World Loses Its Leading Hunger Fighter

CIMMYT joins with members of the international development community to mourn the passing of Nobel Peace Laureate and renowned wheat scientist, Norman E. Borlaug, who died Sept. 12 at the age of 95 from complications from cancer, after an exemplary life dedicated to fighting hunger in developing countries. Borlaug worked as a CIMMYT wheat breeder

Recession, Health Concerns Get Americans Gardening

Alison Baum of San Antonio, Texas hopes to save money and eat better by getting her hands dirty. She is joining the swelling ranks of Americans who have started backyard fruit and vegetable gardening, a trend rooted in a desire to cut costs as the recession bites, fears about the safety of commercial food supplies


New Regs Upset Ethanol Applecart

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on May 5 announced proposed regulations regarding implementation of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA). Despite the legislation’s namesake, there isn’t much security for the growth of traditional corn ethanol. EISA was landmark legislation for the biofuels industry because it set a national goal of producing

Saudis Invest In Indonesian Agriculture

Saudi investors launched agricultural projects in Indonesia worth $1.3 billion last year, a top business official said March 23, as the world’s top oil exporter seeks to secure food supplies from abroad. Mohamed Abdulkader al-Fadel, who chairs Saudi Arabia’s Commerce and Industry Chambers Council, made the remarks during a meeting with Indonesia’s ambassador, state news


EU Says Trust CAP

European countries trying to protect farmers against the global economic downturn should trust the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy and not veer off into new national policies, the Czech EU presidency said March 23. In a discussion paper circulated to the bloc’s farm ministers, the Czech Republic referred to a “deficit” of ideas so far about

Cargill Plant Seized By Venezuelan Government

“The measure only includes the rice plant.” – ELIAS JAUA, AGRICULTURE MINISTER Venezuela said March 5 it has no plans to take over any additional holdings of U. S. food giant Cargill after socialist President Hugo Chavez ordered the seizure of the rice plant, renewing his nationalization drive. Chavez’s clash with the food companies, demanding


Recession Compounds World Food Crisis

The global economic downturn has compounded the food crisis, pushing more people over the brink of hunger and threatening stability around the world, the head of the United Nations’ food relief agency said March 3. Food supplies are tight and expensive, and more people in poor countries are unable to afford what they need because

Climate warming means food shortages: study

The warming climate is likely to put stress on crops and livestock alike and could cause serious food shortages for half the world’s population, U. S. researchers predicted Jan. 8. The worst effects will be in the regions where the poorest people already live – the tropics and subtropics, the researchers wrote in the journal