Prada's Cosmic Stake

Hey, what’s up? To honor the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, let’s reflect on how creativity, resilience, and the power of community and ingenuity are shaping our world — from the transformation of cityscapes into fertile grounds to the impact of small but mindful actions.

#EndPoverty ✊ 

IN PERSPECTIVE

Urban Farming: A Growing Movement

Urban farming is reshaping cities and tackling food insecurity, climate change, and economic disparities. From community farms in Newark to a vertical farm in the parking lot of a shopping mall in Istanbul, urban agriculture is evolving into a powerful tool for sustainable development.

Overcoming Challenges

In Newark, urban farms are battling for recognition and long-term investment. Many operate on borrowed land without zoning protections, making them vulnerable to redevelopment. Advocates like Fallon Davis are pushing for policy changes to support urban farmers of color, who currently lack basic protections under laws like the USDA’s Right to Farm Act.

Pioneering Approaches

Innovative urban farming methods are emerging to optimize space and resources. In Istanbul, a vertical farm inside a parking lot produces over a million plants annually, minimizing space and resource usage. By using LED lights and efficient water management, the farm significantly reduces its carbon footprint; it also operates without the use of pesticides. This setup allows for year-round production and reduces environmental impact by using 95% less water than traditional farming. The farm also minimizes resource use by growing produce close to consumers and cutting down on transportation emissions.

A Path Forward

To unlock the full potential of urban farming, cities must adapt policies to protect farmers and invest in sustainable practices that integrate agriculture into the urban fabric. This transformation could redefine the future of food systems and urban living, and plant the seeds for more resilient and greener cities.

IN THE WORLD

 🇪🇨 Amid ongoing blackouts, Ecuador is taking a leap toward renewable energy by approving environmental licenses for two hydroelectric and four solar projects. These initiatives, spanning the Amazon's Morona Santiago and northern Imbabura provinces, are set to generate nearly 400 megawatts and attract $437.7 million in private investment. While the government tackles the energy crisis with immediate solutions, like airlifting generators, concerns over potential privatization loom, as Indigenous groups keep a watchful eye. With power outages persisting up to 10 hours daily, these projects signal a bold step toward stabilizing Ecuador's energy future and boosting sustainable infrastructure.

🇻🇪 President Nicolás Maduro has announced Venezuela's intent to seek reparations from Spain for colonial-era exploitation, claiming the European nation has failed to acknowledge the harm done to indigenous populations. This move echoes similar efforts by Mexico and Caribbean countries pursuing redress from former colonial powers. He hopes Venezuela's stance will inspire broader calls for justice across Latin America.

🇨🇴 In Colombia’s former coca-growing heartland, a green transformation is underway as ex-deforesters and farmers turn to eco-tourism for new livelihoods. This shift, catalyzed by the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and FARC rebels, marks a significant change for an area long associated with guerrilla warfare and drug production. The eco-tourism boom is not only revitalizing the local economy but also fostering conservation efforts.

🇳🇬 To reduce energy costs and address Nigeria's ongoing energy crisis, Lagos State is partnering with Swedish organizations to transform its waste problem into an energy solution. The waste-to-energy initiative aims to convert the Lagos’ daily 13,000-14,000 tons of solid and liquid waste into electricity. By turning waste into a valuable resource, the project will also help lower the cost of fuel and mitigate environmental challenges like flooding. This partnership builds on earlier collaborations with Dutch firms to promote sustainable waste management in Lagos.

🇵🇹 Portugal’s Nova University in Lisbon has suspended a postgraduate program on racism and xenophobia following criticism for its all-white teaching staff and questionable content, including a session titled "Does racism really exist?" The course, run in partnership with the government-supported Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia, faced backlash for failing to include diverse voices. Activist Paula Cardoso condemned the program for potentially perpetuating ignorance about racism rather than addressing it meaningfully.

QUICK HITS

🤝 Culture

• 👩‍🏭 Fast fashion’s hidden cost — A new report revealed that nearly 90% of major Australian brands fail to pay garment workers a living wage, despite consumers buying more clothes than ever before.

• 👾 Fashion’s final frontier — Prada partners with Axiom Space to design high-tech spacesuits for NASA's upcoming lunar missions, combining space-age functionality with the luxury brand’s signature style for astronauts set to explore the moon.

• ⏩️ Jumia’s strategic exit — The African e-commerce giant is making headlines with its plans to pull out of South Africa and Tunisia to focus on other key markets.

🥗 Health

• 🫀 Dad’s diet dilemma — New research suggests that what dads eat before conception could actually play a role in their future daughters' heart health, making pre-pregnancy nutrition important for men too.

• 🍻 Cancer-fighting potential — Scientists are exploring a fascinating way to fight cancer using genetically engineered beer yeast, which has shown promise in targeting and killing cancer cells while leaving healthy cells untouched.

• 💤 Sleep hygiene 101 — As it turns out the keys to better rest might be simple habits like setting a consistent bedtime, creating a relaxing sleep environment, and avoiding late-night screen time can make all the difference in how well you sleep.