Agriculture News and Research

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Natural variation shows promise for increasing provitamin A in cassava roots

The roots of cassava (Manihot esculenta) serve as the primary source of carbohydrates in the diets of people in many arid regions of the world, including more than 250 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately the roots of commercial cassava cultivars are quite low in micronutrients, and micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in these regions.

5 Oct 2010

New bill aims to promote federal agency collaboration on foreign aid, national security

House lawmakers recently introduced the 2010 Interagency National Security Professional Education, Administration and Development System Act in an effort to promote better "collaboration among federal agencies supporting security missions and foreign aid operations overseas," Government Executive reports.

5 Oct 2010

Father of IVF acknowledged with a Nobel prize

Professor Robert Edwards who came to be known as the “father of In Vitro fertilization” (IVF) has won this year's Nobel prize in medicine. He is 85 and has won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for his pioneering work on the in vitro fertilisation of human eggs that led to the birth of the world's first IVF baby, Louise Brown, in 1978. When he had started off initially his funding request for IVF research was turned down by Britain’s Medical Research Council (MRC) in the 1970s. His co-worker the gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe, died in 1988. Professor Edwards becomes the sole recipient of this award since it cannot be awarded posthumously.

4 Oct 2010

USDA NIFA awards $3.8M to develop healthier food products for humanitarian assistance programs

The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded nearly $3.8 million to develop healthier food products for humanitarian assistance programs.

4 Oct 2010

U.S. underrepresented at WHO, FAO, other U.N. organizations, GAO report says

A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), released on Thursday, found that the U.S. presence and influence in several parts of the United Nations actually declined" over the past few years, Foreign Policy's blog The Cable reports.

4 Oct 2010

Study shows blueberries may help fight atherosclerosis

Blueberries may help fight atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries, according to results of a preliminary U.S. Department of Agriculture funded study with laboratory mice. The research provides the first direct evidence that blueberries can help prevent harmful plaques or lesions, symptomatic of atherosclerosis, from increasing in size in arteries.

30 Sep 2010

Opinions: U.S. aid to Pakistan; MDGS; GHI and Global Fund

The U.S. military has been working hard to provide flood assistance, but most of that is invisible to Pakistanis, David Ignatius writes in a Washington Post opinion piece. The article examines the views of Pakistani flood victims, including criticism of their own government's response.

30 Sep 2010

ECOWAS forum highlights need for nutrition to be integrated with agriculture

A recent nutrition forum, held by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), looked at how to better incorporate nutrition into agriculture, IRIN reports.

29 Sep 2010

Asian countries should increase rice reserves to prevent food insecurity, report says

A report released on Monday by the Asia Society and the International Rice Research Institute recommends that Asian countries should increase rice reserves to help stabilize prices and improve food security in the region which is home to about 65 percent of the world's hungry, Bloomberg reports.

29 Sep 2010

Researchers use biological weapon to fight salmon parasite

A few years ago, fish farms in Chile produced enormous numbers of salmon. Now the industry is on its knees as a result of several years of disease and devastation by lice.

28 Sep 2010

At FAO special meeting, delegates recommend addressing root causes of food price escalation

"Delegates at a special U.N. meeting [in Rome] about high food prices Friday blamed the hikes on speculation, futures markets and national responses to crop failure," the Associated Press/Moscow Times reports (9/27).

28 Sep 2010

Experts predict rise in food prices

With food prices expected to rise by 50 per cent within 10 years experts are planning to discuss the issues in Brisbane. There is to be a three-day summit on food security this week. With the global population touching nine billion by 2050, Australia’s role in feeding the world will be explored.

27 Sep 2010

News outlets report on food price concerns as special FAO meeting begins

Ahead of the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization's (FAO) special meeting on global food prices Friday, U.N. officials said they expect Russian grain company executives to attend, the Associated Press/Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

27 Sep 2010

Critics say school lunch bill could damage food stamp program

The New York Times: "In her campaign to reduce childhood obesity and improve school nutrition, Michelle Obama has become entangled in a fight with White House allies, including liberal Democrats and advocates for the poor." The bill, which the House is expected to consider in the next few days, "would come up with some of the money by cutting future food stamp benefits. When the Senate passed the bill in early August, Mrs. Obama said she was thrilled. But anti-hunger groups were not.

24 Sep 2010

Origin Biotechnology reaches worldwide agreement with Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences for Bt-gene

Origin Biotechnology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Origin Agritech Limited announced it has reached an comprehensive, worldwide agreement with the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). CAAS jointly own the rights to the internally developed Bt-gene.

24 Sep 2010

World Heart Federation calls on employers and employees to take responsibility for workplace wellness

Despite the vast majority (91%) of workers believing that it is their employer's responsibility to create a healthy working environment, nearly a third (32%) of employees feels their workplace actually hinders their ability to lead a healthy lifestyle, according to new independent research commissioned by the World Heart Federation and conducted by Opinion Health.

24 Sep 2010

United Fresh Produce Association urges passage of Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act legislation

The United Fresh Produce Association is urging the U.S. House of Representatives to immediately pass the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, legislation that will reauthorize all child nutrition programs. It is critical that all child nutrition programs be reauthorized and signed into law by President Obama before they expire on September 30. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes important reforms and strengthens child nutrition programs by investing $4.5 billion in programs to reduce childhood hunger and childhood obesity.

24 Sep 2010

U.N. MDGs summit concludes with 'outcome document'

The three-day U.N. Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ended Wednesday with world leaders "adopting a declaration agreed [to] earlier this month, which promised intensified efforts by the 192 U.N. member states to achieve the world body's so-called Millennium Development Goals by 2015," Reuters reports (Worsnip/Wroughton, 9/22).

24 Sep 2010

Pres. Obama unveils new U.S. Global Development Policy at U.N. MDGs summit

During a U.N. Summit on the Millennium Development Goals address in New York on Wednesday, President Barack Obama outlined "changes in how the United States will pursue international development" and "urged wealthy countries ... to maintain development assistance to poor nations," the Washington Post reports.

24 Sep 2010

CNN, Telegraph examine global food security, food price volatility

In advance of Friday's special meeting, convened by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), CNN examines the current state of food security around the world and the outlook over the next few years.

24 Sep 2010