World Agriculture
Developments, trade, data, and topics in world agriculture
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Brazil to plant 0.6 billion mu of new GM soybeansArticle source: and news network in view of the fact that the first insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant soybean technology has been officially approved by the Ministry of Agriculture of China, Monsanto (NYSE: MON) announced on June 20 that it will begin all-round commercial promotion of the product when the next planting season in Brazil arrives. Insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant soybean technology is expected to be at the heart of Monsanto's next-generation soybean technology product platform, which is one of the main drivers of its global business growth. It is estimated that the application of this technology will bring more benefits to growers of more than 0.1 billion acres (about 0.6 billion acres) in South America. "Obtaining China's import approval for processing raw materials is an important milestone for both Monsanto and Brazilian farmers. It also reflects that a new round of technological innovation will lead the direction of Monsanto's soybean technology research and development in the next decade." Bergman, President and Chief Commercial Officer of Monsanto, said, "More importantly, this insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant soybean technology product provides Brazilian farmers with a new option for managing field pests and weeds, while expanding our soybean technology The platform creates opportunities to accelerate the rate of innovation in our core crop, soybeans." in addition to Monsanto, a number of South American seed companies are also expected to launch soybean seed products containing insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant traits in the upcoming planting season. In conjunction with the commercial promotion of the upcoming planting season, Monsanto also announced the final results of the field experiment of the "Ground Breakers?" launched in Brazil. This year, Monsanto will double the number of Brazilian farmers participating in the "ground breaking trial planting project" to 1,000. Compared with the first generation of Roundup resistant soybeans, the yield per mu of insect-resistant and herbicide-resistant soybeans has increased by 18.00kg. "Monsanto has gained a lot of experience and consensus through the'ground breaking trial planting project' with growers in the past two years, which has helped us position a successful product to market." Bergman said, "Insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant soybean technology means a new value experience for growers, and it is an important opportunity for business growth for Monsanto." monsanto plans to launch "Ground Breakers?" in Argentina in fiscal year 2014 and commercialize it in fiscal year 2015. At present, Monsanto is developing the second and third generation of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant soybean technology products, hoping to bring more benefits to growers in the region. The benefits of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant soybean technology are: increased yield potential; protection of soybeans from major pests including the quinoa bean moth, soybean inchworm, bean stalk borer, stem borer, corn stalk borer and tobacco noctuid moth; and glyphosate-resistant herbicide. (Responsible editor: Shixin)
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19th World Day to Combat Desertification and DroughtJune 17 this year is the nineteenth World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought ". The theme of China's propaganda is "curbing desertification and realizing Chinese Dream", which aims to further encourage and mobilize the broad masses of the people to continue to carry forward the indomitable and hard-working Populus euphratica spirit, actively participate in the great cause of desertification prevention and control, and jointly build a beautiful China. Chinese Dream. Desertification is a hot issue in the world, and it is also the most serious ecological problem in China. The Chinese government has always attached great importance to the prevention and control of desertification, adopted a series of major measures to control desertified land, and embarked on a road of desertification prevention and control with Chinese characteristics. After a long period of unremitting efforts, China's desertification prevention and control work has achieved remarkable results. The area of desertified land has changed from an average annual expansion of 3436 square kilometers at the end of the last century to an average annual reduction of 1717 square kilometers at present, realizing a major change from "sand advancing and people retreating" to "people advancing and retreating. Sand and dust weather has decreased. There were 8 times of sand and dust weather in northern my country this spring, which is 50% of the average level in the past 11 years. The issue of desertification prevention and control is related to global ecological security and human living space, as well as poverty alleviation and economic and social development in sandy areas. The United Nations attaches great importance to the prevention and control of desertification. The General Assembly has adopted a resolution to raise the issue of desertification to the strategic height of maintaining world political and regional stability, food security and promoting social development. It has designated 2010-2020 as the "United Nations Decade for Desertification and Desertification Control", put forward a new goal of achieving zero growth in global desertification land area by 2030, and established a new mechanism to consider the progress and effectiveness of global implementation, new requirements have been placed on countries to implement the Convention to Combat Desertification. Although the cause of desertification prevention and control in China has made great progress, the task of desertification prevention and control is still very arduous. There are 2.62 million square kilometers of desertified land in the country, accounting for 27% of the country's land area. More than 0.4 billion people are harmed by desertification, causing direct economic losses of more than 54 billion billion yuan each year. Desertification has become an important constraint for building an ecological civilization and a beautiful China, building a well-off society in an all-round way, and realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly requires to promote the comprehensive control of desertification, rocky desertification, and soil erosion, strive to build a beautiful China, and realize the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. During his inspection in Hainan, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that protecting the ecological environment is to protect productivity, and improving the ecological environment is to develop productivity. A good ecological environment is the fairest public product and the most inclusive well-being of the people.
