Eva Tesfaye
Eva Tesfaye is a 2020 Kroc Fellow. She started in October 2020 and will spend the year rotating through different parts of NPR.
She joined NPR after graduating from Columbia University with a B.A. in English and a minor in French and Francophone studies, where her studies focused on African literature and the history of French colonization. She also spent a year in Paris taking literature courses at the Sorbonne. During her time at Columbia, she reported for her campus radio station, WKCR.
She grew up moving around Africa and has lived in Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Africa, and Kenya.
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Much of the research on regenerative farming practices, such as no-till or cover crops, has looked at the benefits to the environment and the soil. Now a new study finds these farming practices also have economic benefits for farmers. -
Food waste takes up space in landfills and produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Composting that waste can reduce climate impacts and save municipalities money on landfill fees, but concerns about bad smells and pests sometimes get in the way.
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Four towns and one county have received funding to upgrade their water and wastewater infrastructure, an urgent need across much of the rural U.S.
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A fifth of reported heat-related deaths between 2017 and 2022 were agricultural workers, according to OSHA data. Academics, occupational health specialists and advocacy groups are calling attention to the under-reported impact of climate change on this group from heatwaves.
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A slowdown in the agricultural industry is "going to put a strain on farmers." But analysts say the rural economy in the Midwest and Great Plains is still doing well.
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Millets, an alternative crop to corn and soybeans, is getting new attention in the U.S. The resilient grain could help U.S. farmers survive climate change.
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The United Nations has declared 2023 the International Year of Millets — a type of small grain mostly grown in parts of Asia and Africa. The highly resilient and cost-friendly grains could make them the next crop for U.S. farmers in the midst of climate change.
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The trucking industry is estimated to have a shortage of nearly 80,000 drivers. While the problem is expected to get worse before it gets better, industry groups are trying to pave the way for more people to get a commercial driver’s license.
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The Inflation Reduction Act provides funds for clean energy, transportation, electrification and more for rural communities, but small towns with few resources and staff may have trouble accessing those programs.
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Tar spot, a fungal disease, first appeared in the U.S. in 2015 with reports in Indiana and Illinois. Since then, it has been spreading across the Midwest.
