Oh Crop! a Food Systems Podcast

In this episode of Oh Crop!, host Kat Morgan, MPH, sits down with Dr. Peter Crane — President of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation and former Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — and Christine Harris, Director of Oak Spring’s Rokeby Farm.Recorded on the foundation’s 700-acre landscape in Upperville, Virginia, once the estate of Rachel “Bunny” Mellon, the conversation explores what it takes to conserve plant diversity at different scales, including their Biocultural Conservation objectives, and why that work matters now for both climate resilience and food equity. The episode also covers important themes like linking ecologically grown local produce to community food banks to combat regional nutrition insecurity. Christine describes how Oak Spring's Rokeby Farm produces crops to nourish visitors and community members alike. Peter and Christine close by sharing what gives them hope, from the young growers and visitors finding their way onto the land to the families who have kept seeds in circulation for generations.⁠Read more about the Oak Spring Garden Foundation⁠

In this episode of Oh Crop!, host Kat Morgan sits down — live at the New York Botanical Garden — with Dr. Alex McAlvey, Assistant Curator at the Garden's Center for Plants, People, and Culture.Alex draws on his background in cropping systems, wild crop relatives, and wild edible plants to explore crop mixtures: the ancient practice of growing multiple species or varieties together in a single field.The discussion dives into several key issues and tensions, including how mixtures act as an insurance policy against climate variability through complementarity and niche partitioning, why the practice has declined under pressures from global markets, mechanization, and government policy, and how it might be revived at scale — from France's wheat variety blends to school-meal programs in Kenya that reconnect diversified harvests to plates. Alex and Kat examine the deeper challenge of aligning our tastes with our health and our environment, and how culturally relevant food can drive that shift.Read more about Alex's work Check out the Traditional Grain Mixtures Project at NYBG

In this episode of Oh Crop!, host Kat Morgan sits down with Dr. Andy Jarvis — Director of the Future of Food at the Bezos Earth Fund.Andy reflects on over two decades of work at the intersection of food security and environmental sustainability, and how that experience has shaped his present work on agro-biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and sustainable protein.The discussion dives into several key issues and tensions, including reducing the food system's enormous emissions and land footprint, the complexity of meeting human nutritional needs and keeping food culturally relevant, and the role of philanthropy and strategic investment — including the Bezos Earth Fund's US$1B commitment to Food Systems Transformation — mobilized with the intention of spurring transformational change. Andy closes by sharing what gives him hope: the brilliant entrepreneurs and scientists he encounters through his work, and — perhaps most powerfully — young people dedicated to changing the world.Learn more:Bezos Centers for Sustainable ProteinStockholm Environment Institute - Planetary Boundaries Overview

In this episode of Oh Crop!, host Kat Morgan records from Palmira, Colombia at the research campus of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT—one of the world’s leading hubs for agrobiodiversity, seed conservation, and food systems innovation.Kat is joined by Dr. Marcela Quintero (Associate Director General of Research and Strategy) and Dr. Carlo Fada (Director of Agrobiodiversity) to discuss how transforming global food systems is a story about connection— between seeds and soils, farmers and markets, biodiversity and diets.Together, they unpack what it really means to move from “gene to fork”, and why the often-overlooked “hidden middle”—markets, policy, and food environments—plays a decisive role in shaping diets and outcomes.The conversation explores:Why agrobiodiversity works at many levels, including genetic, species, ecosystem, and cultural, and why each one is important for resilienceThe paradox of underutilized crops like legumes, despite their potential for climate resilience, soil health, and nutritionHow participatory research and citizen science are shifting power toward farmers as decision-makersWhat it takes to design food systems that benefit both people and the planetIt also reminds us that transforming food systems is not about finding one solution. Future Seeds: Protecting food for the world - CGSpace

In this episode of Oh Crop!, host Kat Morgan sits down in Tainan, Taiwan with Dr. Maarten van Zonneveld (Head of Genetic Resource) and Dr. Lucas Pawera (Agronomist/Agroecologist) from the World Vegetable Center to discuss the critical role of gene banks in conserving vegetable biodiversity, the importance of agroecology and soil health, and other challenges and opportunities in food systems. The World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), previously known as the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC), is an international, nonprofit institute for vegetable research and development. The conversation highlights the intersections of crop diversity, gene banks, and vegetable conservation, emphasizing the need for diverse crops to ensure culturally relevant nutrition security amid global challenges. Global seed and genebanks are designed to safeguard plant genetic diversity—preserving seeds and tissues for long-term food security, climate-resilient crop breeding, and protection against loss from conflict, disease, or extinction. Check out the research below to learn about the interviewee’s research and WorldVeg’s newest initiative, Vegetables4Life. Resources: https://avrdc.org/healthy-soils-for-healthy-cities/ https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5810884 https://avrdc.org/launching-vegetables4life/

