Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture

?? ?? ?? Congratulations to Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture Director, Dr. Erin McGuire, on her selection to serve on the newly launched BIFAD Minority-Serving Institution Engagement and Leadership subcommittee! ?? ?? Together, they'll strengthen partnerships between USAID and Minority-Serving Institutions in global food security and agricultural development programming through 2025. MSIs enroll nearly 30% of U.S. undergraduates – we're proud to support expanding their engagement in global agricultural innovation! ?? ?? Dr. McGuire joins distinguished leaders including Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval (California State University, Fresno), Catherine Chan (University of Hawaii at Manoa), Stephon Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. (MANRRS), James Hafer (Chief Dull Knife College), Mike Jones (University of Alaska Anchorage), Moses Kairo (University of Maryland Eastern Shore), Ron Ramming (Connors State College), Toni Stanger-McLaughlin (Native American Agriculture Fund), and Jonathan Townes (Hinds Community College). ?? ?? Learn more about the subcommittee and its members: https://lnkd.in/gFPGXZnE #GlobalAgriculture #FoodSecurity #DiversityInAg

Dried amla being taken out from the solar chimney dryer at our Arghakhanchi site. Commonly found across South Asia, amla (Indian gooseberry) is a powerhouse of nutrients, packed with Vitamin C, antioxidants, and other health-boosting properties. Drying amla under solar chimney dryers, built to the University of California, Davis specifications under the YUVA project, funded by USAID and led globally by UC Davis under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, extends its shelf life, allowing year-round consumption of its benefits. This innovative drying method not only boosts farmers' incomes but also ensures nutrient security and healthier communities. Together, we’re creating a sustainable future—one dried amla at a time! ???????? Photo Credit: Nomraj Sharma

??Excited to share how University of California, Davis is advancing women's leadership in global food systems ?? ?? Congratulations to Dr. Diane Beckles and Nikki Grey Rutamu of UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on leading an inspiring USDA-funded Scientific Exchange Program! This transformative initiative has brought together six outstanding women leaders from Colombia, Pakistan, Jamaica, Bhutan, and Mexico, fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange in sustainable food systems. ?? Proud to note that among the program's contributors is UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences' own Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture Director Erin McGuire, who brings additional expertise from her work on #GenderUp -- an innovative tool she helped develop with Wageningen University & Research and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. GenderUp focuses on integrating gender and diversity considerations into agricultural innovation scaling. The success of this USDA program showcases UC Davis' commitment to advancing women's leadership in global agriculture. Read more about this exciting initiative here: https://lnkd.in/gKNhsbSm About GenderUp: Developed by a team led by Cees Leeuwis (Wageningen University) and Anne Rietveld (Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT), with Erin McGuire (UC Davis), Béla Teeken (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)), and Vanya Slavchevska (CIAT). #GoAgs #WomenInAgriculture #WomenInSTEM #GenderEquity

Meet Ram Umesh Kewat, a commercial farmer achieving remarkable success with his cabbage yield! With heads weighing up to 3kg and strategic, timely planting/harvesting, he earned up to 85 NPR/kg (~$0.64 USD) wholesale. He credits the YUVA project, funded by USAID and led globally by UC Davis under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, for equipping him with valuable insights, especially the provided farmer's diary. Analyzing past price trends, Ram Umesh has maximized his earnings through market-led, lean-season vegetable farming. At FORWARD Nepal, our mission is to empower commercial farmers to thrive. Stories like Ram Umesh's inspire optimism for the future of vegetable farming in Nepal. We will continue to support and celebrate the journey of Ram Umesh and other hardworking farmers! #FORWARDNepal???????? Photo Credit: Nagendra Bastakoti

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture is strengthening the horticulture sector in Guinea Bissau by improving production with high-yield crop varieties, training farmers on best practices, and enhancing market access with new infrastructure. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dxjJ8srx

AR4D researchers: Want to be more effective and inclusive in 2025? Read our new perspective article: **Breaking biases and building momentum for transforming agricultural research for development practices: recommendations and research opportunities** Published in Nature Portfolio's Sustainable Agriculture ?? Agriculture research for development actors develop and use innovation to make positive change in food systems, yet rarely deeply consider how their own assumptions and biases affect the outcomes they hope to achieve. This perspective article urges *self-refection, *interdisciplinary collaboration, *outcome-driven scaling, and *integration of social differentiation. Our author group is truly amazing! It’s an honor to be part of a team that embodies the very change we aspire to see in research—collaborative, creative, flexible, and brimming with ideas. This has felt like a genuine process of co-creation and emergence from diverse perspectives. Thank you: Hanna Ewell, Arwen Bailey, Eva Valencia, Giang Luu Thi Thu, Janelle Sylvester, MAHA Al-ZU'BI, Ph.D., Millicent L. Liani, PhD, Kabirigi Michel. ?

