On the fara-net comes this interesting post from Francois Lategan: ‘I always find it quite interesting to read about the way we speak about the (lack of) progress (?) in the way Africa performs its agriculture and the possible reasons why things do not change (quick) enough for our liking. We tend to forget that … Continue reading
Category Archives: Latin America
Africa / Animal Feeding / Animal Production / Asia / Climate Change / ILRI / Latin America
Climate change? Blame it on production practices, not just cows
Environmentalists say cows’ methane-filled flatulence and burps are partly responsible for the changes in the earth’s climate. But a new study from the Kenya-based International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) suggests that we can curb cattle-generated greenhouse gas emissions by improving degraded lands, making breeds stronger and changing the animals’ diets. The study’s findings are published … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Feeding / Asia / Climate Change / ILRI / Latin America
Changes to cow diet combats climate change
Climate change may be combated by changing the diet of livestock, whose farting and manure, along with the feed crops produced, contribute to 18 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study. The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), which conducted the study, said as the growing global demand for meat and … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Asia / CCAFS / Climate Change / Dairying / Environment / Food Security / ILRI / Latin America / Livestock
Tropical farming the climate-friendly way
Changing tropical farming methods could cut emissions of methane and carbon dioxide by up to 417 Mt of carbon dioxide-equivalent by 2030, around 12% of livestock-related worldwide emissions of the greenhouse gases. That’s according to a team from Copenhagen and Kenya, who believe that the most likely levels of emissions cuts could be worth $1.3 … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Breeding / Animal Feeding / Asia / Climate Change / ILRI / Latin America / Livestock
Greener pastures and better breeds could reduce carbon ‘hoofprint’
A new study by the International Livestock Research Institute finds reductions in greenhouse gases could be worth $1 billion dollars to poor livestock farmers if they could sell saved carbon on international markets Greenhouse gas emissions caused by livestock operations in tropical countries—a major contributor to climate change—could be cut significantly by changing diets and … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Brazil / Cattle / Environment / Food Security / Latin America / Livestock / North America / NRM / Research / Soils / Water / WLE
The miracle of the cerrado
Brazil has revolutionized its own farms. Can it do the same for others? IN A remote corner of Bahia state, in north-eastern Brazil, a vast new farm is springing out of the dry bush. Thirty years ago eucalyptus and pine were planted in this part of the cerrado (Brazil’s savannah). Native shrubs later reclaimed some … Continue reading
Feeding the world without levelling the forest
Romosinuano cattle grazing in South America (picture credit: ILRI/Edwin Perez) A July 2010 article in the leading science journal Nature highlights the gains Brazil is making in its agricultural productivity. ‘With its plentiful sun, water and land, Brazil is quickly surpassing other countries in food production and exports. But can it continue to make agricultural … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Brazil / Latin America
Brazilian interest in Africa: Agriculture’s final frontier?
In this weekly column, Roger Thurow, former foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, describes the interest of Embrapa, the Brazilian agricultural research corporation that engineered a ‘green revolution’ in Brazil, in Africa. ‘. . . In Africa, Embrapa’s scientists are exploring soil and geological conditions that are similar to Brazil’s. . . . Embrapa has … Continue reading
Africa / Climate Change / Environment / Food Security / Latin America / NRM / South Asia / WLE
UN role in fighting climate change, poverty and environmental degradation named for Australian former prime minister Kevin Rudd
‘Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has been appointed to an unpaid part-time position on a “high-level” United Nations panel tackling global sustainability issues. ‘Mr Rudd last month confirmed he had been approached by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to become involved with the United Nations project. ‘The appointment would require Mr Rudd to attend three meetings … Continue reading
Clinton puts science at heart of US development strategy
‘Moves by the the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to put science, technology and innovation firmly at the centre of its aid efforts have been enthusiastically endorsed by a rousing speech from secretary of state Hillary Clinton, in which she described herself as “a friend of science”. ‘”Innovation, science [and] technology must again become … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 