Archive for category: Agriculture

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Food Systems in Costa Rica: Advancing Nutrition Accessibility

Food Systems in Costa RicaCosta Rica is a hotspot of global biodiversity, containing 5% to 6% of all estimated species life on Earth despite being only 51,100 sq km (19,730 sq mi), or 0.03% of the world’s landmass. Bordered by Nicaragua and Panama, it in fact ranks third among the smallest countries in Central America, leaving the country little to work with.

Costa Rica was traditionally an agrarian export-based economy, supplying coffee, bananas and cocoa to countries around the world. However, from private-public industry diversification and policy adaptation leveraging Free Trade Zones, it is now has become one of Latin America’s largest high-value services and high-tech manufacturing providers. In short, Costa Rica is very different from the narrative one might expect. It is a modernized powerhouse, featuring growing population density, declining birth rates, steady immigration inflow and a population overwhelmingly concentrated in urban areas. It is a competitive high-income economy, particularly stark as the only OECD country in Central America, concentrated into a small biodiverse and climate-prone geographic area.

The same is true of food systems in Costa Rica. With all these factors at play, Costa Rica has faced a difficult task in achieving a robust and interconnected network of farm to fork food production and distribution in its food systems. However, rejecting assumptions once more, Costa Rica has continued to rise above expectations in developing globally-leading food system strategies.

Food Insecurity Solutions for Underserved Communities

Despite Costa Rica’s high-income status, many households still experience strong impacts from poverty. About 18% of households across the country lived in poverty in 2024, with an additional 4.8% living in extreme poverty conditions. Economic inequality has also increased according to measures of Costa Rica’s Gini coefficient (a figure which evaluates wealth distribution among a population), made even more starkly apparent by almost a third of all Costa Rican children experiencing poverty or extreme poverty conditions.

The country has worked heavily to expand food accessibility to more rural communities through the national initiative “Empowering Communities in Sustainable Agri-food Systems,” a program that the SDG Fund and UNICEF and the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement supported. Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health found that food insecurity in 2020 impacted 11.76% and 22.65% of households in the cities of Buenos Aires and Guatuso respectively. Efforts have therefore been especially focused on working to assist these hard-hit cities and rural communities surrounding them, in addition to reducing overall food insecurity from a national average of 16.42% of Costa Ricans without clear or quality food.

Community and Government Coordination

Multisectoral partnerships among government and community bodies are have also been a key focus of the SUN Movement, with agencies responsible for agriculture and health working alongside local governments and community organizations to create more realistic and community-centered approaches to nutrition awareness.

The SUN Movement’s efforts have trained more than 180 Costa Ricans in nutrition-awareness activities through the SUN Movement’s efforts. SUN has additionally been effective in helping to integrate integrating community-led food strategies into formal national policy, revitalizing the national food and nutrition body Secretaria de la Politica Nacional de Alimentacion y Nutricion (SEPAN) and aiding EU4SUN and Universidad EARTH to expand early childhood nutritional access and integrate Mesoamerican farming traditions into the National Plan for Sustainable and Healthy Gastronomy. Ultimately, the initiative hopes to improve agri-food system governance, sustainable production practices and Costa Rican eating habits with strategies encompassing the often-overlooked role of women, children and indigenous peoples in creating change.

Affordability and Accessibility Policy Problems

Some have still raised concerns regarding the affordability of nutrition, however, even as the Costa Rican government works to meet the United Nation (UN)’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A 2024 UN report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World found that an average healthy diet in Costa Rica costs $4.56 per day, 60 cents higher than the worldwide average. Costa Rica also features some of the highest rates of obesity in Central America due to cheap and accessible modern ultra-processed foods, underscoring the complex web of challenges Costa Rica faces in ensuring not just food access but complete quality nutrition in its food systems.

To address these issues, Costa Rica has tried innovative new approaches. In 2023, the Costa Rican government implemented a value-added tax (VAT) on food with explicitly defined positive nutritional content, becoming the first country in the world to attempt basic tax basket reform meant to encourage more balanced dietary improvements. While not entirely successful, the 2023 VAT and its subsequent 2024 amendments represent a conscious and continuous effort to address longstanding nutritional issues in the country, especially for lower-income populations more highly affected by incomplete food systems.

Costa Rica’s Robust Environmental Sustainability Efforts

Even while addressing affordability, nutritional program implementation and economic shifts away from agriculture in its food systems, Costa Rica is notably still conscious of environmental sustainability. Given the country’s diverse topography and biological life and its high concentration of volcanic sites, Costa Rica has historically been a global leader in leading environmentally sustainable climate action, despite even with agriculture accounting for more than a third of the country’s land use and a seventh of its overall employment.

Several plans, namely Costa Rica’s National Climate Change Adaptation Policy (2018-2030), National Development Plan (2019-2022) and National Decarbonization Plan (2018-2050), present the country’s ecological and environmental adaptation and carbon neutrality ambitions. Costa Rica has also developed national low-emission livestock, coffee and banana production strategies, export industries which the country still relies on heavily. It has involved significant partnerships, most notably SCALA, or Scaling up Climate Ambition on Land Use and Agriculture, a 2020-2028 joint initiative by the UNDP Climate Change Adaptation and the Food and Agriculture Organization to develop low-carbon farming systems for the country’s beef and coffee sectors.

