Local Communities Empower a Resilient Global Food System. Global Communities found themselves facing food insecurity at unprecedented levels due to COVID-19, but a focus on sustainability, support from partners, and frontline workers kept food on tables – and proved, with agility, the food system can respond to a crisis.
The global food system is powered by people. Farmers, ranchers, and factory and food service workers are critical to food production. Their resilience helps ensure safe and nutritious food makes it around the world. In the face of COVID-19, food industry workers were significantly impacted and health systems were immensely strained, causing global communities to face food insecurity. (Family Features)
Communities were relying on food industry workers and farmers to ensure the food would be grown and produced and make its way across borders. To keep moving amidst the crisis, the food and agricultural system needed to provide support by advocating for the safety of frontline workers, addressing severe disruptions and areas of food insecurity, and providing resources and monetary support for those most deeply impacted.
Supporting Organizations that Address Food Insecurity
For Cargill, a food and agricultural company operating in more than 70 countries, focusing on local action meant reinforcing its partnership with global humanitarian organization CARE to support farmers and communities. Since 2008, together, they have reached nearly 2.9 million people through 31 projects in 12 countries. As Central America experienced urgent needs in 2020, Cargill and CARE’s Nourishing the Future program enabled the quick mobilization of resources to regional communities and farmers.
“Our purpose is to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. It’s why we exist,” said Michelle Grogg, vice president of corporate responsibility and sustainable development at Cargill. “As our food system faces extraordinary challenges, from climate change to food insecurity exacerbated by COVID-19, we need everyone working together to promote global prosperity and food security.”
The result: Households and communities were provided with the tools and resources they needed to rebuild more quickly. Through their partnership, 195,000 pounds of food and hygiene supplies were distributed to more than 15,000 vulnerable families across Central America. Through their agricultural training package, 1,400 farmers were able to revitalize their businesses, generating more than $300,000 after the most recent harvest.
“Supporting equitable livelihoods for everyone in the agriculture community is crucial to transforming our global food system,” said Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of CARE USA. “At CARE, we are engrained in these communities. Working with Cargill, with their technical expertise and experience, ensures that our efforts on the ground translate into long-term, systemic impact.”
How Consumers Can Help
Individuals can help by supporting or volunteering for organizations providing assistance for frontline workers – those in countries like India and Brazil who are still in the throes of the COVID-19 health crisis and those looking at what a post-pandemic food system looks like. Learn more about Cargill and CARE at Cargill.com and look for ways to get involved in your local community.
SOURCE:
Cargill
Views: 4
0
0
Share This
Read Time:4 Minute, 34 Second
Zaila Avant-garde – 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee champ – stands where Black children were once kept out
Zaila Avant-garde – 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee champ
Zaila Avant-garde is the first Black American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee.Jim Watson/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Shalini Shankar, Northwestern University
When Zaila Avant-garde, 14, won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee on July 8, 2021, she became the first Black American to win in the competition’s history. Shalini Shankar, a scholar of spelling bees, breaks down the importance of this historical moment.
Why is it news that an African American won this championship?
It’s significant because not so long ago, Black children would have faced a lot of obstacles just to compete in this spelling bee.
In fact, Black children were routinely sidelined from participating on the national stage until well after the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Even after schools were ordered to racially integrate in the late 1950s, spelling bees were largely all-white affairs, thanks to regional organizers who routinely found ways to keep interested Black children from advancing in the contest.
Avant-garde’s victory is also significant because, like with any sport, people love to celebrate new records. This one is especially welcome because with the exception of Jamaican Jody-Anne Maxwell’s win in 1998, the Scripps National Spelling Bee has never had a Black winner.
2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals Winning Moment.
This can be attributed to decades of disadvantage in which Black schools had far fewer resources to help support and train students for activities like spelling bees. It may seem surprising, but specialized brain sports like the bee – and so many other kid contests today – require a great deal of expertise, such as spelling coaches.
What does it take to be a spelling bee champ?
Becoming a spelling bee champion requires several stars to align. First and foremost, one needs a love of the English language, especially philology – that’s the historical development of language – and etymology – the study of word origins and roots. Winners need an ability to build vast knowledge in these areas and summon it on demand in a competitive setting. Without this interest, the task of studying thousands of words per day, as elite spellers do, would be onerous at best.
