Good morning. It’s a beautiful day here and we’re headed off to a University of California agricultural research facility to hear some thoughts about sustainability from some of our favorite farmers. We’ll share what we learn in a future post.

We’re offering a shorter menu today, but it’s got some substantial pieces we think you can really dig into.

 

What would it take to strengthen women’s land rights? Research continues to show that strengthening the land rights of female producers empowers them and improves the lives of their families. Research also indicates that women with “more secure land tenure are more likely to plant trees or make other investments to improve the land and generate ecosystem services.” The implications for land restoration may be significant. What are the best strategies for helping women access and secure land? Ruth Meinzen-Dick poses this question for some experts; interesting read(s). Appearing in CGIAR’s Thrive newsletter. In preparation for an upcoming international meeting, “This Land is Our Land: Gender perspectives on tenure and rights.

 

Report: California Food Policy Council. The group’s 2015 report is out. It tracks legislation related to food and farming, as well as providing an overview and analysis of some key issue areas (water; poverty and food access; climate change and agriculture). The cover of the report is one of the most interesting we’ve ever seen. A must read.

 

Why local food? “Local” has supplanted “organic” as the most popular descriptor of food. Why? In this blog post – based on a presentation delivered to the Southeast Iowa Food Hub earlier this month – John Ikerd offers an explanation of why we’re seeing an increase in the popularity of locally produced foods. It’s an interesting and provocative piece, containing both analysis and some deeply felt personal beliefs. Ikerd is Professor Emeritus of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Missouri (Columbia). He’s written six books on sustainable agriculture and sustainable economics; we admire and learn from his work.

Have a great day.