World Agriculture
Developments, trade, data, and topics in world agriculture
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South American and Caribbean nations agree plans to fight poverty and hunger~~South American and Caribbean countries agree on hunger and poverty eradication plan FAO to support national-level implementation of food security programs Photo:©FAO /... FAO Director-General in Caracas, Venezuela. 18 December 2013, Caracas - A group of South American and Caribbean countries have adopted a common plan of action to eradicate hunger and poverty, designed with FAO support. The agreement was announced during the Second Extraordinary Summit of the Petrocaribe oil bloc and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America - Peoples' Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), which concluded here yesterday. The plan aims to strengthen food and nutrition security in the Petrocaribe economic zone and in ALBA countries through national and regional hunger eradication projects. FAO will provide advice to governments in developing interventions. During the summit, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro said that "the Action Plan ALBA-Petrocaribe to free our territories from hunger seems fundamental for the future ." The plan reflects the priority that hunger reduction has been given by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and under the Hunger-Free Latin America and the Caribbean Initiative, a commitment by the 33 countries of the region to eradicate malnutrition by 2025. The ALBA-Petrocaribe Action Plan represents the most ambitious attempt to eradicate hunger in the history of the region. Speaking at the summit, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said: "Latin America and the Caribbean are showing that across the entire region there is political will for and commitment to achieving hunger eradication ." Venezuela supports Hunger-Free Latin America and the Caribbean Initiative FAO and Venezuela's government also signed an agreement to implement a Venezuelan-led regional food- and nutrition security and poverty eradication program within the framework of the Hunger-Free Latin America and the Caribbean Initiative. The Venezuelan program will work on three tracks: strengthening leaders, producers and social organizations in rural areas, facilitating the commercialization and trade of products from family farms; and supporting hunger eradication efforts in various economic integration zones in Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular in the Petrocaribe region. The agreement between FAO and the Government of Venezuela was signed by the Vice President for Social Matters of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hector Rodriguez, and FAO Director-General. It involves an amount of $12 million. FAO to support fishing communities in Venezuela In addition, Venezuela signed an agreement with FAO to undertake a fisheries development program with environmental and economic sustainability criteria, through which FAO will provide technical assistance and support the transfer of technology- and good practices to fishing communities along the Venezuelan coast. The $7.8 million project will be funded by the Venezuela's Ministry of Popular Power for Agriculture and Lands and will support more than 8,000 fishing families. Several years ago Venezuela banned industrial trawling in its waters, a measure aimed at maximizing fishing's benefits to local communities and minimize its environmental impacts.
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The United States will gradually ban the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry.Antibiotic Use on Farm Animals to Be Phased Out in U.S By Alex Wayne Dec 12, 2013 1:01 PM GMT 0800 Use of antibiotics to fatten cattle, hogs and chickens for human consumption will be phased out by 2017, as U.S. regulators seek to curb a rise in more deadly forms of foodborne pathogens. Farmers would no longer be able to purchase the medicines without a veterinarian's approval under a plan announced yesterday by the Food and Drug Administration. Drugmakers will be asked to agree to increased controls over three months, then will have three years to change labels to remove production uses of antibiotics, including for weight gain and accelerated growth. Antibiotics, often the last line of defense for humans against life-threatening germs spread commonly in hospitals, are starting to lose power because of overexposure. The FDA deliberately sidestepped rescinding approval of the drugs' for livestock completely, saying a voluntary approach would lead to a faster reduction in the use of the medicines. “It is a hollow gesture that does little to tackle a widely recognized threat to human health," Avinash Kar, a lawyer for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement. “FDA has essentially followed a voluntary approach for more than 35 years, but use of these drugs to raise animals has increased ." About 2 million Americans a year are infected by drug-resistant bacteria, often in hospitals and nursing homes, and at least 23,000 die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Industry Approach Congressional Democrats also criticized the FDA guidance, which they said isn't strong enough to substantially reduce the use of antibiotics at farms. “This voluntary, pro-industry approach is a step in the wrong direction," U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the senior Democrat on an appropriations subcommittee that funds the FDA, said in a statement. “For the good of public health, FDA should step up and implement tighter restrictions ." Michael Taylor, the FDA's deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, said the best strategy is to work cooperatively with the pharmaceutical industry. “This approach is the fastest way to achieve our goal," Taylor said in a statement. “Based on our outreach, we have every reason to believe that animal pharmaceutical companies will support us in this effort ." Foodborne Outbreaks Overuse of the medicine on animals eaten by humans is being blamed for foodborne outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant pathogens that have sickened 19,897 people and killed 26 from 1973 to 2009, according to data from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based consumer advocacy group. About 80 percent of antibiotics sold in the U.S. are administered to livestock, not to humans, DeLauro said. That gives companies little motive to volunteer to reduce the medicines' use at farms, said NRDC's Kar. Zoetis Inc. (ZTS), the Madison, New Jersey-based animal-health business that Pfizer Inc. spun off this year, said it supports the FDA's decision. “Zoetis has been a leader in providing ongoing education to veterinarians and livestock producers on the proper use of antimicrobial drugs to treat, control, and prevent infection and disease in livestock animals," the company said in a statement. “As the new policies move forward, we remain committed to researching and developing new therapeutic products and strategies ." To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Wayne in Washington at awayne3@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reg Gale at rgale5@bloomberg.net
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Russia officially approved the use of genetically modified food to grow crops2013/12/13 China Net china Net, December 11 According to a report on the website of the Russian Communist Youth League Pravda on December 9, Russia officially approved the use of genetically modified foods to grow crops. The government took up the decision in September 2013, but agriculture analyst Oleg Sukhanov is only now taking note of http://news.china.com.cn/live/2013-12/13/content_23872022.htm定。 decision. Typically, the genes of potato, soybean, corn and sugar beet cells are genetically altered. The yield of genetically modified crops is tripled, so this method of breeding is valuable. The United States has proposed invasive genetics, and local academic institutions have spent a lot of money to prove that genetically modified foods are not harmful. In Russia, professional research on this issue has not yet been carried out. Polls also show that very few people are loyal to such products. According to the law, whether there is genetically modified food should be indicated on the label in Russia. But producers are reluctant to make a mark, said Andrei Tumanov, vice chairman of the Russian State Duma, because they have never sold such products, but they either do not provide such goods or do it quietly. For example, there is a label of "Bush Leg (nickname for genetically modified chicken leg imported from the United States)" on the large box, but consumers cannot see it because it is not on the retail packaging. But today's products are labeled "non-GMO" on foods that may in principle be genetically modified foods, such as yogurt, in order to promote sales. Fourteen regions have declared themselves "GM free zones", including Moscow, St. Petersburg and Belgorod. Today, Tumanov said, they have to endorse genetically modified crops, otherwise they will violate the laws of the Russian Federation. He also said that the general trend of genetically modified crops only lies in time. Sooner or later, everyone will change their views on genetically modified crops, because without this breeding method, it will be impossible to bring new varieties. And, in fact, genetically modified foods should be harmless. Gene, it is just a set of numbers, gene code, simply put, with human genes do not affect. However, prejudice is not so easy to overcome, but it is necessary to know: fertilizers and pesticides are more harmful than genetically modified crops. Genetically modified crops will not be available before autumn 2014 because food has not yet been actually planted and grown. Tumanov said that because there is no promotion of genetically modified crops, manufacturers will have to make such products extremely cheap in this way to increase customer trust. However, because many people do not believe it even with low prices. http://news.china.com.cn/live/2013-12/13/content_23872 man of Feeding
