed Food Tank’s recent debut documentary short “Irish Farmers: A Love Story,” is here with me, helping share stories in different mediums.

It’s been eye-opening so far both to spotlight the good work of organizations like icipe—prioritizing science and collaboration to build a healthier planet—and to bear witness to the destruction that can result from national governments unjustly pulling away funding for international development programs like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of James Tiono, Unsplash

The post Inside My Ground-Truthing Notebook: Here in Kenya, Insects Are Success Stories appeared first on Food Tank.

U.S. Farm Bankruptcies Climb, Consolidation Grows

An analysis from Politico reveals that the number of farms in the U.S. are falling three times as fast as the country is losing acres of farmland, suggesting that farms are consolidating or being absorbed into bigger operations. 

In the last five years, the country has lost 150,000 farms. But the total area of farmland fell by 21 million acres—far less than might be expected. This is taking place across the U.S., with some of the dramatic trends being seen in Montana, Texas, Kansas, and South Dakota. Montana, for example, lost 14 percent of its farms between 2021 and 2025, but just 1 percent of its farmland.

Nate Sheets, the Republican nominee for Texas agriculture commissioner, tells Politico that, “All small farms are getting taken out of the market because of scale.” 

Meanwhile the number of farm bankruptcies more than doubled in states including Arkansas, Georgia, and Wisconsin last year. And Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings were up 46 percent across the board last year compared to 2024. Bailey Conrady, Manager of Illinois’ Champaign County Farm Bureau, says that as farmers retire, file for bankruptcy, or go out of business, it drives further consolidation. Farmers are being increasingly squeezed by rising input costs, disruptions to trade and demand, and falling commodity prices.

Wildfires Scorch Nebraska’s Farmland

In the last two weeks, Nebraska has seen massive wildfires that have burned more than 800,000 acres of land—an area larger than the state of Rhode Island. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen first declared an emergency on March 13, as fires began to spread. Then on Thursday last week, another wave of wildfires broke out, affecting more than 64,000 acres and forcing more evacuations.  

The area impacted by the recent fires was used for grazing of roughly 40,000 cows, according to Director of Nebraska’s Department of Agriculture Sherry Vinton. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture data show that cattle herds across the country are at a 75-year low. Nebraska’s ranchers have been working to rebuild their herds, but drought—and now the wildfires—are slowing progress. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the fires are hitting “at a time when the national cow herd is at the lowest…and demand is at the highest, so this offers additional layers of challenges.”

Rollins adds that federal aid, in the form of emergency loans, conservation assistance, and more, is available to farmers and ranchers affected by the fires. The Nebraska Farm Bureau has also activated its disaster relief fund to support the state’s agriculture community. 

Nigerian Government to Distribute 2.4 Million Clean Cooking Stoves

This week, Nigeria’s government pledged to distribute 2.4 million clean cookstoves in the northern part of the country in 2026.

The stoves will be made available through a partnership between the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) and BURN Manufacturing, a producer of cookstoves. 

Director-General of NAGGW Saleh Abubakar says that traditional methods of cooking, which more than 40 million households in the region rely on, “contributes significantly to deforestation, air pollution, and health risks, especially for women and children.” Abubakar adds that the collaboration with BURN Manufacturing could unlock NGN300 billion (approximately US$214 million) in carbon financing. It will also create jobs and expand access to affordable clean cooking for rural and underserved communities.

The announcement comes on the heels of a new publication from the C2REST Nigeria Study, a three-year research project funded by the Medical Research Foundation in the United Kingdom. Their latest paper reveals that Nigeria’s transition to clean cooking may come with a higher investment upfront, but in the long-term, it ultimately saves households money by reducing healthcare costs. 

Yusuf Kilani, Nigeria’s Special Assistant to the President on climate matters, says that some of the new cookstoves will be made free to low-income households while others will be available at “at affordable rates.”

Pacific Island Nations Receive US$42 Million for Climate-Resilient Farming

Three Pacific Island nations received a significant investment to improve their food and farming systems through a five-year program called “Establishing Climate Resilient and Regenerative Agricultural Systems in Tonga, Vanuatu and Samoa.”

The US$42 million in grant financing for the program—which will be led by the organization The Pacific Community—comes from the world’s largest climate fund established as part of the Paris Agreement known as the Green Climate Fund. 

Investments will help farmers in Tonga, Vanuatu and Samoa adopt practices that restore soil health, diversify cropping systems, and rebuild ecosystem services.

Demonstration farms, farmer-to-farmer learning, tailored technical support, and investment in farm-level technologies will be used collectively to achieve these goals. 

The program is also designed to address challenges to adopting climate-resilient practices, including gaps in extension services, limited information on the local climate, and constraints in market systems.

According to Coral Pasisi, Director of the Climate Change and Sustainability Division at The Pacific Community, the funding is essential to long-term sustainability for the region. She states: “For these nations living on the frontline of climate change, investing in resilient food systems is essential to reducing vulnerability and strengthening long-term stability in an increasingly uncertain global context.”

Uganda Moves to Certify Agroecological Produce

There is “a growing demand” for agroecologically produced crops, says Bob George Sunday, a Senior Agricultural Officer for Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture.

To help the farmers meet the moment, the Ugandan government is finalizing its National Agroecological Strategy and implementing a new model to certify foods produced using agroecological practices.

According Jane Nalunga, Executive Director of Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) Uganda, many East African farmers are already practicing agroecology to grow food. But the lack of a formal certification process keeps farmers from accessing regional and international markets. 

Farmers cannot charge a premium for their products in the marketplace without validation, Sunday explains. This means that they’re missing out on opportunities to bring in higher earnings. 

But Nalunga argues, “If we are to make agroecology sustainable, the farmer has to be able to make a profit.” 

During a recent workshop hosted by SEATINI, Edie Mukiibi, President of Slow Food International, also reminded those gathering that agroecology isn’t only an economic tool. It’s about “social reconstruction,” which can improve nutrition, health, and community. Mukiibi also pointed out that to scale agroecology even further, it will be important to harmonize the local and national standards already in place before creating a set that apply to the entire region. 

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of James Peacock, Unsplash

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Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming and ranching that prioritizes soil restoration, equity within food systems, and the long-term health of land, water, and climate. Rather than maintaining conditions and resources, regenerative agriculture seeks to improve ecosystem health and strengthen the resilience of agricultural landscapes.

Healthy soils are the foundation of productive food systems, shaping outcomes from farm yields to community well-being and ecological stability. But intensive farming practices that rely on heavy machinery, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides have contributed to soil degradation across a majority of the world’s agricultural land.

Regenerative agriculture prioritizes restoring soil health and function, supporting crop growth, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity through a range of practices. To rebuild soil health, regenerative farmers reduce or forgo tillage, avoiding the erosion caused by conventional plowing. This approach keeps soil intact, preserving soil structure, protecting fungi, and keeping carbon in the ground.

Planted in soil that would otherwise be bare before or after harvest, cover crops shield soil from wind and water and restore nutrients to the soil. They also keep living roots in the soil, providing natural tillage and mitigating fertilizer runoff.

Growing just one or two crops year after year on the same land can deplete soil nutrients and degrade soil health over time. Diversifying crops improves water and nutrient retention and supports pollinators and wildlife. Crop diversification can also reduce pests and weeds—and reduce the need for artificial fertilizer.

“It turns out it really helps to have some diversity,” Sieg Snapp, Associate Dean for Research for Washington State University’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, tells Food Tank. According to Snapp, diverse crops above ground feed a wider range of soil microbes below ground.

To restore soil nutrients and reduce fertilizer use, some regenerative farmers integrate livestock into cropping systems. Rooted in Indigenous land management traditions, rotational grazing involves moving livestock between pastures, mimicking the way animals historically moved in herds across grasslands. This method allows vegetation to recover while improving soil fertility through manure and organic matter inputs.

Regenerative practices often extend beyond soil health to include broader ecological and social considerations, emphasizing animal welfare and worker well-being. Many regenerative farmers prioritize fair treatment of workers, including freedom of association, safe working conditions, living wages, and participation in farm decision-making.

Some also seek to address the legacy of discriminatory policies that have limited land access and support for Black, Indigenous, and farmers of color, recognizing that regenerative agriculture must confront longstanding inequities within U.S. agriculture.

We need agriculture that “does not deplete our people,” says Leonard Diggs, Director of Farmer & Rancher Opportunities at Pie Ranch, an incubator farm supporting early-stage regenerative farmers and ranchers, focusing on communities who have historically been denied access to land.

Regenerative agriculture can improve profitability and strengthen farm performance while reducing environmental impact. By reducing dependence on fertilizers and pesticides, regenerative farms often lower costs, and research indicates regenerative systems can deliver long-term yield gains and profits up to 120 percent higher than conventional operations.

Soil-focused practices also improve water management during droughts and heavy rains, cut greenhouse gas emissions from machinery and nitrogen inputs, and increase carbon sequestration. Project Drawdown estimates that restored agricultural lands could remove 2.6 to 13.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually.

Scaling regenerative agriculture requires reducing the financial risk farmers face during the transition by providing technical support, upfront capital, and reliable markets that offset short-term costs, according to industry experts.

Global organizations like the World Economic Forum and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development contend that actors across the value chain must align on common metrics to measure and reward environmental and socio-economic outcomes, enabling coordinated incentives, investment, and regulatory compliance.

Momentum behind regenerative agriculture is building and spans global coalitions and community-based initiatives. Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) builds on the USDA Organic standard by adding requirements for soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness within a tiered certification framework, bringing the three pillars of regenerative organic agriculture into a single certification framework.

The Rockefeller Foundation has committed more than US$220 million to its “big bet” for food systems transformation to benefit farmers, feed more children, and improve nutrition and soil. This includes their US$100 million commitment to advance universal locally grown and regenerative school meals in the United States and globally, US$100 million to scale Food is Medicine solutions in the U.S., and over US$20 million for the Periodic Table of Food Initiative, which is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world’s edible biodiversity.

RegenAG has worked with thousands of Australian farmers since 2010 through training and consultancy programs focused on soil carbon, profitability, and lower input costs, while Kiss the Ground advances regenerative agriculture in California through education and demonstration projects, and La Delia Verde applies soil-centered practices in Argentina to restore biodiversity, store carbon, and strengthen regional food systems.

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Agroecology is an approach to agriculture that applies ecological and social principles to the design and management of food systems, from production through consumption. A transdisciplinary concept grounded in the recognition that food, health, natural resources, and economic security are interconnected challenges, agroecology manifests as a science, a set of practices, and a social movement.

As a science, agroecology applies ecological concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable food systems. This dimension draws on ecology to understand how relationships among plants, animals, soils, and people shape agricultural outcomes across landscapes.

As a set of practices, agroecology seeks to improve agricultural systems by working with natural processes rather than replacing them with external inputs. Agroecological practices emphasize beneficial biological interactions and synergies within agroecosystems, reduce reliance on synthetic and toxic inputs, and make use of ecological processes in farm management.

As a social movement, agroecology aims to transform agriculture by building locally relevant food systems that strengthen the economic viability of rural areas. This dimension emphasizes short supply chains, fair and safe food production, and support for smallholder farmers, rural communities, food sovereignty, cultural identity, and Indigenous rights related to seeds and breeds.

Agroecology emphasizes locally rooted approaches rather than standardized technical solutions, relying on bottom-up, territorial processes that respond to local environmental, social, and economic conditions. These approaches depend on the co-creation of knowledge, combining scientific research with traditional, practical, and local knowledge held by producers and communities.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) identifies horizontal exchanges, like farmer-to-farmer, producer-to-consumer, and intergenerational learning, as core mechanisms for developing and adapting agroecological practices.

