agriculture land water News | Agriculture XPRT

Empowering women in agriculture

Reducing gender inequality is fundamental to eliminating hunger and developing more sustainable food systems, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva told international experts and country representatives at an International Women’s Day event in Rome. “This year we are celebrating Women’s Day against the backdrop of the International Year of Family Farming,” ...

Mar. 7, 2014

By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Irrigation threatening steppe birds in Mediterranean wetlands

Intensive irrigation of agricultural land in a Mediterranean water basin is altering the habitats of associated wetlands and changing the balance of the bird population living there, according to a recent study. The Mar Menor coastal lagoon is located in the Southeast of Spain. Inland there are an associated series of wetlands of ecological interest, protected by the Natura 2000 Network1. The ...

Jan. 21, 2010

By Science for Environment Policy - European Commission DG Environment News Alert Service

Environment Agency teams rescue thousands of fish distressed by the heatwave

Environment Agency teams across the country have been rescuing thousands of fish in distress as a result of the recent weather. Hot weather combined with low rainfall can make fatal conditions for fish, while heavy intense rain also leads to an increase in diffuse pollution as result of pollutants washed off roads, sewerage systems and from agricultural land. Rapid changes in water conditions ...

Aug. 7, 2013

By The Environment Agency - England and Wales

Algal Biomass Organization Engages K&L Gates to Help Advocate for U.S. Algae Industry

The Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) has taken a major step in its evolution as the trade association for the U.S. algae industry by engaging the Washington, D.C. office of the global law firm, K&L Gates LLP. The firm will help ABO in its efforts to educate federal policy makers about the growing potential for algae biofuels and the role they will ...

Dec. 19, 2011

By Algae Biomass Organization (ABO)

Increasing cropping frequency offers opportunity to boost food supply

Harvesting existing cropland more frequently could substantially increase global food production without clearing more land for agriculture, according to a new study from the Institute on the Environment (IonE) at the University of Minnesota. The study, published in Environmental Research Letters, tracked global harvest trends of 177 crops between 1961 and 2011. It found that the total amount of ...

Nov. 25, 2013

By University of Minnesota

Robert F Kennedy Jr. presents vertical farming system during earth week

Valcent Products and their vertical farming system, VertiCrop™ were presented by Robert F Kennedy Jr. on WUSA9 television during Earth Week. Rolling fields of farmland spread out over acres and acres of land, but in urban areas, there's no place to go but up. 'The vertical farming idea is kind of a perfect storm because it's the solution for so many problems that we're facing in this country,' ...

Apr. 24, 2010

By GLOBE SERIES

Land “Grabbing” Grows as Agricultural Resources Dwindle

Since 2000, more than 36 million hectares—an area about the size of Japan—has been purchased or leased by foreign entities, mostly for agricultural use. Today, nearly 15 million hectares more is under negotiation (www.worldwatch.org). “Farmland is lost or degraded on every continent, while ‘land grabbing’—the purchase or lease of agricultural land by foreign ...

Oct. 6, 2015

By Worldwatch Institute

Keynote Address by Achim Steiner UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA)

Agriculture is the single most important sector in providing the basic necessities for human existence and livelihoods today. In addition to producing bioenergy and foodstuffs, it accounts for roughly 40 per cent of the world's labour force, or about 1.3 billion people. Honourable Ministers, Distinguished guests, Colleagues, Ladies and gentlemen, It is my pleasure to welcome you all to ...

Jan. 17, 2014

By United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Robert Kennedy promotes vertical farming system

Valcent Products and their vertical farming system, VertiCrop™ were presented by Robert F Kennedy Jr. on Washington, D.C. based WUSA9 television during Earth Week. 'The vertical farming idea is kind of a perfect storm because it's the solution for so many problems that we're facing in this country,' siad Kennedy, a noted environmentalist. Using vertical trays and no soil, Kennedy and his cousin ...

Apr. 24, 2010

By GLOBE SERIES

Land “Grabbing” Grows as Agricultural Resources Dwindle

Since 2000, more than 36 million hectares—- an area about the size of Japan—- has been purchased or leased by foreign entities, mostly for agricultural use. Today, nearly 15 million hectares more is under negotiation (www.worldwatch.org). “Farmland is lost or degraded on every continent, while ‘land grabbing’—- the purchase or lease of agricultural land by ...

Oct. 6, 2015

By Worldwatch Institute

Smallholder Farmers Key to Lifting Over One Billion People Out of Poverty

Supporting smallholder farmers to play a greater role in food production and natural resource stewardship is one of the quickest ways to lift over one billion people out of poverty and sustainably nourish a growing world population, a new United Nations report released today said. Most of the 1.4 billion people living on under US$1.25 a day live in rural areas and depend largely on agriculture ...

Jun. 4, 2013

By United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

CropLife Asia Supports UN FAO Call for Food & Agriculture to ´Change´ along with Climate to Meet Growing Demands

Plant Science Technology Highlighted as Key "Tool in the Toolbox" for Smallholder Farmers As Asia and the world prepare to mark World Food Day, CropLife Asia expressed its strong support for the 2016 theme put forth by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - 'Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.' The impact of climate change is increasingly being felt ...

Oct. 1, 2016

By CropLife Asia

2025: United behind the African agenda to eradicate hunger

Heads of State and Government of African Union Member States, together with representatives of international organizations, civil society organizations, private sector, cooperatives, farmers, youths, academia and other partners have unanimously adopted a Declaration to end hunger in Africa by 2025. The declaration calls for a combination of policies to promote sustainable agricultural ...

Jul. 1, 2013

By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to Address Algae Biomass Summit

The 6th Annual Algae Biomass Summit, the official conference of the Algae Biomass Organization and the world's largest algae industry gathering, today announced that Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper will deliver the opening keynote address when the event convenes in Denver on Monday, September 24th. Governor Hickenlooper will welcome the industry to Colorado and discuss the importance ...

Sep. 13, 2012

By Algae Biomass Organization (ABO)

National Association Of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) commends EWG report on agricultural nutrient run-off

NACWA commends the Environmental Working Group for its report “Troubled Waters: Farm Pollution Threatens Drinking Water” and for shining the spotlight on the critical public health issues raised by agricultural sources of nutrient pollution. Nutrient pollution in U.S. surface and ground waters is becoming the Nation’s greatest water quality challenge. According to state water ...

Apr. 12, 2012

By National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA)

Catchment Management to Support Livelihoods and Peace in North Darfur

Over the past half-century, Sudan's Darfur region has experienced rapid population growth, periodic drought and, since 2003, a cycle of conflict that has displaced over two million people from their villages, many of whom now live in Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps near the towns- putting pressure on the region's natural environment as people concentrate and compete for finite resources. ...

Aug. 18, 2014

By United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

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