Farms. Food. Future.
News & Politics Podcasts
Farms. Food. Future. looks at the big issues facing farmers in the developing world and what needs to be done to wipe out global hunger while dealing with the climate crisis. It’s brought to you by the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural...
Location:
Italy
Genres:
News & Politics Podcasts
Description:
Farms. Food. Future. looks at the big issues facing farmers in the developing world and what needs to be done to wipe out global hunger while dealing with the climate crisis. It’s brought to you by the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and presented by Brian Thomson. Through the podcast, IFAD raises awareness of the challenges smallholder farmers in developing countries are facing around food security. Farms. Food. Future. includes interviews with IFAD experts, partners and donors, celebrities, and farmers. Farms. Food. Future. promotes the power of smallholder farmers as a force for change. It captures the exciting work IFAD is doing working on the front line of farming for development, dealing everyday with climate change, environmental sustainability, gender, youth, nutrition and indigenous peoples’ issues.
Twitter:
@IFAD
Language:
English
Website:
https://www.ifad.org/podcast
Email:
podcast@ifad.org
Episodes
How technology is closing the rural information gap
12/22/2025
Radio is the only means of communication for two thirds of people living in rural Africa, making it an essential and powerful platform that can help drive food security. Now, emerging technology is making it easier than ever for vital information to reach those who need it most.
In this episode, we explore how information can efficiently reach rural farmers, from trusted radio broadcasts to new AI-driven solutions, before closing out the year on a sweet note with sustainable chocolate.
Find out more: How technology is closing the rural information gap
Duración:00:31:06
How inclusive agriculture changes lives
12/8/2025
Over one billion people on this planet have a disability, many of them in rural areas. Persons with disabilities play an essential role in food systems, yet many barriers remain to their full participation in rural societies.
In this episode, we explore how inclusive rural development changes lives – and what it means to build meaningful routes into agriculture. From training and awareness-raising to adapted agricultural tools, learn how IFAD strives to ensure that everyone has the chance to thrive in rural communities.
Duración:00:36:28
Life stories from Peru: Adapting with cacao
11/24/2025
Adaptation can seem daunting for rural businesses, but it’s a win-win. By adopting sustainable farming techniques like agroforestry, small-scale farmers can drive economic growth while protecting their land.
In the third episode in our “Life stories” mini-series, we head to the Peruvian Amazon to see adaptation in action. Join us as IFAD Recipes for Change chef Waldir Maqque meets with Ruth, whose farmers’ association has become a key player in the local cacao value chain with IFAD’s support.
Duración:00:29:35
Why resilience pays off
11/10/2025
For small-scale farmers, resilience isn't just about preventing loses – it's about creating lasting value. That’s why climate adaptation is the key to prosperity, stability and shared growth.
As the world looks toward COP30, we unpack why adaptation is one of the smartest investments we can make – and how bold climate action drives thriving rural communities and economies. Plus, we meet with a small-scale farmer in Malawi who is dedicated to boosting rural youth employment.
Find out more: Why resilience pays off - Episode 95
Duración:00:32:48
Ensuring safe, nutritious and sustainable food for all
10/27/2025
Around the world, small-scale farmers are pushing our food systems to evolve. They’re the key to producing enough safe, nutritious food to feed the world sustainably.
In this episode, we explore how IFAD works hand in hand with rural communities to build a more nourishing future. Learn how innovative agroecology projects are driving economic growth and hear directly from IFAD’s President, Alvaro Lario, about how school meals are inextricably linked to resilient local food systems.
This episode continues our collaboration with the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development.
Find out more: Ensuring safe, nutritious and sustainable food for all - Episode 94
Duración:00:32:46
Why investing in rural women is a trillion-dollar opportunity
10/13/2025
Rural women are the innovators, leaders and changemakers at the core of our planet’s food systems. That’s why supporting them is essential to building a sustainable future.
In honour of the International Day of Rural Women, we’re celebrating their vital contributions. Join us as we explore how empowering women through training, access to resources and leadership opportunities leads to stronger rural communities and measurable improvements in income, food security and resilience.