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30 percent of global food crop production has reached its limitScience and Technology Daily 2013-12-23 according to a recent report in the British journal Nature Communications, about 30% of the world's food crops, including rice and wheat, may have reached their limit. Recent data show that the yield of food crops has stabilized, and even a sharp downward trend. Forecasting future food production can help ensure global food security. But past analyses have been based on the fact that production has only increased but not decreased, a situation that has proven impossible. For a long time, the mainstream methods used by scientists to predict future food crop yields and their ability to meet global food needs have been based on historical trends. However, in the past, many of the production increases have relied on innovative technologies, and some innovative technologies are only one-off. In view of this, most forecasts are too optimistic. Professor Kenneth Kasman of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his research team found a worrying situation after analyzing the production of grains, oil, sugar, fiber, beans, tubers, roots, rice, wheat and corn in the world's largest grain producer. Their latest data show that many over-grown regions of the world, including eastern Asia, northwestern Europe and the United States, have either reduced or reached saturation in their main grain production recently. According to the research team's calculations, the production stagnation will affect about 33% of the world's rice producing countries and 27% of the world's wheat producing countries. What is more, this reduction will still occur after the country has made large investments in agricultural research, development, education and infrastructure, which indicates that the production potential of many planting areas may have reached the limit. The Nature paper shows that although China's wheat production has remained unchanged, corn production has fallen by 64% in the past 10 years. The authors of the Nature paper warn that to further maintain food production, different factors of crop production must be fine-tuned, but this is often difficult to achieve, especially when farmers need to consider the associated costs, labor demand, risks and environmental impacts. Man of Feeding
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Industrial agriculture may have reached its peak and will not be able to meet the increasing demand for food.Dramatic decline in industrial agriculture could herald 'peak food' Thursday 19 December 2013 17.15 GMT Most conventional yield projection models are oblivious to the real world say US researchers A farmer spreads rice to dry in the sun in Afife. Gadco's smallholder scheme could help secure Ghana Staple crops like rice are facing unprecedented decline. Photograph: George Osodi Industrial agriculture could be hitting fundamental limits in its capacity to produce sufficient crops to feed an expanding global population according to new research published in Nature Communications. The study by scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln argues that there have been abrupt declines or plateaus in the rate of production of major crops which undermine optimistic projections of constantly increasing crop yields. As much as "31% of total global rice, wheat and maize production" has experienced "yield plateaus or abrupt decreases in yield gain, including rice in eastern Asia and wheat in northwest Europe ." The declines and plateaus in production have become prevalent despite increasing investment in agriculture, which could mean that maximum potential yields under the industrial model of agribusiness have already occurred. Crop yields in "major cereal-producing regions have not increased for long periods of time following an earlier period of steady linear increase ." The paper makes for ominous reading. Production levels have already flattened out with "no case of a return to the previous rising yield trend" for key regions amounting to "33% of global rice and 27% of global wheat production." The US researchers concluded that these yield plateaus could be explained by the inference that "average farm yields approach a biophysical yield ceiling for the crop in question, which is determined by its yield potential in the regions where the crop is produced." They wrote: "... we found widespread deceleration in the relative rate of increase of average yields of the major cereal crops during the 1990-2010 period in countries with greatest production of these crops, and strong evidence of yield plateaus or an abrupt drop in rate of yield gain in 44% of the cases, which, together, account for 31% of total global rice, wheat and maize production ." Past trends over the last five decades of perpetually increasing crop yields were "driven by rapid adoption of green revolution technologies that were largely one-time innovations" which cannot be repeated. These include major industrial innovations such as "the development of semi-dwarf wheat and rice varieties, first widespread use of commercial fertilizers and pesticides, and large investments to expand irrigation infrastructure ." Although agricultural investment in China increased threefold from 1981 to 2000, rates of increase for wheat yields have remained constant, decreased by 64% for maize and are negligible in rice. Similarly, the rate of maize yield has remained largely flat despite a 58% investment increased over the same period. The study warns: "A concern is that despite the increase in investment in agricultural R&D and education during this period, the relative rate of yield gain for the major food crops has decreased over time together with evidence of upper yield plateaus in some of the most productive domains ." The study criticises most other yield projection models which predict compound or exponential production increases over coming years and decades, even though these "do not occur in the real world." It notes that "such growth rates are not feasible over the long term because average farm yields eventually approach a yield potential ceiling determined by biophysical limits on crop growth rates and yield ." Factors contributing to the declines or plateaus in food production rates include land and soil degradation, climate change and cyclical weather patterns, use of fertilisers and pesticides, and inadequate or inappropriate investment. The new research raises critical questions about the capacity of traditional industrial agricultural methods to sustain global food production for a growing world population. Food production will need to increase by about 60% by 2050 to meet demand. A report out this month from the Dutch bank Rabobank recommends cutting food waste by 10%, as over 1 billion tonnes - half of which is related to agriculture - ends up being wasted. More efficient use of water is necessary, the report says, such as micro-irrigation, to address a potential water supply deficit of 40% by 2030. Currently, agriculture accounts for 70% of global water demand. The report also calls for a reduction in dependence on fertilisers using 'input optimisation' methods designed to reduce the amount of energy and water required. As 53% of fertiliser nutrients remain in the ground post-harvest, fertilisers contribute to soil degradation over time due to groundwater contamination, leaching, erosion and global warming. The Rabobank obsession with focusing on improvement of existing industrial methods - without quite grasping the scale of the problems facing industrial agriculture - is, however, a serious deficiency. Two years ago, a landmark report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food demonstrated that agroecology based on sustainable, small-scale, organic methods could potentially double food production in entire regions facing persistent hunger, over five to 10 years. Dr Nafeez Ahmed is executive director of the Institute for Policy Research & Development and author of A User's Guide to the Crisis of Civilisation: And How to Save It among other books. Follow him on Twitter @nafeezahmed
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Myanmar has great agricultural potential and is expected to become the "granary" of Asia"2013/12/18 content Summary: Today, Myanmar opens its market to foreign investors, and the huge potential of Myanmar's agricultural sector will attract many investors. Myanmar plans to double its rice shipments again as its economy becomes more open. At that time, the status of large rice producing countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia will be challenged to a certain extent. Myanmar was one of the world's major rice exporters in the 1960 s, but its rice exports have been affected by years of economic sanctions. Today, Myanmar embraces democracy and freedom and opens its market to foreign investors, and the huge potential of Myanmar's agricultural sector will attract many investors. Myanmar's rice production will further increase, and it will gradually restore its status as a major rice exporter. At that time, the status of Thailand and other top rice exporters in the world will be affected to a certain extent. It is understood that Myanmar plans to double its rice shipments again as its economy becomes more open. At that time, the status of large rice producing countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia will be challenged to a certain extent. Toe Aung Myint, head of the trade promotion department of Myanmar's Ministry of Commerce, said that between 2014 and 2015, Myanmar's rice exports will increase to 2.5 million tons from 1.8 million 2013. Rice exports will jump to 4.8 million tons between 2019 and 2020. After five decades of military and political dictatorship, Burma carried out political reforms and gradually turned to democracy. Myanmar's