By: Amy Mattias, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

When Chuck Backus first arrived at his newly acquired ranch in the Superstition Mountains in 1977, the land wasn’t anywhere close to what it is today. Driving out to Quarter Circle U Ranch is driving through a beautiful Arizona desert with cacti and mesquite lining the roads to a backdrop of craggily cliffs. After miles of windy dirt roads, we crossed a cattle guard and the landscape subtly shifts to an undiscerning eye, like most of us in the cohort coming out from ASU’s Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems. To more discerning eyes, like Chuck, his daughter Amy, and their ranch manager, Jordan, the change is profound. Over the last 50 years, Quarter Circle U has been managed in a way that heals abused land, allowing more grasses to grow, more birds to soar, and more native plants to flourish despite the lessening supply of precipitation.

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By: Kaley Necessary, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

Note: Angie Rodgers has now transitioned into a position with the Arizona Dept. of Economic Security, and is no longer CEO of AzFBN. The team at AzFBN is eternally grateful for her leadership and is incredibly excited for the continued support of its Friends of the Farm Program through the recently allocated Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA).

As part of a week-long Arizona Food and Farm Immersive Course, my fellow ASU Sustainable Food Systems classmates and I heard from various speakers representing different components of Arizona’s local food system. Joined by ASU Swette Center faculty and staff, one evening, my cohort gathered for a reception and heard from Arizona Food Bank Network’s (AzFBN) President and Chief Executive Officer, Angie Rodgers.

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Agronomy special issue "Locust and Grasshopper Management: Environmental Impacts and New Perspectives" is now open for submission. For more information click here

In many countries around the world, locusts and grasshoppers are a threat to agriculture and livelihoods. One of the major problems in locust management is the use of chemical pesticides, rightly criticized for their side effects on human health, environment, nontarget organisms, and biodiversity. Alternatives that are more respectful of people and the environment have emerged over the past 20 years, with entomopathogenic fungi and Protozoa being the most promising to replace chemical pesticides. A lot of research has been done in particular in Africa (LUBILOSA project), Australia and China. Biopesticides are already used in some countries and commercial formulations are available. However, the use of these alternatives remains too limited. A new special Issue in the journal Agronomy will focus on the negative impacts of chemical pesticides in locust management, the most promising alternatives, the main obstacles to their diffusion and the best ways to overcome them.

Dr. Michel Lecoq

Prof. Dr. Long Zhang

Guest Editors

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2024

In this series, we’re sitting down with the Swette Center affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Food Systems Profiles page.

Read on for an interview with Maureen McCoy, Associate Teaching Professor in the College Of Health Solutions and faculty advisor for the Pitchfork Pantry. 

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By: Leanne Kami, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

“What are you doing to be the ancestor you want to be?” Upon arriving at Spaces of Opportunity in South Phoenix, Arizona, that question greeted us, scribbled on a chalkboard under a farmers market tent.  In early December of 2022, our ASU Sustainable Food Systems Cohort visited Spaces of Opportunity as part of our Arizona Farm Immersive course.  As we assembled for introductions, other signs like “Climate Justice Now” and “Inmigrantes somos Essentiales,” which translates to “Immigrants are essential,” caught our attention and shook us out of our mid-afternoon brain fog.  

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In our fight to protect Earth’s biodiversity, Leah Gerber and Shirley-Ann Behravesh led a discussion during the 2022 VERGE Nature Forum, promoting our return-on-investment for conservation research and its potential applications for businesses. This was a critical opportunity for the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes to advocate for the importance of actionable conservation science, particularly in the private sector.

To learn more about CBO, click here.

To support CBO, please click here.

Katelyn Reinhart from ASU News  interviewed Nicole Darnall and Justin M. Stritch about their involvement with the UN Environment Programme's 2022 Global Review on Sustainable Public Procurement.  The SPRI faculty highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted sustainable procurement and stakeholder engagement. This report is 200+ pages while the previous one was only 60, highlighting how timely and important sustainable procurement is today.

The ASU team made up of, Nicole Darnall, Justin M. Stritch, Yifan Chen, Angela Fox, and Jake Swanson contributed heavily to the report.