Find out more: Why investing in rural women is a trillion-dollar opportunity
Duración:00:37:54
Who’s looking out for our farmers’ mental health?
9/22/2025
One quarter of the global labour force works in agriculture, and they know it’s a stressful business. As agriculture becomes increasingly unpredictable, it’s essential to support the mental well-being of our farmers.
In this episode, we examine the psychological pressures facing farmers, from climate-related stress to market instability. We also highlight community-based solutions from StrongMinds in Uganda and Compañeros en Salud in Mexico, and speak with Dr. Britt Wray about the broader mental health impacts of the climate crisis.
Find out more: Who’s looking out for our farmers’ mental health? - Episode 92
Duración:00:30:13
Elevating rural voices on the global stage
9/8/2025
This week, world leaders will gather in New York for 80th session of the UN General Assembly – where rural communities hit hard by climate change, conflict and hunger have a chance to be heard on the global stage.
In this episode, we hear from advocates who are taking action to amplify these rural voices. Join us as we discuss how rural development is financed, the power of building political movements and how we can keep food security high on the political agenda.
Find out more: Elevating rural voices on the global stage - Episode 91
Duración:00:33:47
How do we feed more people with the food we already grow?
8/25/2025
In 2022, 1 billion meals a day were wasted, while 783 million people were affected by hunger. There’s plenty of food to go around – it’s just not getting to those who need it.
In this episode, we explore three powerful and distinct approaches to transforming our global food systems. Tune in to hear about blending traditional knowledge with modern innovation, using science to breed more resource-efficient crops and turning food waste into valuable resources.
Find out more: How do we feed more people with the food we already grow? - Episode 90
Duración:00:36:51
Are we ready to listen to young rural people?
8/11/2025
Around the world, young rural people aren't just waiting for change – they're making it happen themselves.
In this special International Youth Day episode, we spotlight the next generation of agricultural leaders. Join us as we explore how young people are transforming food systems – and how organizations like IFAD support their vision.
Find out more: Are we ready to listen to young rural people? – Episode 89
Duración:00:27:54
Slow food, steady change
7/28/2025
Can food be a bridge between cultures, sustainability, and climate action? In this episode, we sit down with Chef Ana Villota of María Cocina y Panadería - IFAD’s newest Recipes For Change chef - whose journey from Ecuador to Canada has shaped her zero-waste, slow-food approach to baking.
We also share insights from the Food Systems Summer Forum, featuring IFAD’s Goodwill Ambassador, Sabrina Elba, who highlights why small-scale farmers must be part of the climate solution.
Plus, we chat with Talking Foreign Affairs host, Adil Cader, on how global food stories connect us all.
Duración:00:31:52
Life stories from Bangladesh and Colombia
7/14/2025
Sometimes, building the future of farming means drawing on centuries-old traditions. Indigenous small-scale farmers can help rural communities around the world forge a new, sustainable path forward.
In the second episode of our “Life stories” mini-series, we meet Pallab Chakma from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts and Dayana Domicó from Colombia’s Emberá community. They share powerful stories about land, identity, ancestral traditions and hope for the future.
For more information:
Life stories from bangladesh and colombia - Episode 87
Duración:00:25:48
What’s next for Development Finance?
6/23/2025
What’s next for development finance? It’s increasingly clear the answer must go beyond traditional models. Just look at remittances: the money sent home by migrants now surpasses official aid to low- and middle-income countries.
Our challenge is ensuring these flows drive lasting change. As global leaders prepare to meet at the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain, we explore the future of funding for rural communities – from remittances to private investment, blended finance and beyond.
Find out more: What’s next for Development Finance? - Episode 86
Duración:00:26:00
Same sky, different soil
6/9/2025
Rural communities around the world farm a diverse range of land under one sky. But no matter their varying challenges, they are united by the resilience and ingenuity of their solutions.