social, political and economic restructuring has attracted international investor interest in tapping into its agricultural potential. Myanmar President Thein Sein said that after Myanmar's agriculture has attracted more investors, it will supply a large amount of food to the region. The natural conditions for the development of agriculture in Myanmar are good, the land is sparsely populated, and the terrain is high in the north and low in the south. Myanmar's Irrawaddy River (Irrawaddy) Delta has vertical and horizontal rivers, dense ponds, soft and fertile land, and convenient waterway transportation. It is a famous land of fish and rice in Myanmar and is known as the "Burmese Granary". According to Myanmar government officials, Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta region is larger than Vietnam's Mekong region and thus has the ability to increase rice production and exports. Myanmar's rice production in 2013-2014 (January-December) is expected to reach about 12.7 million tons, up about 15% from the estimated 11 million tons in 2012-13. Myanmar is linked by mountains and rivers with China and is a friendly neighbor of China. Its natural conditions are superior and its resources are extremely rich. It is suitable for the growth of a variety of plants, especially tropical crops. Agriculture is the foundation of Myanmar's national economy. The output value of agriculture accounts for about 1/3 of the GDP, and the export of agricultural products accounts for about 1/4 of the total export; Myanmar still has more than 1600 million acres of vacant land, idle land and wasteland to be developed. There is great potential for agricultural development. The Myanmar government also attaches great importance to the development of agriculture, actively attracting foreign investment in agriculture, and at the same time promoting the export of agricultural products such as rubber, beans and rice to countries around the world. After 1988, Myanmar put the development of agriculture in the first place. On the basis of the development of agriculture, it promoted the all-round development of other industries in the national economy, especially the development of agricultural machinery manufacturing industry related to agriculture. Quoted from Science and Technology World Network http://www.twwtn.com/Agriculture/53_215766.html man of Feeding
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Informa: U.S. corn planting area will be 91.846 million acres in 2014Informa: U.S. corn planting area will be 91.846 million acres in 2014 this article is reproduced from: China Grain Network according to news from Chicago on December 18, private analysis agency Informa Economics lowered its 2014 soybean acreage forecast for the United States to 81.929 million acres, still a record high, but lower than the previous estimate of 83.814 million acres. Informa raised its 2014 U.S. corn acreage estimate to 91.846 million acres, up from 91.546 million acres. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. farmers planted 95.3 million acres of corn and 76.5 million acres of soybeans in 2013. Informa also expects the total area under wheat cultivation in the United States to be 57.855 million acres in 2014, down from the previous estimate of 58.1 million acres. The agency expects 42.866 million acres of winter wheat to be planted in the United States, up from a previous estimate of 43.106 million acres. (Source: Agricultural Futures Network this article is reproduced from: China Grain Network (www.cngrain.com) http://www.cngrain.com/Publish/inter/201312/559671.shtml
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UK wheat production in 2013 may hit 12-year lowUK wheat production in 2013 may hit 12-year low 2013-12-20 09:28 China Grain Network london, December 19 news: according to British government officials, this year's British wheat production is expected to be less than 12 million tons, which is the first time in 12 years, but also lower than market expectations, due to unfavorable sowing conditions. The UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) revised down its wheat production figures for this year by 200000 tonnes to 11.9 million tonnes. Britain is the EU's third-largest wheat producer, behind France and Germany. The UK wheat yield data was revised down because of poor autumn sowing conditions and even lower wheat acreage than earlier expected. This year's wheat production will be the lowest since 2001, when it was 11.58 million tons. The weather continued to rain during the autumn sowing period in 2012, and the rainfall was the second highest level in history, resulting in the deterioration of wheat quality. Farmers were busy with field work and could not prepare for this year's wheat crop. According to DEFRA, the downward revision of the wheat yield data reflects poor sowing conditions during the winter, resulting in a 19 per cent reduction in sown area. DEFRA revised the wheat sown area data downward by 11000 ha to 1.62 million ha. Wheat, winter barley and rapeseed yields were hurt by poor winter and spring weather. At the same time, DEFRA also lowered the UK barley, oat and rapeseed production data, but the decline was smaller, also because of the decline in planting area. The average rapeseed yield is expected to be 3.0 t/ha, the lowest in nine years, as the proportion of area sown in spring has increased, while the yield of spring-sown rapeseed is lower than that of autumn-sown rapeseed. Poor weather during winter rapeseed planting, followed by rainy weather in winter, adversely affected yields. In addition, during the spring sowing period, farmers planted rapeseed varieties with low yields, which also led to a decline in overall yields. This article is reproduced from: China Grain Network
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OECD report: Agricultural support begins to pick up after record lowsSupport to agriculture rising after hitting historic lows, OECD says 18/09/2013 - Government support for agriculture in the world's leading farming nations rose during 2012, bucking a long-term downward trend and reversing historic lows recorded in 2011, according to the latest version of an annual OECD report. Public support to producers stood at an average one-sixth of gross farm receipts in the 47 countries covered in OECD Agricultural Policy: Monitoring and Evaluation 2013. The Producer Support Estimate has increased to 17% of gross farm receipts in 2012, compared to 15% in 2011, according to the new analysis. The OECD sees a generalised move away from support directly linked to production, but finds that support that distorts production and trade still represents about half of the total. While OECD countries are increasingly de-linking support from production, emerging markets are relying more on border protection and market price support measures that tax consumers. “With world markets for food and commodities buoyant and higher commodity prices expected to continue, the time is ripe for governments to credibly commit to wide-ranging farm support reform," said OECD Trade and Agriculture Director Ken Ash. “Meeting the needs of a growing and richer world population requires a shift away from the distorting and wasteful policies of the past towards measures that improve competitiveness, allowing farmers to respond to market signals while ensuring that much-needed innovation is fully funded," Mr Ash said. This year's OECD report examines the state of agricultural policy in 47 countries that account for nearly 80% of global farm output, including seven emerging economies that are major players in food and agriculture markets: Brazil, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine. It shows that support levels vary widely, both across the OECD countries and across major emerging economies. Click here to see data in Excel In the OECD area, support to producers stood at $258.6 billion (EUR 201.2 billion) in 2012. Support represented 19% of farm receipts in the OECD, up from 18% in 2011. The report points to sharp divergences behind these figures, with the countries that offer farmers the highest levels of support recording increases (Japan 56%, Korea 54%, Norway 63% and Switzerland 57%) while relatively low-support countries fell further (Israel 11%, Mexico 12%, United States 7%). Support remained very low in others (Australia 3%, Chile 3%, New Zealand 1%). The European Union mirrored the OECD-wide trend, with farm support rising from 18% to 19% of farm receipts. The June 2013 agreement on EU's Common Agricultural Policy for the 2014-20 period does not represent a major departure from either the current orientation or size of farm support in the 28 country bloc. Some emerging economies which are key players in agriculture continued to increase support - in China farm support rose to 17%, in Indonesia it rose to 21%, and in Kazakhstan support reached 15%. Others maintained low levels of support, like Brazil (5%) and South Africa (3%). Some of the sharpest increases in farm support have occurred in countries that have turned their policy focus to self-sufficiency. The OECD sees only weak links between higher self-sufficiency and improved food security, particularly in less developed economies. Access to food would be more effectively improved by reducing poverty and developing safety nets, the report said. Multi-faceted efforts are also needed to increase investment, which would raise domestic production, improve access to imports (and to export markets) and create emergency food reserves. Public investments for the sector overall should receive more attention. Innovation policy is key to improving farm productivity. Investments in research and development, technology transfer, education, and extension and advisory services have high social returns in the long run. Expenditures on other general services to the farm sector, such as food safety and food quality assurance systems, also contribute to long-term profitability, competitiveness and sustainability. Further de-linking of farm support and production is necessary. Even where a large share of support is now delinked from production, payments tend to be based on past entitlements or on farm area, and as a result favour the largest farms. There is considerable scope to re-orient spending towards specific goals such as those related to low incomes, rural community well- being and environmental sustainability. For further information, see: Agricultural Policy: Monitoring and Evaluation 2013. Journalists may request copies of the report, or further information, from the OECD Media Division ( 33 1 4524 7900). http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/support-to-agriculture-rising-after-hitting-historic-lows-oecd-says.htm man of Feeding
