Urbanisation will require massive amounts of water to sustain the livelihoods of millions expected to move into cities. This may happen at farmers’ expense.
Ensuring the next 10 billion people are fed fairly will require a radical restructuring of global agri-tech.
While politicians like Malcolm Turnbull and Barnaby Joyce do the traditional photo-ops, fewer people than ever are taking on farming, which can no longer support vibrant rural and regional communities on its own.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
What are the issues facing rural and regional Australia? The challenges are many and varied – and only some have made the national political agenda – but these areas deserve better than neglect.
South Africa’s land reform has been captured by elites and its strategic thrust remains unclear.
Reuters/Mike Hutchings
Climate change stands to hit Africa the hardest. That’s why green industrialisation is critical to help keep the continent’s greenhouse gas emissions low.
Honey bees, which pollinate many valuable crops, are threatened by parasites, pesticides and development. But selective breeding, more benign pesticides and better nutrition could help turn the tide.
We need a global target for reducing emissions in agriculture to meet the Paris Agreement. Farmers have an opportunity to help meet the 2 degree C target in the Paris Agreement, but known practices will not be enough.
chrisgold/flickr
Scientists are using maps and data to identify which areas are most at risk.
There is very little evidence that commodity producing countries diversify their economies by adding value to their raw materials.
Reuters/Siegfried Modola
The downturn in the commodity boom will not automatically lead to diversification of Africa’s economies. This can only be achieved through a focus on creating learning economies driven by innovation.
If these fish were released from farms, they might be hard of hearing.
Arturo Boyra
Sub-Saharan Africa has seen widespread economic growth since 1995. But increased agricultural productivity is needed to translate that growth into poverty reduction.
Food security efforts need to look beyond urban agriculture.
Jane Battersby
Building on local experience and having access to current and expected climate trends is crucial to adapting to climate change for farmers in semi-arid regions.
Water footprints provide interesting information, but they should not be used as a tool for decision-making.
Shutterstock
Growing population, growing demand for food, climate change: Australia’s rural lands are facing a number of pressures. So how can we sustainably use them in the future?
A diet like this isn’t particularly good for your waistline – or the planet.
Fast food image from www.shutterstock.com
Agriculture featured prominently at the 2015 Forum on China-Africa Co-operation, but the reality has yet to catch up to the hype about China’s involvement in African agriculture.
Cuban farming is a model of agroecology – growing food without heavy use of fossil fuel or chemicals. But closer relations with the U.S. could push Cuba back toward large-scale industrial farming.
Managing Director, Triple Helix Consulting; Chief Executive Officer, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; Professorial Fellow, ANU Fenner School for the Environment and Society, Australian National University