A new report from the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations paints a somber picture for agrarian communities.

Reportedly, disasters happen three times more often today, than in the 1970s and 1980s. Agriculture absorbs a disproportionate 63 per cent share of their impact, compared to other sectors, such as tourism, commerce and industry.

New hazards such as megafires, extreme weather, unusually large desert locust swarms, and emerging biological threats threaten agri-food systems.

Abstract

On top of a decade of exacerbated disaster loss, exceptional global heat, retreating ice and rising sea levels, humanity and our food security face a range of new and unprecedented hazards, such as megafires, extreme weather events, desert locust swarms of magnitudes previously unseen, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Agriculture underpins the livelihoods of over 2.5 billion people – most of them in low-income developing...

Washington Good Samaritan law protects the general public during some activities even outside declared emergencies. Some aspects of the law are being reconsidered:The current Washington State Good Samaritan Law covers only medical aid given in times of a disaster. There is no provision for the general population to have Good Samaritan protection should they want to help their neighbors in the response to a significant event outside of a clear medical context.In 2021, a new bill has been sponsored to add an addition to the existing law and is currently moving through the House. The requested addition extends the existing law to include non-medical aid given in times of disaster. Important note: this would be beneficial in response to all hazards, including flooding, landslides, and wildfires, and is not specific only to an earthquake scenario.Key Points:Emergency Managers throughout the State of Washington work to help their residents prepare for disaster and build community resilience as their resources will be...