In this episode of Oh Crop!, host Kat Morgan, MPH speaks with Dr. Jean-Claude Rubyogo, Director of the Pan-African Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), to explore the powerful — and often underestimated — role beans play in shaping nutrition, livelihoods, and resilience across African food systems. Drawing on decades of experience in bean research and seed systems development, Jean-Claude reflects on the journey of building PABRA into a continent-wide alliance and why beans sit at the intersection of nutrition security, women’s empowerment, climate adaptation, and public health. He shares how value-chain innovations — from breeding and seed distribution to markets and school feeding programs — have helped beans move from a subsistence crop to a strategic development lever. The conversation dives into the science and art of breeding new bean varieties, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer preferences, cooking qualities, and nutritional needs — particularly the role of high-iron beans in school feeding programs. The episode closes with a reflection on beans as a tool for peace and community resilience.Learn more: -https://alliancebioversityciat.org/who-we-are/jean-claude-rubyogo- https://www.pabra-africa.org/- https://cgspace.cgiar.org/items/5ba8c701-08ff-41bb-885b-96309e56767f

In this episode of Oh Crop!, host Kat Morgan, MPH sits down with Dr. Cary Fowler—the 2024 World Food Prize Laureate, former U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security, and widely known as the architect of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.Recorded during his tenure launching the Food Security Leadership Council, this conversation explores why crop diversity, soil health, and long-term agricultural R&D are among the most urgent and underestimated global security challenges of our time. Dr. Fowler reflects on growing up in the Southeastern United States, the civil rights movement, and how those experiences shaped a career dedicated to protecting the foundations of our food system.The discussion also dives into the rising threats of climate change, soil degradation, and water scarcity; the need to prioritize nutrition security over calorie security; and why elevating indigenous crops—often grown by women—can transform both livelihoods and resilience.Dr. Fowler closes with what gives him hope: young people, growing scientific capacity around the world, and a renewed return to the fundamentals that make agriculture work.https://www.caryfowler.com/ https://www.foodsecurityleadership.org/

This episode of Oh Crop! features a conversation between host Kat Morgan and Dr. Stefan Schmitz, who is the Executive Director of the Crop Trust. Recorded during New York Climate Week 2025, the discussion centers on the imperative role of crop diversity in securing the future of our food system, connecting the historical globalization of food, where major crops originated far from where they are now grown, to the present-day risks of over-relying on a narrow selection of staple crops. Dr. Schmitz champions agrobiodiversity and the shift toward using neglected crops as a strategic solution to build resilience against climate change, address nutritional deficiencies, and ensure healthier diets. He makes a compelling, concise case for global financial commitment to conservation, noting that a one-time investment to secure all global crop diversity is a mere fraction of the funds currently misdirected through agricultural subsidies. Ultimately, the conversation offers hope, looking to advances in life and data science to unlock the full potential of conserved genetic resources to future-proof our food supply.Read about the Crop Trust Here

In this episode of Oh Crop!, host Kat Morgan, MPH sits down with Ana Rosa de Lima and Ivi Pauli, PhD, from the Meli Bees Network. This woman-led global organization connects over 100 indigenous and local communities with the resources and partners they need to regenerate their environments and strengthen their territories.Anna, the director and founder, shares how her indigenous heritage and experience in the Amazon guide her work, while biologist Ivi Pauli discusses weaving indigenous wisdom with scientific knowledge at Meli. The episode also explores how the name "Meli Bees" is a nod to the stingless bees (meliponines), which serve as a perfect inspiration for their work in creating both social and environmental impact. The conversation reveals how the network, built on trust, supports communities to lead their own climate solutions, such as community-led agroforestry projects and meliponiculture, which involves the production of stingless bees for medicinal and food consumption, as well as environmental conservation.To learn more about the Meli Bees Network, visit their website at https://www.meli-bees.org/.

In this episode of Oh Crop!, host Kat Morgan sits down with Monika Shukla, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Humble Bee, a social enterprise revolutionizing beekeeping in rural India.Monika shares her inspiring journey and vision to empower smallholder farmers and women through a powerful social enterprise model. The conversation highlights how the introduction of a beehive fundamentally changes a farmer's life, not just by providing an additional income stream but also by increasing land productivity and empowering women with a new leadership role.This episode explores the often-overlooked connection between pollinators and a resilient global food future. You will also learn why investing in bees is a crucial part of our shared food future and the surprising truth about honey as a functional food.To learn more about Humble Bee, visit their website here.