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OECD = FAO expects global agricultural production growth to slow(From the FAO website: http://www.fao.org/news/story/zh/item/177504/icode/) developing countries' market position will be improved, with significant economic benefits-special attention: China's agricultural production is expected to meet global demand, despite the slowdown in growth. 2013 june 6, Beijing-A new report released by the OECD and FAO points out that global agricultural production is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 1.5 per cent over the next decade, compared with an annual growth rate of 2.1 per cent from 2003 to 2012. Restricted expansion of agricultural land, increased production costs, increased resource constraints, and increased environmental pressure are the main reasons behind this trend. But the report also suggests that the supply of agricultural products should keep pace with global demand. OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2013-2022 it is expected that the medium-term prices of crops and livestock products will remain above the historical average due to a combination of slower production growth and stronger demand (including demand for biofuels). The report points out that agriculture has increasingly transformed into a market-oriented field, which is the opposite of the policy-driven situation in the past. At the same time, given the increasing food demand in developing countries, the potential for expansion of production and the comparative advantage in many global markets, This brings important investment opportunities and economic benefits to developing countries. However, production shortfalls, price volatility and trade disruptions continue to threaten global food security. The OECD-FAO Agriculture Outlook warns: "As long as food stocks are low in major producing and consuming countries, the risk of price volatility will increase. As a result of low food stocks, coupled with widespread droughts, such as the one in 2012, world food prices could rise by 15-40 per cent." with the world's 1/5 population, high income growth and a rapidly expanding agri-food sector, China will have a significant impact on global markets and receive special attention in the Outlook report. Although China's food production is expected to slow down over the next decade due to land, water and rural labor constraints, it can remain self-sufficient in major food crops. OECD in presenting the joint report in Beijing, Secretary-General Angel Gurría said: "The outlook for global agriculture is relatively bright due to strong demand, expanding trade and high prices. However, this bright outlook is premised on a sustained economic recovery. If we fail to promote global economic development, investment and growth in agriculture will suffer, potentially compromising food security". "The government needs to create an environment that promotes growth and trade," he added. "China has made great progress in expanding production and improving domestic food security. Agricultural reforms have played a key role in this process." FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said: "High food prices are an incentive to increase production, and we need to do our best to ensure that poor farmers benefit from them. But we must not forget that 70 per cent of the world's food-insecure population lives in rural areas of developing countries, many of whom are themselves small-scale subsistence farmers." he added: "China's agricultural production has achieved great success. Since 1978, agricultural production has increased nearly fivefold, and the country has made significant progress in food security. China is on track to achieve the first Millennium Development Goal of reducing hunger. Although China's agricultural output has expanded and food security has improved, it is also necessary to pay attention to resource and environmental issues. The growth of livestock production will also face many challenges. We are very happy to work with China to find a viable and lasting solution." developing countries will benefit driven by population growth, higher incomes, urbanization and changes in dietary patterns, consumption of major agricultural products will increase, with the fastest growth in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, followed by Latin America and the rest of Asia. With investment in agriculture in developing countries, the productivity gap with developed economies is narrowing, and the share of global production in developing countries will continue to increase. For example, developing countries are expected to account for 80 per cent of the growth in global meat production over the next decade, and trade volumes are expected to increase significantly. By 2022, developing countries will account for the majority of world exports of coarse grains, rice, oilseeds, vegetable oils, sugar, beef, poultry and fish. To reap a share of these economic gains, governments need to invest in agriculture to encourage innovation, increase productivity and strengthen integration in global value chains, FAO and OECD stressed. Agricultural policies need to address the inherent volatility of commodity markets by strengthening risk management instruments, while ensuring the sustainable use of land and water resources and reducing food loss and waste. China's prospects china's annual consumption growth is expected to outpace production growth by about 0.3 percent, indicating a widening but modest gap in the country's agricultural sector, the report said. China's imports of oilseeds are expected to increase by 40% over the next decade, accounting for 59% of global trade. The meat and dairy sector will continue to expand, leading to increased imports of feed grains. By 2022, China is expected to surpass the EU as the largest country in per capita pork consumption. China should maintain its leading role in the global aquaculture industry, which accounts for 63% of global production, and its position as the largest fishery exporter. In the next decade, China's grain production growth is expected to slow down, but it is still expected to maintain self-sufficiency in major food crops. The report pointed out that the main uncertainties in China's agricultural prospects should be closely monitored and resolved. These uncertainties include the sustainability of high levels of economic growth, increased constraints on productive resources, land degradation and water consumption, and increased production volatility due to climate change. According to FAO estimates, although the population has increased by 0.2 billion, the number of undernourished people has decreased by nearly 0.1 billion since 1990, and China's food security has improved. According to the report, it is estimated that 0.158 billion people in China are still undernourished, and ensuring food security for these people remains a major challenge.
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UN report says Chinese demand will push up food prices to spur agricultural mergers and acquisitionsAccording to a report by the Financial Times on June 6, the United Nations Agricultural Organization recently released a report saying that China will rely more on imported grain, oilseeds and meat in the next decade, a trend that may raise prices and spawn more mergers and acquisitions in the global agricultural industry. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) jointly released the much-watched annual agricultural outlook report on the 6th. The report is more bullish on China's food needs and, for the first time, uses a full chapter to describe China. It is expected that by 2022, China's imports of coarse grains (mainly used for livestock farming) will double, soybean imports will increase by 40%, meat imports will increase significantly, and beef imports will nearly double. "The challenge is very clear: China's food supply is a difficult task under the constraints of rapid economic growth and limited resources. China's consumption growth will be slightly higher than its output growth," the report noted." after entering the global agricultural market, China has begun to promote mergers and acquisitions in the agricultural industry. Last week, China's Shuanghui Group announced the acquisition of Smithfield (Smithfield), the largest U.S. pork manufacturer, for $7 billion. Meanwhile, commodity-trading houses such as Archer Daniels Midland (ArcherDanielsMidland) and Marubeni Commercial (Marubeni) spent $10 billion last year to acquire a number of grain traders in Australia and the United States serving the Chinese market.
