Reuters – The Indian monsoon is likely to fail more often in the next 200 years threatening food supplies, unless governments agree how to limit climate change, a study released Nov. 6 says. The monsoon rains could collapse about every fifth year between 2150 and 2200 with continued global warming, blamed mainly on human burning
Indian monsoons may fail more often due to climate change
Agriculture causes much of global warming
Reuters / Food production accounts for up to 29 per cent of man-made greenhouse gases, twice previous UN estimates, according to a new study. The new study looked at emissions across the food system — including forest clearance, fertilizer production and transport — rather than just farming itself. But agriculture could profit by cutting its
Study says pesticide combinations put bumblebee colonies at risk
Reuters / Pesticides used in farming are also killing worker bumblebees and damaging their ability to gather food, meaning colonies that are vital for plant pollination are more likely to fail when they are used, says a study released Oct. 22. The United Nations has estimated that a third of all plant-based foods eaten by
Africa can easily grow wheat to ease hunger, price shocks
Reuters / Wheat production in sub-Saharan Africa is at only 10 to 25 per cent of its potential and nations can easily grow more to limit hunger, price shocks and political instability, says a new study. The report, examining environmental conditions of 12 nations from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe, said that farmers south of the Sahara
Climate change brings far-reaching changes in northern climes
Reuters / On a windswept Swedish mountain, a 10,000-year-old spruce with a claim to be the world’s oldest tree is getting a new lease on life thanks to global warming, even as many plants are struggling. Scientists are finding the drift of growing areas for many plants out toward the poles is moving not in
African farmers responding to changing climate
Reuters / African farmers are finding new ways to cope with droughts, erosion and other ravages of climate change, but need to do more to thrive in an increasingly uncertain environment, scientists say. Smallholders have started to plant more drought-resistant and faster-growing crops to keep the harvests coming in, according to a survey of 700
Scientists are watching Ug99 closely
Wheat experts are stepping up monitoring of a crop disease first found in Africa in 1999 to minimize the spread of a deadly fungus that is also a threat in Asia, experts said Aug. 31. A “Rust-Tracker,” using data supplied by farmers and scientists, could now monitor the fungus in 27 developing nations across 42
Wheat scientists seek to slow Ug99 in Africa, Asia
Wheat experts are stepping up monitoring of a crop disease first found in Africa in 1999 to minimise the spread of a deadly fungus that is also a threat in Asia, experts said on Friday. A "Rust-Tracker" using data supplied by farmers and scientists could now monitor the fungus in 27 developing nations across 103
Bee Deaths May Signal Wider Pollination Threat
Mass deaths of bee colonies in many parts of the world may be part of a wider, hidden threat to wild insect pollinators vital to human food supplies, a UN study indicated March 10. Declines in flowering plants, a spread of parasites, use of pesticides or air pollution were among more than a dozen factors
Eco-Farming Can Double Food Output By Poor
Many farmers in developing nat ions can double food production within a decade by shifting to ecological agriculture from use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, a UN report showed March 8. Insect-trapping plants in Kenya and Bangladesh’s use of ducks to eat weeds in rice paddies are among examples of steps taken to increase food
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