Equally important, as I learned when researching my book “Beeline: What Spelling Bees Reveal about Generation Z’s New Path to Success,” is the parental support an aspirational speller receives in terms of day-to-day studying, expert coaching and access to commercial word lists and resources, such as those designed by coaching companies. The Scripps National Spelling Bee also distributes word lists. However, champions have told me that these are not extensive enough to address the increasing difficulty of the bee.
Zaila Avant-garde’s father realized her aptitude for spelling when she was around 10, which is relatively late for a contest in which eligibility ends after eighth grade, when most spellers are 14. Spellers I studied started competing as early as 6 or 7, making them far more comfortable with the format of the contest by age 10. Still, Zaila made astounding progress from her third-round elimination in 2019 which I witnessed in National Harbor, Maryland, when she misspelled the word “vagaries,” to winning it all in 2021. That kind of transformation suggests a tremendous work ethic, extraordinary aptitude and a whole lot of parental investment and support.
What will it take to see more bee champs from diverse backgrounds in the future?
The against-all-odds success story featured in the 2006 fictional film “Akeelah and the Bee” underscores how vital the role of adult support and resources are to success. Now we have Zaila and the bee, which will hopefully attract a new generation of Black talent.
Akeelah wins the national spelling competition.
An actual win – versus fictionalized win – should serve as real inspiration to younger people, because until now aspiring Black children had no trailblazer. I believe Zaila will be very inspirational, like Venus and Serena Williams have been to a new generation of Black women tennis champions.
What’s especially interesting about Zaila’s path to the bee was that her father observed how fantastic her skills were when they watched the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee together. This raw talent got her to the national contest but kept her far from the final rounds – until she and her father learned about commercial word lists.
In her post-win interview, she noted using commercial word lists from a company called “Spell-Pundit,” created by former elite spellers, which according to them allowed her to study 13,000 words per day. This is the kind of edge that one needs to win a bee today, and it is fantastic that she was able to acquire these products to aid in her successful preparation. Ensuring that others with raw talent like hers have access to paid coaching resources is vital to continued diversity in this field.
[Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversation’s newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.]
Shalini Shankar, Professor of Anthropology and Asian American Studies, Northwestern University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Local Communities Empower a Resilient Global Food System
Share
Share ThisRelated Posts:2 plant-based easy-to-prep recipes for National…Bringing the Indoors Out 2021Top 2021 Home TrendsHome Improvement Checklist For 2021Trending Vacation Habits in 20216 Color Trends to Help Improve Your Mood in 2021
Views: 3
0
0
Share This
Read Time:1 Minute, 21 Second
Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
As kids and parents return to busy schedules full of sports, homework and weeknight activities, building a plan for nutritious and easy meals can be challenging. Piecing together a menu that fuels active minds without spending hours in the kitchen is a common goal for many families. Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese, which lets you put the work in the hands of your slow cooker for a versatile dish that can be served when homework is finished.
Visit milkmeansmore.org to find more recipes perfect for bringing loved ones together.
Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe courtesy of Rachel Gurk of “Rachel Cooks” on behalf of Milk Means MorePrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 2 hoursServings: 8
16 ounces elbow pasta
4 tablespoons butter
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2 cups whole milk
12 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
pepper, to taste
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 ounces grated provolone cheese
Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and pour into large slow cooker.
In small saucepan over medium heat, whisk butter and cream cheese until melted. Stir in milk, evaporated milk and sour cream; whisk until combined. Remove from heat; whisk in eggs, ground mustard and pepper, to taste. Stir in cheeses. Pour mixture over cooked macaroni and stir to combine cheese and pasta.
Cover and cook 2 hours on low. Switch to warm until ready to serve.
SOURCE:United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Local Communities Empower a Resilient Global Food System
Share
Share ThisRelated Posts:Skillet Macaroni and CheeseMacaroni and Cheese CasseroleSlow Cooker Chicken and TomatoesSlow Cooker Chicken Burrito BowlsA Classic, Slow-Cooked MealSlow-Cooked Shredded Chicken Tacos