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Deputy Director-General of the United Nations: China's agricultural science and technology innovation has three major misunderstandingsDeputy Director-General of the United Nations: China's agricultural science and technology innovation has three major misunderstandings 2013-06-05 From China Net the book "Food Security-Challenges and Responses of the Century" by He Changchui, Deputy Director-General of the United Nations for Food and Agriculture, was released in Beijing today. The book points out that while fully understanding the importance and urgency of agricultural scientific and technological innovation to China's national food security and agricultural development, we should also face up to some misunderstandings of agricultural scientific and technological innovation in China's agricultural departments. One of the misunderstandings: scientific and technological innovation is scientific research and scientific and technological leadership, and scientific and technological innovation is a "panacea" for the entire agricultural and rural development" this view holds that as long as scientific research can be carried out and scientific and technological leadership can be achieved, all problems can be easily solved. In fact, agricultural science and technology innovation is the product of the joint evolution and interaction of the "double helix structure" of agricultural science and technology progress and application innovation; it is the interaction between scientific and technological personnel and agricultural producers and consumers in the process of agricultural production to tap demand, through agricultural producers and consumers to participate in the whole process of creativity, research and development to experimental promotion and application. Agricultural science and technology innovation includes five interconnected stages: basic research, applied research, demonstration experiments, popularization and application, and market entry. These five interconnected stages are indispensable. The current theory of scientific and technological innovation should be the theory of double helix structure, scientific progress and applied innovation interact with each other, interact and spiral up. Agricultural science and technology innovation emphasizes the power of science and technology in the process of innovation, but it is not the invention of science and technology itself, but the value realization of agricultural science and technology invention. Agricultural science and technology innovation is not a pure scientific and technological concept. In fact, it should be an economic concept. Scientific research alone, without subsequent promotion and application, industrial production and market entry, cannot be called scientific and technological innovation. In addition, scientific and technological innovation can provide impetus for agricultural development, improve agricultural productivity and international competitiveness, but to achieve sustainable agricultural development and food security, a series of supporting measures, a sound policy environment and social and cultural environment are needed. Scientific and technological innovation is not a universal panacea ". The second misunderstanding: that agricultural science and technology innovation is the research of high and new technology, is the leading science and technology. This view has led to the blind pursuit of high-tech and high-tech research, the so-called "top-level design", the worship of "big science", and the blind enthusiasm for "big projects, big projects, and big topics". In the case of limited national resources, a large amount of resources and even the country's financial resources are blindly invested in these "big plans", "big projects" or large projects, and the cumulative agricultural technology innovation is dismissive, and even squeezes, "shut down and turn" Those traditional agricultural technology research has caused some traditional or non-mainstream practical disciplines and applied technology research to shrink or even disappear. Such misunderstandings and policy misinformation are common in many developing countries. In China, there was a period of time when thousands of troops fought against agricultural high-tech "biotechnology", repeated investment, resulting in waste, while traditional cross breeding and mutation breeding lacked financial support, and was once put into the "cold palace". Some practical cultivation techniques and soil and water conservation techniques have also been squeezed and neglected. Practice has proved that it is precisely these neglected traditional breeding techniques and practical techniques that have made great contributions to China's food production and food security. Up to now, China has bred more than 2200 new wheat varieties using traditional breeding techniques, which has made outstanding contributions to China's wheat production. Although the development of modern biotechnology will inject new vitality into traditional breeding techniques, these traditional breeding techniques are still in a dominant position in crop variety improvement. It can be seen that the innovation of agricultural science and technology to improve agricultural productivity and national food security does not necessarily have to be devoted to high-input, "high-precision" agricultural technology. Low-cost, high-efficiency, modern and traditional organic combination of practical technologies can often make timely and greater contributions to the agricultural development and food security of developing countries. For example, "Sangji Fishery Field" is a model widely promoted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to the world. Misunderstanding 3: Ignoring the important position and role of farmers in agricultural science and technology innovation no matter when formulating the strategy of agricultural science and technology innovation or determining agricultural scientific research projects, we often adopt a kind of "behind closed doors", "tracking foreign countries" or "top-down" technological innovation and application innovation thinking, ignoring not only the role of farmers in agricultural science and technology innovation, but also the real needs of farmers as end users or beneficiaries. As a result, the supply and demand of scientific and technological innovation are disconnected, and the conversion rate of technological achievements is low, the efficiency and effect of scientific and technological innovation are not ideal. At present, the population of Chinese farmers still accounts for about 50% of the total population of the country. No country can compare with China in terms of rural scale and peasant population. This huge scale and demographic characteristics have formed one of the most basic and important national conditions of China's rural development and agricultural production. Any scientific and technological innovation that ignores the actual needs and functions of farmers will definitely fail in the end. Because as the most important leading factor in agricultural productivity, farmers are the key to the success or failure of agricultural science and technology innovation. The experience and lessons of implementation show that it is effective and successful to formulate and implement agricultural science and technology innovation strategies and technical routes driven by farmers and agricultural production needs, based on or guided by the results of promoting agricultural production and food security. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency jointly adopted this demand-driven technological innovation based on application results, using nuclear technology to study successful bovine lung disease diagnostic technology, and helped many African countries to root out the disease. Botswana alone, It protects beef exports worth 90 million US dollars to EU countries every year. When determining the strategy of agricultural science and technology innovation, we must understand the cost and efficiency of scientific and technological innovation, the relationship between scientific and technological innovation and scientific and technological progress, the balance of modern and traditional technology, the research of forward-looking innovation and traditional applied technology, the technology beneficial to small farmers and the proportion of intensive agricultural high-tech, resource-based and labor-intensive technology development and many other factors. In addition, the policy environment and social and cultural environment also play an important role in the success or failure of scientific and technological innovation, which is very important for policy makers. (Responsible editor: Shixin)