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EU Court Lights Red Light on Genetically Modified Potatoes2013/12/16 China Science News content Summary A few days ago, the European Court of Justice turned a red light on the cultivation of genetically modified potato Amflora, Amflora potatoes can produce a special type of starch used to make pulp or glue, or to produce animal feed. This starch is resistant to aminoglycoside antibiotics, which the World Health Organization considers essential for human and animal health. The Permanent Court of Justice of the European Union recently banned the cultivation and sale of a species called Amflora within the European Union. Transgenic potato, thus withdrawing the relevant permit issued by the European Commission in 2010. The court's ruling will not affect the cultivation and sales of potatoes, because Amflora manufacturer BASF of Germany withdrew from the European market in 2012. But the ruling, which came into force in Luxembourg on December 13, is a real blow to the European Commission and may have a negative impact on the planting license of a genetically modified corn-after a long stalemate, the European Commission tried to give it in November 2013. Amflora potatoes produce a special type of starch that is used to make pulp or glue, or to produce animal feed. This starch is resistant to aminoglycoside antibiotics, which the World Health Organization considers essential for human and animal health. In 2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said Amflora was safe for both human health and the environment. Based on EFSA's recommendations, the European Commission has introduced a draft aimed at approving the cultivation of Amflora. However, EU member states did not sign the draft resolution. In Europe, genetically modified crops have always been a controversial topic, and attitudes between countries are also very different, some completely opposed, some cautiously accepted. After that, the European Commission hoped to clear up doubts with another scientific point: in 2009, EFSA confirmed that the Amflora was safe. In March 2010, based on the EFSA "unified opinion", the European Commission issued a planting license to Amflora. However, Hungary, Austria, France, Luxembourg and Poland challenged the decision before the Court. The court said that the European Commission had broken the rules: the scientific basis for the decision had changed and member states had the right to consider the modification of the proposal. In September 2013, the court ruled that the European Commission had canceled the planting license issued to genetically modified corn 1507. Opponents say the GM corn will produce a toxin to fight insects and antibodies to the herbicide glufosinate. Greenpeace Europe and other environmental groups welcomed the court's ruling, with Marco Contiero, Greenpeace's director of agricultural policy, saying that after EFSA updated its scientific position, the European Commission was improper in failing to give member states a chance to vote on the matter. "The European Commission should think twice and should not make decisions impulsively," Contiero said." At the same time, BASF has moved its GM research unit to the United States. Peter Eckes, head of BASF in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park, said the court ruling confirmed the company's decision to abandon the European market. The court's ruling once again shows that in January 2012, BASF made the right decision to transfer its research and development of plant biotechnology to "more promising markets" such as the United States and Asia ". Eckes added in an email that the court's decision will not have a negative impact on the Amflora's scientific evaluation. http://news.sciencenet.cn/sbhtmlnews/2013/12/281326.shtm citation from Web of Science man of Feeding
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Global cereal production expected to increase significantly in 2013FAO issues food alert for Sahel and Central African Republic farmers are winning out teff, an Ethiopian grain. 2013 year12 month5 day, Rome-The latest FAO estimates show that world production of cereals, including rice, is expected to reach a new high of nearly 2.5 billion tonnes. According to the latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation Report, this figure is nearly 8.4 percent higher than last year, surpassing the record of about 6 percent in 2011. While global cereal production is set to increase, FAO warns that food security is worsening in Africa and some other regions. In the Sahelian countries of West Africa-Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal-the late arrival and early end of rains this year have affected crops and pastures. This situation could lead to a spike in food insecurity and malnutrition in the 2013/2014 sales year. Another factor affecting the regional food insecurity situation is the large number of Malians displaced by civil strife. In the Central African Republic, civil strife has resulted in 1.3 million people in urgent need of food assistance. In Southern Africa, tighter annual supplies for 2013/2014 sales have caused cereal prices to approach or reach record levels in several countries. Dry weather conditions led to delays in planting the 2014 crop in some areas. In the Philippines, Typhoon Haiyan affected 14 million people. FAO has called for at least $30 million to be raised for agricultural rehabilitation, while the World Food Programme has recommended emergency food aid for 2.5 million people. In Syria and Yemen, ongoing internal conflicts have led to severe food insecurity, with 6 million and 4.5 million people in need of emergency food assistance, respectively. International food prices are basically stable FAO also released its Food Price Index today, showing that price trends remained stable in November. Last month's average was 206.3 points, almost unchanged from October's revised 206.6 points, but 9.5 points (4.4 per cent) lower than in November 2012. Sugar prices fell sharply compared with the previous month, almost offsetting the rise in oil prices. The average price of cereals declined slightly, but the prices of meat and dairy products remained stable. The index is a measure of monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of five categories of goods, including about 73 quotes. Crop Prospects the latest estimates of world cereal production mainly reflect adjustments to forecast maize production in the United States, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, where production is set in place as the harvest nears completion. According to the latest data, in this year's overall increase in world cereal production, wheat and coarse grains production increased by 7.8 and 12 per cent, respectively, and rice production increased by only 1 per cent. Early prospects for the northern hemisphere's winter wheat crop, which has been sown and will be harvested in 2014, are largely good. World cereal stocks are expected to rise to 0.572 billion tonnes by the end of the 2014 crop season, up 13.4 per cent from the previous year, or nearly 68 million tonnes. This forecast is nearly 9 million tons higher than the forecast in November, reflecting an upward adjustment to the end-of-term stocks of wheat and coarse grains, while the end-of-term stocks of rice decreased slightly. The surge in world cereal stocks this season will bring the ratio of global cereal stocks to utilization to 23.5 per cent, well above the historical low of 18.4 per cent in 2007/2008. http://www.fao.org/news/story/zh/item/209457/icode/ man of Feeding
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Myanmar's agrochemical market has great potential for developmentMyanmar's agrochemical market has great potential for development date: 11/26/2013 from November 7 to 8, the International Trade Committee of China Pesticide Industry Association and China Chemical Industry Information Center jointly hosted the 2013 Myanmar International Agricultural Exhibition and Asian Agrochemical Summit Forum in Yangon, Myanmar. This is the first professional exhibition focusing on agrochemicals and agricultural supporting equipment held in Myanmar, which has aroused positive repercussions in the industry. Through this event, the participating companies have an intuitive impression of Myanmar's agrochemical market. At the same time, through on-site inspections and direct exchanges and communication with local farmers, they also learned more about Myanmar's crop planting and pesticide use. And farmers' procurement methods, etc., truly appreciate the potential space for the application of plant protection products in Myanmar. The event played a positive role in promoting trade exchanges and technical cooperation in the agricultural field between China, Myanmar and Asia. The exchange event has achieved remarkable results. The exhibition covers a total area of 1500 square meters. There are 74 exhibitors from China, Myanmar, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, and the Netherlands. Among them, Chinese exhibitors account for 70%, attracting people from Myanmar, China, India, More than 1200 professional visitors from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, France, Chile, UAE, Germany, South Korea and other places visited. As the first agrochemical exhibition held in Myanmar, the government attaches great importance to this. The Minister of Agriculture of Myanmar and the Minister of Commerce of Myanmar not only visited the exhibition together, but also had extensive exchanges with the China Pesticide Industry Association and some exhibitors. At the Asian Agrochemical Summit Forum held at the same time as the exhibition, government officials in charge of pesticide registration management from China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand and other countries communicated with exhibitors on industry standard management experience. The parties also conducted full exchanges on issues of general concern in the field of Myanmar's agriculture and Asian plant protection, and jointly discussed hot topics for cooperation and development in the agricultural field. Officials from the Plant Protection Bureau of the Department of Agriculture of Myanmar introduced to the participants in detail the distribution of farmland, crop cultivation and pesticide use in Myanmar, the process of pesticide registration in Myanmar, relevant laws and regulations, as well as the types of pesticides prohibited and restricted in Myanmar, environmental protection and safety issues. