A new paper published in Science, an international magazine, warned that billions of dollars promised to fund programmes to boost small-scale agriculture in developing countries are likely to fail in feeding the world’s increasing populations, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), reported here in a statement on Saturday. ILRI said the failure to feed the … Continue reading
Category Archives: Food Security
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The 12 February 2010 issue of Science examines the obstacles to achieving global food security and some promising solutions. News articles introduce farmers and researchers who are finding ways to boost harvests, especially in the developing world. Reviews, Perspectives, and an audio interview provide a broader context for the causes and effects of food insecurity … Continue reading
New investments in agriculture likely to fail without sharp focus on small-scale ‘mixed’ farmers
A new paper published today in Science warns that billions of dollars promised to fund programs to boost small-scale agriculture in developing countries are unlikely to succeed in feeding the world’s increasing populations. This is due not only to increasing populations and changing environments, but also to little “intellectual commitment” to the ubiquitous small-scale “mixed” … Continue reading
Biotechnology is key to food security in Africa
Africa missed on the “Green Revolution” that drove Asia; the West and the larger America out of food insecurity five decades ago, but Agricultural Scientists in Kenya say, it should not miss out on the “Gene Revolution” seen to transform food production policy in the continent. First, the statement marks the progress Agriculture Science has … Continue reading
Kenya testing ground for GMOs
What happens here in Kenya could change the way the world views genetically modified food. Whether it really makes a positive difference in the lives of Africans remains to be seen. Why is Kenya key? Read more… (Pulitzer Gateway) Continue reading
Feeding the future …
Writing in the December 2009 issue of Livestock Research for Rural Development, University of Queensland Professor David Farrell reflects on the feed, food and land area that the world will require by 2016-2018. “The alarming increase in biofuel production, the projected demand for livestock products, and the estimated food to feed the additional 700 million … Continue reading
Irish Aid increases collaboration with universities and research centres to reduce global hunger
The Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power T.D., yesterday announced significant funding for collaborative research between Irish universities and international research centres to combat hunger. Outlining the Government’s increased support, Minister Power said: “This initiative represents an investment in research that will ultimately help to increase food production, improve diets and reduce vulnerability … Continue reading
Kenya: Where there’s cluck, there’s brass
Pastoralists in parts of the semi-arid eastern region of Isiolo are abandoning their nomadic lifestyles in favour of farming to improve their food security and livelihoods. Successive droughts in arid and semi-arid parts of Kenya have led to livestock deaths, affected pastoralist nutrition and, in places, led to pastoralist drop-outs. Read more (IRIN: Humanitarian news … Continue reading
Ethiopia launches a Joint Programme on children, food security and nutrition
Ethiopia concluded a one and a half day national inception workshop by launching a joint programme on children, food security and nutrition by Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Federal Ministry of Health, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, UNICEF, WFP, WHO and FAO with a generous contribution of 7 million USD received from the Spanish … Continue reading
Why Britain faces a bleak future of food shortages
Britain faces a ‘perfect storm’ of water shortage and lack of food, says the government’s chief scientist, and climate change and crop and animal diseases will add to future woes. Science is now striving to find solutions. The farmers of tomorrow will not only have to improve yields using less fertiliser, they will also have … Continue reading