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Developing country group stresses international dimension of sustainable agriculture and food securityNote: This article is from the TWN Agriculture Info sent publicly by The Third World Network. The third meeting of the United Nations General Assembly's Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals was held in New York from 22 to 24 May. The topics of the meeting included food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture, desertification, land degradation and drought, water and sanitation. Below are some of the salient points of the statements made by a number of developing countries on the basis of the statement made by the Group of 77 and China. (Responsible editor: if so) Developing country groups highlight international dimensions of sustainable agriculture and food security New York, 31 May (Bhumika Muchhala) -- The third session of the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals addressed food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture, desertification, land degradation and drought, as well as water and sanitation. During the intergovernmental discussions of the Open Working Group (OWG), many developing countries, including Brazil, Nicaragua, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka stated that while national policies and governance need to be revised and strengthened, international dimensions of food insecurity and agriculture also need to be addressed. This includes developed countries' agricultural subsidies which have a regressive impact on agriculture in developing countries, the dumping of subsidized agricultural products, trade barriers imposed by major food exporters, biofuels policies, and increased food commodity speculation. Many of these countries stressed that the inherent dysfunctions of unsustainable consumption patterns and market practices, which fail to deal with food as a basic human right, need to be addressed. Technology was the key focus for means of implementation to achieve sustainable agricultural practices and food security, in that developing countries must be given technological support to meet their development aspirations. This entails re-examining current patenting rules in the international intellectual property rights system. Furthermore, the modification of indigenous knowledge and patenting this knowledge is a grave concern for many developing countries. Below are highlights of the statements by groupings of countries (the OWG has 30 seats, with two or three countries sharing a seat). The statement of the Group of 77 and China was reported separately in TWN Agriculture Info: SDGs - Supportive global economic conditions crucial dated 31 May 2013. The country grouping of Brazil and Nicaragua, represented by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Nicaragua, Jaime Hermida, stated that the full realization of the right to food, a basic human right, is essential for poverty eradication and sustainable development. Addressing food and nutrition security requires immediate attention to both production and the consumption aspects. Country group deliberations on this area, they said, must be in accordance with the Rio 20 outcome document. On the production side, Brazil and Nicaragua said that renewed commitments and investments are increased, in particular toward increasing agricultural productivity and diversifying agricultural production. The means of implementation, they stressed, are indispensable. This includes social inclusion and social protection policies as crucial tools. More specifically, this also includes special and steady support for small scale producers and family farming, through credit, insurance, infrastructure and access to technology, technical support, and wide ranging benefits in terms of food and nutritional security, as well as employment and income generation. Secure land tenure is also an important issue that must be dealt. The importance of social safety nets to ensure basic access to food and nutrition cannot be understated. Both Brazil and Nicaragua have adopted Zero Hunger programs, which have served to coordinate the State's actions to ensure the right to food through a multisectoral approach, including conditional cash transfers and school meal programs, income generation, strengthening of family farming and civil society participation and articulation. Both national programs have had remarkable results, they said. Brazil and Nicaragua highlighted liberalization of international agricultural trade and the need for reform of protectionist and distortive policies in developed countries as a crucial element for food sovereignty. Agricultural protectionism in developed countries exposes developing country producers to unfair competition, denying access to important markets and discouraging investments. The redoubling of efforts for an ambitious, balanced and development oriented conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda is crucial in this regard. Brazil and Nicaragua lent support to the G77 and China regarding financial speculation on commodities, including food, which has contributed to the recent excessive volatility of food prices. This is an issue which must be dealt with, they said, since it impacts more acutely the most vulnerable populations. However, the misleading notion that associates food security with low food prices or insufficient food supplies needs to be avoided. The main cause of food insecurity today is the lack of income to ensure access to food. Food security can only be ensured through equitable economic growth, the creation of jobs, the generation of income and technological advances, including in the agricultural sector. Poverty eradication and sustainable development depend on farmers in developing countries having a sufficient level of income. However, the UN must avoid using the concept of sustainable agriculture as a justification for discriminatory trade practices and illegal subsidies under the banner of sustainable agriculture. The development of national strategies that encompass the three dimensions of sustainable development, such as Brazil's National Plan of Action to Combat Desertification and Mitigate the Effects of Droughts and Nicaragua's Water Harvesting Program, can help concentrate national attention on the subject and integrate policies in that regard. Such plans can also serve as the basis for cooperation and exchange of experiences. Finally, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity must be a component of all food and agriculture policies, as well as combating desertification, land degradation and drought. The country group of China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan, represented by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan, Akan Rakhmetullin, stated that transformation toward sustainable agriculture and achievement of food security, which includes increasing food production in the developing countries, are among the most important issues that need to be addressed in the discussion on Sustainable Development Goals. While the MDG target of reducing extreme poverty (MDG 1a) may have already been reached at the global level, it is projected that achieving the target to reduce hunger (MDG 1c) by 2015, will be difficult. The target related to child nutrition (MDG 1c) is most probably unlikely to be met and is off-track, as confirmed by the World Bank's progress assessment. The group of China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan asserted that the main causes of this rise in global and national food insecurity, among others, are due to trade barriers imposed by major food exporters, the existing biofuels policies, and increased food commodity speculation, combined with inefficient national governance to cope with such shocks. The Rio 20 Outcome Document, in paragraph 108, reiterates the right of everyone to have access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food, consistent with the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger. The Rio 20 Outcome Document further highlights the importance of revitalizing agricultural and rural development, notably in developing countries, in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner. The group said that food security is built on three pillars: the availability of food, the access to appropriate foods for a nutritious diet, and the appropriate use of food according to the knowledge and principles of basic nutrition and care, as well as adequate access to sustainable water resources, particularly for women, children and the elderly. The focus on improved practices and higher shares of productive land and pastures, without over grazing, and efficient irrigation systems will therefore positively impact yields, employment and GDP. China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan emphasized that while fulfilling food security is part and parcel of national responsibility, multilateral cooperation and action should be the integral elements to overcome this global challenge. In this regard, enhanced global partnership, as well as means of implementation, are of the utmost importance. On this note, the key structural issues that determine global food security, especially in the following spheres, must be revisited in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals: enhancing access to high quality research and technology; promoting trade and investment in ensuring food security; and environmental-related challenges in the context of the global food crises. Systemic problems can be addressed by improving global trade, food stock management, agribusiness (improving seeds, fertilizer, pesticides), infrastructure development, and intellectual property rights for easing access and enhancing agricultural growth in developing countries. The Rio Outcome Document (paras 110-113) reiterate