This episode tells their stories. We talk to British chef and TV presenter Si King – one half of eloved culinary duo The Hairy Bikers – as he meets Mongolian herders balancing tradition with sustainability. Then, we head to South Africa’s arid Karoo, where farmer Jack Lewis is proving that innovation can flourish even in the harshest conditions.
For more information:
Same sky, different soil - Episode 85
Duración:00:28:19
From farm waste to green fashion
5/26/2025
Fashion doesn't just start on the runway. It can have origins deep in a forest or even in the leftovers of yesterday’s meal.
On this episode, we’re looking at how communities and creators are turning farm waste into cutting-edge fashion. In the Peruvian Amazon, Indigenous members of the Awajún community are creating Shiringa BioLeather, an eco-friendly alternative to animal leather. And in Italy, orange peels are being transformed into luxury textiles. Finally, we look at how fashion is linked to land degradation and what that means for the future of the industry.
From ancestral knowledge to modern design, we embark on a journey through fashion that respects its roots and reimagines its future.
Featuring Enrica Arena, Jorge Cajacuri, Emma Håkansson, Doris and Rosalia - Indigenous Awajún Women of the Peruvian Amazon, and Xenya Scanlon.
For more information:
From farm waste to green fashion - Episode 84
Duración:00:35:37
Returning to the land
5/12/2025
Migration stories usually go in one direction: away from rural life, towards cities. But around the world, rural people are proving that progress sometimes comes from circling back with purpose. On this episode, we explore the quiet transformation that comes with what is known as reverse migration: where farmers, rural entrepreneurs and young professionals return home with new skills and vision. From reviving local economies to recharging food systems, they're showing the world that rural life isn’t about just surviving, but thriving. Featuring Ward Anseeuw, Joel and Erina Guma, Annet Nampoza, and Sheik Tambedou.
For more information:
Returining to the land - Episode 83
Duración:00:34:58
Food that packs a punch in Asia and the Pacific
4/28/2025
Sometimes, to transform an entire food system we have to start small. Across Asia and the Pacific, slight changes in food and farming habits are bringing vital nutritional improvements to entire communities.
On this episode, we head to Cambodia to learn more. Experts from across the region recently gathered here at an IFAD workshop on nutrition-sensitive agriculture, discussing common challenges and sharing best practices. From Papua New Guinea to Pakistan, hear their diverse perspectives as they figure out how to make the region’s food systems work for everyone.
For more information:
Food that packs a punch in Asia and the Pacific - Episode 82
Duración:00:22:36
From salt to sustainability
4/14/2025
Believe it or not, deserts might just be the next frontier in sustainable farming. Agriculture is under threat from extreme heat, vanishing water and salty soil – but innovators are turning these challenges into opportunities. This episode uncovers the breakthroughs keeping fertile land from turning to dust. From salt-defying crops to desert farms that thrive against the odds, meet the farmers and scientists rewriting the rules of resilience. Featuring Zied Hammami, Xenya Scanlon, Viviane Filippi and Hiba Nasrollah.
For more information:
From salt to sustainability - Episode 81
Duración:00:27:44
Weathering the future
3/24/2025
From a surprise shower to an unexpectedly cold evening, we all know the weather forecast doesn’t always pan out – and for small-scale farmers who depend on it for their crops, it’s more than just an inconvenience. But what if we could be sure of weather before it strikes? What if we could even influence it?
In this episode, we dive into the science and innovation shaping our interaction with the weather. From predicting storms to cloud seeding, hear from the experts working to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of the changing climate. Featuring Clare Nasir, Steven Siems and Dan Martin.
Duración:00:30:24
Life Stories from Suriname and Ethiopia
3/10/2025
Where can we learn about the future of farming? We are going right to the source – the rural people who are transforming agriculture. Our new, in-depth “Life stories” mini-series brings their stories to the fore.
In this first episode, we travel from the forests of Suriname to the highlands of Ethiopia to meet two inspiring innovators driving change in their communities. Plus, we share voice messages collected from Indigenous leaders at this year’s Indigenous Peoples Forum.
Duración:00:32:56