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture of China, Vietnam, and Thailand also elaborated on the management, registration, use, import and export of pesticides in their respective countries. Plant protection products have unlimited potential seventy per cent of Myanmar's population is rural and agricultural production accounts for 65 per cent of the gross national product. Whether it is horizontal or vertical comparison, Myanmar's crop production quantity and quality have growth potential, and the application and market development space of plant protection products in Myanmar cannot be underestimated. Horizontally, Myanmar's land area exceeds that of Vietnam and Thailand, while the planting area is equivalent to that of Vietnam, and the development potential of Myanmar's agricultural land is still great. If Myanmar's crop cultivation area can be increased to 35% of the total area, it will be doubled. According to reports, at present, Myanmar farmers buy and use very little pesticides, and most of the products used come from Thailand, mainly pesticides, and no herbicides have been used. The use of plant protection products in Myanmar is only 8% ~ 10% of that in Vietnam. The backward plant protection technology and the lack of pesticide products and varieties are the main reasons for the low agricultural output in Myanmar. Taking the most basic rice production as an example, Myanmar's output per hectare is only 70% of Thailand's and 55% of Vietnam's, while the income gap is even greater, only 1/3 of Thailand and Vietnam. Vertically, although Myanmar's agricultural production has achieved rapid development in recent years, and the use of pesticides is also increasing, pesticide sales still face many problems, such as insufficient funds for farmers to purchase and limited knowledge of plant protection. The rapid development of agriculture in Myanmar has brought many business opportunities to plant protection products. With the improvement of people's living standards and the increase of population, as well as the growth of export demand, the fruit and vegetable industry has become a relatively rapid development in Myanmar in recent years. Good growth conditions and low-cost labor and other factors make the fruit and vegetable industry in Myanmar have considerable development potential. At present, there are about 70 kinds of fruits planted in Myanmar. Although it has superior and suitable growth climate and planting conditions, its quality and yield are still relatively low. Compared with neighboring countries, both of them lag behind. Welcome Chinese enterprises to invest in Myanmar the Minister of Agriculture of Myanmar encouraged Chinese companies to introduce more and faster pesticide products with good quality and excellent prices into the Myanmar market to meet the needs of Myanmar's agricultural economic development. At the same time, he also stressed that by giving full play to the management and control role of the governments and industry organizations of both sides, we can ensure the regularization and honest operation of pesticide products in all aspects of production, packaging and distribution. Compared with some other countries, the current pace of Chinese agrochemical enterprises to invest in Myanmar is not fast enough. With the further stabilization of Myanmar society and the further strengthening of economic development, enterprises with strength and willingness to develop in the Myanmar market will certainly make a difference if they can continue to pay attention to the relevant agrochemical market and seize the opportunity in due course. The two ministers welcomed Chinese agrochemical enterprises to come to Myanmar to invest and build factories and operate for a long time according to their actual needs. They said that the Myanmar government is very willing to support the investment enterprises in all aspects and provide convenient conditions as far as possible. Myanmar is rich in agricultural resources but relatively backward in technology. Agricultural production products such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides and agricultural machinery need to be imported. There is a large market space for the products of Chinese agrochemical enterprises to be exported to Myanmar. According to statistics, at present, China exports 119200 tons of pesticides to Thailand, with an export value of 0.32 billion US dollars; 78500 tons of pesticides to Vietnam, with an export value of 0.269 billion US dollars; and 68600 tons of pesticides to Indonesia, with an export value of 0.26 billion US dollars. In sharp contrast to the above three countries, China's annual export of pesticides to Myanmar is only 5670 tons, and the export value is only 21.36 million US dollars. Myanmar is a market waiting for Chinese agrochemical enterprises to expand. This exhibition will help introduce and promote Chinese agrochemical products in the Myanmar market, and also give them more confidence in developing and operating the Myanmar market. http://shanxi.cinic.org.cn/sn/523685.html china Industrial Economic Information Network man of Feeding
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Rational Agriculture in France Promotes Sustainable Development of Agriculture2013/12/11 Economic Daily content Summary in the 1980 s, France used a large number of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which brought about a series of problems such as soil compacting, declining fertility, soil erosion, and destruction of biodiversity. To this end, France put forward the concept of "rational agriculture". In the process of modern agricultural planting, "rational agriculture" comprehensively considers and takes into account the economic interests of producers, consumer needs and environmental protection in order to achieve sustainable agricultural development. After realizing the transformation from traditional agriculture dominated by small-scale peasant economy to modern agriculture characterized by mechanization, electrification, chemistry and improved varieties, France has become the second largest agricultural country in the world in terms of agricultural products and food exports on a par with the United States. What is most worth mentioning in this transformation is the "rational agriculture" development model that is unique and upheld in France. At present, "rational agriculture" has been incorporated into the EU's common agricultural policy, and this is also becoming the trend of world agricultural development. France is currently the first in the European Union and the second largest agricultural country in the world. The number of agricultural producers in France accounts for 20% of the EU, ranking first in the EU, and 40% of the operators are large-scale operators. But if you go back to the 1950 s, France is an out-and-out backward agricultural country. In the 1980 s, France began the transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture, and embarked on a development path of "rational agriculture. " rational" consolidate the foundation of development at present, the proportion of agricultural operations in France is 22.2 per cent for large areas of food and cash crops, 3.2 per cent for vegetables, 2.9 per cent for fruits, 13.4 per cent for wine, 3.4 per cent for other crops and the rest for aquaculture. In the 1980 s, a large number of chemical fertilizers and pesticides were widely used in French agricultural farming, which increased the single yield of land to a certain extent, but also brought about soil consolidation, fertility decline, soil erosion, biological chain and biodiversity destruction, A series of problems such as the degradation of the ecological environment, the reduction of the quality of agricultural products and the decline of competitiveness in the international market. This production mode, which only pays attention to the output of agricultural products and ignores the quality and environment, has aroused the reflection of farmers and agricultural science and technology workers. With the wide recognition of the concept of ecology and environmental protection in the international community, French government departments are increasingly aware of the importance of food safety and agricultural ecological environment protection. For this reason, France put forward the concept of "rational agriculture", and took the development of "rational agriculture" as the foundation of the development of its own agriculture, forming the "rational culture" of French agriculture ". The so-called "rational agriculture" refers to the comprehensive consideration and consideration of the economic interests of producers, consumer needs and environmental protection in the process of modern agricultural planting, in order to achieve sustainable agricultural development. France has also become the first country