Read the ASU News' article here!

“I believe together we can create a world full of opportunities for all people.”

Methawee Thatsanasateankit, CEO of Vulcan Coalition

Methawee Thatsanasateankit, CEO of Vulcan Coalition, 2021 WE Empower Finalist, Asia-Pacific

Drawing inspiration from a friend with a visual impairment, Methawee Thatsanasateankit witnessed the struggle of People with Disabilities (PWDs) to work and be a part of the labor force. Thus, Vulcan Coalition was founded. Thatsanasateankit stated that, “there is a social perception in Thailand that is the main constraint blocking PWDs from job employment.” Vulcan Coalition began with the recruitment of 30 visually impaired people who were then provided training in digital and data labeling through the invention of a voice labeling platform. With a five-year goal of creating job opportunities for 100,000 PWDs and marginalized groups, Vulcan Coalition conducts inspiration work in alignment with UN SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

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SCN Info of Interest–February 6, 2023

February's SCN Info of Interest was sent out via email. Includes info on: MAG updates Uniform Specifications and Details for Public Works Construction book, SCN workgroup meetings, webinars, news, and more.

Check it out here.

Do you have a sustainability update for your community that you would like shared? Email us at sustainablecities@asu.edu. We love local updates!

“Imagine a world where women and girls have equal access to education, assets such as land, information, and leadership positions. Poverty, violence and war would significantly reduce. We are working towards this world!”

Barbara Birungi Mutabazi, Founder of WITU

Barbara Birungi Mutabazi, Founder of Women in Technology Uganda (WITU), 2021 WE Empower Finalist

Barbara and Women in Technology Uganda (WITU) strongly believe that the participation of women in the creation of technology will aid in strengthening the workforce. In doing so, they aim to raise the standard of living for women while expanding the possibilities of their lives. After getting her Masters of Science in Information Systems Management at the University of Salford, Birungi set out on a journey to support women’s economic empowerment through technology.

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SPRI's Nicole Darnall & Justin Stritch  along with other professors, consultants, and members of the United Nation Environment Porgramme presented key findings and conclusions from the 2022 Sustainable Public Procurement Global Review on January 26, 2023.  The webinar had over 700 registrants representing over 90 different countries.

The team identified 9 primary recommendations including initiatives like making sustainable procurement/guidelines mandatory and enhancing supplier engagement, among others.  If you were unable to attend and interested in learning more, please take a look at the slide deck used during the presentation here.

“I became passionate about innovating, creating new possibilities, encouraging women to develop their skills, make their voices heard and protect their rights no matter what path they have chosen.”

Irina Mkrtchyan, Co-founder of ISSD

Irina Mkrtchyan, Co-founder of Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development of Communities (ISSD), Armenia and 2021 WE Empower Finalist, Middle East and North Africa

Irina Mkrtchyan had a difficult upbringing being raised by a single mother in 90’s Armenia and great grandparents who had survived the Armenian Genocide in the early 20th century. After having experienced both sexual and gender harassment, she gained empowerment from the fact that, in her words, “you need to fight for everything in your life.” Along with this empowerment, Mkrtchyan felt an obligation to give back to her home country and empower other women and girls to stand up for their rights, start careers within male-dominant industries, and never give up on their dreams of aiding Armenia in reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Mkrtchyan did this through creating Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development of Communities (ISSD).

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By: Kelly Sheridan, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student. 

Did you know that 90% of leafy greens (i.e., lettuce, kale, spinach, etc.) produced/consumed during winter in the US and Canada are grown in Yuma, Arizona[1]? That means the odds that you have consumed lettuce from Desert Premium Farms are very high!

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By: Mauricio Cordova Flores, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student. 

OnePointOne vertical farm start-up focuses on the power of plants that can help address food insecurity worldwide. When brothers Sam and John Bertram learned that 1.1 billion people began this millennium suffering from food insecurity, they started on a journey to create technology that can help address this world problem; that is when together they decided to start OnePointOne.