In addition, Costa Rica has innovated sustainable direct interventions to great success. The Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) program of 1997, which provided financial incentives to landowners to protect forested area, has resulted in a net negative to deforestation countrywide. Digital traceability has been improved by a $120 million initiative to modernize 10,500 small and medium agricultural producers, allowing for digital registration systems and food-tracking networks. Methods like crop rotation, companion planting and natural repellents, polyculture planting and indigenous natural nutrient cycling have all been practical strategies advocated for long-term sustainable farming.

An Optimistic Food System Future

Costa Rica’s food system combines an urbanized population and a strong agricultural export economy with ambitious sustainability goals. Despite challenges in rural food insecurity, nutritional accessibility and climate and environmental concerns, the country has managed to develop strategies focused on creating a more sustainable, healthy and resilient food system that supports both people and ecosystems. With a clear commitment to using community, policy and environmental solutions to drive change, Costa Rica appears well-suited to solving its food system shortfalls with a variety of effective and concrete means.

– Matthew Hecomovich

Matthew is based in Santa Clara, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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The Growth in Food Systems in Senegal

Food Systems in SenegalSenegal is located in West Africa with the Atlantic ocean on the coast and the savanna stretching inland. The food systems in Senegal are dependent on agriculture, fishing and livestock. Domestic farming supplies many people with sustenance. Senegal’s fishing industry on the coast supports cities like Dakar. 

Many people are struggling to afford food in Senegal even if it is available. Poverty has left 1.3 million people facing acute food insecurity. The people need the ability to purchase and access food. Many people living in poverty are in the rural areas of Senegal. Cities like Dakar, the capital of Senegal, are growing rapidly. There are new initiatives to make Senegal self-sufficient and less dependent on imports and foreign aid.

Food Sovereignty

Senegal is starting to implement new agricultural practices that incorporate drought-resistant crops and better irrigation. New technology and machines are being incorporated into farming. The country is striving to reach food sovereignty by increasing its productivity and building the economy. Senegal is now a lower-middle-income country.

New policies aim to help Senegal grow and reach food sovereignty. The AgriConnect Senegal Compact aims to improve the food systems in Senegal. The World Bank has partnered with the Senegalese government to work on new farming methods. Grains, horticulture and livestock are the main focus of the AgriConnect Compact. This initiative aligns with the Senegal National Agenda for Transformation 2050 and the Food Sovereignty Strategy (SSA 2025-2034).

“By 2029, the AgriConnect Compact aims to achieve more than 90% food security at the national level and create 800,000 formal jobs in the agricultural sector,” according to the World Bank. “Among the objectives set are an increase in the cereal coverage rate from 48% to 78%, rice self-sufficiency to 64%, and the establishment of 100 community-based agricultural cooperatives across the country.”

Agriculture

The food systems in Senegal rely on agriculture. Rural areas of the country focus on small-scale farming that supplies food for their families. The Senegalese women do most of the farming. They plant and harvest everything by hand. Farms are typically two to seven acres. Larger commercial farms export crops to places such as the U.K. The farmers grow vegetables such as okra, tomatoes, onions and peppers. Vendors sell the produce in markets such as Marché Tilène in Dakar.

“In Senegal, agriculture is not just an economic activity but also a central aspect of cultural identity and community life,” according to a peer-reviewed article in World. “Growth in agricultural productivity also contributes to reducing poverty. In essence, higher agricultural productivity leads to increased incomes, which can be reinvested into local communities, further enhancing rural development.”

Peanuts are one of Senegal’s biggest cash crops. Kaolack, Kaffrine and Fatick are known as the “Groundnut Basin.” The peanuts are often sold shelled and roasted. Senegal’s national dish, Maafe, is a peanut butter and tomato stew served with meat or fish over rice. Peanuts are a large part of the country’s exports that contribute to the growth of the economy. China is a major importer of Senegalese peanuts.

Fishing

Senegal borders the Atlantic Ocean, where fishing supports the local community. Blue Marlin, Sailfish and Yellowfin Tuna are caught and sold fresh in the markets. Inland, there is the Saloum Delta and Casamance River where locals catch tarpon, captain fish and barracuda. The fishermen are known as “The Pirogue Fleet” where they partake in artisanal fishing in the colorful boats.

The people in cities such as Dakar depend on the fish for their livelihood. Overfishing has drastically depleted the numbers of fish and devastated the people who live on the coast. The Regional Partnership for the Conservation of the Coastal and Marine Zone in West Africa will apply new regulations concerning illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing that can lead to an increase in the fish population.

“This project will effectively and sustainably improve Senegal’s capacity to fight IUU fishing through better fisheries governance, in particular by increasing the transparency of the activities of fisheries policy bodies, through enforcement of fisheries legislation and by building capacities of stakeholders in Senegal,” according to an article by Oceans 5.

Livestock 

Livestock is a smaller portion of the food system in Senegal. The Senegalese diet mainly consists of fish and rice because meat is too expensive. Poultry makes up 80% of the livestock population. Farmers herd cattle, sheep and goats in rural areas. These herds are typically small. The climate poses a great challenge to raising livestock in Senegal. The drought, land and water all pose challenges for farmers.

