CONTEXT India remains the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables globally. However, the nation faces a severe paradox. Despite a significant rise in production, internal food security remains elusive. Post-harvest losses represent one of the primary obstacles, costing approximately USD 18.5 billion annually. The root of this crisis lies in a fragile and incomplete cold … Continued
Context Smallholder farmers in the Indo-Gangetic plains of northern India are severely affected by the agricultural and climate crisis, experiencing low and inconsistent incomes due to declining productivity. In rural areas, low-quality grid electricity encourages enterprises to adopt non-grid sources, such as polluting fossil fuels, for essential activities like irrigation and milling. Less than 25% … Continued
Context The impacts of climate change, environmental degradation and disasters are unequally felt across Asia and the Pacific region. Women and marginalised groups have less access to information, resources, finance and technologies, leaving them with greater challenges in coping and rebuilding after a crisis. They also remain underrepresented in climate change, energy transition and disaster … Continued
Context Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant (Your VCCA) is a collaboration between the BASE Foundation and Empa, launched in 2021 to make Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) a practical and accessible solution for the agricultural sector. This pioneering model leverages decentralised, solar-powered cold storage facilities to help small-scale farmers and aggregators access affordable cooling solutions. However, establishing CaaS … Continued
Context Post-harvest loss is a major challenge in most low and middle-income countries. It severely impacts smallholder farmers and food security due to inadequate storage and transportation, amongst others. The lack of cold chain facilities, which are crucial for preserving perishables, further exacerbates this issue. In the case of horticultural produce, the losses go up … Continued
CONTEXT The agricultural sector, vital for millions of livelihoods and food security worldwide, faces a critical threat: climate vulnerability. While pre-harvest initiatives like drought-resistant seeds and irrigation are essential, they only address part of the challenge. In Africa, inadequate storage and transportation result in post-harvest food losses exceeding 30 percent, reducing food accessibility and cutting … Continued
Context Environmental and geopolitical crises in Africa and the Middle East regions increasingly drive migration flows to less vulnerable areas. Since 2008, as per the UN Refugee Agency’s estimation, an average of 2.5 million people are forcibly displaced every year because of weather-related events like floods, storms, wildfires or extreme temperatures. Cities attract significant parts … Continued
CONTEXT Agriculture plays a vital role in the Nigerian economy, with the rural population being particularly dependent on the primary sector for their livelihood. 70 percent of Nigeria’s rural population are farmers, of which 88 percent are smallholders with less than 2 hectares of land. Yet, Nigeria’s agricultural sector faces significant risks due to a … Continued
CONTEXT Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly exposed to the impacts of climate change: rising temperatures and changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are affecting the health and well-being of millions of people. The inability of healthcare facilities (HCFs) to provide equal access to healthcare and quality services is closely related to those … Continued
CONTEXT In Tajikistan, 29 percent of households live below the poverty line. This figure increases to 35 percent in rural areas. Energy poverty is an essential component of multidimensional poverty, with consequences for nutrition, health and income. Limited access to fuel combined with low energy performance of buildings contribute to high energy vulnerability for many households. During winter, families spend up to 25 percent of their monthly budget on energy. Heating practices … Continued