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Highlights

In its still often quoted Lions on the Move: The Progress and Potential of African Economies report published in 2010, McKinsey notes the massive agricultural potential that the continent holds for companies across the value chain.

With 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land and low crop yields, Africa is ripe for a “green revolution” like the ones that have transformed agriculture in Asia and Brazil, says McKinsey. It acknowledges that there are well documented and complex barriers to raising production in Africa, including lack of advanced seeds and other inputs suited to the continent’s ecological conditions; inadequate infrastructure to bring crops to market; perverse trade barriers and tax incentives; unclear land rights; and lack of technical assistance and finance for farmers.

This was stated by Dr Muhammad Yaseen Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in a workshop on “What Can Telecommunications Do for Agriculture” organized in collaboration with LIRNEasia, a regional ICT Policy Think Tank, based in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan telecom sector is considered as an exemplary growth model around the globe and their agriculture sector can also be a model by adopting telecom and getting its benefits.

Kampala — An alliance of scientists has been formed to help promote cassava, which has emerged as a "survivor" crop able to thrive in the expected higher temperatures engendered by climate change, a scientific conference in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, heard.

 

A new FAO-led partnership is looking to improve how the environmental impacts of the livestock industry are measured and assessed, a necessary first step in improving the sustainability of this important food production sector.

Livestock-raising and the consumption of animal products make a crucial contribution to the economic and nutritional well-being of millions of people around the world - particularly in developing countries.

The SPC Animal Health and Production team recently organised a short workshop for Year 2 students taking the Higher Diploma in Animal Health (DAH) course at Fiji National University.  The goal of the workshop, held on 8 June at SPC Nabua, was to expose the DAH students to some of the animal health activities undertaken in Fiji and the Pacific region.

The FABN project hopes to involve the DAH students in field surveys to help develop their skills in the effective delivery of livestock surveys.   Dr Brioudes provided notes on the methodology and emphasized key points in the effective conduct of farm-market surveys and farmer interviews.  As a practical exercise, students were provided with copies of the survey questionnaire and they will trial it by conducting farmer and market-vendor interviews over the next two weeks. The students’ feedback on the interview and survey process will be used to improve the methodology and effective delivery of the FABN livestock movement risk assessment survey in the four identified countries.

21 May, BRIDGETOWN.  The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) concluded a five day workshop on Friday, with the launch of a Youth Think Tank (YTT) for the Caribbean at UN House. 

We need food and we need clean freshwater to produce our food. With growing demand from human activities on the one hand and climate change on the other, many regions especially in the south struggle to find enough freshwater to meet their needs. How can we continue growing food without letting nature go thirsty for clean water? A more efficient use of water in agriculture would certainly help.

Agriculture & Rural Development Day - 18 June 2012 - Rio+20

Over 600 people attended the 4th Agriculture and Rural Development Day (ARDD) on 18th June, with another 600 watching the live webcast and thousands more interacting via social media at Rio+20. Learning events explored concrete cases of success that could translate into a thorough transformation of the global food system, and afternoon sessions focused on science for a food-secure future.