Well-designed and well-implemented agrifood policies can play a significant role in closing gender gaps and setting countries on a pathway toward sustainable and equitable food systems. IFPRI’s new Women’s Empowerment in Agrifood Governance (WEAGov) assessment tool—developed with support from the CGIAR research initiative onGender Equality—measures women’s voice and agency in national-level policymaking in the agrifood sector (Figure 1).

Metabolic reactions play crucial roles in life-sustaining chemical reactions, such as nutrient absorption, waste disposal, and energy production. Approximately 20% of genes that code for proteins are involved in metabolism. However, many of these genes have unknown molecular substrates due to a wide variety of structure and function of proteins.

A new study conducted by researchers from Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) challenges the common theory that the devastating potato blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans originated in Mexico. The research team led by BTI President Silvia Restrepo, meticulously reconstructed the global migration history of P. infestans and found it likely originated in the South American Andes before spreading globally.

ISAAA Inc. participates in the 46th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) on July 10-11, 2024, with the theme Beyond Farm Productivity: Transforming the Philippine Food System to Address Equity, Consumer Health, and Environmental Issues. The 46th ASM brought national scientists, academicians, and experts together to provide a platform for dialogue and in-depth discussions addressing crucial topics influencing food systems.

Potato breeder Dave Douches, professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences and Director of the Michigan State University (MSU) Potato Breeding and Genetics Program, has developed a genetically engineered potato that can be stored in cool temperatures for long periods and produce healthier and higher-quality potato chips. Kal91.3 was genetically engineered to silence a gene that produces an enzyme used to convert sucrose into reducing sugars such as fructose and glucose.

Emerging economies have increasingly driven global agricultural market developments over the last 20 years and are projected to continue to do so over the next decade, but with regional shifts linked to changing demographics and new economic affluence, according to a report released today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The Committee on Fisheries (COFI) is the largest global gathering of policymakers, experts and partners in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. This week’s (8-12 July) COFI36 meeting will focus on the vital role of fisheries and aquaculture in tackling food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty, stressing their ability to alleviate hunger, drive sustainable growth, and reverse environmental degradation.

Good land and water governance and tenure security is a building block for sustainable food production systems. As we develop the new CGIAR Mega Programs we have an opportunity to increase our research investment in land and water governance and make it a core pillar of our research portfolio. In 2023, the CGIAR became a member of the International Land Coalition (ILC), a coalition made up of people-led organisations, international NGOs, research institutes, land networks and UN agencies, among others

Habtamu Sibilu sets a dynamic cone penetrometer upright on a flat patch of grass. He lifts up the weight, drops it and records how many centimetres into the soil the penetrometer penetrates. After doing this as many times as it takes to reach 20 cm deep into the soil, Sibilu looks over his shoulder to check if the water in his infiltration experiment has drained into the soil.

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University discovered that heparan sulfate–modified proteins may serve as a target for early Alzheimer's treatment. Alzheimer's disease has a widespread impact around the globe, but its biological cause or mechanism is still unclear. Heparan sulfate–modified proteins have been suggested to cause Alzheimer's, but further research is necessary to identify their role in inducing the disease.