Agriculture News and Research

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Farmers, aid groups call attention to drought, food shortages in West Africa

A coalition of farmers from West Africa's Sahel region, known as Billital Maroobe, wrote an open letter to regional leaders Monday, appealing for help with drought and famine conditions that are affecting people and livestock, Agence France-Presse/IC Publications reports.

24 Mar 2010

Researchers devise simple water test to check for herbicide clomazone

University of California, Davis, scientists are helping rice farmers in Uruguay stop polluting their waterways -- including drinking-water sources and a globally valuable nature reserve.

23 Mar 2010

On World Water Day, news outlets examine U.N. reports on water, sanitation conditions worldwide

"Human beings are flushing millions of tonnes of solid waste into rivers and oceans every day, poisoning marine life and spreading diseases that kill" 1.8 million children each year, according to a U.N. report (.pdf) released on Monday, Reuters reports.

23 Mar 2010

Walnuts affect genes related to prostate tumor growth: Study

Walnut consumption slows the growth of prostate cancer in mice and has beneficial effects on multiple genes related to the control of tumor growth and metabolism, UC Davis and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif. have found.

23 Mar 2010

Former Presidents Bush, Clinton visit Haiti to highlight need for aid

Former U.S. presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are visiting Haiti on Monday "to spotlight the dramatic need ahead of a critical March 31 U.N. donors conference in New York, where Haitian officials will ask for $11.5 billion in reconstruction help," the Associated Press/New York Times reports. "It is the first joint visit to the impoverished Caribbean nation for the two former leaders, who were tasked by President Barack Obama with leading the U.S. fundraising effort" after the January 12 earthquake according to the news service.

23 Mar 2010

Maple syrup has anti-oxidants, healthy biological properties: Study

Before you dig in to your next stack of French toast or waffles, you might want to pour on pure maple syrup.

22 Mar 2010

Opinions: U.S. foreign aid effectiveness; Faith-based groups' work abroad

Although "foreign assistance is a very small proportion of the overall budget, its effectiveness is both measurable and priceless," Sheila Nix, the executive director of ONE, writes in a Roll Call opinion piece.

19 Mar 2010

Low-cost insurance policies aim to prevent poverty among small-scale farmers in Kenya

A pilot crop insurance project recently launched in Kenya, aims to compensate small-scale farmers when crops fail, in an effort to break the cycle of poverty, Business Daily reports.

19 Mar 2010

Mars supports new national school nutrition standard

Mars, Incorporated today announced its support for improved school food nutrition standards so that more nutritious products are available to students nationwide. A key component of a comprehensive health and wellness campaign, the announcement was made in partnership with other industry leaders and public health organizations.

19 Mar 2010

Latin American, Caribbean Agriculture Ministers meet to discuss hunger, poverty eradication strategies

Agriculture ministers from Latin America and the Caribbean came together Tuesday to discuss strategies aimed at eradicating hunger and poverty by 2025, Xinhua/People's Daily Online reports.

19 Mar 2010

Meta-study: Seven health risks impair academic performance of urban minority youth

"Educationally relevant health disparities" are key drivers of the achievement gap, "but they are largely overlooked," Charles Basch, the Richard March Hoe Professor of Health Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, said at a recent panel discussion at the College.

18 Mar 2010

Bleach-based disinfectants more effective against noroviruses

Some 40% of commercial disinfectants used to clean surfaces are believed to be ineffective in eliminating noroviruses, a group of viruses responsible for more than half of all foodborne gastroenteritis outbreaks. According to a recent study published by Universit- Laval researchers in the Journal of Food Protection, only bleach-based disinfectants drastically reduce the concentration of these viruses.

18 Mar 2010

U.N. Secretary-General names new UNICEF head, board expected to approve selection

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Tuesday selected President Barack Obama's nominee to head UNICEF - Anthony Lake, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. UNICEF's board must approve Ban's selection and is expected to do so, the newspaper writes (3/17).

18 Mar 2010

Academics focus on challenges of improving diets in both developed and developing countries

For the first time in history the number of people worldwide suffering from obesity now exceeds the number suffering from hunger.

18 Mar 2010

Fungi, like bacteria, can cause severe infections

Fungi have significant potential for "horizontal" gene transfer, a new study has shown, similar to the mechanisms that allow bacteria to evolve so quickly, become resistant to antibiotics and cause other serious problems.

18 Mar 2010

Intergovernmental Committee meeting focuses on E. Africa food security

Experts meeting at the 14th Intergovernmental Committee meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, which kicked off on Sunday, are focusing on food security in East Africa, where FAO says 20 million people are vulnerable, the New Times/allAfrica.com reports. The U.N. Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) sub-regional office, East Africa, also says the region is the most affected by food insecurity on the continent, according to the publication.

17 Mar 2010

New heart-healthy omega-3 crops on horizon

A new heart-healthy, essential omega-3 fatty acid is about to improve an American pantry staple: soybean oil. The new scientific advance will move biotechnology onto the average consumer's daily radar.

17 Mar 2010

Global Nutrition Transition Conference: Physicians and nutrition scientists to discuss solutions for preventing obesity

Physicians and nutrition scientists from around the world gathered today in Orlando for the opening of the Global Nutrition Transition Conference in order to discuss emerging trends and grass roots solutions to the global obesity epidemic employing balanced nutrition and teaching healthy active lifestyles.

16 Mar 2010

U.N. Secretary-General visits Haiti to monitor international aid response

During his second visit to Haiti since the January earthquake, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "promised Haitians on Sunday that the world has not forgotten the quake-torn nation as it suffers from a shortage of shelter and growing violence in teeming camps for the homeless," the Associated Press reports (Katz, 3/14).

16 Mar 2010

African leaders, donors endorse 'ambitious' agriculture development plan

At a meeting this week in Nigeria to address African agriculture production, "African leaders and donor agencies have endorsed an ambitious plan to generate employment, income and food security in Africa by developing agribusiness and agro-industries," Punch reports.

15 Mar 2010