News
Dr. Chris Jones to Lead Winrock’s Innovation Hub
May 30, 2018
Winrock International announces the appointment of Dr. Christopher M. Jones as executive director and lead maker of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring creatives, supporting makers, and advancing the infrastructure for entrepreneurs for Arkansas and the entire region. With graduate degrees in nuclear engineering and urban planning, and 20 years of […]
Better Prices for Better Vegetables
May 22, 2018
“We used to carry five kilograms of vegetables walking under the heat of the sun and knocking on doors to sell our produce,” says Remediosa Carballo, a member of the Mabini Farmers Association (MAFA) in Sta. Monica, Siargao Island, Philippines. “But there were times we got home with some vegetables still left in our baskets.” […]
Health InnovatAR Healthcare Accelerator to Announce Six Startups Selected for 2018 Program
May 22, 2018
Winrock International, Arkansas Heart Hospital, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and BioVentures are hosting an event on June 4, 2018, to announce the six startup companies selected for the 2018 Health InnovatAR healthcare accelerator, which is supported in part through a grant from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The reception, to be […]
SWP to Conclude Wilson Center Series with “The Challenge of Erratic Water”
May 16, 2018
Water is indispensable, but also highly variable. Communities around the world need a reliable and predictable supply of fresh water, but outdated infrastructure, poor management, and political battles can make this difficult—and this challenge is exacerbated by fluctuating weather patterns and frequent natural disasters. In the fourth and final event of the “Sustainable Water, Resilient […]
In Cox’s Bazar, an Early Adopter
May 16, 2018
First of a series. Name a project and it has early adopters, people who take a new approach and run with it. Though each has a unique story, there are similarities: a boldness of spirit, a willingness to embrace the new and different, a deep concern for others. Josna Akhter has all these traits and […]
When Improving America’s Infrastructure, Don’t Forget Forests
May 14, 2018
America’s water infrastructure is in a state of disrepair, as evidenced by disasters such as the public health crisis in Flint, Michigan and dangerous flooding at the Oroville Dam. While water infrastructure like treatment facilities, flood control systems, pipes, wastewater treatment plants and reservoirs are essential for public health and safety, our current, aging systems are inadequate for […]
Cool Storage for a Hot Market
May 1, 2018
When the vegetable market in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province began heating up, Winrock’s USDA-funded Pakistan Agriculture and Cold Chain Development Project (PACCD) provided the cool upgrade it needed — technical assistance and an in-kind grant to install new equipment and modernize the Safina Cold Store storage facility in Quetta City. That change has spurred the government […]
In Asia, a Project that Puts Market Systems First
April 24, 2018
In the flat fields of Nepal’s southern Terai plains, only miles from the Indian border, small farmers like Ramawati Maurya have for generations grown the same variety of rice. “I was growing only coarse rice before,” says Maurya, during a break from pulling weeds with a group of fellow women farmers. Coarse rice expands when […]
No Water, No Power
April 23, 2018
In 2017, drought in Kenya and neighboring countries became so severe earlier that the government of Kenya declared a national disaster. Already, the effects have been devastating: Food production dropped, leaving more than 2.6 million people without access to sufficient food. Some villagers have lost 40 percent of their livestock. Amidst the human tragedy of this drought, an unexpected actor […]
Solutions for Pollution
April 23, 2018
Addressing the crowd at Washington D.C.’s Wilson Center, Sasha Koo-Oshima immediately establishes the stakes of the matter at hand: the problem of water pollution. When water quality is degraded, she says, it’s “a potential destabilizing factor in global economy and security.” Along with three other panelists, Koo-Oshima, senior adviser of the Environmental Protection Agency’s International […]