“To optimize the use of natural resources such as pasture and surface water, whose availability varies throughout the year, livestock farmers are forced to move their herds around: these movements occur all the year round (nomadism) or in specific periods (transhumance),” according to a study by Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. “Because of the lack of storage facilities and infrastructure, the majority of animals are sold alive at markets all year round.”

A Growing Senegal

The impact of inflation, war and trade have increased the price of food in Senegal. The growing agriculture business has contributed to a significant decrease in the poverty rate. With time, West Africa can successfully grow into a productive, competitive economy with less poverty.

– Brittany LeJeune

Brittany is based in Livonia, MI, USA and focuses on Business and New Markets for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Food Systems in Iran: Persisting Through Crisis

Food Systems in IranIn the bazaars of Tehran, a shopkeeper sees his aisles grow quiet as food price inflation reaches 40%. He describes a bleak moment when children enter the store to ask for basic snacks with only 10,000 tomans, which is equal to nearly $0.05 USD. This price point has seemingly disappeared from most local markets. For many families in the capital, the immediate crisis does not involve empty shelves, but rather a collapse in purchasing power that impacts the stability of food systems in Iran. 

Iran, a nation with more than 85 million people, faces significant economic hurdles that impact its ability to maintain a stable food supply. Strengthening food systems in Iran remains a core priority for the state, especially as international sanctions and changing weather patterns place pressure on domestic production. Despite these hurdles, the country continues to implement strategies to enhance the resilience of its agricultural sectors and protect vulnerable populations.

Key Facts About Food Systems in Iran

While challenges clearly exist, the domestic agricultural sector maintains several key strengths:

  • Iran equips approximately 50.1% of its arable land with irrigation systems, which is more than double the global average.
  • The value of food imports accounts for only 10% of total merchandise exports.
  • Per capita food production variability stands at 9.6, indicating a level of production strength that significantly exceeds the global average.

Overcoming Economic and Climate Hurdles

In recent years, two major challenges to food systems in Iran have emerged: intensified international sanctions and severe drought. Unlike many other nations facing insecurity, Iran does not suffer from a physical food shortage. Store shelves across the country remain fully stocked with a wide variety of goods, but international sanctions have reduced foreign exchange earnings, leading to a 40% rise in food price inflation within a single year. 

Such a sharp increase in costs places abundant food out of the financial reach of many families. These economic pressures caused staples like green lentils and vegetable oil to triple in cost. Additionally, water scarcity remains a critical threat as only 2.6% of the land is naturally suitable for agriculture. This makes a nation facing severe drought heavily dependent on irrigation. To ensure citizens have reliable access to food, the government balances domestic farming with necessary imports from abroad.

Government Support for Agriculture

To counter these challenges, the Iranian government provides significant support to the agricultural sector. Currently, the government pays more than 75% of the total cost of chemical fertilizers through subsidies. This financial aid helps farmers maintain output despite the rising costs of equipment and raw materials.

Furthermore, the government offers guaranteed purchase prices for strategic crops like wheat. By allocating energy and fuel at lower prices, the state also reduces the overall operational costs for rural producers. These actions encourage farmers to keep producing during difficult times.

Implementing the Food Voucher Program

One major solution to current challenges within food systems in Iran is the government-led food voucher program. This initiative provides targeted support for the purchase of essential commodities for low-income households. Additionally, earlier this year, officials also raised the monthly minimum wage by 60% to approximately 166 million rials to help families manage rising costs.

While inflation remains a challenge, these cash and non-cash initiatives increase consumer purchasing power and improve the equitable distribution of income. Data shows that these fiscal interventions are necessary to ensure that households can still afford necessities as prices fluctuate.

Looking Ahead

While challenges remain, government efforts drive progress within food systems in Iran. The nation clearly demonstrates its commitment to modernization by prioritizing innovation to increase self-sufficiency in the face of extreme international sanctions. Additionally, government programs like food vouchers and a higher minimum wage protect vulnerable families to ensure that everyone can afford the abundant supply.

– Nikki Rasoulian

Nikki is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Tuvalu

Poverty Eradication in TuvaluTuvalu is a small island country in the West Pacific Ocean with a small population and faces unique climate-based challenges with its development. The current basic needs poverty rate in Tuvalu is 21.5%, due to the lack of fertile land and climate-related issues affecting the local population such as many homes and crop farms consistently being damaged from storm surges. The country is especially at risk from rising sea levels and has to rely heavily on outside aid which makes development difficult due to its remote location. However, the government as well as organizations like the UN, has made considerable progress in supporting and funding innovations in poverty eradication in Tuvalu.

Land Reclamation Efforts

One of the ways Tuvalu is tackling climate issues is through reclaiming land. As Tuvalu at its highest point is only 15 feet above sea level, many communities are at risk of coastal erosion because they are too low-lying and a sea level rise as low as 8 inches could make the country uninhabitable in 100 years. A measure to solve this problem organized by the national government and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project which began in June 2017.

