Dear Colleague,
August is always a whirlwind—returning from beach vacations and gearing up for a new school year. At the Goulbourne house, we’re excited as Sebastian prepares to start first grade!
In the midst of this busy time, I’m thrilled about what’s happening in the food system. Most importantly, Littlefoot’s Climate Messaging Mastery for Food Nonprofits kicks off in just 3 weeks! Practical tools, expert interviews, customized prospecting lists…and so much more. Everything will be recorded and accessible to you whether you can make live classes or not. I really tried to make this high-impact from day 1.
Registration closes next Friday August 23rd. Enroll NOW to secure your seat before it’s too late! This 5-week course is designed to equip food-focused organizations with the skills and strategies to attract climate philanthropy dollars. If you’re a nonprofit, board member, or funder interested in exploring the food-climate nexus, I invite you to register for our course and share with others who may find it valuable.
Other Highlights From The Littlefoot World
- Join me at the 6th annual Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum in Denver. I’ll be hosting a workshop with Connie Bowen, General Partner of Farmhand Ventures, about exploring the ripe opportunity of blended capital investment strategies to derisk and scale regenerative agriculture projects.
- I’m honored to share that I have been selected as an opening speaker for the Food Chain Innovation Challenge 2024 in San Francisco in November! This challenge, hosted by Lineage, is focused on identifying the most innovative technologies and data-driven solutions to tackle postharvest food waste and address its complex effects on communities and economies.
Updates From The Food Systems Ecosystem
- Jonathan Foley, Executive Director of Project Drawdown, hosted a new TED Talk about the problem with food and climate.
- The Food and Drug Administration (FAO) of the United Nations released their annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report, providing recommendations regarding the efficient use of innovative financing tools and reforms to drive faster progress towards food security and better nutrition.
- The USDA Farm Services Agency (FSA) shared an update about the steps they’ve taken to improve farm financing, including a new loan assistance tool, options for online loan payments, and a streamlined application and loan approval process.
- American Farmland Trust published an article highlighting their New England based initiative with the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to provide resources to farmers, including a $19.5 billion investment for climate-smart farming and forestry practices.
As always, I want to hear what’s going on in your world and how I can support you.
Yours in partnership,
What I’m Reading
The problem with food and climate (and how to fix it) – TED Talk by Jonathan Foley, Executive Director, Project Drawdown
In a new TED Talk, Jonathan Foley, Executive Director of Project Drawdown, presents a portfolio of data-backed solutions to build a better food system world-wide. He emphasizes the significance of our food system as a driver of climate change, as well as the opportunity that fixing the food system has for mitigating climate change. Four key steps for cutting emissions are outlined: reducing food waste and loss, changing diets, protecting ecosystems, and improving the way we farm, transport, package, and use food.
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024: Financing to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms – Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
The indicators of progress towards global targets show that we aren’t on track to ending world hunger or eliminating all forms of malnutrition (SDG Target 2.1 and 2.2). Nevertheless, progress in many countries provides hope of the possibility of getting back on track towards hunger and malnutrition eradication. This year’s FAO report provides recommendations regarding the efficient use of innovative financing tools and reforms to the food security and nutrition financing architecture.
Utilizing Technology to Reduce Food Waste at Home – ReFED, Summit Sponsor Blog
Harry Tannenbaum, President and Co-founder of Mill, highlights how technology can play a key role in reducing food waste at home, with a focus on innovations that help consumers better manage and track their food usage. Consumer education and behavior change are critical for effectively utilizing these technologies to make a significant impact on food waste reduction.
Data reveals a 30% increase in wasted food during the summer months – The Packer
Data collected by Divert Inc, an impact technology company focused on reducing food waste, shows that food waste is about 30% higher in the summer compared to winter. Some of the factors behind this seasonally driven rise in food waste are the occurrences of extreme heat waves caused by climate change, increased consumer demand for fresh produce, and surges in consumers dining out at restaurants and bars. The article emphasizes the need for improved food donation networks and better forecasting technologies to manage this seasonal spike.
Climate Capital: Financing Adaptation Pathways for Smallholder Farmers – AgFunder
Climate Mitigation efforts currently receive 90% of global public and private climate financing, but adaptation financing is just as important for upholding our food systems in the face of climate change. This report by AgFunder and ISF Advisors, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, highlights challenges associated with investing in adaptation and provides a first look at the private sector actors investing in adaptation, specifically focusing on the role of smallholder farmers.
