SWFF Program & Innovator News
January 8, 2018
Rising Sea Levels Threaten Bangladesh Farmers. Hybrid Seeds Could Help Save Them.


Millions of Bangladeshi farmers are finding it harder and harder to grow vegetables. Rising sea levels have pushed salt water further inland, a process called "saline intrusion," causing crops to wither and endangering the livelihoods of the families who rely on them. If farmers can't adapt, they could be left without a source of food or income.
 
Lal Teer Seed Limited , a research-based seed company in Bangladesh, provides hybrid seeds that perform well in saline conditions. The seeds - including eggplant, chili, pumpkin, and tomatoes - yield a much larger harvest for farmers, generating profit that farmers use to support their families and invest back into their land.
Read More

  • SWFF released its 2017 Annual Report, highlighting successes in the last year and opportunities for growth. It documents SWFF innovators' stories and impact, major program activities and achievements, and challenges that the SWFF program overcame. Download the report here to learn more. 
  • Vianny Tumwesige, Green Heat and others published an article on partial fuel switch's impact on household air pollutants in sub-Saharan Africa in the Environmental Pollution Journal. The study states that while the introduction of biogas decreases the level of toxic pollutants, a biogas-only alternative is ultimately desirable to eliminate the negative health effects of solid fuel air pollution.
  • Ignitia won the Solutions Award from the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment for the company's innovative and reliable hyper-local weather updates. The updates reach more than 300,000 small-scale farmers in West Africa via SMS. Read more here. 
Opportunities

SWFF Seeks M&E Field Interns  

SWFF is seeking Monitoring Evaluation Field Interns (graduate students) to conduct in-country, field research with a SWFF innovator using SWFF established guidelines and research questions. The ideal candidates will have a background in water, agriculture, technology innovation, quantitative studies, or business (particularly those in an MBA program). 

Interns will be expected to be (at a minimum) in the field 8-12 weeks during the 2018  Spring, Summer, or Fall semesters. Exact dates are dependent on farming cycles and innovator availability. It is expected that the student's university will cover all the travel and lodging costs. In some cases, SWFF will cover stipend and airfare and on the ground travel to and from interview sites. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and a professional reference letter to swffinterns@gmail.com with the subject "2018 M&E Field Intern." 

To access the full position description, click here.
Other Opportunities
  • SWFF is seeking applications for its Social Impact Storytelling Virtual Internship. Find out how to apply here.
  • Learn about farmer-level data collection that will take your marketing to the next level in Feed the Future's Metrics for Marketing TechTalk webinar.
  • Participate in Agribusiness Academy online workshops to learn about food and agribusiness supply chains.
1001 Words

This female smallholder farmer in Kenya uses hydroponics growing techniques to increase crop yields and diversify income streams. This hydroponics unit is a product of Hydroponics Africa, a SWFF innovator.