The project aims to implement protections against coastal erosion and increasingly intense storm and wave activity. This will involve creating 7 hectares of new land designed to withstand storm surges and stay above forecast sea level rises until at least 2100. The project is set for completion in September 2026 and so far has already seen the construction of a 2,500 foot platform on the island of Fongafale to protect essential infrastructure and coastal homes. The new land can be used to relocate the most vulnerable residents and to provide government and community services on safe ground. 

Improvements in Food Security

On the island of Nui, violent hurricanes make traditional crop farming difficult and food security very uncertain. Innovative solutions are essential to ensuring food security for the small community living there. 

One of these innovations in poverty eradication in Tuvalu is the introduction of food cubes on the island, where people can plant crops in movable containers instead of in the vulnerable soil by the shore. The UNDP and International Organization for Migration (IOM) has implemented these and provided them to residents as part of the Climate Security in the Pacific Project.

The food cubes have proven to be especially effective and have provide much needed security for the crops of the 500 residents on the island of Nui. The cubes are simple to set up and are easy to move to a safer location more inland by the residents in the event of a storm. The cubes have also been successful on other Tuvaluan islands such as Nukulaelae and Funafuti where food security has also improved.

Fostering Connections to Global Institutions

Tuvalu is a very remote country, it is very reliant on aid from international institutions. With the impending risk of changing weather patterns exacerbating the poverty level in the country, Tuvalu is prioritizing forming connections with organizations that can assist with tackling climate poverty.

An example of this is the Tuvalu Second Climate and Disaster Resilience Development Policy Financing from the World Bank. While the previous initiatives have been for specific projects, this loan from the World Bank to the Tuvaluan government is to ensure the fiscal resilience of the country amidst the risks of changing weather.

The loan, as well as the strengthened ties between Tuvalu and the World Bank and other monetary organizations, provides much more financial security for Tuvaluan citizens and allows local entrepreneurs and business owners to contribute more to the island state’s economy.

Looking Ahead

These innovations in poverty eradication in Tuvalu, such as cultivating connections with international organizations, can help to ensure a safe and secure future for the country and its citizens.

– James Holder

James is based in Nottingham, UK and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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3 Projects Combatting Food Insecurity in Eritrea

Food Insecurity in EritreaEritrea is a small country with a population of approximately 3.6 million, located in the Horn of Africa and divided into six administrative regions. Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti border Eritrea, which has an arid and semi-arid climate with limited and erratic rainfall. Agriculture contributes to around 25% of GDP and provides employment for almost all rural households, with 70 to 80% of the population depending on farming and livestock for income and food production.

Food Insecurity in Eritrea

Because Eritrea relies heavily on unpredictable rainfall for agricultural production, the country remains one of Africa’s most food-insecure nations. The Eritrea Food Security Strategy reports that Eritrea produces only 60% of its national food requirements during favorable rainfall years. However, during drought years, production can fall to 20 to 25% of national food needs.

As a result, an estimated 66% of Eritreans, around 2.36 million people, cannot obtain sufficient food and essential goods to maintain a healthy standard of living. Approximately 37% of the population, or 1.31 million people, live below the food poverty line. Around half of all households require food assistance in usual years, and that figure rises to 80% during years of poor harvests.

Food insecurity in Eritrea has particularly severe consequences for children. The Global Nutrition Report estimates that 52.5% of children under five suffer from stunting, significantly above the African regional average of 30.7%. The Eritrea Food Security Strategy also found that 44% of children are underweight, while malnutrition causes anemia in nearly 50% of children.

Eritrea’s Human Development Index score of 0.503 places the country firmly in the low human development category.

Projects Combatting Food Insecurity

Despite these challenges, a range of initiatives are working to strengthen Eritrea’s food security from the ground up. Eritrea’s Ministry of Agriculture launched the Small and Productive Farm Plot initiative, locally known as Nirqah, under the national framework “Safe and Nutritious Food for Everyone, Everywhere.”

The Small and Productive Farm Plot’s concept is that each participating household works and manages a 1,000-square-meter plot, roughly a quarter of an acre, growing cereals, pulses, vegetables and sweet potatoes. Farmers then use crop residues to support livestock. This model is adapted to Eritrea’s diverse agroecological zones, allowing households to cultivate multiple crops throughout the year.

The early results are encouraging. During the first phase across the Maekel, Anseba, Debub and Gash-Barka regions, more than 12,000 households participated. These households produced yields of up to 970 kg of wheat, 950 kg of maize, 730 kg of sorghum and 420 kg of barley per 1,000-square-meter plot.

To date, farmers have cultivated more than 33,000 plots under the program. In the Gala-Nefhi region alone, the program reached 4,421 plots, while introducing 1,641 modern beehives and distributing 40,000 village chickens. In Serejeka, 4,700 farmers took part in the Small and Productive Farm Plot program. Looking ahead, Eritrea’s Ministry of Agriculture has set a national production target for 2028 aimed at balancing output across cereals (50%), pulses (25%) and oil crops (25%).

Environmental Threats

Alongside long-term agricultural development, Eritrea has contended with environmental threats. In December 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture identified a serious escalation in desert locust activity along Eritrea’s Red Sea coastline. The locust outbreak threatened 50,000 hectares of cropland and 450,000 hectares of rangeland, land that supports the livelihoods of approximately 600,000 people.