in the world to put forward and practice the concept of "rational agriculture", and has formulated a series of laws and regulations to protect the agricultural ecological environment and biodiversity. As we all know, protecting farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain is the foundation of agricultural production. If farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain is not effectively protected, agricultural downstream industries will naturally become "trees without roots". At the same time, environmental costs and consumers' requirements for the quality of agricultural products can not be ignored: to meet consumers' demand for the output and quality of agricultural products, to strengthen the protection of agricultural ecological environment and original ecological culture such as soil quality, water quality and air, and to ensure biodiversity is also the meaning of "rational agriculture" in France. Government and non-governmental work together analyzing the development process of "rational agriculture" in France, it is not difficult to find its distinctive features, that is, on the one hand, it gives full play to the functions and supporting role of the government, on the other hand, it emphasizes the basic role of non-governmental cooperation organizations at all levels. at the same time, it highlights the important role of science and technology in agricultural development. The role of the government in promoting the development of rational agriculture is crucial. In 1992, France formulated the land fallow system. In 1997 and 1999, France successively promulgated the "National Ecological Agriculture Plan" and the "New Agricultural Guidance Law", which proposed the construction of "a multi-functional agriculture that takes into account economic, environmental and social benefits and sustainable development." "goal. In 2000, France revised and formulated a new national agricultural development plan, and then launched the "French National Plan for 2020 Environmental Protection Agricultural Production." the French government's management of agriculture is mainly reflected in the macro policy. The main responsibilities of the Government include the construction of agricultural infrastructure, the development of agricultural research and agricultural education extension, the settlement of agricultural credit funds, and the organization and coordination of national agricultural public services. Avoiding Risks, Agricultural Insurance, Heavy Responsibility agricultural breeding is vulnerable to natural disasters and other force majeure factors, is a relatively weak industry, France's approach is to effectively avoid the risk of planting through agricultural insurance. France implements a "low rate, high subsidy" policy for agricultural insurance. Farmers only need to pay about 20 to 50 per cent of the premiums, and the remaining 50 to 80 per cent are all borne by the government. This practice enables farmers to effectively avoid the risk of planting and production, and fully mobilize the enthusiasm of farmers in production. At the same time, policy support is implanted in agricultural insurance institutions, not for profit, so that agricultural insurance is different from commercial insurance in the pure sense. Therefore, the French government has established a policy-oriented agricultural insurance institution, and its administrative funds and agricultural insurance fund deficits are directly subsidized by the government. The state has to make an insurance budget once a year, with a total amount of 20% to 50% of the premium, which is used to meet the urgent needs of state-owned insurance companies when they cannot make ends meet, thus effectively ensuring the business development of agricultural insurance institutions. In addition, the French government has passed legislation to protect agricultural insurance. The government implements tax exemption policies for the capital, deposits, income and property of all agricultural insurance departments, and provides protection through laws. It has also formulated the "Agricultural Insurance Law", which stipulates that the items of agricultural insurance shall be stipulated by national laws, and insurance liabilities, reinsurance, Insurance rates, claims calculation and other matters are also determined by laws or regulations. Compulsory insurance is implemented for some bulk products related to the national economy and people's livelihood, such as rice, wheat, barley, etc. The concept of "rational agriculture" has been put forward for more than 20 years, but it is still out of date. This is certainly due to the scientific nature of the policy, but on the other hand, France's "rational agriculture" can guarantee farmers' income, ensure the output and quality of agricultural products, and more importantly, achieve the goals of environmental protection and ecological construction. Citation from Science and Technology World Network http://www.twwtn.com/Agriculture/53_214560_2.html man of Feeding
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FAO's EU Food Fund project has ended but its impact continuesEmergency assistance from the EU Food Fund has helped tens of millions of the world's most vulnerable people through the crisis. Important facts the high food price crisis, accompanied by the global economic recession, pushed millions of the world's poor even deeper into poverty in 2007-2008 and had an impact on global food security. The European Union quickly set up the EU Food Fund, allocating a historic 1 billion million euros to support those most in need. The EU provided funding through international organizations, non-governmental organizations and member State institutions, which then designed and launched targeted short-term projects to bridge the gap between national emergency needs and development goals. FAO has received 1/4 funding and targeted assistance through assessments to some 15 million people in Africa, Asia and Latin America. When the project cycle ended in early 2012, FAO was able to provide tangible evidence that investments in agriculture and nutrition had an immediate impact on pressing national problems, sometimes helping to improve the resilience of vulnerable populations. This finding has long-term implications for reducing poverty and improving global food security. Bangladesh has experienced considerable economic development since the 1990 s, but when the high food price crisis occurred in 2007, more than 7.5 million Bangladeshis were pushed into poverty. This is a picture repeated in developing countries around the world, where the 2007-2008 spike in commodity prices led to a growing number of the world's most vulnerable people entering crisis situations. The crisis has developed so rapidly and caused such widespread damage that no development organization can deal with it alone. The EU quickly intervened. It set up the EU Food Fund and allocated € 1 billion million to help countries address the urgent challenges posed by high food prices. The program ran for three years. When it ended in 2012, emergency assistance helped millions of the world's most vulnerable people through the crisis. At the same time, FAO has designed projects to provide training and materials needed to make it more resilient in the face of future crises. Evaluation leads to improved selection of project objectives FAO is the largest recipient of WFP funds, with € 0.238 billion ($0.32 billion) for 31 projects in 28 countries. Direct project beneficiaries include farmers, fishers and pastoralists 15 million Africa, Asia and Latin America. With the launch of the project, FAO, in coordination with its partners in the United Nations system, in particular its sister agencies, the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, undertook assessment missions to identify the specific needs and constraints of each country. Based on the feedback from the mission, FAO was able to define project objectives and provide support and training in areas such as improving agricultural production or water harvesting methods, introducing new crop varieties, creating private sector seed enterprises and establishing links between farmers and markets. In addition to training, the project provides key inputs, such as seeds and fertilizers, agricultural machinery and irrigation equipment, as well as small and large ruminants, poultry and animal feed, and fishing equipment. For example, FAO projects have guided the immunization of more than 44.6 million livestock. Recognizing the importance of combining the provision of inputs with the provision of training on how to best use them, FAO has helped recipients to sustainably improve their own livelihoods, thereby bridging the gap between emergency assistance and medium-and long-term development. In Bangladesh, in partnership with the government, FAO identified current and future needs and designed a project to support 80000 farming and fishing families in the south-west of the country. The region has been particularly hard hit because it is still recovering from flood damage caused by two successive typhoons-Typhoon Sidder in 2007 and Typhoon Ella in 2009. The project provides farmers with inputs and machinery, livestock and fodder, as well as materials for the construction of sheds. It also provides fishermen with fish species and equipment for aquaculture and open-water fisheries-all through the Farmer Field School established by FAO. Recognizing the success of the project in helping to improve production and help farmers build their future resilience, the Government is now discussing the continuation of the project and the expansion of the strategy. Similarly, in the Philippines, FAO has established farmer field schools to promote small-scale irrigation systems. Meanwhile, the FAO Food Fund project in Zimbabwe has provided 26000 tons of maize and sorghum seeds, as well as suitable fertilizers, helping 176000 farmers significantly increase their production. In Niger, where the food crisis was further exacerbated by drought that destroyed harvests, efforts focused on reducing malnutrition in 72000 rural households, involving a population of about 500000, by increasing agricultural production. FAO is not only able to get these projects up and running quickly and target their target recipients, but is also able to adapt to unexpected situations. Pakistan's original plan called for wheat and vegetable seeds and fertilizer support for 100000 farmers. But when Pakistan was hit by severe monsoon floods, FAO expanded the project to help people in the flooded areas while continuing to provide promised assistance to farmers. http://www.fao.org/in-action/fao-eu-food-facility-projects-end-but-their-impact-continues/zh/ man of Feeding
