An Overlooked Water Resource

When soil lacks carbon, it loses its ability to become a sponge for water.

 

In bone-dry California we are counting the days until October when the rainy season should begin.
When wells run dry in the Central Valley, fires rage in Big Sur and pine forests in the Sierra Nevada die off, you can’t help but wonder where all the water has gone. But what if we asked a slightly different question: where should the water be?

Stanbic IBTC to support agric value chain

Stanbic IBTC

The Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, has pledged the bank’s resolve to remain in the forefront of providing bespoke products and initiatives that significantly impact on the whole agricultural value chain.

Meghan Carreau is Making School Lunch More Nutritious—and Fun!

Meghan Carreau, the founder of the new kid-centric meal delivery service, TuckrBox.

School food reform and meal delivery services are two ways that activists and businesses are trying to improve people’s food choices.

What Does It Take To Feed A City? Melbourne’s Foodprint

A lot of land, water, and energy are needed to feed a city like Melbourne, and a significant amount of food waste and greenhouse gas emissions are generated as a result.

A recent report from The University of Melbourne identifies the environmental footprint required to feed the city of Melbourne. This report shows how much land, water, and energy it takes to feed a rapidly growing city and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated from food production.

Rise of the Small Farm Robots

Oz, made by Naio Technologies in France and shown here on French television, can weed big fields of fava beans, like these above, as well as an expert weeding by hand, and 10x better than a tractor pulled plow.

To assist. Not to disrupt.

Earlier this summer, I took a dive into the world of small farm machines that will soon be crawling farm fields near you. In the sort of thoughtful, enthusiastic reaction that makes any storyteller smile, I was inundated with tips from robot builders, imaginers, investors and watchers from around the world.

Questions with JoAnne Berkenkamp, Food Waste Expert and Advocate

 Food Waste Expert and Advocate

JoAnne Berkenkamp, a Senior Advocate in the Food & Agriculture Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). JoAnne specializes in food waste prevention through industry-based approaches, consumer education, and policy advocacy.

FG trains 120 on fabrication of agric processing machines

FG trains 120 on fabrication of agric processing machines

The Federal Government has commenced training 120 Nigerians across the 36 states on the fabrication of agro-processing machines, to serve as a catalyst for agricultural revolution in the country.

Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Eating Less Meat, CGIAR Report Says

A new report says that reducing meat consumption is among the most important potential dietary changes for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring food security worldwide.

According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in the past 50 years, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, forestry, and fisheries have nearly doubled.

Okorocha blames recession on neglect of agric sector

Rochas Okorocha

The Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has said that the current economic challenges facing the nation came as a result of total neglect of the Agricultural sector by the country’s past leaders, stressing that before the advent of oil, agriculture provided over 70 per cent of the employment and resources of the country and 75 percent of the country’s foreign reserve.

Saving 600 million pounds of Ugly Apples

Clint and Ernie Edwards at Chief Orchards.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit one of the original anti-food waste and ugly produce-saving companies - Tree Top Inc. Since I grew up with Tree Top apple juice and applesauce, and now so does my son, I couldn’t wait to see where all these tasty apples come from! Before the founding of Tree Top in 1960, it was common for many Washington apples to be fed to animals or left to rot in the field if they were not cosmetically pretty enough for grocery stores.  A cooperative of over 1,000 growers, Tree Top now saves almost 600 million pounds of ugly apples each year!