the importance of sustainable agriculture, and the need for increased investment in sustainable agriculture and practices. Development in the agricultural sector should also focus on enhancing the participation of smallholder farmers; increasing the role of traditional sustainable agriculture practices; and preventing food loss and wastage throughout the supply chain from initial agricultural production down to final consumption. It also needs to maintain natural ecological processes that support food production systems. Addressing food security will also mean recognizing its cross-cutting issues, among others, such as effective and long-term land management systems, especially, for women, together with those of rural development, trade, health, employment, social protection, water, and biofuel energy versus food challenges. On the problems of desertification, land degradation and drought, which are the most overlooked, land is a central element that links energy, food, water and environmental health together. Desertification and drought, especially, cause soil and land degradation, which is closely linked to the two major crises of climate change and loss of biodiversity. China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan stressed that land degradation is very costly and has very immense far-reaching impact. It has brought direct effects on one in every four human beings. Soil erosion in the world's croplands depletes about 20 billion tons of fertile soil. Developing and implementing proactive national drought management policies by dealing with impact assessment, preventive, planning and risk management measures are critical, while at the same time, fostering science, appropriate technology and innovation, public outreach and resource management. Instruments must be designed to incentivize sustainable land management, and effective measures can only be introduced by bridging the science-policy gap through knowledge transfers and capacity building. Halting and reversing declines of land productivity by restoring and regenerating land that is already degraded call for global processes and commitments to implement strategies and interventions to combat the challenges of land degradation. The country grouping of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka was represented by the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka, Dr. Palitha T. B. Kohona. The group aligned itself with the statement delivered by Fiji on behalf of the G77 and China, and said at the outset that the right to food is a fundamental human right, as is the right to development. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka said it is incumbent on the member states of the UN to build upon the results of the MDGs. Quantitative assessments of global and regional food requirements made by the FAO and WFP are helpful tools in this regard, but population dynamics, including variations within countries, have to be weighed. Moreover, the increasing demand for food crops and other organic materials in biofuel production should also be addressed substantively. The group highlighted the following points in developing a Sustainable Development Goal on these issues: First, poverty alleviation remains the key challenge while promoting sustainable agriculture as well as food security and nutrition security. In this regard, promoting and accelerating rural development in developing countries must be a priority. Countries which emphasized rural development have recorded notable successes in poverty eradication. Secondly, the two themes are linked closely and we must give serious thought to developing an overall cumulative target under these themes. More specifically, in crafting the basis for targets/goals, we would need to weave these elements together instead of treating them as separate or independent goals. Notwithstanding, we do believe that an overall goal facilitating rural development, food and nutritional security could have a set of nationally driven and determined indicators such as (a) social protection; (B) infrastructure development and linkages to urban centers (c) enhancement of resource endowment, including through access to credit markets of the poor and small-scale farmers (d) national policies and other incentives to encourage private sector investment; and (e) adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change on agriculture. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka said that it is important to view varying circumstances and capacities of countries in pursuing these goals consistent with the principle of the common but differentiated responsibilities, an element, which has been firmly reiterated in the Rio+20 outcome. The group stressed that a funded programme must be developed to address nutrition, as malnutrition has been the key reason for MDGs on Infant Mortality and Maternal Mortality lagging behind the rest. We have to aim at higher benchmarks to sustain our efforts. Even within countries that have reached satisfactory average nutrition levels, pockets of malnutrition remain. Fisheries and all forms of aquaculture products must be given a prominent place in our dialogue not only as a part of issues associated with agriculture but also in addressing malnutrition - aqua products being one of the best source of nutrients, including micronutrients. However, it is important to keep in mind the parlous state of global fisheries, mainly due to over exploitation. Overexploitation has been the result, mainly, of the activities of the fleets from industrialized countries. At the moment, over 70% of the global fish stock has reached a critical state. Policies to ensure employment, nutrition and better management of stocks need to be developed. When considering the economic aspects of food production, there must be a focus on affordable access to inputs, including land, water and fertilizer. Access to markets is an integral element. The agriculture sector is a key area of employment generation, especially in developing countries. Over 85% of agricultural land is held by small scale farmers. Therefore, the group said that creating jobs with greater value addition and environmental sustainability is critical. By considering food as a human need, global efforts must aim at a balanced demand-driven approach because a solely supply-driven approach has not led to the desired results. Increasing the availability of land, maximizing the productivity of cultivable lands and increased application of eco-friendly technologies, such as production methodologies that consume low amounts of water, energy, chemicals and land as well as those resulting in low quantities of waste must be taken into account while designing the goals. The restoration of degraded land is essential. This entails a balance between agriculture, deforestation, and the need to generate employment and food. The solution may lie in the access to eco-friendly modern technologies, which are available but are costly. Targeted investment levels in agriculture in developing countries are a possible option. One third of all food production globally is lost or wasted in production, transportation and consumption, amounting to 1.3 billion tonnes per year. This happens in the developed world because of lifestyle patterns and in the developing world due to lack of adequate infrastructure. On this note, the "Think-Eat-Save" campaign of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) should reach a wider global audience. Attitudinal change encouraged by massive awareness campaigns in the developed world will help save huge amounts of food that is wasted. To build on the successes of the green revolution, it is also important to establish mechanisms to effectively accommodate indigenous knowledge on agriculture and food processing. It is with better technology and adequate funding that agriculture can be made sustainable and a burgeoning world population fed. Developing countries must be given technological and financial support to meet their development aspirations. On the other hand, such technologies must also be applicable in the national contexts. To ensure technology for sustainable agriculture, current patenting rules need to be examined. Modification of indigenous knowledge and patenting these become an issue for developing countries. An important aspect of food security and livelihood in developing countries is the impact of massive subsidies given by developed countries to their farmers. These subsidies, amounting to billions of dollars annually, have had a regressive impact on agriculture in developing countries and have retarded progress on MDGs. The issues of subsidies, trade and market access must be addressed comprehensively while dealing with food security in the context of the Sustainable Development Goal menu. The dumping of subsidized agriculture has had a crippling effect on some developing countries. In conclusion, the group said the OWG of the UN General Assembly should not duplicate work already undertaken under existing mechanisms, and rather should benefit from the success that the international community has achieved and build further on these. Similarly, it is critical to think holistically, taking into account cross-sectoral factors. The bottom line should be to make our world a better place for future generations.