More than 700,000 sheep and goats, as well as 200,000 cattle, faced losing access to their primary feed sources. The United Nations (U.N.) Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated $500,000 to FAO for a rapid response program. Between Jan. 16 and July 15, 2025, FAO worked alongside the Ministry of Agriculture and distributed 20,000 liters of Deltamethrin pesticide, 330 protective masks and 20 walkie-talkies to the ministry’s Plant Protection Unit.

By the end of the project, response teams had treated 21,450 hectares of infested land and safeguarded 38,770 tons of standing crops and 100,000 animals. Beyond treating infested farmland, the program directly reached 30,000 people, 55% of whom were women and girls. Radio broadcasts, community meetings and information sessions also reached another 600,000 people across five targeted regions.

The program trained more than 1,030 people, including 30 extension agents and 1,000 community volunteers, in locust monitoring, early detection and safe pesticide handling. Officials also reserved the remaining supplies for the 2025 locust season to strengthen future preparedness.

Water Infrastructure

Eritrea’s long-term investment in water infrastructure also underpins agricultural growth and food security. When Eritrea gained independence in 1993, the nation had approximately 130 dams, a figure that has since grown to 800. The expansion has enabled irrigation, reduced reliance on erratic rainfall and improved the stability of food production.

The dairy sector, constrained by fodder and water shortages resulting in a low-quality national herd, has historically underperformed. To combat this, Self Help Africa launched the DESIRA initiative, the Climate Smart Agriculture Research and Innovation Support for Dairy Value Chains program. This initiative works across the Debub, Anseba and Maekel Zobas districts and aims to improve dairy productivity and profitability, develop dairy value chains and increase national dairy consumption for nutritional benefits. The program expects to directly benefit 800 producer households, or around 4,000 people, along with approximately 50 academic and scientific staff.

Improving food insecurity in Eritrea also requires knowing where the needs are greatest. In 2025, the U.N. system in Eritrea supported the screening of 312,269 children ages 6 to 59 months for nutrition-related symptoms.

Looking Ahead

Food insecurity in Eritrea remains a challenge, shaped by decades of conflict, an unforgiving climate and limited resources. However, the projects taking shape across the country demonstrate how lasting solutions can emerge by building resilience from the ground up. These programs signal that Eritrea is taking meaningful steps toward a more food-secure future.

– Helen Turnbull

Helen is based in Cardiff, Wales and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Agrarian Initiatives Aiding Poverty Eradication in Kyrgyzstan

Poverty Eradication in KyrgyzstanWorn by frequent footfall and the hooves of travelling horses, the dendritic paths of the ancient Silk Road lead to the wild heart of Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan. A landlocked nation where steppe plains stretch beyond the horizon and the tundra peaks of the Tian Sian and Pamir mountain ranges touch the arid skies. Kyrgyzstan remains untamed: a geographically isolated country retaining its deeply nomadic roots. Testament to this, agriculture maintains its position as a ‘key structural component’ in Kyrgyzstan’s economic development and measures to address poverty, alongside the traditional activity of livestock rearing. Here is information about how agrarian initiatives are working toward poverty eradication in Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan Under the USSR 

As a constituent republic of the USSR, the former Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic experienced rapid industrialization, modernization and, most pertinently, the collectivization of agriculture under the Stalinist “5 year plan.” A USSR Republican Committee targeted Kyrgyz nomads, focusing upon their settlement on collectivized land, while the large influx of Russian migrants were also given land to cultivate. The proportion of native Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan dropped to a total of 40% of the population by 1959.

Tensions and sporadic paroxysms of violence exacerbated by collectivization, migration and food scarcity generated emigration to neighboring China and towards urban hubs in Kyrgyzstan. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 produced partial de-industrialization across Central Asia; many of the industrial enterprises lost their previous markets. Between 1991 and 1999, agricultural employment increased exponentially by almost 20%, with 41.44% of total employment coming from the agricultural sectors. The industrial and manufacturing opportunities once available under the USSR ceased to exist.

A Return to the Sickle 

Henceforth, agriculture has endured as a major contributor to GDP. About 30% of the country’s workforce remain in agricultural industries, many of whom are dependent on farming for social security. Across Kyrgyzstan, smallholder farms produce the majority of goods using traditional methods to minimize costs. Agricultural endeavors remain laborious and time-consuming with low productivity. In order to reach the SDG 2, which is the goal of zero hunger and improved nutrition, initiatives such as the WFP-GAFSP operate by providing smallholder farmers with the equipment to increase food security. The installation of greenhouses, with drip irrigation systems, has markedly improved the agricultural landscape for these farmers. Such programs have taken positive, innovative steps towards poverty eradication in Kyrgyzstan. With only 12% of Kyrgyzstan’s land being arable and water scarcity becoming an increasingly pressing issue, such initiatives help provide technology and high-quality seeds to produce more hardy crop yields. 

Yet, crop farming is only one side of the coin in Kyrgyzstan. Alongside crop cultivation exists the 1.7 million cattle and 6.3 million sheep and goats which generate milk, cheese and meat for trade and for subsistence. In order to truly eradicate poverty in Kyrgyzstan, innovations must tackle both aspects of agrarian activity. Many individuals rely on these animals and yet, as the IFAD cautions, the chains of value of produce and the animals themselves are severely underdeveloped. The reasons for this are complex and varied: the harsh and inhospitable climate, the lack of pastures and nutritious fodder to graze the animals upon which intersects with the hardships of immobility for herders due to disputes over land rights. Changing weather patterns loom to compound upon such issues, bringing with it new livestock pests and diseases. As such, initiatives require a holistic approach.