The social component and collective action beyond farm-level production are essential to agroecology, particularly in the face of a changing climate, Million Belay, General Coordinator of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, tells Food Tank. “Cohesiveness is very critical when you’re attacked by a climate crisis,” he says. “You can mobilize together. You can help each other.”

Farms that transitioned to agroecological practices saw an average 11 percent increase in crop yields, and a 49 percent increase in farmer income due to lower input costs, according to a study conducted by the Global Alliance for the Future of Food.

Agroecological practices boosted biodiversity, strengthened social cohesion in communities, and reduced health risks, with farmers reporting 33 percent fewer sick days, says Anna Lappé, Executive Director of the Global Alliance.

Agroecology has expanded conceptually over time from a practice on individual fields and farms to an approach that encompasses entire food systems. The Agroecology Fund traces the approach’s roots to Indigenous Peoples’ food systems and documents its presence in scientific literature since the mid-twentieth century. The concept has since been embraced by governments, international agencies, and U.N. institutions.

FAO developed the Ten Elements of Agroecology framework, outlining essential components and desired enabling conditions that help guide planning, decision-making, and assessment when transitioning to agroecology. The Ten Elements include diversity, co-creation and sharing of knowledge, responsible governance, and circular and solidarity economies.

Alongside this framework, the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, a science-policy interface of the U.N. Committee on World Food Security commissioned by FAO, published the Thirteen Principles of Agroecology. While FAO’s Ten Elements guide countries operationalizing agroecology through a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach, the Thirteen Principles are designed to provide more specific, actionable tools for farmers implementing changes on the ground and developing relevant policies. The Thirteen Principles address areas including recycling, input reduction, soil and animal health, social values and diets, and land and natural resource governance.

FAO connects agroecology with a broader global shift toward holistic and systems-based approaches that aim to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and poverty while respecting human rights. The organization links agroecology to progress across multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to hunger, poverty, climate action, biodiversity, gender equality, youth engagement, and human rights.

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The 150-acre regenerative operation works with a network of community partners, including food kitchens such as Loudoun Hunger Relief, Food for Others, Arlington Food Assistance Center, and DC Central Kitchen, to get produce from field to table as quickly as possible. “In many cases, food pantry partners are picking up and distributing our food on the same day it is harvested, often straight out of the field,” the farm’s Executive Director Samantha Kuhn tells Food Tank.

Through this network, the JK Community Farm has grown and distributed close to 1.5 million pounds of organic produce to food-insecure neighbors. The farm operates with a staff of just three people, relying heavily on its volunteer community to plant and harvest. Staff members work alongside volunteers in the fields, providing clear instruction and creating an environment where people of all ages and skill levels—from complete beginners to experienced gardeners—feel capable and valued.

Since its founding in 2018, the farm has welcomed over 32,768 volunteers. Each year, roughly 4,500 people volunteer through individual shifts, internships, and corporate group projects. Kuhn explains this model helps keep production costs low while maintaining high output and quality.

As a regenerative farm, the JK Community Farm uses no chemical fertilizers or pesticides in its production model. “The quality of food we provide is something that is uncommon in emergency food settings,” says Kuhn.

Research from the National Library of Medicine notes that many food pantries receive surplus, waste, or gleaned produce and protein from grocery stores and for-profit farms and markets, supplemented by shelf-stable processed items. While that food serves an important purpose, the produce and protein are often already days or weeks past harvest and less nutritionally dense, while the packaged goods lack the nutrients found in fresh whole foods.

That same research states that in the United States, “[food bank] parcels are often insufficient in dairy, meat, FV [fruits and vegetables], and micronutrients” including calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. 

The JK Community Farm operates on a universal access model, providing fresh food through partner pantries at no cost to anyone who needs it, regardless of financial circumstances. According to Kuhn, demand for fresh food has been growing.

Data from Feeding America reveal hunger has increased by 4.4 percent since 2020. There are now more than 1 million food-insecure Virginians, about 12.1 percent of the state’s population. They also estimate that roughly 39 percent of those food-insecure Virginians earn more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, making them ineligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and some other nutrition assistance programs.

The JK Community Farm also places a strong focus on youth education. Through its partnership with FoodPrints DC, it developed a food education curriculum that offers robust hands-on activities and field trip opportunities for visiting students. By participating in the harvest and knowing their work feeds local families, students learn how they can make a tangible difference in their community.

“Many children are growing up far removed from how food is grown, while highly processed food is heavily marketed to them. We believe it is important for kids of all backgrounds to understand where real food comes from, how it is grown, and how it supports their bodies,” says Kuhn.

The JK Community Farm believes that when children have an opportunity to connect to their food system, they will learn to love it.

“I have had a child introduce himself as an ‘indoor kid’ when he arrived, and by the end of the morning he was fully immersed in the farm, eager to help and explore,” Kuhn continues.

To meet the community’s needs, the JK Community Farm likewise conducts annual surveys with both pantry partners and their clients. Partner feedback gathers data on client preferences, storage capacity, logistics, packaging, and food waste, helping improve distribution and prevent waste. Client assessments evaluate dietary patterns, produce and protein consumption, cultural food preferences, health challenges, and barriers to access.

This feedback allows the farm to grow culturally appropriate foods families already know how to prepare while providing education about unfamiliar varieties. The goal is to deliver nutrient-dense food that supports health, respects cultural traditions, and can be easily used by the families served.

“People should not have to choose between eating healthy food and paying for electricity. Showing families that this food is grown intentionally for them, rather than as an afterthought, reinforces dignity, care, and the belief that everyone deserves access to the highest quality food possible,” says Kuhn.

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The festival runs until March 12 and is part of Groundswell International’s Youth Storyteller Program.

In honor of the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer, the 2026 festival places a special emphasis on the central role of women farmers in rural food systems. “Many of the female youth who participate in this program play many roles,” Groundswell International Program Director Rebecca Wolff tells Food Tank. “While they are youth, they are also parents, entrepreneurs, farmers, or students, responsible for the wellbeing of their families and land.”

The program and festival began in 2021, and originally included four partner organizations across Ecuador, Burkina Faso, Nepal, and Honduras. It has since expanded to engage nearly 500 youth participants and create over 50 nonfiction and fiction short films. The program now includes 11 partner groups across Mali, Ghana, Senegal, Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that women farmers, especially young women, face more precarious working conditions, heavier workloads, and less equitable access to resources than their male counterparts.

Justine Natama, a filmmaker from Burkina Faso, will present “Women’s Access to Resources: A Lever for Agroecology and Sustainability,” the film she developed through the Youth Storyteller Program.

Melissa López, a youth Honduran filmmaker, explores similar intersections of gender and agriculture in her work. “At the local level, I would like people to value the work done by rural women,” she tells Food Tank.

Youth also face significant challenges in the rural agrifood sector. According to the FAO, nearly 85 percent of global youth live in low- and lower-middle-income countries where agrifood systems are essential to their livelihoods. And although 44 percent of working young people rely on agrifood systems for employment, compared to 38 percent of working adults, youth perspectives are rarely centered in stories about agriculture.

“Centering youth voices is also a matter of justice. The next generation is inheriting food systems that deplete landscapes, harm health, and deepen inequality,” Maylis MouBarak, Groundswell International’s Storytelling and Communications Manager, tells Food Tank. “Including rural youth in these conversations is essential. They bring firsthand experience of what works on the ground and can help identify and scale solutions that are relevant not only to their own communities, but to broader efforts to build food systems that work for people and the planet.”

The Youth Storyteller Program equips participants to effectively share these stories. Youth filmmakers receive equipment, ongoing support, and long-term training from local consultants and professional storytellers, covering interviewing, filming, editing, and narrative development. Creative control remains entirely in their hands. The filmmakers are also able to deepen their knowledge and understanding of their agency in food and agriculture systems.

“Initially I used to think agriculture meant farming in large areas, huge production and not suitable for marginal farmers,” Saroj Upadhyaya, a storyteller and filmmaker from Nepal, tells Food Tank. “But when I visited farmers during the YST [Youth Storyteller] video shooting, I saw people practicing agriculture on their own, raising three to four goats in small spaces nearby their house, maintaining kitchen gardens, and getting healthy nutritious foods year-round.”

Youth Storyteller Program participant and Nepali filmmaker Bimala Shrestha shares similar insights. Through the filmmaking process, she discovered the human health benefits of botanical pesticides and natural farming practices.

For others showing their work in this year’s Field to Film Festival, the process is an affirmation of their existence in farming and storytelling. “As a young girl, I used to think that photojournalism and fieldwork were jobs for men,” says Justine Natama. “Today, I am proud to prove the opposite.”

The Field to Film Festival’s short films are available to livestream and watch here.

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The six films, which explore topics including land access, alternative proteins, and school lunches, help viewers understand how food choices and farming systems affect wellbeing. Together, the series explores what it will take to build food and agriculture systems that regenerate the land and promote social inclusion and wellness while reducing negative environmental impacts.

“Our food system isn’t failing because we lack solutions, we’re failing because we’ve lost the patience to go deep enough to uncover them, again and again within their own contextual realities,” says Laura Howard-Gayeton, Executive Director of The Lexicon of Food. “This series is a call to share long knowledge, community by community and to unearth the future, without shortcuts in harmony with nature.”

After watching the films, audiences can also dive deeper into the concepts introduced in each episode through The Food Library and test their knowledge of key terms through an online quiz.

Learn more about the series and watch now by clicking HERE.

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House Agriculture Committee Prepares for Farm Bill Markup

The House Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill markup will take in the coming days after being delayed due to a winter storm.

But the latest draft of the House Farm Bill has been a source of concern for some anti-hunger and sustainable agriculture advocates. Ty Jones Cox, Vice President for Food Assistance, at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says that the latest draft “fails to address the crisis created by cuts to SNAP enacted last summer.” And Abby J. Leibman, President and CEO of MAZON, says that the legislation “is not a viable or reasonable legislative response to the sabotaging of our federal anti-hunger programs, and [House Agriculture Chair Glenn] Thompson knows it.”

This past week more than 100 hunger organizations—worried about cuts to a bipartisan food security program for rural seniors—also sent a letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders. They urged Congress to preserve the Delivering for Rural Seniors Act in the Farm Bill.

On the agriculture side, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) says that the draft “falls unmistakably short.”  NSAC notes there are some bright spots, such as a greater investment in 1890 land grant universities and updated Agriculture and Food Research Initiative priority areas, which include language around regionally adapted cultivars and breeding for environmental resilience. But they also worry that after significant cuts to the workforce of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the legislation does nothing to stabilize the agency or increase staffing levels to ensure farmers can access the federal programs they rely on. 

U.S. Farmers Reject Bid for Land

The Guardian reports that U.S. farmers are rejecting multi-million dollar bids for their land as tech companies race to build the massive data centers needed to power artificial intelligence. A report from Hines, a real estate investment manager, estimates that 40,000 acres of land for datacenter development will be needed over the next five years to support new projects. That’s double the amount currently in use. 

But companies are facing resistance to their plans. One Kentucky farmer, Ida Huddleston, received an offer on the farmland worth more than US$33 million. But the land has been in her family for centuries, and she told them she wasn’t interested. Huddleston, who’s 82, says that her entire life “is nothing but the land,” which has provided her with “anything and everything” she has needed. When the offer came through, she responded, “You don’t have enough to buy me out. I’m not for sale.”

And when Timothy Grosser in Kentucky rejected his first offer of US$8 million, developers asked him to name his price. He pushed back again, telling them “There is none.”

Grosser reports that some neighbors are giving in—and he doesn’t blame them, especially when the offers are high and companies are warning they may invoke eminent domain to have the land seized. But around the country, many producers are continuing to hold out. One farmer in Pennsylvania rejected a US$15 million offer on his land last month. Around the same time another, based in Wisconsin, turned down an offer of US$80 million. 

