Hunger for Better Facts There were some odd side notes with the International Food Policy Research Institute's (IFPRI) release of its Global Hunger Index ahead of World Hunger Day (16 October). The international research consortium's representatives correctly included poor governance among its noted causes of hunger, but also fingered foreign investment in Sub-Saharan land plus fertilizer subsidies. Asked for specific examples of where foreign direct investment (FDI) worsened hunger, Tom Arnold of Concern Worldwide said he "cannot provide precise causality" but "there are probably examples of where livelihoods have been jeopardized." We would note that there is already too much policymaking occurring based on intuition and presumption. T...
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The magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata) is the sole living representative species of the family Anseranatidae. This waterbird is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea.[2] The species is not truly migratory but it sometimes travels large distances to find food and water, especiall...
A pika (/ˈpaɪkə, ˈpiːkə/ PY-kə, PEE-kə[3][4]) is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America. With short limbs, a very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears.[5] The large-eared pi...
Kolkwitzia amabilis /kɒlˈkwɪtsiə əˈmæbɪlɪs/,[2] commonly known as beauty bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. It is the sole species in genus Kolkwitzia.[1] It is a deciduous shrub grown as an ornamental plant. In China, where it originated, the plant is cal...
Illuminating the value of technical research
On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.