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U.S. Agricultural Extension Services in Urban and Rural AreasNovember 30, 2013 02 edition source: farmers Daily cao Chengyi all universities in the United States are engaged in research and education, but hundreds of land-grant colleges and universities have a third mission-promotion. "Promotion" means "reaching out". While teaching and research, land-grant colleges use their resources to meet the needs of the public through informal, non-credit projects. These projects are mainly implemented by the county and district extension offices of land-grant colleges, and the co-organizer is the federal partner in the cooperative extension system-the American Institute of Food and Agriculture. As the national program leader, the American Food and Agricultural Research Institute plays a key role in the promotion task, determining how to use the annual congressional funding method to determine national priorities and timely supplement national and county extension funds. A century ago, the United States Congress created the extension system to specialize in rural and agricultural affairs. At that time, more than half of Americans lived in rural areas, and 30% of them worked in agriculture, and the introduction of extension programs into rural areas led to the agricultural revolution in the United States, resulting in a significant increase in agricultural productivity. Today, although less than 2 percent of Americans earn their living from farming and only 17 percent live in rural areas, extension services still play an important role in different areas of American life-rural, urban and suburban. There are approximately 3000 counties in the United States with extension services throughout the country, and most counties have extension offices in or near them. The instructors in charge of extension help farmers grow crops, help homeowners plan repairs, and teach their children skills that will help them grow. Although the rural population in the United States has declined and the importance of the rural economy has declined, the U.S. cooperative promotion system still plays an important role. In addition to solving rural problems, it is also increasingly involved in urban and suburban problems. It also caters to the changes in information technology in the United States and establishes "National Online". Generally speaking, after a century of development, American agricultural extension has adapted to the changes of the times, and constantly meets the needs of human, plant and animal in urban and rural areas. At present, agricultural extension work mainly focuses on six important areas: 4H Youth Development-Develop important life skills for young people, shape their character, and help them make the right life and career choices. To guide young people to participate in the school's retention and strengthening projects, through practical projects and activities, let young people learn science, mathematics and other knowledge and related social skills. In agriculture-research and education programs help farmers to work in different enterprises and improve the market. Marketing strategies and management skills enable farmers to learn new ways to open up income channels; help farmers and farmers improve production efficiency through resource management, crop pest control, soil testing, livestock production practices and marketing. Leadership Development-Training extended service professionals and volunteers to take leadership roles in the community by extending programs to horticulture, health and safety, family and consumer, and 4H youth development. Natural Resources-Use educational programs to educate landowners and homeowners on how to use natural resources wisely and protect the environment, such as water quality, wood management, composting, lawn waste management and recycling. Family and Consumer Science-teaches families the skills of food preparation, proper child care skills, and family communication, financial management, and health care strategies to help each family lead a vibrant and healthy life. Community and economic development-help local governments to conduct surveys and identify feasible economic and community development decisions, such as job creation and retention improvement, small and medium-sized enterprise development, effective and coordinated emergency response, solid waste disposal, tourism development, personnel education and land use planning. Man of Feeding
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World Resources Report 2013: Effective ways to address the global food gapActions Needed to Improve Food Production and Consumption to Close the Projected 70 Percent Gap by 2050 JOHANNESBURG/WASHINGTON-New research presents solutions to meet the world's growing food needs, while advancing economic development and environmental sustainability. The analysis finds that the world will need 70 percent more food, as measured by calories, in order to feed a global population of 9.6 billion people in 2050. It is possible to close the food gap, while creating a more productive and healthy environment through improvements in the way people produce and consume food. The findings are being unveiled in the new interim report of World Resources Report: Creating a Sustainable Food Future, produced by the World Resources Institute (WRI), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Bank. The report is being released at 3rd Global Conference on Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security and Climate Change, in Johannesburg, South Africa. “Over the next several decades, the world faces a grand challenge-and opportunity-at the intersection of food security, development and the environment," said Dr. Andrew Steer, President and CEO of WRI. “To meet human needs, we must close the 70 percent gap between the food we will need and the food available today. But, we must do so in a way that creates opportunities for the rural poor, limits clearing of forests, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture ." The report finds that boosting crop and livestock productivity on existing agricultural land is critical to saving forests and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but that the world is unlikely to close the food gap through yield increases alone. The new report finds that crop yields would need to increase by 32 percent more over the next four decades than they did in the previous four to avoid more land clearing. Fortunately, additional solutions are available. The report offers several “menu items” for achieving a sustainable food future. “The waste of over 1.3 billion tons of food every year, worth around USD $1 trillion, is causing the world significant economic losses, while placing added pressure on the natural resources needed to feed the planet," said Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director. “Undermining the ecological foundation of food systems comes at a steep environmental price, with adverse impacts on land quality, water quantity, biodiversity, and the global climate. To bring about the vision of a truly sustainable world, we need to transform the way we produce and consume our natural resources. The restoration of ecosystems will not only increase the amount of food produced but also improve the state of the environment upon which food production is dependent ." The report includes recommendations to close the food gap by reducing excessive consumption, such: · Reduce food loss and waste: 25 percent of calories from food grown for human consumption is currently lost or wasted. Cutting the rate of food loss and waste in half by 2050 would close 20 percent of the food gap. · Shift diets: Increasing demand for pasture land caused more half of all agricultural expansion since the 1960s, and beef consumption is projected to grow 80 percent between 2006 and 2050. Reducing excessive demand for animal products, particularly by developed countries, would spare hundreds of millions of hectares of forests that otherwise would be cleared for grazing. · Achieve replacement level fertility: Sub-Saharan Africa will need to more than triple its crop production between 2006 and 2050 to provide adequate food per capita, given projected population growth. Most of the world is nearing achievement of replacement level fertility by educating girls, reducing child mortality, and providing access to reproductive health services. Helping sub-Saharan Africa in its efforts to reduce fertility rates through improvements in healthcare and education could help close the food gap by 25 percent in the region, and generate important economic and social benefits. “From reducing food waste to improving agricultural practices, feeding a growing population requires working on several fronts at the same time," said Juergen Voegele, World Bank Director for Agriculture and Environmental Services. “Applying the principles of Climate Smart Agriculture across landscapes-that means crops, livestock, forests, and fisheries-has the potential to sustainably increase food security, enhance resilience and reduce agriculture's carbon footprint. Pursuing this approach is not a luxury, it's an imperative ." The report also includes recommendations to close the food gap by improving food production, such: · Improve soil and water management: Farmers