It’s an encouraging story, especially in light of new U.S. Department of Agriculture data, which shows that the number of U.S. farms shrank by 15,000 in 2025.

Brazil Celebrates Drop in Deforestation

Satellite monitoring shows that deforestation has continued to decline in early 2026 and the clearing of trees between August 2025 and January of this year is at the lowest levels for this period since 2014. 

Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva said that the progress is thanks to coordinated government action. Seventy of the 81 municipalities with the most deforestation have joined federal initiatives that are focused on reducing illegal clearing. Authorities are also leveraging resources from the Amazon Fund to further support enforcement and prevention efforts. 

According to Silva, if the current trend is maintained, Brazil could see the lowest deforestation rate in history this year. 

Major Food Brands Voices Support for the Food Date Labeling Act (FDLA)

More than 30 brands and food industry supporters recently signed onto an open letter from the Zero Food Waste Coalition and the Consumer Brands Association, which calls on Congress to pass the bipartisan Food Date Labeling Act. 

Roughly one third of food goes to waste in the United States each year. According to data from ReFED, confusion over date labels leads to 4.3 million tons of food waste in the U.S. each year, which costs households and businesses more than US$22 billion annually. ReFED also reports that more eaters are discarding edible food prematurely due to date label confusion than they did a decade ago.

Now, major companies are backing legislation that can help curb the problem. FMI-The Food Industry Association, Walmart, Amazon, and Unilever are among the businesses that signed onto the letter, which urges policymakers to clarify date-labeling standards.

The Food Date Labeling Act would require that businesses choose from one of two standard date labels. The options are a Best if Used By label, which indicates when a product’s quality begins to decline, and the Use By label, which indicates when a product should be discarded. The Act also requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration to work together to provide education on the standardized date labels. And it makes donations of food past the Best if Used By date allowable if the products meet safety specifications.

Action on Food Waste Can Help Curb AMR Risks

A new review paper from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization looks at the risks of spreading anti-microbial resistance. According to FAO, food loss and waste can be “a reservoir and even an accelerator” for anti-microbial resistance (AMR) because it’s a good substrate for bacterial growth, especially in landfills and open dumps. The researchers say some studies have actually found a higher abundance of antimicrobial resistant genes in food waste than sewage sludge or swine manure. 

Although animal agriculture is a known contributor to AMR, the researchers say that their work shows that food loss and waste should be integrated into AMR surveillance and management strategies. And when conditions are optimized, composting, anaerobic digestion, and converting surplus food to animal feed can reduce antimicrobial resistance genes and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

Junxia [jun-shah] Song, Chief of the One Health and Disease Control Branch at FAO who helped lead the review, says that linking food loss and waste to AMR is “both timely and strategic” because “it creates an opportunity for coordinated action that reduces waste while strengthening global efforts to contain AMR.”

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“I had the craziest culture shock,” says Azeem. “The plant looks like the grocery store, but it’s different…Peppers grow on plants. Tomatoes grow on a vine…There’s pigs over there, and where I’m from, our livestock is pitbulls and rottweilers.”

This planted the seed for what would become the Samad Gardens Initiative, an herb farm and education initiative. The Kareems’ vision was to inspire a new generation of farmers of color and bridge cultural divides in agriculture. They became full-time farmers providing locally grown, nutritious food and hands-on experiences to their community.

But then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Azeem started getting calls from his friends in the cities, who couldn’t find enough food in their neighborhoods. For him, this moment was an epiphany.

“I grew up being hungry…there’s a time in my life I had to steal food to eat,” says Azeem. “My brain was like, I can’t do this by myself. And I’m looking at and dealing with other farmers…We have over 100 black and brown farmers in my state on one network…We have to do something to combat this.”

Azeem realized that individual farms could not meet community needs alone. He leaned into collective action, creating and expanding farmer-led efforts such as the Liberated Land Cooperative, which launched Connecticut’s first-ever statewide Community Supported Agriculture program. The initiative now connects Black and Brown farmers from across Connecticut to provide fresh, locally grown produce to their communities.

Azeem also helped establish the Black-led Sovereign Land Trust and the Venture Farming Institute, an emerging educational and training program aiming to increase the number of underrepresented farmers in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Through this work, Azeem has become a vocal critic of inequities embedded in the food system.

“The food system works as intended. It’s not broken. It works as intended,” says Azeem, emphasizing that systemic failures disproportionately harm marginalized communities. “What are we going to do when someone sneezes too hard, and the whole thing collapses? That’s been my primary concern.”

Today, Azeem helps farmers not only increase yields but also integrate regenerative practices and prepare for future disruptions. His approach blends agriculture, culture, and empowerment. But his role also extends beyond the field: As a longtime hip-hop artist who has shared stages with popular artists like KRS-One and Public Enemy, Azeem uses his platform to connect with audiences who may not see themselves reflected in traditional food and farming spaces.

“I get to bring this message to different people who look at me like, ‘Yes, it’s real. It’s real,’” says Azeem.

Azeem’s philosophy is grounded in respect for the land. Regeneration, for him, is both ecological and cultural: Repairing soil while restoring relationships between people and the sources of their food.

“How do we treat the Earth like how you treat your mama?” says Azeem. “We call it Mama Earth for a reason.”

This article is part of Food Tank’s ongoing Farmer Friday series, produced in partnership with Niman Ranch, a champion for independent U.S. family farmers. The series highlights the stories of farmers working toward a more sustainable, equitable food system. Niman Ranch partners with over 500 small-scale U.S. family farmers and is committed to preserving rural agricultural communities and their way of life. Food Tank was proud to collaborate with Niman Ranch in lifting up family farmer stories, including Azeem’s, at Climate Week NYC: A Night of Storytelling Honoring Our Farmers. Watch his story and others on Food Tank’s YouTube channel.

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Photo courtesy of Azeem Zakir Kareem

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Directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell, Common Ground, a sequel to Kiss the Ground, centers farmers, ranchers, and advocates using regenerative practices to build resilience in the face of climate and market pressures. The documentary examines the consequences of industrial agriculture and follows producers who are implementing regenerative alternatives on the ground.

Through farmer-led storytelling, the film explores how soil health, land stewardship, and diversified farming practices can restore ecosystems and strengthen farm livelihoods. Ryland Engelhart, Executive Director of Kiss the Ground, tells Food Tank the film has resonated widely. It has “inspired a new generation of wellness moms, environmentalists, farmers, and food lovers to understand the critical role soil health and regenerative agriculture play in our future,” he says.

To expand access to these ideas, Big Picture Ranch, an organic farm and film studio founded by Josh and Rebecca Tickell, produced Common Ground: Redux, a 45-minute, free version edited specifically for use in educational settings. The abbreviated film distills the documentary’s core themes into clear, actionable takeaways for students, educators, farmers, and communities. Engelhart says Big Picture Ranch released this version with the belief that “essential education–especially for students, farmers, and grassroots changemakers–should never sit behind a paywall.”

Common Ground: Redux builds on the widespread reach of Kiss the Ground For Schools, which has been viewed in more than 60,000 schools worldwide and incorporated into curricula ranging from environmental science to social studies. Like its predecessor, Common Ground: Redux is meant to serve as an entry point into essential conversations about the future of food, and the regenerative practices already in use across diverse landscapes and production systems.

Viewers will hear from farmers, ranchers, and advocates who have committed their lives to these practices. Featured voices include Gabe Brown, Rick Clark, Leah Penniman, Kelsey Ducheneaux, Jonathan Lundgren, Ray Archuleta, Brandon Bock, Glenn Elzinga, and Roy Thompson. Their collective experiences help to illustrate both the opportunity and complexity of transitioning to regenerative food systems.

“It shares inspiring, real-world stories of American farmers and ranchers who are finding both ecological and economic success through regenerative agriculture,” Engelhart shares, “proving that healing the land and feeding communities can go hand in hand.”

“Common Ground: Redux” can be accessed online by clicking HERE.

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Agricultural Leaders Warn of Collapse Without Congressional Action

A bipartisan coalition of former U.S. Department of Agriculture officials and agricultural leaders is warning of a potential “widespread collapse of American agriculture,” citing policy failures and economic stressors, the New York Times reports. In a letter sent to Congressional agriculture committee leaders, the authors point to mounting farm bankruptcies, rising production costs, labor shortages, and declining profits.

The letter argues that the current administration’s actions and Congressional inaction have “increased costs for farm inputs, disrupted overseas and domestic markets, denied agriculture its reliable labor pool, and defunded critical ag research and staffing.”

It urges lawmakers to pass a new Farm Bill, expand international market access, restore research funding, and relax trade tariffs.

Jon Doggett, former CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, says that farmers are deeply concerned but that “we’re not having this discussion in an open and meaningful way.”

Mozambique Expands Farmer-Led Seed Systems with ICRISAT, FAO Support

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are expanding support for farmer-led pigeonpea seed enterprises in Mozambique. The effort aims to strengthen food security, boost rural incomes, and improve soil fertility through the distribution of improved pigeonpea and groundnut varieties via local cooperatives.

“Farmers are becoming seed entrepreneurs and reliable suppliers within their own communities,” says James Mwololo, ICRISAT legume breeder. Though 70 percent of Mozambicans rely on agriculture, only 10 percent of arable land is cultivated, presenting an opportunity for farmers to expand production.

The initiative comes as Mozambique experiences historic flooding. More than 60,000 hectares of farmland and over 58,000 livestock have been lost, according to Mozambique’s disaster agency, highlighting the urgency of resilient seed systems and sustainable production models.

Farmers in Karnataka Pivot to Pulses Amid Climate Shifts

Farmers in Karnataka, India, are shifting away from traditional cereal and commercial crops due to climate variability and labor shortages, turning instead to pulses and horticulture.

Between 2020 and 2025, crop area for cereals like rice and maize declined by 4 percent, while the area under pulses rose 10 percent, the Times of India reports. Farmers also doubled their cultivation of minor millets and increased spice production by 19 percent.

Erratic rainfall patterns have led to crop losses for approximately 1.5 million farmers annually, with Rs₹4,401 crore (US$48.58 million) in insurance claims between 2023 and 2025. Dr. M.N. Thimmegowda of the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bengaluru explains that “increased pre-monsoon showers in April-May allow short-duration crops like pulses” to thrive.

Officials including C.B. Balareddy, Director of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare say the shift toward horticulture, particularly arecanut and spices, reflects an effort to adapt to changing climate conditions and labor dynamics.

Study Flags Methane Blind Spot Among Global Investors

A new report by the Changing Markets Foundation and Planet Tracker finds that most of the world’s largest asset managers are failing to address methane emissions from agriculture in their climate strategies. The analysis reviewed 25 major investors, including Vanguard, BlackRock, and Fidelity, and found that only four explicitly recognized methane’s climate impact or mitigation potential.

Methane is over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and is responsible for roughly 0.5°C of global warming, yet most investors treat it as a secondary concern with no standalone targets or agriculture-specific policies, according to the report.

Only Norges Bank Investment Management includes agriculture-related methane in its climate strategy and references the Global Methane Pledge. Others, like J.P. Morgan and State Street, focus solely on oil and gas.

Without immediate action, the report warns, investors face mounting risks, including falling productivity and disrupted supply chains. It calls on investors to “act decisively” to address this blind spot, offering recommendations that include adopting methane policies and frameworks, and redirecting capital toward sustainable proteins and resilient food systems.

Deadly Nipah Virus Detected in India, But Risk of Spread Remains Low

Two cases of the Nipah virus have been confirmed in Barasat, West Bengal, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Both cases were identified in healthcare workers from the same hospital.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus with a fatality rate between 40 and 75 percent. Humans can contract it through direct contact with infected animals, such as fruit bats, pigs, or horses, or by consuming contaminated fruit products. While human-to-human transmission is possible, it is uncommon, according to the WHO.

