CEOs need to accelerate their action plans to safeguard the production of commodities critical to the global population and economy as heat stress and drought risk rise around the world, according to PwC's report, Climate Risks to Nine Key Commodities: Protecting People and Prosperity, published. The report, which analysed nine …
Kenyan farmers could soon start growing Genetically Modified (GM) maize if an application by scientists for approval by regulatory agencies succeeds. The country’s leading scientists have written to the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) seeking permission to release the first ever Genetically Modified (GM) maize variety. Gospel Omanya, Senior Manager of …
BEIJING (Reuters) - China plans to roll out the use of ethanol in gasoline nationally by 2020, state media reported on Wednesday citing a government document, as Beijing intensifies its push to boost industrial demand for corn and clean up choking smog. It’s the first time the government has set …
At a warehouse in the heart of Brazil's agriculture sector, farmer Rafael Bilibio watches truck after truck line up to unload corn onto the ground outside the huge storage bins. His own corn, ready for unloading from a 50-tonne truck that has just pulled in, is destined to join the …
Lilongwe — Some are calling it 'Chamdonthi', others call it 'Muononga' and in English it's called fall armyworm. It is a pest that destroys crops in the grass family like maize, millet, sorghum, rice and sugarcane. In Malawi, fall armyworm has been so destructive to the staple grain, maize, with …
ADDIS ABABA (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has said it is very concerned that the Fall Armyworm is likely to worsen the stress faced by millions of families suffering from food shortages as a result of the droughts, especially in eastern and southern Africa. Feeding on maize and other …
NYATIKE — In the fields visible from the bumpy dirt road leading to Ongare Owuoda's home, acres of maize plants with sagging leaves suggest farmers here will reap a poor harvest this season. Owuoda, however, is not worried. “I am relying on my green gram harvest this season,” said the …
The East Africa Seed Company has rolled out a drought-resistant maize variety which takes 90 days to mature. The new maize variety, Tosheka, is targeting the semi-arid areas of Eastern and North-Eastern but can also do well in high altitude areas which concentrate on tea and coffee farming. According to …
A number of new crops have been developed that address important traits of particular relevance for smallholder farmers in Africa. Scientists, policy makers, and other stakeholders have raised concerns that the approval process for these new crops causes delays that are often scientifically unjustified. This article develops a real option …
The Institute for Agricultural Research, IAR, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has secured approval to release three new high-yielding nutrient maize varieties for planting in Nigeria. The Institute made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos. The institute said the approval …
Kenya’s maize harvest is expected fall by a drastic 25 per cent this year, Agriculture CS Willy Bett said yesterday. He said the expected 37 million bags of maize will be slashed, forcing imports from Uganda, Tanzania and elsewhere. “The weather has also not been fair to us and this …
The county is headed for a major food crisis if the dry spell, which has ravaged many parts of the North Rift persists. More than 40,000 acres of maize crop in Uasin Gishu County are drying up. This translates to a loss 800,000 bags of maize at 20 bags per …
The ongoing drought in the Horn and southern African countries and armyworms invasion, pose a major food security threat to the continent, official said. The African Union Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Mrs Josefa Sacko, said armyworms affected maize production in close to half of the African countries, especially …
Ask Anesi Chishiko about fertiliser, and she points to her goats and her trees. Manure and leaves are all that she folds into the earth on her family farm in Zambia. Inorganic fertiliser is too costly: the government offers subsidies, but only “clever people” know how to get them, she …
Change in cropping practices is required to address the food security issues in Africa. Yet, testing of the performance of such changes, in particular at large scales, often needs significant investments. Crop models are widely used tools to quantify the effects of agronomic decisions on cropping systems and to identify …
The United States hopes that more varieties of its genetically modified corn will be approved for import by Beijing, the U.S. ambassador to China said on Wednesday. The comments came after the world's top grains buyer this month approved two new strains of U.S. genetically modified (GMO) crops for import, …
Army worms have destroyed about 1,380 hectares of maize farms in the Sunyani Municipality Army worms have destroyed about 1,380 hectares of maize farms in the Sunyani Municipality. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Francis Ennor, the Municipal Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, said …
Africa’s corn harvest this year is a tale of two extremes as worries about overflowing silos and rotting crops in the south contrast with the east where supermarkets are running short of the staple food. Zambia and South Africa are both predicting record output of the grain, while Zimbabwe may …
More than 1,350 hectares of maize farms in the Central Region have been destroyed by army worms. Mr Gershon Wodzrah, Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) disclosed this at the Regional Co-coordinating Council meeting with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and Heads of Department in …
South Africa, the continent’s biggest corn grower, will probably increase its forecast for a bumper crop of the staple grain for a third time this year as yields continue to beat expectations. The most important market news of the day. Growers may reap 14.65 million metric tons of corn this …
Ancient Egyptians grew crops including wheat, barley, and vegetables The Oxford encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt The beginning of agriculture changed human history and has fascinated scholars for centuries. Yet it’s hard to study because it happened 10,000 or so years ago. As a result, a number of important issues remain …
