News
Game Changer for Farmers in Bangladesh: ‘Now the Buyers Come to Us’
March 30, 2016
On a foggy winter morning in early February, smallholder farmers in the Jessore district of Bangladesh contributed to a hectic and previously unusual sight. Some farmers sorted produce under a large shed adjacent to a vast field of crops. Others eagerly bargained with the very buyers who, not long ago, wouldn’t have bothered to come out […]
‘The Coffee Trip of a Lifetime’
March 30, 2016
Something special is brewing for smallholder coffee producers in Burma. For the vast majority of coffee drinkers in the United States and around the world, java from Burma remains an unexperienced delight. But, with Winrock connecting hundreds of smallholder farmers with international coffee buyers recently, that may be primed to change. In February, two years […]
Winrock Hosts US-Cuba Dialogue
March 25, 2016
As he wrapped up his historic visit to Cuba this past March, President Obama delivered a speech at an ornate theater in Havana. He explained his decision to seek normalized relations with America’s longtime foe and laid out a hopeful vision. “It is time for us to look forward to the future together,” he said, […]
A Glimpse at a Previously Unknown World
February 11, 2016
Andong Kraloeung is a must-see eco-tourism site located in the remote hills of the Seima Protection Forest in Mondulkiri province. Unknown to most until recently, Andong Kraloeung is home to a unique collection of incredible plants and animals. And its beauty is now available for all of Cambodia — and the world — to see. Seen above is […]
Accelerating Arkansas Entrepreneurs
December 31, 2015
Synopsis: Accelerating Scalable Ventures in Arkansas One of the first questions any venture capitalist will ask an entrepreneur pitching a business idea is this: what problem is your company trying to solve? In the case of Menguin.com, founder and CEO Justin Delaney had a straightforward answer. Quite simply, his online tuxedo rental company aimed to […]
Opening the Tap in Tanzania
December 31, 2015
Synopsis: Tackle root causes of poverty in rural areas by linking demand-driven Multiple-Use Water Services (MUS) with impact-boosting health and livelihoods programs Sarai Jacobi’s days used to be utterly predictable. Each morning at 7, she would leave her home in Nyakonge, Tanzania and walk four kilometers with her donkey to collect water for her family […]
Taking Burma’s Coffee Global
December 31, 2015
Synopsis: Integrate smallholder farmers into commercial value chains to increase productivity Armed with a clipboard and a finely-tuned nose and taste buds, Craig Holt began the hard work of determining the potential of Burma’s coffee growers. Holt, owner of Seattle-based Atlas Coffee Importers, was in Rangoon, Burma (also known as Myanmar) as a volunteer judge […]
Fayetteville — Site of Winrock’s ARK Challenge — Among Best Cities to Found Startups
December 14, 2015
(December 14, 2015) — Fayetteville, Ark., was one of the best cities in America to found a startup in 2015, according to a ranking released this month. Tech startup DataFox had the popular Northwest Arkansas city No. 3 on their list of 15 cities outside of New York City or Silicon Valley. Winrock International, through […]
Blog: Climate Change Finance — Actions More Valuable Than Words
December 7, 2015
By Robert O’Sullivan, Environment GroupDecember 7, 2015, Paris, COP 21 The tension between environmental and economic priorities has existed since the very first environmental concern was raised, and is one of the key issues at the heart of international and domestic climate policy. Reducing emissions and adapting to inevitable climate change has global and local […]
Blog: The Conference of the Parties in Paris — A Bird’s-Eye View
December 4, 2015
By Ken Andrasko, Environment Group December 4, 2015, Paris, COP 21 Paris is the City of Light, and of love. And of a dozen TV shows in prime time where panelists argue about books. Seriously — a dozen. Paris just faced one of its most momentous challenges to French culture and values in the coordinated […]