Sparkes Articles
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Protix Receives 45M€ in Funding to Scale Production of Insect Proteins
Today, the insect supply industry reached a significant milestone with Netherlands-based Protix, the leading insect company, closing 45M€ in funding – delivered by Aqua-Spark, the first investment company focused on sustainable aquaculture, Rabobank, BOM and various private investors. Protix breeds insects for animal feed, as insects offer a low-impact protein alternative that can be ...
By Protix
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Energetic and exergetic life cycle analysis to explain the hidden costs and effects of current sulphur utilisation
Typically life cycle analyses of the fertiliser industry are based on averages of outdated technology. Sulphur is a major element, emerging as a primary nutrient on its own accord and as a feed for other fertiliser production, namely phosphoric acid. Recent developments sparked by governmental regulation have raised the validity of an assumption frequently overlooked. Through the desulphurisation ...
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Peru: Olmos irrigation project sparks development debate
The recently launched irrigation and hydropower Olmos megaproject in Peru is hailed a ‘masterpiece of engineering’ aimed at stimulating rural development — but some fear the initiative will mostly benefit big companies. The project will bring water from the Atlantic side of the Andes to the Pacific side through a tunnel in the mountains, to irrigate the arid Olmos Valley in the ...
By SciDev.Net
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How a new way of thinking about soil sparked a national movement in agriculture
For three weeks every month, Ray Archuleta captivates audiences with a few handfuls of soil. He begins with two clumps, dropping them into water. The soil from a farm where the soil isn’t tilled holds together, while the tilled soil immediately disperses, indicating poor soil structure. Next, volunteers from the audience — mostly farmers and ranchers — pour water over a soil ...
By Ensia
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STOP-FYRE – Saving Your Back
Jeff Tuma of Montgomery, MN has STOP-FYRE now, which is a good thing. This year at Farmfest, Jeff told us how he used STOP-FYRE to save his backhoe. “If I could tell people anything,” Jeff saif, “it would be to invest in fire protection. It might be more money, but it’s worth it, especially if you don’t do regular maintenance on your farm machinery.” Watching ...
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Forest Fires
Introduction Forest covers play a critical part in the existence and sustainability of eco-systems i.e., all the life forms present within the forested area and the ecological roles they ought to play. It not only entails trees but a variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms. There exist strata of jungle biodiversity including species, genetics, ecosystem, landscape, and population, etc. ...
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Why are certain herbicides banned?
Herbicides, also known as weedkillers, are chemical substances used to control and kill unwanted plants (weeds), leaving the desired plants unharmed. While these products are very useful for farmers, they are not always safe. In fact, many herbicides that were in common use around the world a few years ago are slowly being banned. In this blog post, we will look at a few herbicides that are used ...
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Biomass harvesting: how forest thinning can help prevent wildfires
Every year, wildfires plague the nation. Once there’s an ignition source, dry foliage in country areas can quickly go up in flames, spreading through woodlands or grasslands quickly. While some wildfires can be small, others can be devastating and blaze through thousands of acres. While there’s no way to predict where wildfires may start, there are ways to minimize the damage of ...
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Farming Innovation: From Ammonia to AgTech Software
Just over a century ago, the Haber-Bosch process was invented in Germany, enabling the scalable production of copious amounts of ammonia for the very first time. This 1910 Eureka! moment meant farmers could fertilize their crops unlike ever before, growing food on a massive scale. So massive, in fact, a population explosion ensued – humankind went from 1.6 billion in 1900 to 7.7 billion in ...
By Vistex Inc
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The wild Turkey: A true american original
Let’s take a step back from discussing how to remove birds and pests from properties with Bird-X products, and learn a little more about a bird that we should be a little more thankful for. When we think of a turkey, usually the first image that comes to mind is serving it nicely on a platter, prepared with stuffing and cranberry sauce. What many may not know about the bird we feast on ...
By Bird-X Inc.
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The Effect of COVID-19 ‘Panic Buying’ on Food Supply Chains and the Requirement for Gas Sensing
IntroductionCOVID-19 concerns around the world have sparked widespread panic buying and empty supermarket shelves. Large-scale lock-downs to contain the outbreak have further hurt the supply of manpower and disrupted supply chains in the agricultural industry.The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization have said that the world risks a ‘looming food crisis’ if we do not take fast ...
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New, interactive Atlas can improve Cameroon’s forest management
Cameroon’s forests, which cover about 60 percent of the country, play a vital role for people and the economy. They account for more than six percent of the nation’s GDP, the highest percentage of all countries in the Congo Basin. Cameroon’s forests provide services and sustenance directly and indirectly to local communities and city dwellers alike. Yet, until recently, ...
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Tech-based farming advice should stay people-centred
Video advice can help farmers — if it's local and backed by strong partnerships, says Digital Green's Rikin Gandhi. Gauravva Channappa Morabad is a hardworking woman living in Kamplikoppa village, in the Dharwad district of India's Karnataka state. She is part of a women's self-help group called Shri Kariyamma Devi. Morabad attended all 50 meetings the group held to screen agricultural ...
By SciDev.Net
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Bamboo: The Secret Weapon in Forest and Landscape Restoration?
In the world of forestry, bamboo doesn’t always get the credit it deserves. Dismissed as a weed or marginalized in traditional forest management, bamboo could actually play an important role in forest and landscape restoration. With adequate attention, investment, and the right standards in place, it could become a major renewable and sustainable crop—if we can update our outmoded ...
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Global Grain Stocks Drop Dangerously Low as 2012 Consumption Exceeded Production
The world produced 2,241 million tons of grain in 2012, down 75 million tons or 3 percent from the 2011 record harvest. The drop was largely because of droughts that devastated several major crops—namely corn in the United States (the world’s largest crop) and wheat in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Australia. Each of these countries also is an important exporter. Global grain ...
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Let the kids go wild outdoors
A number of international studies have shown that children in developed nations spend an average of 55 hours a week indoors using electronics. Even though this means that the youth in these countries are techno-savvy, it often results in them spending less and less time outdoors. How do we change this, and get our kids to experience the wonders of nature, develop creativity and learn to ...
By green24
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