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About the Opportunity

The Sala Lab at Arizona State University is looking for motivated undergraduate students to participate in research activities in grassland ecosystem ecology, for 10 weeks, during the summer of 2023. Successful applicants will work with peer students, faculty, graduate students, technicians, and postdocs to assist with ongoing rainfall manipulation experiments, vegetation and soil sampling, and other field surveys at the Jornada Experimental Range (~25 miles from Las Cruces, NM). Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to work with Sala Lab members and the PI to develop a personalized research project. Students can expect to conduct field work in summer weather conditions and live on-site at the Jornada Headquarters. Successful applicants will be awarded a stipend, which is to cover food, travel, and personal project costs.

About the Jornada

The Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program is focused on the ecology of drylands in the southwest USA, including the causes and consequences of alternative ecosystem states and the expansion of woody plants into grasslands resulting in more “desert like” conditions. By conducting long-term precipitation manipulation experiments, we are interested in how long-term changes to precipitation amount and variability affect ecosystem functioning.

More information on the Sala Lab and LTER is available at:

https://sala.lab.asu.edu

https://jornada.nmsu.edu/lter

Eligibility

Undergraduate student participants supported with NSF funds in either REU Supplements or REU Sites must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents of the United States. An undergraduate student is a student who is enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree.

How to apply

Applications are evaluated upon submission. Please send application materials to the Sala Lab’s Manager (e-mail: bmsutter@asu.edu) by March 12, 2023.

Application materials must include:

Cover Letter

Resume or CV

Unofficial undergraduate transcript

"Roots Studio creates 2-way bridges between heritage artists and values-aligned brands in fashion, home, and retail. We are reimagining everyday.”

Rebecca Hui, Founder/CEO of Roots Studio

Rebecca Hui, Founder/CEO of Roots Studio, 2021 WE Empower Finalist, Europe and North America

Rebecca Hui has always had a passion for bridging cultures. This led to the founding of Roots Studio in hopes to celebrate cultures through beauty and wonder. Roots Studio was not always the e-commerce site it is now that sells limited-edition prints by rural artisans. It began as a 50-seater Mahindra bus that was a school on wheels serving four villages of West Bengal. Its original idea was to “create a flexible school that addressed education inaccessibility in areas lacking school infrastructure.” While English was taught from the four walls of the Mahindra bus, Hui saw there was still a disconnect between education and opportunity. This resulted in the shift from education to economic empowerment and art. Hui desired that this shift celebrated the rich cultures and crafted skills that are passed down throughout generations.

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“S4S believes bringing government authorities and grassroots women together is critical to affecting sustainable change.”

Nidhi Pant

Nidhi Pant – Co-Founder of S4S Technologies – India – 2021 WE Empower Awardee – Asia-Pacific

S4S Technologies assists women without land as well as farmers to become entrepreneurs by providing micro food processing units that help them generate an average additional income of $1,000-$1,500 annually. These Micro-Entrepreneurs (ME) do not have to pay for these units up-front, but instead work with S4S to eventually own their equipment through payment plans. Developed by Nidhi Pant, the food processing systems are solar-powered, creating a climate-friendly machine that processes produce to be used by the ME or sold to increase household income.

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By: Elizabeth Reilly, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

It’s said that there are “five C’s” that power Arizona: climate, copper, cotton, cattle, and citrus. Mark Kuechel, owner and operator of Kuechel Farms, comes from a long line – four generations, in fact – of experts in one of these C’s: citrus. But, after spending the afternoon with Mr. Kuechel, it’s clear another C could be added to the list: conservation.

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By: Connor Kaeb, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

The 2022 cohort of Sustainable Food Systems graduate students from Arizona State University got the opportunity to get a first-hand glimpse of the Arizona dairy industry with a visit to Kerr Family Farms in Buckeye, Arizona. During the visit, students met with Wes Kerr, a fourth-generation dairy farmer.

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SPRI is excited to announce our first group of Global Research Affiliates!  Members of the leadership team nominated each of the four affiliates to collaborate with SPRI to support our mission of producing actionable knowledge on sustainable purchasing globally.

This group of scholars:

1. Actively pursue research related to sustainability and purchasing/procurement;
2. Have interests in sharing their research learning with SPRI and its community;
3. Are open to research collaborations with SPRI and its community.

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