News brief
- 'Women can't wait' campaign launched
- Severe Mongolia winter causes livestock disaster
- Pests and diseases threatening cassava in Southeast Asia
- New innovations for insuring the poor
- Developing countries in need of improved biosafety regulations
- Appropriate technologies could negate impacts of climate change
- Guidelines for management of animal genetic resources released
'Women can't wait' campaign launched
credit: Gareth Bentley/Concern Worldwide
To mark International Women's Day, Concern Worldwide has launched its 'Women Can't Wait' campaign in support of poor women and their fight against hunger. With women growing up to 80 per cent of food in developing countries, the campaign is calling on world leaders to listen to the voices of poor women, include them in decision-making processes, and provide them with funds to help them feed themselves and their families. "It is unacceptable that even though poor women produce the majority of food, they make up the majority of the world's hungry," says Phoebe Asiyo, UNIFEM goodwill ambassador. "If we are to tackle the blight of hunger, poor women need to be recognised and supported in their efforts to defeat hunger."
With only five years until 2015, the date the Millennium Development Goals should be achieved, Concern Worldwide report that for the first time over 1 billion people are going hungry every day, and the majority of these are women. "If we are to have any hope of meting the MDG of halving hunger by 2015, the needs and voices of poor women must be urgently prioritised," explains Rose Caldwell, executive director for Concern Worldwide. "That is why we are calling on world leaders to act now before it is too late."
As part of the campaign, Concern Worldwide has published a report, Mobilising for change, which provides examples from India, Indonesia and Zambia of women who have overcome obstacles to feed themselves and their families by organising themselves to lobby for their rights. A video highlighting the views of poor women farmers in Zambia is also available.
Severe Mongolia winter causes livestock disaster
credit: Sabine Schmidt
Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall have killed 2.7 million camels, goats, yaks and horses, and threaten the livelihoods of 21,000 herding families in Mongolia, FAO has reported. The government has predicted that, if conditions persist, 3-4 million livestock could be dead by spring. To provide herders with an income, the UN's Development Programme (UNDP) has initiated a US$4 million cash-for-work programme to collect and bury dead livestock, to prevent soil pollution and the spread of diseases such as anthrax and salmonella. In addition, FAO has called for immediate livestock input support, including fodder, supplementary feed and veterinary care for the most vulnerable herders to prevent further loss of their assets.
The extreme conditions, known as dzud, are the combination of a severe summer drought, which did not produce enough fodder to feed livestock during the winter, followed by winter temperatures of minus 40-50°C. In a country where a third of the population is nomadic and depend on their livestock, the lack of fodder and freezing temperatures have severely impacted the only source of food and income that many families depend on. FAO warns that if adequate assistance is not provided soon, spreading poverty will lead to mass migration to the cities later in the year.
Pests and diseases threatening cassava in Southeast Asia
credit: Neil Palmer/CIAT
An outbreak of pests and diseases, predicted to cut cassava output in Thailand by at least 30 per cent this season, is spreading rapidly across Southeast Asia, the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) has warned. In Thailand, CIAT investigations revealed a large number of mealybugs, tropical whitefly and red mites, as well as Cassava Bacterial Blight (CBB) and Brown Leaf Spot disease. "These pests and diseases will place a huge strain on Thailand's cassava production," explains Dr Tin Maung Aya, a cassava specialist at CIAT. "Not only will the incomes of smallholder farmers be greatly affected, but so will those of many labourers employed in the cassava industry. There will be widespread economic and social implications."
In addition to mealy bugs, tropical whitefly, red mites, and CCB, the disease known as Witches Broom was also discovered in neighbouring Vietnam. CIAT is investigating reports that cassava fields in Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines have also been affected. "It's no surprise if these problems are spreading quickly," said Dr Tony Bellotti, CIAT entomologist. "If the mealybug, for example, can find its way from its native Latin America, across the Atlantic to Africa, and then to Asia, it can find its way around the Mekong region and beyond. We can be fairly sure that China and Myanmar will be hit soon, and in time, Indonesia too," he warns.
In response, CIAT has issued preliminary management guidelines to help tackle the outbreaks and contain the spread. "The spread is almost certainly caused by the movement of infected planting material," Tin added. "One of the first responses is for the authorities in affected countries to impose strict quarantine regulations on the movement of cassava, especially the stems used as planting material." Other recommendations include training farmers to be able to select clean planting material and identify pests and diseases, developing an Integrated Pest and Disease Management strategy, and in the long-term, breeding varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases.
New innovations for insuring the poor
credit: ILRI
By insuring poor people, the link between risk and poverty can be broken, a new publication from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) claims. From index-based livestock insurance in Mongolia to weather-based insurance in India and Malawi, Innovations in insuring the poor, considers interventions that increase the tools available to smallscale farmers which help them deal with droughts, floods and disease when they occur. In addition to documenting the lessons learned, the report also highlights the challenges that need to be overcome.
