Alice Muller
Fertiliser trees restore impoverished land
In the Sahel, Acacia albida used to be the best known tree for restoring and enriching agricultural lands, by increasing the soil’s organic matter, nitrogen content and water holding capacity, as well as promoting valuable microbiological activity. But more than ten years ago, farmers discovered new fertiliser tree species to combat soil impoverishment. In Burkina […] Continue Reading
One food security remedy in the face of global crises
Political instability, poverty, war, disease and climate change are testing humanity like never before, but in a world beset by rapidly compounding crises, one thing remains constant: People need to eat. Even as Western industrialized and rapidly developing nations face an epidemic of health problems related to obesity and associated “lifestyle illnesses,” the Food and […] Continue Reading
Evergreen, Nipa and ‘push-pull’ presented at global innovations forum 2015
Agriculture as practiced in most parts of the world today will simply not feed a human population of 9 billion by 2050. Innovation in food production is needed, and it needs to be adopted on a wide scale. Indeed, the purpose of the ongoing Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) 2015 has been to […] Continue Reading
Green entrepreneurship: Empowering farmers for sustainable future
MWAZIPEZA CHANDA, Lusaka TRADITIONAL knowledge can help turn the tide against deforestation and poverty in Chongwe as more farmers become environmentally conscious and turn to ‘green farming’. Most communities in Chongwe’s farming area are experiencing low crop yields due to decreased soil fertility and unpredictable rain patterns over the years. Rampant tree cutting has caused […] Continue Reading
‘Climate-smart agriculture’ vital, researchers pontificate
AGRICULTURE across Africa must undergo a significant transformation to meet the multiple challenges of climate change, food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty and environmental degradation,a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future has said. According to the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the envisaged transformation includes the adoption of ‘Climate-Smart Agriculture’ (CSA) which […] Continue Reading
Bean breakthrough bodes well for climate change challenge
Scientists are hailing a new breed of bean seed as a breakthrough, thanks to its ability to grow amid rising temperatures and yield more nutritional value, qualities they believe can thwart the anticipated destruction of nearly half of all bean production. The new seed was launched on Wednesday by scientists from the Consultative Group for […] Continue Reading