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Dickson Despommier Vertical Farms InitiativeA New Way of Agricultural Planting-Vertical Farm the development of agriculture in cities is always a bit quixotic. But Dr. Dixon Debohemia (Dickson Despommier), 67, has been working on building farms in cities. He believes that in the future, people can set up "high-rise urban farms" in cities to grow fresh and healthy food and raise all kinds of fish and poultry to meet people's needs. Improving the environment and providing food these "vertical farms" are a controlled environment free of pollution, parasites and dangerous bacteria, and can produce crops, poultry and all kinds of fish all year round. Dr. Debomia estimates that only 150 "vertical farms" could supply the entire year's vegetable and grain needs of New York. He also claimed that a 58-story "farm" covers an area of only 13000 square meters, but it can provide 743200 square meters of crop growth area. Its output is equivalent to a 4.144 million square meter traditional farm, which is enough to feed 35000 people. Experts believe that in order to maximize the improvement of the environment and save energy, vertical farms should be built in cities or on the outskirts of cities. In this way, crops can directly use organic garbage from the city and domestic wastewater without chemicals. At the same time, the storage and transportation process of crops is omitted, and urban residents can directly eat fresh crops. Imagine 30-story buildings erected in the downtown area of New York. They are not only production bases for fruits, vegetables and grains, but also clean energy and purify wastewater. In vertical farms, ponds can be set up to raise various fish and poultry in small environs. Using soilless methods to grow various plants, suspending the plants in water or other solutions; Using sunlight to produce heat and generate electricity, so as to optimize the growth conditions of plants day and night. "In terms of heat and water, we will no longer be troubled by the vagaries of nature's climate," said de Bohemia. " these skyscrapers, plantations similar to the hanging gardens of Babylon, can be planted and harvested continuously 365 days a year, and their output is more than 300 times that of ordinary farms, which can not only solve the problem of people's food, but also provide a steady stream of oxygen and clean water for the city. It is the most beautiful myth of the 21st century to ask for arable land from the sky, return the land to nature, and carefully repair the earth's home ecosystem. The self-circulating system does not produce any garbage. But why should "vertical farms" be built in cities? That is because there is no untreated waste, animals do not infect and spread diseases, weather disasters are far less than in the suburbs, and crops are less damaged. In addition, by 2050, 80% of the world's population will live in cities, which already have the population density and infrastructure to develop "vertical farms"; besides, who doesn't want to eat fresh fruits and vegetables as soon as possible? Moreover, these skyscrapers not only provide food, but also supply energy, creating a self-sustainable environment. Dr. De Bohemia began the study six years ago by designing this vertical farm based on existing greenhouse farming techniques. The main energy of the vertical farm comes from the solar energy absorbed by the solar panels. In addition, the roof is also installed with wind spiral blades, like windmills, to provide wind energy for the building. The glass panels of the entire building are made of titanium oxide, which can collect pollutants. Rain is its best cleaning agent. The sink below collects rainwater and filters it. The building has a control room to control the operation of the entire building. The ceiling of each floor is equipped with a soil moisture evaporation recovery system, and the frozen flowing liquid can absorb the steam evaporated by the plants. It is estimated that a "vertical farm" can collect about 23 tons of water. The vertical farm must be a self-circulating system. The whole is like a huge plant, which performs photosynthesis, absorbs greenhouse gases, emits oxygen, purifies sewage, produces grains and vegetables, and organic waste materials for biogas power generation. In short, vertical farms not only provide fresh food for urban residents, but also purify the urban environment without producing any waste. It is expected to be achieved within 10 years. It is estimated that the cost of a "vertical farm" is not cheap, and it will cost about $0.2 billion to build a simple and small "vertical farm. But with less and less farmland, "vertical farms" will be favored by Japan, Iceland and Dubai. At present, several companies in New York, including IBM, have expressed great interest in the concept of "high-rise urban farms. Debomia is even more optimistic that the first such farm will appear within 10 years. However, building a vertical farm is not easy. In the technology must be achieved: 1, the cost can not be too high; 2, durable and safe operation. This requires that vertical farms must be in line with natural ecology at the same time, and can achieve harmonious coexistence with nature and cities. Vertical Farm Night View can reverse global warming but what does this research have to do with global warming? The professor of environmental science and microbiology at Columbia University is convinced that his study of "vertical farm" skyscrapers can help curb global warming. Debomia believes that only when a considerable part of the arable land becomes woods again will mankind have the opportunity to maintain climate stability. If vertical farms can completely replace traditional farms, ecosystems in many parts of the world that have been destroyed by human farming or grazing will slowly recover. In temperate and tropical regions, the restoration of perennial forests will consume excess carbon dioxide and reverse the current global climate change. In addition, population expansion is another reason for the development of "vertical farms. By 2050, the global population will increase to 0.92 billion, and if we continue to use the existing farming methods, we will have to turn the whole of Brazil into arable land to meet human food needs. Moreover, the arable land suitable for farming is now almost developed. Dickson Despommier's Vertical Farming video: http://v.ku6.com/show/yYQZMr2UfDEUbk5JmAln6Q...html?loc=youce_tuijian (Responsible editor: Shixin)