Index-based livestock insurance, that uses satellite images of vegetation to determine when claims should be paid out, is one new innovation that is being piloted in Marsabit, northern Kenya. "The reason this system can work is that getting compensation does not require verifying that an animal is actually dead," explains Andrew Mude, the project leader at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). "Payments kick in when the satellite images show us that forage has become so scarce that animals are likely to perish."
Livestock keepers in Marsabit will pay premiums of between 3.25 per cent and 5.5 per cent of the value of their animals, depending on how drought-prone the area is. This will amount to about US$5 per cow and US$0.5 cents for a goat or sheep. "Insurance is something of the Holy Grail for those of us who work with African livestock, particularly for pastoralists who could use insurance both as a hedge against drought - a threat that will become more common in some regions as the climate changes - and to increase their earning potential," says Carlos Seré, ILRI director general.
Developing countries in need of improved biosafety regulations
credit: WRENmedia
Amid recent debates over the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops in India and Ethiopia, a new policy brief from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has highlighted the need for smart, flexible and efficient regulatory systems to ensure that smallscale farmers benefit from GM crops. Given the strength of public opposition and lack of consensus within the scientific community, India's Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh, has postponed the cultivation of India's first GM vegetable crop (Bt brinjal, or aubergine) until the safety of the vegetable has been proved.
Meanwhile in Ethiopia, a new law to protect biodiversity from 'the adverse effects of modified organisms' has been criticised for restricting research into GM crops that could improve crop production. Delivering genetically engineered crops to poor farmers argues that genetically engineered (GE) crops have the potential to benefit poor farmers and reduce food insecurity and poverty by improving subsistence crops with traits such as tolerance to drought and more efficient nitrogen use. But poorly designed biosafety regulations discourage the development of GE crops, reducing the number of potentially valuable crops that reach farmers. The policy brief suggests six ways to improve biosafety systems to enable timely and cost-effective adoption of safe, valuable and appropriate GE technologies for farmers in poor countries.
Appropriate technologies could negate impacts of climate change
credit: ICRISAT
Improved use of fertilisers, rainwater harvesting and mulching could almost double crops yields, helping to counter the effects of climate change, a study by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has found. "The impact of temperature increases on farm yields from low-input agricultural systems, typical of semi-arid tropics, is likely to be minimal compared to other factors such as low and declining soil fertility, poor weed control and lack of water conservation practices," explains Dr Peter Cooper, a senior ICRISAT scientist. "These will continue to provide overriding constraints to crop growth and yields."
Even with a 3°C temperature increase, the adoption of improved crop, soil and water management practices result in substantially higher yields than farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and India are currently obtaining, the study discovered. In Makindu, eastern Kenya, an area already experiencing extreme weather shocks, scientists found that by using tied ridging and mulching, farmers were able to increase and retain water in the soil for longer, increasing their yields. "By promoting the use of commonly available methods of soil fertility management and water conservation, we find that governments can help farmers to avert crop failure and famines, as well as prepare farmers to better cope with climate change impacts," says Cooper.
Guidelines for management of animal genetic resources released
credit: WRENmedia
A new set of guidelines on Breeding strategies for sustainable management of animal genetic resources has been published by FAO to help developing countries plan and develop effective genetic improvement programmes. Contributing about 30 per cent of agricultural GDP in developing countries, livestock are vital for food security and rural development, and their genetic improvement is an essential component in improving their use and development in order to realise the full potential of animal genetic resources.
These guidelines, endorsed by the Commission of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, provide practical advice on identifying livestock development strategies, matching animal genetic resources with production systems, developing straight- and cross-breeding programmes, and evaluating investment decisions. Designed for policymakers and organisations involved in livestock development, the guidelines are part of a series of publications published by FAO to help countries implement the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources. Adopted in 2007, the Global Plan of Action is the first internationally agreed framework for the management of biodiversity in the livestock sector.
Kew discovers 290 new species in 2009
credit: RBG Kew
Giant canopy trees from the rainforests of Cameroon, orchids from Borneo, palms from Papua New Guinea, wild coffees from Madagascar and an ancient aquatic plant from South Africa are among more than 290 new plant and fungi species discovered by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 2009. "This work has never been more relevant and pressing than in the current era of global climate change and unprecedented loss of biodiversity," says Professor Stephen Hopper, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. "These new discoveries highlight the fact that there is so much of the plant world yet to be discovered and documented. Without knowing what's out there and where it occurs, we have no scientific basis for effective conservation."
Seven wild coffee species are included in the new discoveries, taking the total discoveries of coffee over the last ten years to 30. Among these were the Coffea pterocarpa, with its distinctive winged berries, and Coffea ambongensis, which has the largest seeds of any coffee species: their 'coffee beans' are more than twice the size of those of Coffea Arabica, the main species used in the commercial production of coffee. "Coffee is the world's second most traded commodity, after oil, with at least 25 million farming families dependent on its production for their livelihoods," explains Dr Aaron Davis. "We estimate that 70 per cent of wild coffee species are in danger of extinction due to habitat loss and climate change."
