Growing Forward: Insights for building better food and agriculture systems

Growing Forward

 

The Global Food Institute and Food Tank are proud to present a weekly editorial series by thought leaders that spotlights  innovative approaches to the most pressing food and agriculture system challenges. See all pieces in the series:

 

Carrots showing the importance of food

Together, We Can Build Better Food and Agriculture Systems

May 13, 2025

Read the inaugural essay by GFI's Carbonell Family Executive Director Stacy Dean.

Conflicts and Food Growing Forward October 14

Food, Conflict, and the Weaponization of Food

October 14, 2025

Johanna Medelson Forman, founder of the the Conflict Cuisine Project at American University, shares how ending hunger will not be possible without ending the weaponization of food.

Mchezaji “Che” Axum Growing Forward Essay

The Promise of Urban Agroecology to Enhance Food and Nutrition Security in the 21st Century

October 7, 2025

Mchezaji “Che” Axum, Director of the Center for Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education, shares how the urban environment more resilient because it is run for and by the people who reside there.

Jon Kung Prepping Meal

Cutting Through the Noise on Food and Climate: Q&A with Jonathan Kung

September 30, 2025

Chef influencer Jon Kung shares what it means to be a third culture cook, how to combat misinformation around nutrition and health, and the grassroots communities that he hopes to see more young people plug into to drive change.

Zacharey Carmichael World Bank Growing Forward Article

Seeing the Signs: Pioneering New Tools to Get Ahead of Future Food Crises

September 23, 2025

Zacharey Carmichael, Senior Agriculture Economist in the World Bank Group’s Agriculture and Food Global Department, describes the Global Food and Nutrition Security Dashboard.

Karen Washington Growing Forward Essay

Putting Power in the Hands of the People: Q&A with Karen Washington

September 16, 2025

Farmer and activist Karen Washington knows that food is more than sustenance—it’s the foundation of strong, healthy, and connected communities. In a Q&A, she shares how she’s working to strengthen regional food and farming systems, and the power of community in times of instability.

Food Recovery Network Growing Forward Essay September 2025

Act Now: Join Young People in the Fight to End Food Waste

September 9, 2025

Regina Harmon, Executive Director of Food Recovery Network shares how students effort against food waste and hunger.

Full Plates Full Potential School Meal September 2025

Steady Work, Lasting Change: How Maine is Leveraging Federal Nutrition Programs to End Childhood Food Insecurity

September 2, 2025

Justin Strasburger, the Executive Director of Full Plates Full Potential, shares how the non profit works tirelessly to ensure that all Maine kids are fed - every meal, every day.

Ilana Gollant Food Allergy Fund August 2025

Food for All: Addressing the Allergy Crisis to Build a Better Food System

August 26, 2025

Ilana Golant, founder and CEO of the Food Allergy Fund (FAF), shares why addressing the food allergy crisis is important for all people, though her lived experiences.

FAIRR Field Growing Forward August 2025

Lessons from Renewable Energy for an Agri-food Systems Overhaul: Q&A with Zitouni Ould-Dada

August 19, 2025

Zitouni Ould-Dada, Senior Advisor for the FAIRR Initiative shares how food systems reform can be a force for environmental, economic, and social restoration.

Dan Glickman Growing Forward Series Veggies

From Capitol Hill to the School Cafeteria: Q&A with Dan Glickman on Fixing Our Food System

August 12, 2025

Former US Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman reflects on the shifting politics of food and agriculture in a Q&A with GFI’s Priya Fielding-Singh.

Fish Evan Fraser Growing Forward Essay August 2025

From Scarcity to Abundance: Unlocking Solutions to the Food Crisis

August 5, 2025

Evan Fraser, the Director of Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, addresses growing concerns surrounding the stability of international trade, and the implications it might have on our food systems.