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International Day for Biological Diversity (International Day for Biological Diversity)May 22 is" international Day for Biological Diversity(International Day for Biological Diversity) "and this year's theme is" Water and Biodiversity ". In his speech, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon called on the international community to pay attention to the complementary relationship between biodiversity and water security, and urged all countries that have not yet ratified the Convention on biological diversity to step up their actions and join the global alliance to protect the earth's biodiversity. In his speech, Ban Ki-moon pointed out that as the international community strives to accelerate the pace of achieving the Millennium Development Goals and formulating the post -2015 agenda, "water and biodiversity" has become an important part of the discussion. Water is a seemingly abundant resource, he said, but the Earth has only a tiny amount of readily available fresh water. Water for human use is increasingly insecure, often in short supply and often below minimum standards. From the current trend, the future demand for water can not be met. Biodiversity and the multiple ecological services it provides are essential to realizing the vision of securing the world's water. Ecosystems affect the availability and quality of water at the local, regional and global levels. Forests help to control soil erosion and protect water quality and supply. Wetlands can reduce the risk of flooding. Soil biodiversity helps maintain water supply for crops. Incorporating nature-based solutions into urban planning can help us build a better future for urban water use at a time when the rapid pace of urbanization is making water particularly scarce. Ban Ki-moon emphasized that once upon a time, people were concerned about the trade-off between water resource utilization and biodiversity. Now we have begun to realize that biodiversity and water security are complementary. This shift from conflict to synergy is particularly welcome in the context of the International Year of Water Cooperation. In that regard, he called on all States that had not yet done so to ratify the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of the Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity, thereby helping us to work towards the future to which we aspire. Biodiversity refers to all organisms in the biosphere on the earth, that is, animals, plants, microorganisms, and their genes and living environment. A variety of organisms can not only directly provide all kinds of resources for human beings, but also provide a variety of special genes for human beings, making it possible to cultivate new varieties of animals and plants. Over the past half-century, human activities have caused unprecedented damage to biodiversity. Life on Earth is disappearing at a rate 1000 times normal. In order to protect the earth's biodiversity, 153 countries signed the Convention on the Protection of Biological Diversity at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. In December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to designate December 29 of each year as" international Day for Biological Diversity". In May 2001, the 55th UN General Assembly adopted resolution 201, which will" international Day for Biological Diversity"Changed to May 22. (Responsible editor: Shixin)
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US states will force labeling of genetically modified products[From Lianhe Zaobao, May 28, 2013] http://www.zaobao.com/news/world/story20130528-209393 several states in the United States have passed bills requiring labels on all genetically modified foods to indicate the ingredients of the food so that consumers can make informed choices. Another 20 states are working on the same legislation. (New York)-Food companies large and small around the world are under pressure from consumers to resist genetically modified products. Several states in the United States are preparing legislation to force food companies to label their genetically modified products. In order to bypass the legislation, many companies are trying to get traditional raw materials to replace genetically modified raw materials. The four major crops in the United States-corn, soybeans, canola and sugar beets-are 90% produced from genetically modified seeds, so even if manufacturers want to switch to alternative raw materials, the source is always limited. Genetically modified food (Genetically Modified Organism) is also known as genetically modified food. Some scientists claim that genetically modified food is safe, and that genetically modified products improve product yield and quality; but opponents believe that genetically modified products violate the laws of nature, cause the death of surrounding animals and plants, and damage the ecology and human immune system. Catastrophe. The New York Times reported that at present, Connecticut, Vermont and Maine in the United States have passed bills requiring the labels on all genetically modified foods to indicate what ingredients are in the food and how much each ingredient is in, so that consumers can make informed choices. Another 20 states are working on the same legislation. On Saturday, simultaneous demonstrations were held across the United States and in more than 50 countries and regions around the world to protest the production of genetically modified products by seed giant Monsanto (Monsanto). Conor, the organizer of the boycott, said that people from 436 cities in 52 countries participated in the "boycott of Monsanto" protest. Demonstrators in several cities held up slogans that read "Give real people real food" and "It is stated on the label that it is genetically modified food. We have the right to know". In the global public such a wave of anti-genetically modified food, many businesses have to switch to traditional raw materials to launch "non-genetically modified" food. Falseto of the American Health Food thinkThin said she realized as early as two years ago that the company had to change its strategy and use non-GMO ingredients to make nutrition bars (snack bar), but to her surprise, the process of purchasing non-GMO ingredients was difficult. According to reports, it took her company 18 months to find a supplier of non-GMO ingredients. After that, her company has to make sure the food retains its original taste and texture. thinkThin finally sold their nutrition bars last month under the label of "non-GMO food certification. "Non-GMO Project" director Westgart said that in October last year, about 180 companies asked them how to obtain the "non-GMO food certification" label. In March this year, nearly 300 companies requested certification. Schweitzer, a grocery buyer, said he already foresees a shortage of traditional ingredients such as organic seeds. "Suppliers have turned to foreign countries to pick up goods. We know that farmers need to know clearly that there is a market for the crops they grow to feel secure. I would like to implore them to grow these crops because there is a real demand." (Responsible editor: Shixin)
