Nonprofit organization aids in the support of crops grown in the Mississippi Delta – Featured on Yale Climate Connections

Transcript:

Much of the country’s food is grown in California. But as the climate warms, intense droughts and wildfires could make it risky to rely so heavily on food farmed in just that state.

One potential solution is to expand the crops grown elsewhere. And the World Wildlife Fund’s Markets Institute is eyeing the Mississippi Delta.

Shoffner: “We do have a fertile area for growing many different types of crops.”

Arkansas farmer Hallie Shoffner says farming in her region is dominated by crops like soybeans, corn and long-grain rice. But on her farm, she grows more than 20 other varieties of rice.

Shoffner: “We have jasmine, basmati, sushi rice, sake rice, reds and purples.”

These and other so-called specialty crops are often more profitable per acre.

Shoffner: “It means we’re more financially resilient. We want that for other farmers.”

So she created a nonprofit called Delta Harvest. It’s partnering with the WWF to build a regional network of women- and Black-owned farms growing specialty rice – and buyers for their products.

The goal is to diversify the crops grown in the Delta – to help farmers succeed and develop a more resilient food supply as the climate warms.

Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media