CAFI Projects

Introducing CAFI: The Collaborative for Addressing Food Injustice

What is CAFI?

At the heart of our proposed initiative lies an ambitious vision: to create an innovation hub that will revolutionize the way we think about food justice. Our aim is to leverage the unique strengths of our community partners and the diverse expertise of our cross-disciplinary team to dismantle food apartheid and ensure that access to high-quality, healthy food is no longer determined by zip code. We believe that at the intersection of different disciplines lies the key to solving one of the most pressing challenges of our time: the equitable distribution of food resources.

With a focus on addressing inequities in access to healthy food, our team is committed to designing and implementing innovative research and educational efforts that tackle food injustice from a variety of angles. By harnessing the power of engineering, life sciences, social sciences, public health, business, and education, we aim to build solutions that will have both local and global impact.

Our collaborative, multidisciplinary team will be composed of faculty, staff, students, and community partners who are united in their commitment to driving positive change in pursuit of food equality. By leveraging the experience of our community partners and the knowledge and expertise of our UNO community, we will create a catalyst for change that has the potential to transform our food system.

Join us in our mission to break down the barriers that currently exist in our food system and create a more equitable future for all.

Blogs

Systems thinking and STEM education in indoor farming: Optimizing the growth and phytochemical properties of herbs using modern technology

In today's world, where food security and sustainability are major concerns, indoor farming is gaining popularity as an efficient way to grow fresh produce year-round. Lettuce, a popular leafy vegetable, is a common crop grown in indoor farming systems due to its short growing cycle and high demand.

Systems Thinking for Plant Growth: Maximizing Medicinal Value of Turmeric using Modern Technology

As demand for natural remedies and healthy food increases, the need for maximizing the medicinal value of plants has become more critical than ever. This challenge is particularly important for farmers in Asia, where many medicinal plants, including turmeric, are grown and used in traditional medicine.

The Power of Systems Thinking and Technology in Improving the Medicinal Properties of Ginger

Ginger, a popular spice in many cuisines, has long been known for its medicinal properties. It is used to treat a wide range of ailments, from nausea to arthritis. However, the quality of ginger can vary greatly depending on the soil conditions, weather, and harvesting methods. This is where systems thinking and technology can make a difference in improving the medicinal properties of ginger.

The Power of Systems Thinking in Indoor Farming: The Case of Basil

Indoor farming is a rapidly growing field that combines technology, innovation, and sustainable agriculture practices. As the demand for fresh, high-quality produce increases, farmers are turning to indoor farming to provide year-round access to crops, reduce the need for pesticides and herbicides, and increase food security.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

UNO’s Food Justice Innovation Hub will be a team of faculty, staff, students, and community partners leveraging their collective brain power to tackle the complex problem of food injustice. This cross-campus, cross-discipline, community wide effort will utilize the strengths of departments, assets of community partners and individuals to design and implement innovative educational and research efforts to tackle food injustice from a variety of angles. This collaborative, multidisciplinary team will involve engineering, life sciences, social sciences, public health, business and education.