An ancient relationship between plants and fungi could be used in sustainable agriculture. But there’s still a lot we don’t know, and new research suggests these fungi can sometimes do more harm than good.
Hunger is a daily reality across large parts of Africa.
Jon Hrusa/EPA
As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rise, rice plants produce fewer vitamins and other key nutrients. This could worsen hunger, malnutrition, child stunting and other diet-related health problems.
South Africa’s land reform debate must not lose sight of the real issue: how to provide enough food to feed its people.
‘Silent Spring’ author Rachel Carson testifies before a Senate Government Operations Subcommittee in Washington, D.C. on June 4, 1963. Carson urged Congress to curb the sale of chemical pesticides and aerial spraying.
AP
Did Rachel Carson catalyze the organic farming movement, as many advocates claim? Or would she reject their ban on synthetic fertilizer and see organic as an inefficient way to feed the world?
Wild bumble bees provide natural pollination for blueberries in North America.
John Flannery
Honeybees receive a lot of attention, but the first North American bee to be listed as an endangered species is a wild bumble bee. Wild bees are vital pollinators, and some are declining rapidly.
More than 40 million Americans rely on SNAP for groceries.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Daniel Rodriguez, The University of Queensland; John Dixon, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, dan Mulugetta Mekuria, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
Africa’s declaration to boost agriculture on the continent has seem some progress but a lot still needs to be done.
Small-scale farmers produce about 90% of Nigeria’s food.
ILRI/Stevie Mann/Flickr
Post-harvest management will reduce losses and improve food availability.
When present in the lowest atmospheric layer – the troposphere, 8-14 kilometers above earth – ozone becomes a concern for human and plant health.
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