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FAO forecasts strong growth in cereal production in 2013Production is expected to hit a new high coarse grain production is expected to hit a new high according to FAO published in May brief Introduction of Grain Supply and Demand the latest forecast is for strong growth in global wheat, coarse grains and rice production in 2013. If weather conditions are better than 2012, global wheat production this year is expected to reach 0.695 billion tons, 5.4 per cent higher than last year's harvest and only about 6 million tons less than the record level in 2011. In addition, coarse grain production is expected to set a new record of 1.266 billion tons in 2013, up 9.3 percent from the record of 1.167 billion tons in 2011. Of this total grain production, maize will account for about 0.96 billion tonnes, about 10 per cent above 2012 levels. Much of the projected increase will come from the United States, the world's largest producer, which forecast corn plantings at their highest level since 1936. Another reason for the record production is that the major CIS producing countries have recovered from the drought. According to FAO's preliminary forecast, rice production will increase to 0.4977 billion tons in the coming 2013 crop year, more than 16 million tons higher than in 2012, with particularly significant increases in India and Indonesia. Grain utilization despite the expected increase in production, world cereal utilization is expected to remain unchanged in 2012/2013 due to rising food prices and sluggish demand for ethanol. Global cereal utilization is now forecast at 2.332 billion tonnes, roughly the same as in 2011/2012. World cereal stocks are expected to be 0.505 billion tons at the end of 2013, 1%(5 million tons) higher than the previous forecast, but about 3%(16 million tons) lower than the initial level. World cereal trade is expected to fall sharply in 2012-2013, across all major cereals. The 0.3044 billion tonne trade was almost 1 million tonnes higher than last month's forecast, but still about 4 per cent (13 million tonnes) less than the 2011/2012 level. FAO Food Price Index rises for second consecutive month FAO's food price index it was revised upwards for the second consecutive month in April, by 1% or two points. As in March, last month's growth was driven almost entirely by a sharp rise in milk prices. Most other food prices fell. The food price index stood at 215.5 points in April, 1% above the April 2012 level. Currently, the index is 9% below its peak in February 2011. FAO Dairy Price Index april averaged 259 points, up nearly 34 points (14.9 percent) compared to March, the second largest monthly change on record. The main reason is that milk production in New Zealand, the world's largest exporter of dairy products, has plummeted. The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 235 points in April, down 10 points (4.1 percent) from March but down nearly 11 points (4.9 percent) from April 2012. The FAO Oil/Fats Price Index averaged 199 points in April, down 2 points (1.5 per cent) from March. Weak energy prices and ongoing concerns about the global economy continue to put pressure on vegetable oils. FAO Meat Price Index the average in April was 179 points, which continued to maintain the level since the second half of 2012, fluctuating in a narrow range between 177 and 179 points. However, meat prices as a whole remained at historically high levels. The FAO Sugar Price Index averaged 253 points in April, down more than nine points from March. Source: http://www.fao.org/news/story/zh/item/175803/icode/ (Responsible editor: Shixin)
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OECD publishes first comprehensive measures of subjective well-beingMarch 20, 2013-The OECD has taken an important step in measuring how people feel about their lives. The newly released measure of subjective well-being establishes the first comprehensive framework of rationalization data for international comparison on this topic. These indicators provide advice on how to collect and use measures of subjective well-being, allowing statistics and researchers to better measure individuals' evaluations and experiences of their own lives. about measures of subjective well-being or more about the OECD Better Life Initiative, please visit: http://www.oecd.org/statistics/betterlifeinitiativemeasuringwell-beingandprogress.htm. (Responsible editor: Shixin)
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The Indian Congress Party is pushing the National Food Security Act"The Indian Congress Party introduced a National Food Security Bill to Parliament on March 22 ". If the bill is passed, it will provide the 0.81 billion people with food far below the cost price. This will not only alleviate the food shortage problem of the poor to a large extent, but also 70% of Indian citizens will benefit from the bill. For India, a vast emerging country, the problem of food and clothing is still an urgent problem related to the livelihood of hundreds of millions of poor people. According to the census of India, its total population has exceeded 1.2 billion, and the overall size of the population continues to expand. However, about 42 per cent of these 1.2 billion people are poor and are still suffering from the problem of food and clothing. There are more than 1 billion poor people in the world, and India has more than 0.4 billion poor people, accounting for about 1/4, ranking first in the world. At the critical juncture when the general election in May 2014 is approaching, the National Food Security Act launched by the Congress Party is undoubtedly of great political significance. According to this bill, the Indian government will expand the scope and intensity of relief to the poor, and provide food far below the cost price to the 0.81 billion people, while currently only providing relief to the poorest 0.318 billion people. This means that the Indian government needs to spend a huge sum of US $23 billion (about 141.3 billion yuan) every year, which will increase India's annual food allowance by 45% and use more than 1/3 of India's annual grain production. How to raise the huge amount of money needed for the cheap food program will be a huge problem for the Indian government. Even if the bill is finally passed, it is necessary to pay attention to the problems that may occur in the implementation process. In particular, corruption in the Indian government is very serious. According to the World Bank, more than half of India's past relief funds for the poor have been lost to a bloated, corrupt distribution system. Therefore, how to take practical measures to ensure that "special funds are earmarked" so that the poor who really do not have enough to fill their stomachs rather than the "moths" of those countries will benefit from the bill has become a practical problem that the Indian government needs to think about and solve. http://kafila.org/2013/03/24/a-summary-of-the-national-food-security-bill/ (Responsible editor: Shixin)