Diana Horvath emphasizes the importance of tackling crop disease to the future of smallholder farming

At this year’s annual EAT Forum, 2Blades President Dr. Diana Horvath drew attention to the devastating impact of crop disease and the importance of delivering solutions for smallholder farmers.

The distinguished panel also featured Ertharin Cousin (Chicago Council of Global Affairs), Dr. Bing Zhao (World Food Programme), John Cordaro (Mars), Norah Asio Ebukalin (Popular Knowledge Women’s Initiative), and William Moore (The Eleanor Crook Foundation). Together they tackled the question, ‘what will the future of smallholder farming look like?’, and addressed how we can ensure that new innovations in policy, education, and technology reach the smallholder farmers that stand to benefit the most.

The panelists covered a range of topics that included genome sequencing of orphan crops, fighting crop disease, nutrition, market access, education, and a timely reminder from Norah Asio Ebukalin, herself a farmer, that if new innovations and technologies are going to make a difference, then farmers must be consulted and included at every step along the way.

Crop diversity, addressing nutrition in agriculture, and successful businesses that will allow small-holder farms to thrive

 

 

Dr. Horvath emphasized 2Blades’ mission to deliver crop disease solutions into the hands of farmers to boost their resilience and enable them to harvest what they plant.  Smallholder farming is set to dominate agriculture for the foreseeable future. If we can engage and empower them with the right tools and education, we can ensure that they stave off crop disease, produce enough nutritious food, and build thriving businesses to support their families and communities.