This Research Report by Jeannette van de Steeg, Mario Herrero, James Kinyangi, Philip Thornton, K.P.C. Rao, Roger Stern, and Peter Cooper on The influence of current and future climate-induced risk on the agricultural sector in East and Central Africa: Sensitizing the ASARECA strategic plan to climate change was released on 23 December, 2009. Rainfed agriculture … Continue reading
Climate change is likely to increase the already huge toll of illness and death from insect-borne disease in the developing world. More than three billion people are already estimated to be at risk from the combined impacts of bilharzia, dengue fever, filariasis, leishmaniasis and river blindness. Malaria alone causes about one to two million deaths … Continue reading
Despite oft-repeated claims by sources ranging from the United Nations to music star Paul McCartney, it is simply not true that consuming less meat and dairy products will help stop climate change, says a University of California authority on farming and greenhouse gases. “We certainly can reduce our greenhouse-gas production, but not by consuming less … Continue reading
Federated Farmers has enthusiastically welcomed news that the Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases is starting to get the financial means to take flight, with over $200 million pledged from New Zealand, the United States and Canada. “We’re ecstatic to see the United States contributing $125 million worth of research over four years, while … Continue reading
In this week’s PLoS Medicine, Jonna Mazet (University of California, Davis) and colleagues describe their work in the Tanzania-based HALI Project, which adopts the ‘One Health’ approach to address emerging zoonoses, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. There is a strong need for integrated health approaches, the authors argue, because explosive human … Continue reading
On 16 December in Copenhagen, agricultural research took center stage at the United Nations Climate Change Conference when Ministers from 18 countries launched a Global Research Alliance that will help us better understand how agriculture can help reduce greenhouse gases while also growing more food. USDA will commit up to $90 Million over four years towards … Continue reading
Recognizing the threat to animal and human health, the federal government has launched a multimillion-dollar initiative in the hopes of preventing the next global pandemic. The U.S. Agency for International Development announced Oct. 22 the start of its Emerging Pandemic Threats program, a five-pronged approach to preparing the world for emerging infectious diseases. It builds … Continue reading
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
The Agriculture and Rural Development Day event was held at the University of Copenhagen, in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Saturday, 12 December 2009. The event took place in parallel with the United Nations Climate Change Conference, including the fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate … Continue reading
It may have a somewhat exotic name but the Barber Pole worm was this week called a “nasty blood-sucking piece of work” by the scientist charged with finding a way to eliminating it. The work of Dr David Smith and his team at the Moredun Research Institute could make a dramatic difference for sheep and … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 