The WHO emphasized that there is no evidence of increased transmissibility and assessed the risk of spread beyond India as low. Nevertheless, airports across Asia, including those in Thailand, Nepal, and Vietnam, have heightened screenings.

India’s health ministry reported that the cases were contained quickly. The source of the current outbreak is still under investigation.

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“Pedro Sánchez was a scientist of rare vision and deep humanity,” says Mashal Husain, President of the World Food Prize Foundation. “He understood that research matters most when it reaches farmers’ fields, restores dignity, and creates lasting opportunities for communities that have been overlooked for far too long.” Sánchez devoted more than six decades to restoring degraded soils and advancing agricultural systems that improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

A native of Cuba, he grew up on his family’s farm outside Havana, traveling the country with his father, an agronomist. After earning his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Cornell University, Sánchez began his academic career at North Carolina State University, where he helped establish the Tropical Soils Research Program. His early work demonstrated how acid tropical soils in Brazil’s Cerrado could become productive farmland and helped develop alternatives to slash-and-burn agriculture in the Peruvian Amazon.

Sánchez later held leadership roles at major international research institutions, including the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines and the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical in Colombia.

From 1991 to 2001, he served as director general of the World Agroforestry Centre in Nairobi, where he helped elevate agroforestry as a core strategy for sustainable development. Under his leadership, the organization evolved into a globally respected scientific institution, emphasizing farmer-centered, landscape-scale approaches.

After leaving Nairobi, Sánchez joined Columbia University’s Earth Institute, where he directed programs linking soil science to global development goals. As co-chair of the United Nations Millennium Project Hunger Task Force, he helped demonstrate that investments in soil fertility could double or triple food production across diverse agroecological zones in Africa.

In 2016, he joined the University of Florida as a research professor, where he taught graduate courses in tropical soils and continued mentoring young scientists. Sánchez authored the textbook Properties and Management of Soils in the Tropics, first published in 1987 and revised in 2019, which remains widely used in courses on tropical soils worldwide.

His work earned international recognition, including the World Food Prize in 2002, a MacArthur Fellowship in 2004, and election to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Upon receiving the World Food Prize, Sánchez and his wife and scientific partner, Dr. Cheryl Palm, committed the award funds to support farmers and scientists working to eradicate hunger in lower-income contexts.

Despite his many accolades, those who worked with Sánchez often point first to his character.

Sánchez’s contributions to today’s agronomic knowledge and the welfare of millions of smallholder farm households are immense, Thom Jayne, Foundation Professor emeritus of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University, tells Food Tank. “As massive as those contributions are, what impressed me even more was his radiant warmth, altruism, and courageous heart,” Jayne says. “Equity and fairness mattered deeply to him. It was an honor to collaborate with Pedro and his partner, Cheryl Palm. Together, they stood up for African organizations and gave selflessly of their time and energy to support African-led agricultural research systems.”

“He was a humble giant among people,” says Jack M. Payne, former University of Florida Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Sánchez passed away two years after the death of Palm. His legacy endures in healthier soils, strengthened institutions, and the many communities whose food security improved through his work.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Farming First

The post Remembering Pedro A. Sánchez, Pioneering Soil Scientist and Champion of Sustainable Food Systems appeared first on Food Tank.

The co-op is an incredibly powerful model: The women can sell their coffee directly to coffee shops, rather than having to go through middle-men. They’re involved in every part of the supply chain, from planting to harvesting to roasting to selling—which gives them influence and access to resources that are sadly not always afforded to women farmers.

I asked the women of ADAT what advice they had for other women farmers around the world.

“Cada paso que damos abre una puerta para otra mujer. Organizarnos nos ayudó mejorar nuestro producto, para tener la mejor calidad; pero sin las herramientas necesarias no llegaríamos lejos. Hoy sabemos que las mujeres merecemos participar y aprender en toda la cadena: desde sembrar hasta comercializar. Queremos que nuestro café sea reconocido a nivel internacional—Café de la Mata—a la taza, café de la sierra de los Cuchumatanes Guatemala con rostro de mujer.”

“Every step we take opens a door for another woman,” said group members, initially in the Spanish above, after holding a workshop to communally phrase their advice. “Organizing ourselves helped us improve our product, to have the best quality; but without the necessary tools, we would not get far. Today we know that women deserve to participate and learn throughout the chain: from planting to marketing. We want our coffee to be recognized internationally—Café de la Mata—in your cup, coffee from the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes in Guatemala, with a woman’s face.”

This focus on organizing and collaboration, the women told me, is how they’re able to participate so meaningfully in each step of the coffee value chain. For example, they’re working with a youth-focused organization to learn coffee roasting. They collaborate with an organization CARE Guatemala to help “transform the coffee value chain by positioning women producers as key actors in production, transformation, and commercialization processes.”

But these farmers and other women across Guatemala continue to face significant challenges. About 2.6 million Guatemalans experience high levels of acute food insecurity. Seven out of 10 people in poverty live in rural agricultural areas, but their subsistence farming is jeopardized since Guatemala is one of the top ten countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change.

And sweeping cuts to global foreign aid programs like USAID are making things even more precarious. Take CARE, for example: The organization has existed since 1959 to address economic disparities, gender equity and safety, and inclusive sustainability. But the dismantling of USAID threatens CARE’s ability to continue supporting changemakers like the women of ADAT, and has also severely restricted CARE’s work on gender-based violence and reproductive healthcare rights—affecting not just farmers but all women everywhere.

Empowering women is the solution to building a nourished, resilient planet!

When women have equitable access to financial resources—as I heard firsthand from women farmers in ADAT—they not only improve their own lives and livelihoods but become better equipped to nourish their entire communities, too.

Now is the time to rally behind the women farmers all across the globe who fuel our food and agriculture systems!

This year, 2026, is the International Year of the Woman Farmer. The FAO has plenty of recommendations for policymakers, business leaders, academics, and investors to take action—and citizen eaters and Food Tankers also have vital roles to play.

Let’s prioritize buying ingredients from women farmers, producers, and cooperative networks. Let’s visit women-led local markets; let’s support labor unions and other collective action for gender rights; and let’s mentor the next generation of women food system leaders. In short: Let’s use the International Year of the Woman Farmer as an opportunity to recommit ourselves to taking steps that, to paraphrase the women of ADAT, open the door to a more locally rooted, equitable future of food sovereignty.

In the meantime, I plan to continue to share insights from my ground-truthing in Guatemala, so stay tuned for more installments of our “On the Ground with Dani Nierenberg” series. A big thanks to CARE Guatemala for hosting me.

Before another ground-truthing trip last summer, in Ethiopia, I encouraged Food Tankers to spend some time ground-truthing in our own communities.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Shelby Murphy Figueroa, Unsplash

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USDA Releases Final Report Assessing Food Insecurity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released its Household Food Security Report, finding that 47.9 million people lived in food-insecure households in 2024, an increase of about 500,000 people from the prior year. The report shows that roughly one in seven U.S. households experienced food insecurity, including more than 14 million children.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the findings represent the highest prevalence of food insecurity in the U.S. in nearly a decade.

The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) warns that the situation is “a crisis that is set to deepen” as households face the impacts of reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The annual report is the “gold standard” for assessing U.S. food insecurity and constitutes the most comprehensive tool available for nationally representative and state-level food insecurity data, according to FRAC President Crystal FitzSimons.

But the Trump–Vance Administration has announced that this will be the USDA’s final annual Household Food Security Report. Joseph Llobrera of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says the decision means losing a “one of a kind data source.”

High Urban Costs Push Young Senegalese Toward Farming

Africa, the world’s fastest-urbanizing region, is seeing cities expand at an average rate of 3.5 percent per year, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. But a recent PBS article reports that rising living costs and limited job opportunities are pushing more young Senegalese to leave cities and return to farming.

Filly Mangassa, a Senegalese farmer, said his family initially viewed his decision to return to the countryside as “a step back,” reflecting long-standing perceptions of agriculture. PBS reports that those views are shifting as new technologies and support programs make farming more viable. After presenting a business plan, Mangassa gained family support, secured land, and now grows peanuts, corn, vegetables, and fruit.

The World Food Programme launched a program in 2023 that has helped more than 61,000 people in Senegal start farms and diversify crops. One participant, 24-year-old Adama Sane, left Dakar after struggling as a construction worker and now raises poultry and peppers. “Discovering agriculture saved my life,” Sane says.

Senegal’s Agriculture Minister has said agriculture and livestock are the only sectors capable of creating jobs at the scale young people need.

A New Initiative in Nigeria Could Help Young People Scale Agroecology

The Enugu State government in Nigeria has launched a new initiative to strengthen agroecology among young people. The program will be led by 75 young people from various agricultural organizations, who will work to build networks and improve access to the state’s agricultural resources.

The initiative was announced during a capacity-building workshop organized by the state government in partnership with the South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO) and ActionAid Nigeria. SSDO Head of Programme Udochukwu Egwim says that many agriculture groups in Enugu are “operating in silos,” limiting coordination and awareness of existing programs.

The new effort aims to improve collaboration among agroecology groups, civil society organizations, development partners, and government agencies to help scale practices that support farmers and the environment, Egwim says.

Peruvian Pollinators Are First Insects to Gain Legal Rights

Stingless bees in the Peruvian Amazon have become the first insects in the world to gain legal rights after two municipalities passed new ordinances recognizing their protection. The bees help sustain biodiversity and ecosystem health, with more than 175 species found in Peru, many long cultivated by Indigenous communities.

Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, founder of Amazon Research International, calls stingless bees “key to life in the Amazon,” citing their role in supporting crops and forest regeneration. But the insects face mounting threats from climate change, deforestation, pesticide use, and competition from European and African honeybees.

The ordinances, adopted in Satipo and Nauta, recognize the bees’ right to exist and flourish in a healthy environment and allow humans to file lawsuits on their behalf.

Constanza Prieto, Latin American director at the Earth Law Center, says the laws mark “a turning point in our relationship with nature” by recognizing stingless bees as rights-bearing subjects. Indigenous groups, conservationists, and researchers are now working to expand similar protections nationwide.

New Dietary Guidelines for Americans Unveiled

The Trump–Vance administration has released the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, urging people to cut back on highly processed foods with added sugar and sodium while emphasizing whole foods, including full-fat dairy and red meat.

Updated every five years, the Guidelines shape school meals, medical advice, and federal nutrition programs. At the Guidelines’ unveiling, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, “My message is clear: Eat real food.”

The Guidelines continue to prioritize fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and call for limits on processed foods, sugars, artificial flavors, and dyes linked to diet-related disease. They mark a shift from past advice by encouraging full-fat dairy and calling for “ending the war on healthy fats,” while still recommending limits on saturated fat.

The update also promotes higher protein intake, including red meat, drawing concern from experts including Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts University, who says Americans already consume enough red meat. Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University has warned the guidance could promote diets that are less healthy for people and the planet.

How We’ll Eat in 2026, According to Kim Severson

In a New York Times article on food trends for the year ahead, national food correspondent Kim Severson writes that “the game has changed.” Drawing on interviews with market researchers, food executives, restaurateurs, and cooks, Severson says 2026 will be defined by strategic consumption. Eaters are turning to protein shakes and superfood bowls to meet nutrition goals while also returning to traditional, home-cooked foods.

Severson names vinegar the ingredient of the year and “value” the word of the year, noting that consumers are becoming more selective and want spending to feel worthwhile in quality and experience. The article also points to a growing emphasis on sensory dining, as chefs focus on color, aroma, texture, and lighting to counteract automation and constant digital engagement.

