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Coffee rust, a fungus that attacks the leaves of coffee trees, can seriously impact both the quantity and the quality of coffee beans produced. In 2012, Central America was hit with the most severe coffee rust epidemic the region has ever seen. The outbreak has had devastating effects on regional coffee production, with harvest losses during the 2012-2013 season reaching 20%, or 2.8 million bags. These losses cost the region an estimated $500 million and 265,000 jobs.

Did you know that IFPRI has worked in Ethiopia for over 30 years? The partnership dates back to the 1980s, where IFPRI’s research originally focused on “famine and food insecurity.”

A person’s aspirations, or goals and targets for their future, can be a driving force in their life, providing motivation and guiding their choices. But when forming aspirations, all people dismiss some options for their future lives, and fail to even imagine other options or opportunities. Once formed, our aspirations can limit the possible futures we consider by focusing our attention on some future options and filtering out others.

On August 14, IFPRI and the Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) held a Policy Forum on food and nutrition security in Zambia. The meeting was attended by 66 representatives of various international organizations and government ministries, including the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the European Union.

The August edition of the FAO Monthly News Report on Grains was released today. The report covers ongoing global and regional trends in grain prices and policies. This month's edition covers bumper grain crops in China, the impact of imported European feed wheat on Asian corn markets, and declining production in Ukraine.

The FAO Monthly News Report on Grains series provides a collection of news articles from international media and news sources on issues relating to the international grain economy. These reports also include statistics and upcoming events.