Yam research gets funding boost
credit: IITA
A project aiming to improve the capacity of yam research, find sustainable solutions to the challenges facing the crop, and exploit its potential for food security and poverty alleviation has received US$1 million from the European Union-African, Caribbean and Pacific Science and Technology Program (EU-ACP). Yam production faces a range of problems, including high costs of planting material, decreasing soil fertility, inadequate yield potential and increasing levels of pests and diseases associated with intensification of cultivation.
In collaboration with a team of national partners in 13 research institutions across West and Central Africa, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) will manage and implement the project. In addition to building a framework for yam research, the project is also aiming to provide a platform for increased documentation and dissemination of information from yam research. "This is something good for the region where yam plays an important role in nutrition and economic well-being of the people," explains David Annang, project coordinator.
Turning urban food waste into fertiliser
credit: Jon Ward
A new hi-tech composting plant that converts food waste into fertiliser has recently been opened in London. "We're diverting waste from landfills, reducing road miles for waste transport, and replacing petrochemical fertilisers which are derived from fossil fuels," says Leon Mekitarian, managing director of Vertal. Located eight miles from the centre of London, the plant will process about 100,000 tonnes of organic waste a year; a fraction of the 1 million tonnes of food waste the city throws away every year.
Coupling traditional techniques with modern engineering, third-generation Auto-thermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ATAD) technology does not require an external heat source, but instead is self-heating, making the process energy-efficient. The waste is broken down and digested by naturally occurring bacteria, which also remove any risks of disease and pathogens before being turned into a solid fertiliser.
Solar-powered irrigation boosts production in Benin
credit: Marshall Burke
Solar-powered drip irrigation systems significantly improve nutrition, food security and household incomes, particularly during the dry season, a new study from Stanford University reports. The study revealed that in one year in Benin, vegetable intake increased by 500-750 grams per person per day in villages with irrigation systems. Intake also increased by 150 grams in control villages, suggesting that selling their surplus not only raised incomes, but also increased the availability of vegetables in local markets.
The three drip irrigation systems, conceived and financed by the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), were installed in two villages in Kalalé district, in Benin. Each system was used by 30-35 members of a women's agricultural group, each of whom farmed a 120 square metre plot. On average, the three irrigation systems produced almost 2 tons of produce each month, including tomatoes, okra, peppers and carrots. Despite higher set-up costs, the study concluded that the solar power system was a more cost-effective way of irrigating farmland than using irrigation systems powered by gasoline, diesel or kerosene.
Payments for environmental services gaining ground
credit: Sven Wunder
In Latin America, paying landholders to manage their natural resources sustainably is an innovative approach that can protect the environment and help reduce poverty, a new study has concluded. The most common forms of payment for environmental services (PES) schemes in Latin America are payments for watershed services, whereby downstream local authorities pay upstream landowners to retain tree cover in order to maintain a healthy supply of water. The report by the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Making nature count, found that while large-scale government-financed payments for PES schemes can potentially protect large areas, small-scale projects are often more effective. "Small-scale, user-financed programmes are generally more focused and targeted, and tend to be more cost-effective. So it is not always a good idea to scale up PES schemes," says Sven Wunder, CIFOR scientist and project leader. "On the contrary, in some cases it may be recommended to scale them down."
Despite the success of many local initiatives, there has been some resistance to PES when resources could instead be used to reinforce compliance with existing environmental legislation. But Wunder argues that PES can complement law enforcement. In Costa Rica, a national scheme that paid landholders for forest conservation was introduced even though deforestation was illegal. "These payments were not made simply for complying with the law, but were meant to go beyond the legal standard. They compensated landholders for not extracting timber and actively protecting forests against outside intruders," Wunder explained. "This design resolved a critical legal issue that many governments today see as a key obstacle to PES implementation." In Ecuador, a large-scale government scheme has recently begun to pay smallholders in forested areas US$30 per hectare per year, in order to conserve the trees on their land. A similar project in Colombia is being planned.
Jamaica launches agriculture market information system
credit: FAO/Franco Mattioli
A system that will collect, compile and disseminate pricing information about agricultural commodities traded in local and regional markets has been launched by the Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MOAF). By providing accurate and up-to-date information online, the Jamaica Agriculture Market Information System (JAMIS) is designed to enable producers, purchasers, consumers and distributors to make more informed decisions about the sale and purchase of their produce.
"This data will assist the sector by providing the tools to determine where and when to buy and sell produce," explained Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. "It will also assist farmers to plan their production and promote a transparent marketplace, by putting buyers and sellers on a more equal bargaining basis." In addition to publishing the prices in local newspapers, JAMIS is planning to publish weekly prices on notice boards in main municipal markets and Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RDA) parish offices. A text messaging service will soon be made available.
March 2010