Funders Fundraising: A New Philanthropic Trend – Stanford Social Innovation Review
Funders are increasingly engaging in their own fundraising efforts. Philanthropists starting up or scaling an innovative program that will transform complex societal issues like climate change and racial justice want to attract peer partners to join them in supporting their initiative. While this method can amplify impact and validate strategies, it also poses challenges such as diverting funds from other important causes and increasing scrutiny on wealthy donors’ philanthropic practices.
Philanthropy’s Role in Creating Thriving Rural Communities – Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF)
For rural areas to thrive, those who are most impacted need to be placed at the forefront. In the philanthropy sector, there is a significant need for funders to engage with rural areas. This will allow them to better understand the area’s unique needs and find more impactful ways to collaborate with local organizations to create sustainable, community-led solutions. In this article, SAFSF highlights successful examples of philanthropic initiatives that have positively impacted rural communities.
Dirt Capital Hits $30M Close for Impact-First Farmland Fund Along Pathway to $50M – Regenerative Food Systems Investment (RFSI)
Dirt Capital started with a pilot fund designed to test whether an impact investment model could offer a solution to the challenge of land access, particularly among farmers advancing a more sustainable and regenerative approach to agriculture. Eleven years later, they have successfully closed $30 million on their fourth fund. Already, the fund has invested over $8 million in 6 projects. The article highlights some of the lessons Dirt Capital has learned over the years, identifying the key themes that are core to their strategy: innovative finance, farmer capacity building, and impact outcomes.
Billionaire Climate Donors’ Interest in Food and Agriculture Is Surging. That’s Helped This Fund Soar – Inside Philanthropy
Recent large grants from tech billionaires like Laurene Powell Jobs and the Ballmer Group have nearly doubled the Agroecology Fund’s grantmaking capacity, reflecting growing interest in agroecology as a key strategy for addressing climate change. This trend also highlights a broader shift in climate philanthropy towards decentralized, trust-based giving, with an emphasis on local communities and sustainable food systems.
Data from Canadian Arctic indicates local Indigenous food production saves costs and carbon – Science X
A study conducted in the Canadian Arctic shows that local Indigenous food production is significantly more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than relying on imported market substitutes. The research estimates annual savings of over 3.1 million Canadian Dollars and a reduction of more than half the carbon emissions when using locally harvested food, underscoring the importance of incorporating local food systems into climate policies to avoid increasing emissions and jeopardizing food security in remote communities.
The People Who Feed America Are Going Hungry – Grist
Farmworkers in the United States are facing a worsening hunger crisis due to a combination of climate change impacts, rising inflation, and the soaring cost of groceries. Despite their essential role in food production, many farmworkers struggle with food insecurity as a result of low wages and lack of access to affordable food. Advocacy groups are calling for policy changes to address these inequities and improve the living conditions for farmworkers.
Are Livestock Feed Additives the Future or Folly? – Project Drawdown
Project Drawdown explores the potential and challenges of livestock feed additives as a climate solution. Certain additives, like seaweed, have shown promise in reducing methane emissions from livestock, but their widespread adoption faces several hurdles including scalability, cost, and environmental impact. Whether these additives are a sustainable solution or merely a temporary fix is still unclear in the larger context of climate action in agriculture.
Ingredient Suppliers Embrace Upcycling, Regenerative Agriculture – Prepared Foods
Sustainability and environmental protection are constantly evolving within the food and beverage industry, reflecting the strong consumer demand for environmentally friendly products. This article highlights how the food and beverage industry is increasingly embracing trends like upcycling, food waste reduction, and regenerative agriculture.
Upcoming Events
- September 2 – 6 | Kigali, Rwanda | African Food Systems Forum
- September 4 – October 3 | Virtual | Littlefoot Academy Climate Messaging Mastery For Food Nonprofits
- September 10 – 24 | New York | Virtual Events | 79th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA79)
- September 22 – 29 | New York City | Climate Week NYC
- September 29 | International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
- October 8 | Denver | Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum Bootcamp
- October 9 – 10 | Denver, CO | Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum
- October 14 – 18 | Italy | World Food Forum
- October 16 | World Food Day
- October 16 – 18 | Nashville | DAF Giving Summit
- October 28 – 30 | San Francisco | SOCAP
- October 29 – 31 | San Jose | GreenBiz VERGE
- November 14 | London | Lineage Food Chain Innovation Challenge 2024
- November 19 | San Francisco & Amsterdam | Lineage Food Chain Innovation Challenge 2024
- November 11 – 22 | Azerbaijan | COP29
- November 21 – 22 | Minneapolis | Sustainable Agriculture Summit