Interested in becoming a #GenderUp facilitator?? Register today to join us virtually for three GenderUp Facilitator training sessions at the beginning of February: https://lnkd.in/dw3zpyn5 ? ?? Monday, February 3, 2025, from 7-9 AM PST ?? Wednesday, February 5, 2025, from 7-10 AM PST ?? Friday, February 7, 2025, from 7-8:30 AM PST *Please note, you must attend all 3 sessions to become a certified facilitator, and space is limited. Through these trainings, you will: ?? Learn how to conduct workshops that help innovation teams achieve the greatest impact for all intended users of their innovations, focusing on social inclusion. ?? Become a certified GenderUp facilitator, allowing you to host workshops and providing opportunities to connect with innovation teams that align with your interests. Visit genderup.ucdavis.edu to learn more about GenderUp, and reach out to the team if you have any questions! We look forward to seeing your registration! Katheryn Gregerson | Kristen Becker | Erin McGuire #gendermatters #innovationforall #scalingup

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture and the Forum for Rural Welfare and Agricultural Reform for Development for Nepal are spearheading research on solar-drying technology that could help transform postharvest handling, creating economic opportunities for smallholder farmers. https://lnkd.in/efAsbYP9

On 10th and 11th December 2024, I had the opportunity to participate in “Provincial Level Vegetable Grafting Training” organized by National Plant Pathology Research Centre (NPPRC), Nepal Agriculture Research Council under the project “Mitigating Soil Borne Diseases to Improve Smallholder Farmers’ Livelihood and Food Security in Nepal” by Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture. This program provided all the participants with theoretical knowledge as well as practical demonstration on vegetable grafting to mitigate soil-borne diseases intensified by climate change, and move a step ahead towards sustainable agriculture systems. ?? I am immensely grateful to Dr. Ram Khadka and the team for this wonderful experience and invaluable guidance throughout the training. ? #PlantScience #GraftingTechnology #SustainableAgriculture ??#ClimateResilience #NPPRC #NARC

?? The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture is hiring for a Science Communications and Scaling Officer! The Science Communication and Scaling Officer will serve as a key leader within the Horticulture Innovation Lab, advancing the global use and impact of horticulture-related innovations. This high-level position focuses on fostering partnerships, informing research priorities, and elevating the role of horticulture in global food systems discussions. The Officer will work closely with the management team, including the Director, Associate Director, and Regional Research Directors, to ensure the program effectively promotes its innovations and locally led approaches. The role involves significant international travel, with assignments in regions such as East Africa, West Africa, Central America, and South Asia. The officer will translate technical research outputs into formats designed for uptake by a wide range of audiences, including reports, peer-reviewed publications, presentations, webinars, policy briefs, and infographics. They will need a strong background in interpreting data (social, biophysical) and helping research teams translate that data into digestible formats for policymakers, farming cooperatives, development agencies, private companies, and other stakeholders. This role includes assisting in the analysis of project outcomes and internal research activities, drafting associated reports, and supporting the Lab’s efforts to share findings through conferences and presentations. The Officer will assist in monitoring project progress and impact within the framework of the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and developing strategies for effective communication. They will help gauge project progress and effectiveness during interactions with projects worldwide. Additionally, the Officer will support the Innovation Lab in reaching programmatic goals, coordinating meetings with key stakeholders, ensuring compliance with USAID and University of California, Davis guidelines, and responding to administrative tasks assigned by USAID. This critical role will act as a key point of contact for project teams and the Lab’s Regional Research Directors to ensure the program effectively highlights the successes of its locally led approach. For more information about the position and how to apply: https://lnkd.in/gauU7Pqz #EndHunger #FoodSecurity