Ecology and extractivism

Nigerian women farmers trapped between climate shocks and microfinance debt

Microfinance loans were meant to offer a pathway out of poverty in countries like Nigeria, particularly for women. But as climate change makes weather patterns more unpredictable, the risk of falling into further debt falls onto the shoulders of women farmers who face not just erratic farming conditions but social stigma from default.

A tree is wracked with missiles and weapons in this illustration by Antoine Bouraly

Syria’s Poisoned Earth

An undercovered aspect of wars is how they destroy the landscape of countries, from uprooting trees and destroying irrigation systems to polluting the soil with heavy metals from weapons. The effects can last for decades, causing ongoing pain to the ecosystem and its inhabitants.

A woman stands at a stall of a food market offering multiple dishes for sale containing insects

Read this before you eat

Behind the scenes of our latest story: Editor Wafaa Albadry reflects on the discrimination faced by Black journalists, in both Western and non-Western settings.

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