Global

Much of the deforestation in the world’s tropical rainforests comes so that we humans have enough to eat. But sustainable agricultural practices exist that help farmers coax more corn and soybeans, coffee and cacao, and a host of other products from the soil, without having to draw on land that’s currently covered with standing forest. The tricky part is getting those tools and… Read more

LONDON, June 9 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Food shortages caused by climate shocks like drought or floods could exacerbate violence and riots in politically unstable countries, researchers say. Fragile states that are poor and depend heavily on agriculture are most at risk of violent uprisings since they struggle to cope with climate change, according to a study published this week in… Read more

LONDON, June 1 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Supermarkets will lose customers and risk going out of business unless they take radical steps to eliminate food waste from their operations, a food expert said on Thursday. Changing consumer preferences - and heightened awareness about the cost of waste - mean retailers need to adapt quickly if they want to keep current consumers happy and attract… Read more

30 May 2017, Brussels - To achieve sustainable development we must transform current agriculture and food systems, including by supporting smallholders and family farmers, reducing pesticide and chemical use, and improving land conservation practices, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today addressing European lawmakers. "Massive agriculture intensification is… Read more

Under the new deal, China’s National Biosafety Committee will meet to assess the safety of eight products made by four major U.S. agrochemical companies. China will evaluate eight pending U.S. agricultural biotechnology product applications, potentially opening the door for sales by Dow AgroSciences, DuPont Pioneer, Monsanto, and Syngenta. According to a news source, China agreed to… Read more

Executives from consultancy firms and industry experts yesterday called for more deregulation and better government coordination to help boost the biotechnology sector. Audrey Tseng (曾惠瑾), deputy chairwoman of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Taiwan, said that the government should lift restrictions on angel investors and facilitate tax exemptions for individual investors in biotechnology… Read more

A new report released today by PG Economics has found that over the last 20 years, crop biotechnology has significantly reduced agriculture’s environmental impact and stimulated economic growth in the 26 countries where the technology is used. The innovative agricultural technology has contributed to preserving the earth’s natural resources while allowing farmers to grow more, high… Read more

Scientists in Brazil are taking steps towards genetically modifying sugar cane so it produces more sucrose naturally, looking to eventually boost the productivity and economic benefits of the tropical grass. Currently, it is common for producers to raise sucrose levels in sugar cane by applying artificial growth regulators or chemical ripeners. This inhibits flowering, which in… Read more