She also reports increased interest in locally sourced foods, including backyard and regional ingredients such as pawpaws, juneberries, and bison.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Cícero R. C. Omena, Wikimedia

The post Food Tank’s Weekly News Roundup: Senegal’s Youth Pursue Agriculture, Amazonian Bees Gain Legal Protection, and U.S. Unveils New Dietary Guidelines appeared first on Food Tank.

“Interculturality is the result of a process in which different ways of knowing interact in a safe space, allowing condition for co-creation of new knowledge, knowledge that reflects the different cosmovisions from each of the cultures participating in the process,” lead author of the publication, Dr. Francisco Rosado-May of Universidad Intercultural Maya tells Food Tank.

To increase the probability of long-term success of food systems transformation, the researchers worked to uncover Indigenous perceptions on food systems to move toward a process of intercultural knowledge co-creation.

“Indigenous Peoples do have the notion of the concept of food systems, but have a different take,” Dr. Rosado-May tells Food Tank. While commonly used definitions of “food systems” consider food as a commodity, “Indigenous Peoples consider food as a part of their natural environment,” he says.

According to the study, Yucatec Maya farmers in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo face the same challenges as non-Indigenous farmers worldwide including the climate crisis, loss of biodiversity, poor yields, and loss of soil fertility.

Several state funded programs have been implemented to support producers in Quintana Roo. According to the study, two primary approaches—one based on agroecology and the other on regenerative agriculture—overlook participatory processes. The researchers say these approaches have failed to yield positive agricultural results because they focus on an incomplete understanding of food systems and ignore an Indigenous perspective.

Rosado-May tells Food Tank that Indigenous Peoples’ food systems contain a “diversity of subsystems” including ones that exist outside of a market, and that this definition differs from the formal definition of food systems currently used by the U.N. Food Systems Summit. This shift in understanding how the food system is conceptualized by people in different ways is the key to moving towards food systems transformation.

The research team argues that transforming the food system is not possible when knowledge, in its many forms, is not connected to policy. But through the examination of the Yucatec Maya people’s understanding and management of food systems, they believe they can move toward policy informed by both local knowledge and scientific expertise.

Through conversations with Yucatec Maya knowledge holders, the researchers learned that the Yucatec Maya food system includes several components, many dating back to pre-Hispanic times. These include: several gardens of staple foods, medicinal plants, beekeeping, forest collecting and several subsystems of edible animals. They also learned that the Yucatec Maya’s notion of food systems requires food security, food sufficiency, and food sovereignty.

The authors say that the path forward to transforming food systems requires “different ways of creating knowledge” working together. They believe that this will help shape more holistic-long-term policies and actions to protect and nourish communities while preserving the environment.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

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2025 was a year marked by immense uncertainty. Cuts to nutrition assistance and climate smart agriculture programs in the United States, the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and declining Official Development Assistance from countries including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have raised hard questions about what the future holds.

But around the world there is so much resilience and excitement as organizations prove food and agriculture systems can be a solution to our most pressing social and environmental challenges. They are establishing models that nourish children and support local farmers. They are creating more opportunities for women and young farmers to become leaders in their communities. And they are cultivating new and innovative partnerships to fund and scale the solutions already working on the ground.

As we enter 2026, here are 126 organizations and initiatives to learn about, engage with, and support as they work to build a more equitable, regenerative, and delicious future.

1. African Population & Health Research Centre, Kenya

APHRC is an African-founded, African-led research-to-policy institution driving evidence-informed decisions on health and development. Headquartered in Nairobi, they work across 35+ countries to strengthen African research leadership and advance sustainable progress across the continent. They are also behind the award-winning initiative Restoring Nairobi to “A Place of Cool Waters,” to transform Kenya’s capital into a greener, food secure city.

2. Agroecology Fund, International

Since 2011, the Agroecology Fund has pooled resources to strengthen grassroots agroecology movements advancing fair, biodiverse, climate-resilient food systems. Guided by civil society advisors, it supports community-led organizing, learning, and policy advocacy. With US$41 million granted in 100+ countries, the Fund helps build food systems where producers and consumers govern locally—and where agroecology, not industrial agriculture, shapes a just future for people and planet.

3. AKADEMIYA2063, Africa

AKADEMIYA2063 equips African governments with the data, analysis, and technical capacity needed to achieve Agenda 2063’s vision of prosperity and sustainability. Based in Rwanda with a regional office in Senegal, it leads core initiatives to strengthen knowledge systems, empower African experts, and accelerate evidence-based agricultural transformation across the continent. Together with GAIN, they recently launched a toolkit to help governments align policies across sectors to accelerate food systems transformation.

4. Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), Africa

AFSA unites a powerful network of 48 member alliances across 50 countries working to secure food sovereignty rooted in agroecology, traditional knowledge, and community rights. Representing small-scale food producers, Indigenous Peoples, and environmental defenders, AFSA amplifies African-driven solutions and resists industrial agriculture that threatens land, culture, and biodiversity—mobilizing a strong, unified voice for just and resilient food systems.

5. American Farmland Trust (AFT), United States

American Farmland Trust is safeguarding the future of U.S. agriculture by protecting farmland, restoring soil health, and keeping farmers on the land. From advancing smart land-use policies to supporting new generations of producers, AFT links food, climate resilience, and rural prosperity. Amid rapid land loss, AFT’s No Farms No Food message continues to spotlight farmland as the foundation of our food system.

6. Annie’s Project, United States

Annie’s Project empowers women farmers, ranchers, and growers with the business skills and confidence needed to lead thriving agricultural operations. Through peer networks, practical training, and locally tailored learning environments, participants strengthen decision-making across financial, legal, and risk-management challenges. Honoring a legacy of women as equal partners on the land, Annie’s Project is helping shape stronger farms, families, and communities.

7. Aragón Agri-Food Institute, Europe

Based at the Aula Dei research campus in Spain, CITA drives scientific innovation to strengthen sustainable agriculture, forestry, and rural economies. Its teams advance agroecology, climate resilience, and the bio- and circular economy through collaborative research and living labs. From conserving genetic resources to improving livestock and plant systems, CITA helps shape a more competitive and sustainable agrifood sector across Europe.

8. Arrell Food Institute, Canada

Based at the University of Guelph, the Arrell Food Institute connects scientists, policymakers, industry, and communities to advance sustainable, equitable food systems. Its work spans reducing waste in supply chains, supporting climate-smart production, and improving nutrition access. Through initiatives like ag-tech innovation and net-zero food system challenges, AFI helps Canada lead in resilient food futures.

9. Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), Asia

AFA unites small-scale farmers, fishers, Indigenous Peoples, and pastoralists across Asia to advance food sovereignty and resilient rural livelihoods. Through advocacy, cooperative development, youth engagement, and farmer-to-farmer learning, AFA strengthens secure land rights and agroecological production. With members in 20+ countries, the alliance amplifies community voices in policies that shape a just farming future for the region.

10. Australian Conservation Foundation, Australia

For nearly 60 years, the Australian Conservation Foundation has mobilized people across the country to protect wildlife, forests, rivers, and reefs. From securing World Heritage protection for the Great Barrier Reef and Kakadu to advancing clean energy and stronger nature laws, ACF challenges harmful industries and empowers communities—driving bold action so nature and people can thrive together in Australia’s future.

11. Agroecology & Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA), Australia

AFSA is a farmer-led alliance working to democratize Australia’s food system through agroecology, land justice, and First Peoples’ sovereignty. From legal support for smallholders to campaigning for scale-appropriate regulation and local processing infrastructure, AFSA empowers producers and communities to reclaim control of food and land. Connected to La Via Campesina, the Alliance drives policy reform and grassroots solutions for just, local, climate-resilient food systems.

12. Better Food Future, International

Better Food Future brings industry, government, and civil society together to build resilient, transparent, and climate-smart food systems. By aligning sustainability goals with global data standards, the initiative strengthens traceability in seafood and cattle, expands fair market access for small-scale producers, and eliminates deforestation from supply chains—driving measurable progress and shared prosperity from source to shelf.

13. Black Feminist Project, United States

The Black Feminist Project advances food and reproductive justice for Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people in the South Bronx. Through Black Joy Farm, sliding-scale community meals, and youth programs like Guerrilla Girls and Sis, Do You!, the organization combats food apartheid, builds leadership, and cultivates joy and autonomy—placing MaGes and mother-led families at the center of community power.

14. Broadway Green Alliance, United States

The Broadway Green Alliance mobilizes theatre-makers and audiences to shrink the industry’s environmental footprint—from switching 100,000 marquee bulbs to efficient LEDs to diverting tons of textiles and electronics from landfills. With 1,600+ Green Captains on Broadway and campuses nationwide, BGA equips artists with practical sustainability tools and uses the power of storytelling to inspire climate-positive action.

15. Buğday Association, Turkey

Born from a grassroots ecological movement in the 1990s, Buğday Association works to build a culture of ecological living in Turkey. Through projects spanning seed exchange, pesticide-free farming, composting, agroecology education, and Turkey’s 100 percent Ecological Markets, Buğday strengthens links between rural producers and urban consumers while championing nature-friendly production and traditional knowledge.

16. C40 Food Systems, International

Part of a global network of 97 cities, C40 Food Systems helps mayors transform urban food into a powerful climate solution. The program supports cities to cut emissions from production to waste, improve food access and nutrition, and build resilience through circular, plant-forward, and equitable food policies—advancing a fair, green transition that protects people and the planet.

17. CARE International, International and CARE USA, United States

For 80 years, CARE has worked alongside communities to confront crises, defeat poverty, and advance dignity. Centering women and girls, CARE delivers lifesaving assistance, strengthens local leadership, and drives long-term change—from emergency response and food security to health, education, and economic opportunity. In 2024, CARE and partners reached 58.7 million people across 121 countries, proving that hope and equality can thrive even in the hardest places.

18. CGIAR, International

CGIAR is a global research partnership transforming food, land, and water systems through science and innovation. Its network includes the Africa Rice Center, CIFOR, CIMMYT, ICARDA, ICRISAT, IFPRI, IITA, ILRI, CIP, IRRI, IWMI, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, ICRAF, and WorldFish. Together, these centers advance climate-resilient crops, equitable food policies, regenerative land management, and sustainable aquatic and livestock systems—delivering research and partnerships that strengthen nutrition, farmer livelihoods, and environmental stewardship worldwide.

19. CORAF, West and Central Africa

CORAF unites the agricultural research systems of 23 countries to drive innovation, boost productivity, and strengthen food and nutrition security across West and Central Africa. Through regional centers of excellence, technology scaling, market access initiatives, and policy support, CORAF helps family farmers adopt climate-smart solutions and fosters a future where communities prosper through resilient, competitive, and sustainable agriculture.

20. Charlie Cart Project, United States

With its mobile kitchen classrooms, the Charlie Cart Project brings hands-on food education directly into schools, libraries, and community centers. Their integrated curriculum helps children and adults learn cooking skills, nutrition basics, and the origins of their food. In the last decade, they have reached over 500,000 children and families through our 500 community partners across the country.

21. City Harvest, United States

For more than 40 years, City Harvest has led the food-rescue movement in New York City—recovering over 86 million pounds of surplus food each year and delivering it, free of charge, to 400 pantries, soup kitchens, and Mobile Markets® across all five boroughs. With a focus on fresh produce, culturally responsive foods, nutrition education, and community partnerships, City Harvest fights hunger, reduces waste, and strengthens local food systems so every New Yorker can thrive.

22. Climate Group, International

Climate Group accelerates urgent climate action by mobilizing powerful networks of 500+ multinational companies and 180+ state and regional governments. Working across high-emitting systems—energy, transport, heavy industry, and food—it drives commitments, enforces accountability, and turns ambition into measurable progress. Its global collaborations push organizations to act now and help steer the world toward net-zero by 2050.

23. Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), United States

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is a worker-led human rights organization transforming U.S. agriculture through organizing, enforcement, and consumer power. Since 1993, CIW has exposed and helped prosecute major forced-labor rings, liberated over 1,200 workers, and pioneered the Fair Food Program—a worker-driven model that raises wages, prevents abuse, and sets enforceable standards across farms in multiple states and crops.

24. Conflict Cuisine Project, International 

The Conflict Cuisine Project explores the deep links between food and war, using culinary traditions as a lens to understand conflict, diaspora, and peacebuilding. Through gastrodiplomacy, education programs, and collaborations with chefs and policymakers, the project shows how recipes, foodways, and shared meals can foster dialogue, integration, and a more nuanced understanding of global insecurity.

25. Community Kitchen, United States

Community Kitchen is a pilot sliding-scale restaurant at the Lower Eastside Girls Club, where chef Mavis-Jay Sanders serves multi-course, locally sourced, plant-forward dinners priced at US$15, US$45, or US$125 based on income and wealth—no questions asked. Co-founded with Mark Bittman, the project aims to prove that dignified, high-quality dining can be accessible, community-centered, and a model for policy change.

26. Crop Trust, International

The Crop Trust safeguards the world’s crop diversity by funding and strengthening genebanks and backing global seed reserves like the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Its Food Forever strategy aims to permanently secure key collections and make them more accessible to researchers and farmers. Through long-term partnerships, technical support, and capacity building, the organization helps ensure agriculture can adapt to climate, conflict, and biodiversity loss.

27. Culinary Institute of America, United States

The Culinary Institute of America prepares future food leaders through its longstanding commitment to excellence, research, and innovation. CIA co-founded and leads the  Menus of Change University Research Collaborative, a worldwide partnership of universities leveraging campus dining to study behavior change and bring plant-forward, climate-smart menu innovation into practice. 

28. Cultivemos Network, United States

Cultivemos—meaning “we cultivate”—links Northeast farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers to mental-health resources, culturally relevant support, and community-driven education. Through partnerships with Farm Aid and others, the network provides bilingual materials, resilience trainings, and a growing service-provider community designed to reduce stress, strengthen well-being, and ensure agricultural families can access the care they need.

29. Dion’s Chicago Dream, United States

Dion’s Chicago Dream advances health equity by redesigning food access through last-mile logistics. Founded in Englewood, the nonprofit delivers fresh, pre-measured produce directly to households through Dream Deliveries, community Dream Fridges, and networked Dream Vaults—collectively providing millions of pounds of healthy food. By pairing nutritional philanthropy with workforce development and neighborhood partnerships, the Dream builds community, stability, and hope across Chicago.

30. Edible Schoolyard Project, United States

The Edible Schoolyard Project, founded by Alice Waters in 1995, transforms public education by integrating organic gardens, kitchens, and cafeterias into academic learning. Its Berkeley demonstration site anchors a national movement where students cook, garden, and study food systems as part of their core curriculum. Through free classroom resources and the Alice Waters Institute, the organization advances edible education, climate action, and community well-being.

31. EAT, International

EAT works at the intersection of science, policy, business, and civil society to accelerate the shift toward healthy, fair, and sustainable food systems. Through science-based initiatives like the EAT–Lancet Commission report, global convenings such as the Stockholm Food Forum, and city-level efforts advancing the Planetary Health Diet, EAT works to transform evidence into collective action and partnerships that support people and the planet.

32. EiT Food, Europe 

EIT Food brings together innovators across Europe to accelerate the shift toward a healthier, more sustainable, and consumer-centered food system. Backed by the EU, it invests in research, education, entrepreneurship, and public engagement to advance three core missions—healthier diets, resilient and transparent supply chains, and a net-zero food system—linking startups, industry, and communities to drive system-wide change.

33. European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA), Europe

The European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) is a farmer-led coalition advancing ecological, economic, and social regeneration across Europe’s agrifood system. Rooted in diverse farming contexts, EARA elevates farmer expertise in EU policy and builds broad alliances through its Regenerating Europe Tour—a series of strategic dialogues, farm visits, and workshops across Member States designed to accelerate a soil-centered, regenerative agricultural transition.

34. FAIRR Initiative, International

FAIRR is an investor network mobilizing more than US$90 trillion in assets to address the financial and systemic risks tied to intensive animal agriculture. Through rigorous research, company benchmarking, and coordinated investor engagement, FAIRR equips members to navigate climate, biodiversity, labor, and antimicrobial resistance risks while identifying opportunities across the protein value chain to accelerate a more sustainable and resilient global food system.

35. Farm Labor Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO (FLOC), United States

The Farm Labor Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO (FLOC) is a union and social movement advancing farmworkers’ rights across the Midwest and South. Founded in the 1960s by Baldemar Velásquez, FLOC pioneered tri-party bargaining—bringing corporations, growers, and workers to the same table—to secure fair wages, safer housing, and grievance protections, while mobilizing broad public support to shift power toward those who labor in the fields.

36. Feeding Change, United States

The Milken Institute’s Feeding Change program works to build a more nutritious, sustainable, equitable, and resilient food system by activating the necessary social and financial capital needed to drive this transformation. Some of their recent policy briefs and reports have called for employer-led nutrition strategies, expanded access to pharmacy-based care, and natural capital solutions. 

37. First Nations Development Institute, United States

First Nations Development Institute strengthens the economic, cultural, and ecological well-being of Native communities by supporting Tribal sovereignty and investing in Native-led solutions. Since 1980, its national grantmaking program has directed thousands of awards to projects advancing land stewardship, food systems, economic justice, and Native arts—reinforcing community assets, uplifting Indigenous knowledge, and sustaining self-determined futures across Tribal nations.

38. Food is Medicine Institute, United States

The Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts advances the integration of nutritious food into healthcare by generating evidence, training clinicians, and supporting patient care models such as medically tailored meals, groceries, and produce prescriptions. Through interdisciplinary research, policy analysis, and community partnerships, the Institute works to embed FIM into clinical systems, reduce health disparities, and strengthen a more equitable, prevention-focused healthcare system.

39. Food Recovery Network (FRN), United States

Food Recovery Network mobilizes thousands of student leaders, food businesses, and farms to keep surplus food out of landfills and redirect it to community organizations fighting hunger. Launched in 2011 at the University of Maryland, FRN now operates nearly 200 campus and community programs, recovering millions of pounds of fresh food and expanding local food access while reducing waste and emissions nationwide.

40. Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), United States

The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) advances policies that ensure every person in the U.S. can access nutritious food. Through research, advocacy, and support for a nationwide network of anti-hunger partners, FRAC strengthens federal nutrition programs, expands benefits, addresses racial inequities, and tackles the root causes of poverty-related hunger to build a healthier, more food-secure nation.

41. Food Security Leadership Council, International

The Food Security Leadership Council unites leaders from science, agriculture, industry, and global development to reimagine U.S. engagement in global food security. Guided by evidence and nonpartisan analysis, the Council elevates the impacts of U.S. policy, advances a strategic blueprint for international action, and convenes emerging leaders to address rising hunger driven by climate change, land degradation, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss.

42. Food Systems for the Future (FSF), International

Food Systems for the Future advances market-based, nutrition-focused solutions to build equitable and sustainable food systems. Led by Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, the organization works across the U.S. and Africa to expand access to affordable, diverse, and nourishing foods through policy engagement, research, coalition-building, and partnerships that strengthen local capacity and drive systemwide change toward a malnutrition-free world.

43. FreshRx Oklahoma, United States

FreshRx Oklahoma partners with local growers and clinicians to help North Tulsa residents manage Type II diabetes with nutrient-dense, regeneratively grown produce and yearlong support. Launched in 2021 after evidence showed food access was undermining diabetes care, the USDA-funded program provides biweekly produce, cooking and nutrition classes, and regular health screenings—advancing health equity through a Food is Medicine model rooted in community.

44. Friends of the Earth, International

Friends of the Earth mobilizes a nationwide network to advance bold, justice-centered environmental action. Since 1969, the organization has pushed for transformative policies that confront the climate and biodiversity crises head-on—rejecting half-measures, challenging corporate power, and championing systemic solutions. Through advocacy, coalition-building, and movement organizing, they work to protect people and the planet while building durable political power for long-term change.

45. Full Plates Full Potential, United States

Full Plates Full Potential works to end childhood food insecurity in Maine by strengthening and expanding the child nutrition programs that reach students every day. The organization helped lead the passage of School Meals for All and continues partnering with schools and communities to ensure every child has reliable access to nutritious meals that support learning, equity, and long-term well-being.

46. Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), International

GAIN works to improve access to nutritious, safe, and affordable food by transforming food systems alongside governments, businesses, and civil society. They focus on availability, affordability, desirability, and sustainability of healthy diets—especially for women, children, and other vulnerable groups—through programs that strengthen markets, advance fortification, shape policy, and expand nutrition-focused innovation worldwide.

47. Global Alliance for Latinos in Agriculture (GALA), International

GALA strengthens Latino farmers and ranchers worldwide through regenerative agriculture, conscious capitalism, and alignment with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. The organization advances youth leadership, digital and carbon-literacy training, and cross-cultural knowledge exchange to revitalize rural communities, foster family-farm prosperity, and build resilient, sustainability-driven agricultural livelihoods across generations.

48. Global Alliance for the Future of Food, International

The Global Alliance for the Future of Food is a coalition of philanthropic foundations working with partners worldwide to accelerate the transition to equitable, climate-resilient food systems. The Alliance advances systems-level solutions by convening diverse actors, generating evidence, and driving collaborative action toward food systems that uphold health, sustainability, and human rights for present and future generations.

49. Global Food Institute (GFI) at GW, United States

The Global Food Institute at George Washington University advances evidence-based solutions across policy, innovation, and community well-being to transform food systems. Through interdisciplinary research, teaching, and convenings, GFI links science to real-world action, shaping how food is grown, distributed, and experienced to improve human and planetary health.

50. Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, United States

Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming advances a resilient regional food system by training the next generation of farmers, promoting regenerative practices, and strengthening fair, community-based markets. Working from the Hudson Valley and sharing lessons nationally, Glynwood aligns ecological stewardship with thriving local economies and equitable access to nutritious food. 

51. Gönül Mutfağı, Turkey

Launched by chefs Türev Uludağ and Ebru Baybara Demir, Gönül Mutfağı served over 17 million meals to earthquake survivors in 2023 through the work of 4,000 volunteers. The initiative strengthens long-term recovery by employing local residents through the From Soil to Plate cooperative and supplying 10,000 breakfasts each day to Hatay students.

52. GrowNYC, United States

Since 1970, GrowNYC has helped New Yorkers access fresh food, vibrant green spaces, and environmental education. Through producer-only Greenmarkets, community garden support, and education programs, the organization uplifts regional farmers and empowers residents—particularly frontline communities—to shape a healthier, more resilient city.

53. Guyra Paraguay, Paraguay

Focused on protecting Paraguay’s natural wealth, Guyra Paraguay brings together civil society, Indigenous communities, farmers, and scientists to conserve species, restore forests, and promote sustainable livelihoods. Through projects in the Atlantic Forest, agroforestry initiatives, and innovative monitoring and climate-finance programs—such as their shade-grown yerba mate program—the organization works to build a resilient landscape for people and wildlife. 

54. Green Bronx Machine, United States

Green Bronx Machine transforms classrooms and communities through a K–12+ model that weaves urban agriculture into core academics. Students grow and distribute thousands of pounds of fresh produce while improving attendance, engagement, and achievement. Through food education, workforce development, and community partnerships, the organization builds healthier schools and stronger, more resilient Bronx neighborhoods—proving that healthy students help grow healthy communities.

55. Good Food Fund, China

Good Food Fund drives China’s transition toward healthier, more sustainable, and more humane food systems. Through chef training, youth programs, policy-aligned partnerships, and the Good Food Summit, GFF advances plant-based innovation and elevates animal welfare. Its Good Food Academy and incubator programs build knowledge and support emerging leaders working to shift production, consumption, and public awareness toward a better food future.

56. Harlem Grown, United States

Harlem Grown cultivates healthy kids and resilient communities by engaging Harlem youth in hands-on urban farming, nutrition, and sustainability education. Since 2011, the organization has expanded access to fresh food and learning opportunities by operating 14 urban agriculture sites, from soil-based farms to hydroponic greenhouses, while mentoring elementary-aged students to become advocates for their health, community, and environment.

57. Helen’s Daughters, Caribbean

Helen’s Daughters strengthens rural women across the Caribbean by using agriculture as a pathway to broader economic and social opportunity. Working at the grassroots level, the organization provides training, mentorship, micro-investment, and market access while advancing gender equity through public advocacy. Their programs—from an all-female agri-apprenticeship to FarmHers Markets—position women farmers as leaders of sustainable development across the region.

58. High Atlas Foundation, Morocco

The High Atlas Foundation advances community-led development across Morocco by helping rural families build sustainable livelihoods rooted in fruit-tree agriculture, clean water access, and women’s empowerment. Through 15 nurseries producing millions of saplings, carbon-offset programs, and post-earthquake recovery, HAF supports communities to restore land, preserve cultural heritage, and create long-term, locally driven pathways to economic resilience.

59. IndigeHub, United States

IndigeHub strengthens Indigenous self-determination by creating shared resource hubs that fuel entrepreneurship, food sovereignty, and community resilience. Through coworking spaces, commercial kitchens, and emerging food hubs, the organization expands access to tools, training, and local markets. Their culturally grounded model reduces barriers on tribal lands, supports small businesses, and equips communities to build sustainable, long-term prosperity.

60. Instituto Regenera, Brazil

Instituto Regenera works to advance regenerative food systems by co-creating applied knowledge that drives transparent, fair, inclusive, and sustainable practices. Rooted in the idea that food is climate, biodiversity, and culture, the organization partners across sectors to strengthen emerging models that restore ecosystems, uplift communities, and embed regeneration at every stage of the food system. During COP30, the organization helped secure a commitment from the Brazilian government to source at least one third of food served at the conference from local family farmers.

61. Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Americas

IICA is the Inter-American System’s specialized agency for agriculture, working with 34 Member States to strengthen rural well-being and agricultural development. Through technical cooperation spanning innovation, family farming, trade, digitalization, and agricultural health, IICA supports countries in building competitive, inclusive, and sustainable agrifood systems resilient to climate shocks and aligned with long-term regional development goals.

62. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Africa

icipe advances insect science for sustainable development across Africa, pioneering environmentally safe tools to manage pests and disease vectors while conserving biodiversity. Through its 4Hs approach—Human Health, Animal Health, Plant Health and Environmental Health—the Centre strengthens food security, rural livelihoods, and ecosystem resilience. As the continent’s only international arthropod research institution, it also builds scientific capacity through extensive training and partnerships.

63. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International

IFAD works to end rural poverty by investing in small-scale farmers and strengthening food systems. A U.N. agency and international financial institution, it provides grants and low-interest loans that expand market access, boost production, and build climate resilience. IFAD’s people-centered approach ensures women, youth, and Indigenous communities shape and benefit from rural transformation.

64. International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food), International

IPES-Food unites 25 leading researchers and practitioners to accelerate food system transformation. From analyzing power dynamics to proposing concrete policy reforms, the panel produces influential reports and builds alliances that center equity, sustainability, and health. Rooted in science and informed by frontline realities, IPES-Food provides a clear roadmap for fixing failing food and agriculture systems.

65. International Potato Center, International

Headquartered in Lima, Peru, the International Potato Center (CIP) supports science-based solutions to improve root and tuber agri-food systems. They do this to ultimately enhance nutrition security, support sustainable business, and improve communities’ livelihoods. CIP leads the project Lima 2035, which aims to make the city of Lima’s food and agriculture systems regenerative and human-centered.

66. James Beard Foundation (JBF), United States

The James Beard Foundation strengthens the independent restaurant sector by recognizing excellence and equipping chefs and culinary leaders to drive a more equitable, sustainable food system. Through its awards, training programs, and national initiatives, JBF champions Good Food for Good—supporting an industry that enriches American culture and empowers the people who shape our food future.

67. John Hopkins University Center for Health Security and Center for a Livable Future, United States

At Johns Hopkins University, the Centers for Health Security and a Livable Future are working to reshape our systems in support of human and planetary health. The Center for Health Security works to protect communities from epidemics, biological threats, and public health emergencies while the Center for a Livable Future (CLF) advances alternatives to industrial food systems. CLF also recently launched a program to support the next generation of food and agriculture journalists. 

68. Kiss the Ground, United States

Kiss the Ground advances the regenerative movement by elevating healthy soil as a solution for human and planetary well-being. Through films, digital storytelling, education, and direct farmer support, the organization has inspired millions and helped transition more than two million acres toward regenerative agriculture—mobilizing public awareness toward a tipping point for systems-scale change.

69. La Via Campesina, International

Formed in 1993, La Via Campesina brings together 200 million small-scale food producers in 81 countries to defend land, water, seeds, and territory. The movement centers food sovereignty—healthy, culturally rooted food produced sustainably—and trains members in agroecology and peasant feminism. Its sustained mobilization shaped major global governance spaces, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants.

70. Local2030 Islands Network (L2030IN), International

This global network amplifies the leadership of island communities working toward the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Members share knowledge, strengthen public-private partnerships, and implement initiatives in support of a circular economy to create solutions that are locally driven and culturally informed.

71. McKnight Foundation, United States

The McKnight Foundation is working toward a more just and creative future through investments that celebrate culture bearers, strengthen farmer-centered agroecological research, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and more. Taking a silo-breaking approach, they also blend their program areas to bring food and the arts together. 

72. Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, International

Launched in 2015, the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact unites over 250 cities in a mayor-led commitment to build sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban food systems. As the leading global framework for municipal food policy, the Pact drives action through a shared 37-point agenda, peer learning, capacity building, and annual Milan Pact Awards showcasing innovative city solutions.

73. Naandi Foundation, India

The Naandi Foundation works across 438 districts in 21 states of India to create a better future for farmers and girls. In support of farmers, the organization encourages knowledge-sharing and the use of sustainable agricultural inputs, finding innovative ways to bring a regenerative and profitable agriculture system. Their goal in the coming years is to support 10 million girls with schooling and employment and 100 million farmers by planting 1 billion trees.

74. National Farm to School Network, United States

The National Farm to School Network builds equitable farm to school systems that support children, farmers, and communities. Through policy leadership, hands-on training, and a nationwide coalition spanning all 50 states, NFSN helps schools serve local food, integrate gardens and food education, and strengthen regional economies—advancing a vision of a racially just and community-driven food system.

75. National Farm Worker Ministry, United States

The National Farm Worker Ministry brings together denominations, congregations, and advocates to back campaigns led by farm workers seeking fair pay, safe conditions, and basic rights. Grounded in faith and racial justice, NFWM organizes actions, educates supporters, and builds solidarity networks that help transform the systems shaping life and labor in U.S. agriculture.

76. National Farmers Union, United States

The National Farmers Union (NFU) represents more than 220,000 family farmers and ranchers, advancing policies rooted in grassroots decision-making. NFU works to strengthen rural economies through farmer-driven advocacy, cooperative solutions, and education, promoting fair markets, resilient communities, and a future where family agriculture can thrive. In response to the increase in political and economic uncertainty farmers are facing in the last year, NFU has continued fighting to put growers first. 

77. National Young Farmers Coalition, United States

The National Young Farmers Coalition is a farmer-led network shifting power and transforming federal policy to equitably resource a new generation of growers. The Coalition centers BIPOC leadership and organizes young farmers nationwide to secure land access, climate resilience, and structural change so farming can remain viable, just, and community-rooted.

78. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), International

Since 1970, NRDC has paired legal action, scientific expertise, and grassroots advocacy to safeguard people and the planet. With offices across the U.S. and in Beijing, its attorneys, scientists, and policy experts tackle climate pollution, toxic exposures, biodiversity loss, and environmental inequity while advancing durable protections for communities and ecosystems.

79. New York Botanical Garden, United States

Each year the New York Botanical Garden reaches tens of thousands of families through exhibitions, botanical experiences, art, music, and events. Their scientists work around the world to find actionable, nature-based solutions to the climate and biodiversity loss crises, striving to create a green future for all. 

80. Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation, United States

Rooted in Niman Ranch’s commitment to smaller-scale, humane farming, the Next Generation Foundation supports young producers through scholarships and targeted grants. With over US$2 million distributed since 2006, the Foundation helps new farmers pursue education, adopt regenerative methods, expand their operations, and build resilient rural livelihoods.

81. North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS), North America

Founded by Chef Sean Sherman, North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) is rebuilding a regional Indigenous food system through education, enterprise, and access. From its Minneapolis-based Indigenous Food Lab—combining a professional kitchen, market, and training center—NATIFS supports tribal communities in restoring Native foodways, expanding Indigenous culinary businesses, and advancing Indigenous food sovereignty across North America.

82. NOW Partners Foundation, International

For over three decades, NOW Partners Foundation has collaborated with businesses, investors, and institutions to advance regenerative land use, equitable leadership, and new industry logics. Their global partnership guides companies through transitions that integrate profitability with positive impact, demonstrating how Regenerative Value Creation can scale solutions that restore ecosystems, strengthen communities, and build resilient economies.

83. ONE Campaign, International

The ONE Campaign unites activists, data experts, and trusted messengers to influence global decision-makers and secure investments that strengthen opportunity and health across Africa. Strictly nonpartisan and independently funded, ONE pairs hard evidence with public pressure to drive lasting policy change—amplifying millions of voices for a world where dignity and equity are shared by all.

84. One Fair Wage, United States

One Fair Wage unites service workers, employers, and allies to confront the legacy of subminimum pay and win lasting wage justice. By driving research, mobilizing voters, and advancing bold state and local reforms, the organization works to guarantee every worker—tipped, gig, youth, disabled, or incarcerated—a full, fair minimum wage with tips as a true supplement.

85. OzHarvest, Australia

Australia’s largest food-rescue network, OzHarvest saves quality surplus food from thousands of donors and delivers it free to charities nationwide—over 300 million meals so far. Alongside rescue, they run national education programs, innovate with projects like OzHarvest Market and Refettorio, and push for systemic change to halve food waste and strengthen food security.

86. Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM), East, Central, and Southern Africa

PELUM unites civil society organizations from 12 African countries to scale ecological land-use management with smallholder farmers. Founded in 1995, the network drives agroecology training, collaborative learning, and farmer-centered advocacy, expanding sustainable practices and strengthening food sovereignty. Its regional chapters support programs that improve livelihoods while regenerating ecosystems and boosting community resilience.

87. Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN), International

PAN is a global medical nonprofit working to reduce diet-related deaths by making nutrition central to clinical practice. Through medical education, hospital partnerships, and national branches across four continents, PAN equips health professionals to champion healthy, sustainable diets and drive food-system changes that address chronic disease, climate impacts, and pandemic risk.

88. Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), United States

PFI is a farmer-led network advancing resilient agriculture in Iowa. Members—conventional and organic, large and small—share knowledge through field days, research trials, and peer learning to strengthen stewardship, profitability, and community well-being. United by a land ethic and a commitment to welcoming all, PFI helps farmers build operations grounded in sustainability and shared experience.