Herd Mentality: Improving Livestock Productivity  

Between 2014-2021, the IFAD’s Livestock Market Development Programme II (LMDP II) addressed improving the productivity of the animals. The initiative interacted directly with the threat of pasture degradation. Simply increasing the number of livestock would lead to an increase in unsustainable grazing practices. Therefore, the initiative targeted the productivity of the animals themselves in an effort to improve these chains of value.

With 3,000 households and 157 pasture committees included, the initiative successfully increased the value of livestock production by 69%, resulting in a 25% poverty eradication amongst these communities Kyrgyzstan. The LMDP II included research into cattle breeding, introducing affordable artificial insemination accessible to smallholder farmers. The focus fell upon high-quality breeds in terms of milk productivity, combining them with local Alatoo breeds, maintaining the herds’ durability living in the harsh and variable climatic conditions of Kyrgyzstan. Knowledge hubs across Kyrgyzstan, generated through the program, continue to innovate, increasing animal productivity and thus, continue to decrease poverty in pastoral communities.

In combination with increasing the productivity of livestock, the LMDP II and the Ministry of Agriculture in Kyrgyzstan worked to improve animal health. The motorcycle initiative provided 630 motorcycles to veterinarians as a cost-effective way to navigate the winding mountainous terrain, increasing the accessibility of veterinarian services, even in the most remote locations. The Kyrgyzstan National Agrarian University – supported by LMPD and LMPD II – has bolstered this effort to make animal healthcare accessible. More than 100 students have received scholarships to study veterinary science and the number of veterinarians has almost doubled between 2013 and 2018.

A Vision of the Future 

Such collaborative effort works towards producing healthier and thus, more productive animals which will increase incomes for herders and smallholder farmers. By producing a stronger knowledge hub to support the greatly important agrarian activity in Kyrgyzstan, rural communities will become increasingly resistant in the face of future threats posed to their industry. Continued innovations only prove that the quality of life in Kyrgyzstan is destined for greener pastures. 

– Millie Lavington-Owen

Millie is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Technology for Smallholder Farmers in India

Technology for Smallholder Farmers in IndiaA trader pulls up to a field in rural Maharashtra. He names a price for the onion harvest. The farmer, who has no way to check if it is fair, has always accepted. That is how it has worked for generations.

Not anymore.

Before the trader has finished talking, the farmer’s phone buzzes. A message in a WhatsApp group — 2,000 members, all onion growers in the same region — has just circulated today’s wholesale rate from the nearest mandi market. The trader’s offer is 30% below it. The farmer tells him to leave.

This single exchange captures what the technology for smallholder farmers in India revolution looks like. Not a Silicon Valley app. Not a government scheme. A free messaging platform, a few thousand farmers and information that was always available — just never to them.

The Middleman’s Greatest Weapon Was Ignorance

India’s agriculture sector employs 42% of the country’s workforce.

Yet the people doing that work have historically been the most informationally isolated. Smallholder and marginal farmers — those with less than two hectares of land — account for 86.2% of all farmers in India, but own just 47.3% of the arable land. They grow the country’s food from a position of almost zero leverage.

The trader knew the mandi price. The farmer did not. That single information gap — replicated across millions of transactions every harvest season — has quietly transferred billions of rupees from the people who grew the food to the people who simply moved it. WhatsApp groups are closing that gap in real time.

500,000 Farmers, Two Friends From Sangli

In 2012, two friends in Sangli, Maharashtra — Dr. Ankush Chormule and Amol Patil — noticed something simple: farmers around them had endless questions about pests, soil, crop timing and market prices and nowhere fast to get answers. WhatsApp had just launched. They started a group.

Seven years later, that group had grown into a network of more than 500,000 farmers across seven states. Their sugarcane group alone has 230,000 members from Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. Farmers report getting answers to crop questions within five to 15 minutes. Farmers in the network detected the arrival of fall armyworm pests in Maharashtra before it became a regional epidemic — weeks before any government alert.

“If something as simple as a video helps a farmer, it means his income goes up and his faith in the occupation is restored,” Patil told The Better India.

No funding. No offices. No staff. Just a phone and a willingness to answer messages.

One farmer in the network, Ramesh Jadhav of Nashik district, told local reporters that the group helped him identify a fungal infection in his tomato crop within hours of posting a photo — saving an estimated ₹80,000 (approximately $841) worth of produce he would otherwise have lost. Cases like his are now common across the network.

What the Data Says

The anecdotes are compelling. The data backs them up. Research from the GSMA found that 75% of active users of mobile agricultural services made measurable improvements to their farming practices — translating to 1.5 million farmers globally reporting better productivity outcomes.

The annual financing gap for smallholder farmers worldwide sits at $170 billion — a number that better market access directly chips away at.

Meanwhile, the infrastructure for scaling this further is already in place. India crossed 958 million active internet users in 2025, with rural India now accounting for 57% of that base — around 548 million people.