can increase crop yields on existing agricultural land by implementing a suite of soil and water management practices such as agroforestry and water harvesting. Such practices, for instance, have doubled yields of maize and other grains in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Zambia over the past decade. · Improve pastureland productivity: Pastures and grazing lands for livestock occupy twice the amount of land area than croplands worldwide. Farmers can increase milk and meat production on existing pasturelands through sustainable intensification practices such as using rotational grazing, improving livestock health care, and integrating shade trees and nitrogen-fixing shrubs into pastures, which reduces animal stress and improves grass quality. · Use degraded lands: The world has many “low-carbon degraded lands," areas where native vegetation was cleared long ago and that now have very low levels of carbon, biodiversity, and human use. Any future expansion in agricultural area should focus on restoring these degraded lands into productivity, with the consent of local communities. · Avoid shifting agricultural land from one place to another: New satellite data show that even when total agricultural land area in a region remains steady or declines, agriculture shifts within the region causing millions of hectares of deforestation. · Leave no farmer behind: Yield gaps, the difference between a farm's actual yields and its potential yields, still exist in many places. Focusing on bringing the most inefficient farmers up to standard farming efficiency levels will help close yield gaps and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Ensuring that women farmers have access to the same resources-such as fertilizer, seeds, finance, and land-as male farmers is an important step. “As agriculture is a major economic sector in many developing countries, supporting farmers to close the identified gap between existing and potential yields represents a huge opportunity to advance inclusive and sustainable development," said Helen Clark, Administrator of UNDP. “A 'leave no farmer behind' approach is needed. As women produce between 60 and 80 percent of food crops in developing countries, such an approach should begin with efforts to close the gender gap in agriculture which is perpetuating cycles of poverty and hunger ." The final version of the World Resources Report 2013-2014: Creating a Sustainable Food Future will be released in mid-2014 and will further quantify the contribution of each “menu item” toward closing the food gap, while paying particular attention to the policies, practices, and incentives needed to effectively bring change to scale. http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2013/12/03/new-report-offers-menu-of-solutions-to-close-the-global-food-gap/ man of Feeding
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WTO talks: China and India disagree on food aidWTO meeting: China, India differ on food subsidy Bali-India-China Union minister of commerce and industry Anand Sharma with Gao Hucheng, minister of commerce of the People's Republic of China at a meeting on the sidelines of 9th WTO Ministerial meeting in Bali on Tuesday. (PTI photo) Sidhartha, TNN | Dec 4, 2013, 04.36AM IST BALI: India is under pressure, including from allies like China and Indonesia, to agree to the four-year "peace clause" at the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting, but is sticking to its tough stand, at least for now. India and several developing countries, including Indonesia and China, want the cap on food subsidy at 10% of the value of production reworked as domestic support levels have shot up almost six times since the WTO deal on agriculture was decided two decades ago. This raises the prospect of them breaching the cap, and facing penalties. A peace clause will ensure those going past the mandated level do not face action at the WTO. India is keen that instead of the truce lasting four years, the peace clause should be in place till a permanent solution is found. The Chinese trade minister told commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma that he backed a successful WTO meet, though China appreciated India's "strong position" on food security. He also recalled China's sacrifices. He is learned to have recounted how China had made sacrifices when it joined the WTO a decade ago but had managed to emerge as a strong exporter of farm products. He also said every country had made some sacrifice in reaching the current stage of negotiations where a four-year peace clause was being offered. Sharma responded by saying it was only a small nudge that was needed as the elephant had passed through the door and only the tail remained. Indonesia, which chairs the G-33 that is piloting the food security plan, also highlighted the need for flexibility. "India comes strong in terms of linking the interim solution to the permanent solution. But we also understand where the other guys are coming from. There needs to be flexibility from some sides for this to work," Indonesian trade minister Gita Wirjawan said. On Monday, Egypt, which chairs the Arab League, had also backed a "successful outcome". WTO members are backing an agreement on trade facilitation that will ease customs rules and make flow of goods through airports and ports easier. But India is linking the talks on trade facilitation with its demand on food security. To address India's demand that the peace clause be in place till a permanent solution is found, Wirjawan said, "It's a question of how the shape of the interim solution that will link itself to the permanent solution (will be)... I am suggesting not a longer peace clause but a better defined mechanism of linking the interim to the permanent." Against India's demand, the WTO members are looking at a four-year peace clause, which the government believes is unlikely to yield results. In fact, during a meeting with Nepal, which leads the group of least developed countries, the Indian delegation is learned to have said that it does not expect a solution in four years as developed countries will only delay it. India fears that by agreeing to the four-year clause, it will only end up accepting that it is close to breaching the 10% cap. "They (developed countries) will not even need lawyers, they will just file a case to seek penalties," an Indian negotiator is reported to have said at the meeting on Tuesday, while seeking the support of poor countries on the issue. Despite the pressure, India seemed to be holding firm. An official statement said that during his meetings on Tuesday, commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma stated that the outcome of the WTO conference "is the collective responsibility of the entire WTO membership, and a fair, balanced result would be possible only if the genuine concerns of developing countries including India are satisfactorily addressed". It also said that during a meeting of trade ministers from India, Brazil and South Africa, the other two countries backed New Delhi's position and wanted to know how best these could best be accommodated in the Bali package. In private, officials admitted that there would be pressure to agree to the deal but the government is willing to go the distance to ensure that its demands are met. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/WTO-meeting-China-India-differ-on-food-subsidy/articleshow/26814991.cms
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Canada's 2013 wheat production is expected to increase by 38% to 37.53 million tonsCanada's 2013 wheat production is expected to increase by 38% to 37.53 million tons according to news on December 4, the production report released by Statistics Canada on Wednesday showed that the country's wheat production in 2013 will be higher than expected, reaching a record 37.53 million tons, an increase of 38% from 2012. Much higher than the October estimate of 33 million tons, but also higher than the market average of 33.8 million tons expected. The Bureau of Statistics said in the report that a survey of farmers showed that favorable weather has increased crop yields in western provinces. The level refreshed the record of 32.1 million tons set in 1990. Canada is generally the world's second or third largest wheat exporter. (Source: Master Boyi) this article is reproduced from: China Grain Network (www.cngrain.com) http://www.cngrain.com/Publish/inter/201312/558529.shtml
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G-33 countries urge WTO to agree on food securityG-33 countries urge WTO to agree on food security 2013-12-02 20:19 0 source: china News Network china News Agency, Bali, December 2 (Reporter Gu Shihong) Ministers or representatives from G-33 member states held a meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia on the 2nd to urge WTO members to reach an agreement on food security issues. The meeting was presided over by Indonesian Trade Minister Jeddah as part of the Ninth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, which will open on the 3rd. Jeddah told reporters after the meeting that the meeting reached agreement on G-33 proposals related to food security, including reducing trade barriers, enhancing the competitiveness of developing countries, and emphasizing the need for special product agreements and special safeguard mechanisms. It also emphasized that the WTO should play its fair role in ensuring the healthy development of the multilateral trading system. G-33 hope that other WTO members will approve their proposals, including changes to the WTO's agricultural agreement so that they can provide greater subsidies to farmers. Indonesian presidential palace spokesman Julian also said on the 2nd that Indonesian President Susilo will attend the Ninth World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, which opens on the 3rd. It is said that nearly 10,000 trade ministers and representatives from 167 countries around the world will attend the meeting and discuss global trade issues. (END)