89. Project Dandelion, International

Project Dandelion is a women-led global campaign uniting movements, leaders, and communities to demand a climate-safe world. Rooted in climate justice, it mobilizes millions to act, elevates women’s leadership, and advances seven core demands—from ending fossil fuel subsidies to scaling fair, renewable energy—building a powerful, shared symbol for urgent, collective action.

90. Project Drawdown, United States

Project Drawdown is an independent nonprofit advancing bold, science-based climate solutions. Through cutting-edge research, strategic engagement with policymakers, investors, and industry leaders, and powerful storytelling, it shifts resources and public narratives toward effective action. Its work guides climate strategies worldwide, elevating solutions that cut emissions, protect ecosystems, and expand human well-being.

91. ProVeg International, International

ProVeg International accelerates food-system transformation by replacing animal products with plant-based and cultivated alternatives. Active across five continents and holding consultative and observer status with key UN agencies, ProVeg works with companies, investors, and communities to tackle climate, health, and hunger challenges through diet change—aiming to halve global animal-product consumption by 2040.

92. Rainforest Alliance, International

Working across over 60 countries, the Rainforest Alliance mobilizes market power and community leadership to protect forests, restore biodiversity, and improve rural livelihoods. Its global alliance advances regenerative production, responsible sourcing, and climate action, ensuring that farmers, companies, and consumers all contribute to—and benefit from—a future where people and nature thrive in balance.

93. ReFED, United States

ReFED uses data, research, and cross-sector partnerships to drive measurable impact on food loss and waste. In collaboration with the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative (MCURC), they are working with foodservice operators to repurpose surplus food and reduce food waste across college campuses. Their recent toolkit is now helping more chefs implement solutions in their own dining halls. 

94. Regen Places Network, Australia

Across Australia, the Regen Places Network brings communities together to combat people’s disconnection from the environment and one another by developing climate-smart, place-based food and land use strategies. By 2030, they aim to develop 2,030 leaders committed to restoring ecosystems and building resilient food systems, who will make up a far-reaching network of conveners and communities.

95. Regen10, International

Designed as a global multi-stakeholder platform, Regen10 is working to mobilize farmers, companies, researchers, and governments to scale regenerative agriculture. The initiative works to transform how food is produced by improving soil health, strengthening livelihoods, and advancing climate-resilient systems. 

96. Resilient Cities Network, International

Resilient Cities Network works with nearly 100 cities in over 40 countries around the world to future-proof urban centers. Their work is organized around three pillars—climate resilience, circularity, and equity—as they bring together global knowledge, practice, partnerships, and funding to support member cities.

97. Rodale Institute, United States

For decades, the Rodale Institute has pioneered research in organic agriculture research, education, and farmer training. Their long-term field trials provide some of the world’s most influential data on soil health and climate impacts. The organization continues to expand knowledge and support farmers transitioning to regenerative organic methods.

98. Rooted East, United States

Rooted East, a Black-led food collective is fighting food apartheid and working to advance food justice in East Knoxville, Tennessee. Their recent documentary “Roots of Resilience” tells the story of the organization and how they’re using garden education and land partnerships to create a self-sustaining food system.

99. Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS), India

In the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, Ryss is working alongside farmers to scale the adoption of chemical-free, climate-resilient farming practices. After demonstrating success in India, Ryss collaborated with NOW Partners to bring the model to communities in Zambia. Projects are also underway in Sri Lanka, and Brazil, with nine additional countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have been identified for future implementation as funding is secured.

100. Salesian Sisters’ Valponasca Learning Farm, Zambia

The Salesian Sisters’ Valponasca Learning Farm provides hands-on agricultural education to promote regenerative practices while empowering women and youth. Together with Rythu Sadhikara Samstha and NOW Partners, they are working to facilitate a pilot project that adapts the Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming model to the local environment.

101. Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, International

Active in more than 60 countries, the SUN Movement works with governments to prioritize nutrition in national policies and investments. It unites civil society, donors, and the private sector to strengthen systems that support maternal and child health. The movement accelerates coordinated action to end malnutrition in all its forms.

102. SDG2 Advocacy Hub, International

The SDG2 Advocacy Hub drives coordinated global action to achieve SDG2—ending hunger, advancing food security and nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture by 2030. Bringing together NGOs, civil society, UN agencies, and private-sector partners, the Hub strengthens campaigns, supports country-level efforts, and equips advocates with shared tools to maximize collective influence across the Global Goals.

103. Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), India

Founded by Elaben Bhatt in 1972, SEWA represents 3.2 million self-employed women across India’s informal economy. As the country’s largest women-led trade union, SEWA advances full employment and self-reliance by organizing workers, strengthening cooperatives, expanding social protections, and building women-owned enterprises that enhance economic security and collective bargaining power.

104. Senegalese Association for the Promotion of Development at the Base (Asprodeb), Africa

Established in 1995, Asprodeb advances sustainable rural development in Senegal by equipping farmer organizations with technical support, professional training, and financial management tools. Born from collaboration between government and peasant movements, it helps family farms strengthen their services, implement development programs, and build productive partnerships across the agricultural sector.

105. Sicangu Food Sovereignty Initiative, United States

Based on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation, this initiative works to restore traditional food systems and strengthen community health. Programs include seed saving, gardening, and educational workshops that reconnect youth and families to cultural food practices. Their work centers Indigenous knowledge as a foundation for food sovereignty and resilience.

106. Slow Food International, International and Slow Food USA, United States

Slow Food promotes local, sustainable, and culturally meaningful food systems around the globe. From grassroots chapters in the U.S. to international networks, the organization supports farmers, chefs, and communities in preserving biodiversity and culinary traditions in an effort to champion good, clean, and fair food for all.

107. Solid’Africa, Rwanda

Solid’Africa aims to empower smallholder farmers in Rwanda to access markets, improve yields, and adopt more sustainable practices. The organization offers free medically tailored meals to patients in public hospitals and delivers affordable, nutritious meals to students in public schools. Their approach prioritizes local sourcing from smallholder farmers, and they operate clean cooking kitchens to create a healthier food ecosystem. 

108. Soul Fire Farm, United States

Located in Upstate New York, Soul Fire Farm is an Afro-Indigenous centered community farm and training center working to end racism and advance food sovereignty. Their programs include farm tours, multi-day immersive programs for growers of Black, Indigenous, and Latine heritage, and youth-focused workshops. 

109. Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, United States

The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation works with young eaters to encourage healthy habits that will stay with them throughout their lifetimes. By partnering and investing in nutrition education and hands-on gardening programming, they support efforts that teach children how to grow and prepare nutritious food while making connections between what they eat and the natural environment. 

110. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, United States

Stone Barns Center is a nonprofit farm and educational hub dedicated to regenerative agriculture and local food systems. Visitors and participants learn sustainable farming practices, nutrition, and culinary skills through hands-on experiences. The center serves as a model for farming that nourishes people and the planet.

111. Sustainable Food Trust, United Kingdom

Sustainable Food Trust works to accelerate the transition to sustainable food and farming systems for the benefit of climate, nature and health. Their focus areas include sustainable livestock, a food secure Britain, measuring sustainability, true cost accounting, supporting local abattoirs. 

112. Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University, United States

The Swette Center takes a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to facilitate research, education, public engagement, community-strengthening and policy reform in support of sustainable food systems. Their strategic priorities include cultivating the next generation of leaders, advancing organic research and policy, enabling true cost accounting of food, empowering Indigenous foodways, and engaging the private sector.  

113. Terepeza Development Association, Ethiopia

Working across rural Ethiopia, Terepeza Development Association supports smallholder farmers through programs in climate-smart agriculture, livelihoods, and community development. Their initiatives help families build resilience to drought and food insecurity while improving soil and water management. The organization also invests in youth and women’s empowerment to strengthen long-term sustainability.

114. The Common Market, United States

By connecting regional farmers with institutions like schools and hospitals, The Common Market strengthens local economies and expands access to nutritious, sustainably grown food. By advancing forward purchasing commitments for small and mid-scale farms, the organization hopes to rebuild regional food systems in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Texas, and Great Lakes region of the U.S.

115. The Land Institute, International

The Land Institute is reimagining how grains can be grown in harmony with ecosystems. Their work on crops like Kernza aims to reduce soil erosion, improve biodiversity, and cut carbon emissions. Through science, partnerships, and global advocacy, they hope to advance a regenerative future for agriculture systems.

116. The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, International

Focused on the intersection of data, technology, and social impact, the Patrick J. McGovern foundation supports initiatives that strengthen climate resilience, food security, and community well-being. Their investments help organizations scale digital tools that improve agricultural forecasting, resource management, and humanitarian response. 

117. The Rockefeller Foundation, United States

For more than a century, The Rockefeller Foundation has worked to advance global health and food and nutrition security. Through investments in regenerative school meals, they are working to scale regenerative agriculture, connect students to healthy food, and improve educational outcomes. And with their Food is Medicine work, they are supporting programs and research to better understand the potential of produce prescriptions, medically tailored meals, or healthy grocery programs.

118. UJAMAA Cooperative Farming Alliance (UCFA), United States

UCFA works to bring greater diversity and equity to the seed supply by supporting BIPOC growers and connecting them with buyers seeking culturally significant crops. The Alliance strengthens markets for heritage varieties while investing in farmer training and cooperative development. Their efforts help preserve biodiversity and uplift historically marginalized growers.

119. United Nations System, International

The U.N. System includes principal bodies, specialized agencies, funds, and programs working to improve food and agriculture systems, protect the environment, better health outcomes, and promote gender equity. These institutions include U.N. Development Programme, U.N. Environment Programme, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and FAO North America, U.N. Global Compact, UN Women, the U.N. World Food Programme and World Food Program USA, and the World Health Organization.

120. Urban Growers Collective, United States

Urban Growers Collective operates sustainable urban farms across Chicago, using food production as a vehicle for community empowerment. Centering racial equity, they provide job training, youth leadership programs, and food access initiatives that center. Their work helps strengthen local food systems while supporting health and economic opportunity.

121. Wellness in the Schools, United States

Wellness in the Schools partners works to improve students’ health. By partnering with public schools, chefs, and coaches, they aim to shift the culture of schools to prioritize well-being. Over the last year, the organization has gathered leaders in the food and agriculture policy sphere to develop recommendations to guide the Trump-Vance administration’s overhaul of school meals.  

122. Wholesome Wave, United States

Wholesome Wave works to make fruits and vegetables more affordable for families experiencing food insecurity. Through nutrition incentive programs and produce prescriptions, they help households access healthier food while supporting local farmers. 

123. Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture (WANDA), United States

Through training, education, and advocacy, WANDA is cultivating a thriving community of Black women leaders across food and agriculture systems. They hope to see more women and girls gain the skills they need to improve their lives and transform their communities from farm to health.

124. World Central Kitchen (WCK), International

In moments of disaster and crisis, WCK, founded by Chef José Andrés, delivers fresh, culturally relevant meals to those who need them most. In the last year, WCK has provided food to communities affected by war and natural disaster, including in Palestine, Ukraine, Haiti, and the Philippines.

125. World Resources Institute (WRI), International

The World Resources Institute works to advance sustainable development through rigorous research and partnerships across government, business, and civil society. They serve as the Secretariat, founding member, and core partner of the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU), which works to rewire food systems to solve the climate crisis. 

126. World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International

WWF is dedicated to conserving biodiversity, addressing the climate crisis, and ensuring sustainable use of natural resources. Recognizing the impact that industrialized food and agriculture systems have on the environment, they work to create more regenerative and efficient production systems while encouraging dietary shifts among eaters. 

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