Rural internet users are growing at 16% annually, twice the pace of urban areas. By 2026, India is projected to have one billion smartphone users, with rural areas driving the majority of that growth. The phones are there. The farmers are using them. The question is whether anyone in power is paying attention.

The Problem With Official Solutions

For decades, governments and development organizations have tried to close the agricultural information gap through extension officers, radio broadcasts and expensive digital platforms. Many have produced modest results at enormous cost. WhatsApp groups are producing comparable — often greater — impact for free.

The reason is trust. A price update from a government portal is data. The same update forwarded by a cousin farming the same crop two villages over is intelligence. Technology for smallholder farmers in India works when it moves through existing social networks, not around them.

India’s farmers are not waiting for a solution to be designed for them. In Maharashtra, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, they have already built one — on a platform that was never intended for agriculture, using nothing more than the collective knowledge of people who have worked the same land for generations.

The middleman still shows up. He just does not get the same answer he used to.

– Parthivee Mukherji

Parthivee is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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From Crisis to Resilience: Food Security in Nicaragua

Food Security in NicaraguaFood security in Nicaragua remains a persistent challenge in rural areas where families depend heavily on agriculture for both income and daily food. According to the World Food Program (WFP), about 19% of people are undernourished, and rural households are most affected during drought and flooding cycles. These conditions continue to strain food systems, but local and international efforts work to improve stability over time.

Agriculture’s Role in Food Security

Agriculture is central to food security in Nicaragua, especially in rural regions where smallholder farmers grow staple crops such as beans, corn and rice. The World Bank reports that climate change has increased the frequency of droughts and the intensity of flooding in areas such as the Dry Corridor, directly impacting crop yields and household incomes. When harvests fail, families lose both their food supply and financial stability.

Farmers adopt strategies that support long-term food security in Nicaragua. These include crop diversification, soil conservation methods and drought-resistant seeds. In some communities, farmers also use small-scale irrigation systems and rainwater harvesting to reduce dependence on rainfall. These changes help reduce risk in regions where weather patterns have become less predictable.

Current Responses:

  • Systems-based Responses: One example of a systems-based response is the WFP school feeding program, which reaches more than 140,000 children in Nicaragua. These meals address immediate nutrition needs while also creating demand for local food production, since smallholder farmers often supply part of the food used in the program. This strengthens food security in Nicaragua by linking agricultural production with consistent institutional demand.
  • Community-based Solutions: Community-based solutions also contribute to progress. Agricultural cooperatives allow farmers to share tools, training and market access, reducing production costs and improving stability during poor harvest seasons. Community gardens provide households with direct access to fresh food and reduce dependence on markets affected by price shifts and supply disruptions. These efforts strengthen household food security in Nicaragua.
  • Strengthening Smallholder Systems: According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) analysis of rural livelihoods, smallholder farming systems account for the majority of agricultural production in Nicaragua and are central to rural food access. Strengthening these systems through training and access to resources has been identified as one of the most effective ways to improve resilience in food-insecure regions.

Continued Efforts Needed

While challenges remain, progress is being made through combined local and international efforts. Strengthening food security in Nicaragua depends on continued investment in rural communities, climate-resilient farming tools and programs that connect local production with stable food systems. Evidence from ongoing initiatives shows that food insecurity can be reduced through coordinated long-term action.

– Suheiry Frayre

Suheiry is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Hydroponic Farming in Grenada Can Increase Food Security

Hydroponic Farming in GrenadaAs a small island nation in the Caribbean, Grenada faces challenges with food security and production due to extreme weather events, climate challenges and soil degradation. Extended periods of drought, rising temperatures and Hurricane Beryl in 2024 have further exacerbated these struggles, causing Grenada to import about 70% of its consumed food. Additionally, the agricultural sector comprises 24% of the country’s workforce, meaning difficulties in production affect both food security and poverty simultaneously. Recently, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Green Climate Fund began a readiness project to establish systems for hydroponic farming in Grenada. These systems will primarily benefit local farmers by providing them with an efficient and less weather-dependent cultivation method.

Need for Alternative Farming

Grenada’s traditional cultivation methods remain under constant stress. In 2024, Hurricane Beryl, a Category 4 storm at the time of landing, destroyed many buildings on the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, including agricultural infrastructure. The yearly dry season from January to May often brings extended droughts, leading to water shortages and groundwater depletion. Increased global temperatures have created advantageous conditions for pests that endanger crops. The inconsistency of Grenada’s rainfall has caused soil degradation. All of these factors necessitate a new system, specifically addressing cultivation with limited soil, space and water.

Why Hydroponics?

Hydroponic farming in Grenada is a viable solution because it offers stability through covered structures, a reduction of soil-borne pests, efficiency of space and reduced water usage. Compared to traditional methods, hydroponic farming uses up to 90% less water. Additionally, farmers can grow crops inside or under cover, using steadily flowing nutrient-rich water rather than soil. Hydroponic systems are also relatively low maintenance and require less physical exertion, as there is no need to till the soil. These factors create a controlled system free of inconsistencies in rainfall and extreme temperatures. Hydroponic farming is also compatible with many fast-growing, edible crops such as lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, spinach and kale.

