The IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa presents a clear warning: regional growth is slowing, debt pressures are mounting, and donor assistance is declining. Yet the report outlines critical opportunities particularly in domestic revenue mobilization, structural reform, and private sector activation that can shape a more resilient …
An international group of scientists have analysed the DNA of 6,000 year old barley finding that it is remarkably similar to modern day varieties. They say it could also hold the key to introducing successful genetic variation. Due to the speed at which plants decompose, finding intact ancient plant DNA …
The recent period of high agricultural commodity prices is most likely over, say the OECD and FAO in their latest 10-year Outlook. But the two organisations warn of the need to be vigilant as the probability of a major price swing remains high. The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2016-2025, published today, …
This research highlights the underlying resilience of Pacific agriculture to climate change, particularly for many of the region’s staple food crops. It identifies a range of potential response measures that could be implemented to significantly reduce exposure to climate-related risks and enable the Pacific Community to better cope with emerging …
Crop yields in Africa will nosedive ten years from now unless we can develop varieties that can better deal with climate change. Unfortunately, we’re not breeding those hardier varieties fast enough. That’s the sobering conclusion of a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change by researchers from the University …
Four scientists who specialized in sweet potatoes were named the winners of this year's World Food Prize on Tuesday for their work to make foods more nutritious. Maria Andrade of Cape Verde, Robert Mwanga of Uganda and American Jan Low, who all are from the Lima, Peru-based International Potato Center, …
A Japanese research team have applied a method used in human genetic analysis to rice and rapidly discovered four new genes that are potentially significant for agriculture. These findings could influence crop breeding and help combat food shortages caused by a growing population. The paper was published on June 21, …
In restaurants and supermarkets, bread wheat reigns supreme and quinoa is the superfood du jour. But plant scientists want to re-introduce ancient grains einkorn, emmer and spelt. In the latest issue of Trends in Plant Science, German researchers say the cereal industry should take advantage of the demand for "novel, …
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a €15.7-million senior loan through its private sector window to "Compagnie Agricole de Saint-Louis du Sénégal" (CASL) for a rice production project in Senegal River Valley. This project will contribute to three major priorities of the AfDB …
In Mozambique, at least 1.5 million people are in need of help because of an El Niño-induced drought, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said. The UN humanitarian agency disclosed that El Nino, the harsh weather phenomenon – characterized by warmer sea temperatures that can …
xtreme weather conditions such as long spells of drought followed by heavy rains is leading to toxicity of food, a recent report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP ) said. Major food crops such as maize, wheat, soyabeans are reacting to unusual weather patterns by retaining nitrates, which …
xtreme weather conditions such as long spells of drought followed by heavy rains is leading to toxicity of food, a recent report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP ) said. Major food crops such as maize, wheat, soyabeans are reacting to unusual weather patterns by retaining nitrates, which …
Vietnam's rice paddy output will likely fall this year for the first time since 2005 following the worst drought in 90 years, but the decline will be limited as farmers expand planting in the current and final crops, a government official said. The Delta's winter-spring output fell 10.2 percent on …
A US$113million Ghana Sector Investment Programme (GASIP) to promote and scale-up agricultural value chains in the country has been launched in Tamale. The six-year project funded by the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) - a United Nations Food Agency - and implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture …
Researchers led by Lixin Wang, assistant professor of earth sciences in the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, have identified critical information about the environmental variables and agronomic factors that determine the vulnerability of maize and wheat production to drought. The study, "Global Synthesis of Drought Effects on …
Genetically modified foods do not pose a threat to human health or the environment and will aid in feeding a growing world population in a sustainable manner, the Royal Society says. It published a factual Q&A; guide aimed at dispelling myths and misconceptions about GM food. The document, written by …
MOSCOW, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Russia has become the world's leader in the export of wheat, surpassing the United States and Canada, Russian Minister of Agriculture Alexander Tkachev said Thursday. "Russia supplies about 25 million tons of wheat on the external market by the end of the agricultural 2016 year. …
Using the so-called green biodiesel for transport was supposed to cut down CO2 emissions but could increase Europe's overall transport emissions by nearly 4%, according to a new EU study. These extra emissions are equivalent to putting around 12 million more vehicles on the roads of Europe in 2020. The …
Evanston, IL - Today's advanced online publication of the journal Nature Biotechnology carries three important papers on crop disease resistance. They report the isolation of novel disease resistance genes and the successful transfer of resistance into wheat, soybean, and potato. The 2Blades Foundation supported the development of these efforts as …
Bringing drought and increased temperatures, climate change has been widely portrayed as a force that will leave staple food crops struggling in many areas where they are grown today. But a new study has shown that increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may actually lead to greater yields …
A global food crisis is looming which may rival the one in 2007-2008 because of the ongoing El Niño weather phenomenon. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna warned that climate change is a factor that can drive a longer span of food crisis across the world. …
