Supported projects

NUMAN – On land surrounding a huge sugar refinery in Nigeria, dangerously high concentrations of heavy metals appear to have had a devastating effect on people’s lives and farming output.

GOTLAND / MONTPELLIER – Is global warming making climate conditions less favourable for grape cultivation in southern Europe and more favourable in the north? The cross-border team conducted on-site reporting in four countries to see if this is true.

AMSTERDAM / BONN / HELSINKI / STOCKHOLM — Manure is a valuable part of the agricultural cycle but becomes a huge environmental threat when there's too much of it. The team of journalists in four countries tried to investigate the manure surplus, and discovered that related EU data is not readily available.

GITEGA / ROME - Climate change is making it increasingly difficult to grow coffee plants. What is the future holding for the lovers of this drink? How will plant cultivation change, what is the deal with waste management, and can coffee supply chain become sustainable? This investigation takes you to Burundi to find the answers.

LARISSA / JAÉN / VASLUI - Farmers are already under immense pressure due to economic strains compounded by stringent EU regulations. Now, the intensifying impacts of climate change are exacerbating these challenges, leading to insomnia, anxiety, and depression among farmers.

MATINA - For over two decades, residents near banana plantations in Costa Rica have been exposed to pesticide sprays from planes, affecting their health and environment. Despite being banned in Europe, these chemicals are still exported to Global South for use in agriculture, where they are often used by major companies like Dole Food Company and Chiquita International.

PENFOUL - 142 million pigs, 76 million bovine heads, 62 million sheep, and 12 million goats: the invisible yearly population of farmed animals that live and die on the production line in Europe. Industrial livestock farming across Europe is causing widespread environmental degradation. People living in close proximity to factory farms experience serious health consequences.

BRUSSELS – The link between agriculture and nature is a contested arena in Europe. Over the past decades, the European Union has become one of the leading producers and exporters of agricultural products in the world. But this has come at a great cost for Europe’s ecosystems.

PUGLIA / AMSTERDAM – With climate change, diseases that previously wouldn't thrive in Europe have a greater chance of survival, making the peril for agriculture greater than ever. A system with very open borders for plant imports is threatening agriculture in the southern part of the European Union.

RONCILIONE / CAMPO DE CARTAGENA – The EU aims to reduce fertiliser overuse, but it faces the resistance of the industry and farmers alike. This investigation examines the cases of two hotspots in Italy and Spain, scrutinizing contamination drivers and assessing health, environmental, and economic consequences.