However, the system does have limitations. Upfront costs can be high, as effective systems require a greenhouse, hydroponic system, solar pump and access to electricity. Also, the process relies on a precise flow of water that must be balanced and adjusted over time, so farmers new to hydroponics will need training before managing their own systems. The FAO addressed these concerns by providing local farmers with all of the necessary equipment and training, as well as solar panels to reduce electricity costs. With a concerted effort from the Grenadian government, alongside outside aid, hydroponic farming in Grenada could become a widespread success, particularly for small family farms.

Looking Ahead

In March 2026, Reach Within, a local charity in Grenada, announced it had received funding from Irish Aid to build one hydroponic technology system for training Grenadian youth in food production. Fork Farms, a hydroponic technology company in the Caribbean, will provide the equipment. Fork Farms has also provided hydroponic technology to Barbados, Anguilla and the Cayman Islands through the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator. Reach Within will give 30 children the opportunity to learn job and life skills centered around hydroponic farming in Grenada. As the FAO begins assisting local farmers in building their own systems, this project will provide valuable skills that could alter the future of Grenada’s food production.

– Josh Megson

Josh is based in Albemarle, NC, USA and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Bolivia

Poverty Eradication in BoliviaBolivia faces major economic and rural development challenges. After the pandemic, the country experienced economic recovery and poverty reduction. However, it still faces high public debt, declining natural gas production, lower international reserves and strong exposure to droughts, floods and wildfires.

Innovations in poverty eradication in Bolivia focus on practical solutions that connect rural communities with markets, energy, water, training and more resilient agriculture.

Agricultural Innovation and Market Access

One major initiative is the Innovation for Resilient Food Systems (Rural Alliances – PAR III) project. In 2022, the World Bank approved $300 million in financing to benefit nearly 130,000 rural families in Bolivia. The project aims to increase food security, improve market access and expand the use of climate-smart agricultural practices. 

It also supports at least 1,000 rural community associations and 1,270 rural producer organizations through productive alliances, technology, training and technical assistance. This model matters because it does not treat small producers as passive beneficiaries. It connects farmers with buyers, associations and institutions through business plans designed to improve efficiency, profitability and market access. 

Since 2006, the Rural Alliances Project has helped small producers access financing, technology and training, three key tools for improving productivity and quality of life.

Rural Solutions With Real Impact

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlights Apiguardia, a beekeeping alliance in San Ramón made up of 18 men and 10 women. With technical support, the group improved hive management, adopted migratory beekeeping practices, increased honey quality and entered more formal and stable markets. This example shows that innovation does not always mean complex technology. 

It can also mean specialized training, community organization and better production tools. The results of the Rural Alliances Project highlight the importance of this approach. According to FAO, the first phase benefited more than 28,000 rural households and established 768 alliances. 

The second phase reached more than 23,000 families in 120 municipalities. In addition, the market value of certain products increased by 35%, while moderate poverty fell by 11.7% and extreme poverty fell by 10.1% among lower-income beneficiaries.

Sustainable Energy for Rural Communities

Another key aspect of innovation in poverty eradication in Bolivia is access to sustainable electricity. In 2023, the World Bank approved $125 million to expand and improve electricity service in rural communities. More than 141,000 people will receive new or improved access to electricity through grid extensions, mini-grids and individual solar systems.

These solutions will benefit households, schools, health centers and small agricultural, commercial and industrial production units. Electricity can reduce poverty by improving living conditions and boosting productivity. In rural areas, it can support food preservation, tool use, nighttime study, health center operations and the creation of small businesses. 

The project also includes solar systems, renewable mini-grids and training in efficient energy use, helping support a cleaner transition that depends less on polluting fuels.

Water, Irrigation and Climate Resilience

Access to water is also essential for reducing rural poverty. In 2024, the World Bank approved $150 million to improve water resource management, irrigation and climate resilience in 15 basins and 256 municipalities. The project will benefit about 30,000 rural families, especially subsistence farmers in upper-basin areas affected by drought, deforestation and soil erosion.

The project focuses on three main areas: protecting water sources through reforestation and native grassland recovery, optimizing household and community irrigation systems and building flood- and erosion-resistant infrastructure. It also includes automated irrigation to improve crop productivity, diversify production and improve household income. 

These investments can help rural families adapt to climate instability while strengthening agriculture.

A Practical Strategy Against Poverty

These initiatives demonstrate that Bolivia is combining agricultural innovation, basic infrastructure and climate adaptation to address rural poverty. These are not immediate or perfect poverty eradication solutions, but they target concrete problems in Bolivia: low productivity, limited market access, water insecurity, power shortages and vulnerability to climate change.

The strongest part of these strategies is that they strengthen rural communities as producers, entrepreneurs and participants in value chains. When a rural family gains access to irrigation, electricity, training and stable buyers, it has more opportunities to increase income, diversify production and withstand climate crises. Bolivia still faces major economic and social challenges. 

However, these projects show that innovation can be a real tool against poverty when it responds to concrete needs. The Bolivian experience shows that reducing poverty depends not only on large national plans but also on practical solutions that reach rural communities and improve their ability to produce, sell and live with greater stability.

– Adriana Carolina Herrera

Adriana is based in Painesville, OH, USA and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia