Category: VOA Agriculture Report

Twenty years ago, when the Soviet Union collapsed, so did beef production in Russia. Breeding and management programs for beef cattle fell apart. Today, Russia imports much of its beef. Cattle are raised mostly for dairy. Instead of beef, Russians have expanded poultry and pork operations. These are faster and less costly to start. But …

A new study says climate change has reduced the world’s wheat and maize production. The study says rice and soybean yields have also decreased in some places — but increased in others. In the words of the researchers: “For soybeans and rice, winners and losers largely balanced out.”The researchers studied climate trends and global crop …

Niger is located in the Sahel area south of the Sahara. The west African country is largely hot, dry desert. But since the nineteen eighties Niger has gotten a lot greener. Around the world, trees are often cut down to clear land for bigger farms or more homes for growing populations. But in Niger many …

Investing in agricultural research and development can help poor countries fight hunger and poverty. A new study says investments in sub-Saharan Africa increased by more than twenty percent between two thousand one and two thousand eight. But the study also found that just a few countries were responsible for most of that growth. Nigeria was …

Some people say eating hot chili peppers can help you breathe easier if you have a cold. Others believe that chilies give you more energy. All we know is that people have been growing chilies for centuries. And there are plenty of different kinds of chili peppers to choose from, along with different levels of …

Trees and plants are called ornamentals if their main job is to add beauty and interest to a garden. Dogwood trees, for example, are a popular ornamental in parts of the United States. They produce white or pink blooms in the spring. Cherry and plum trees can also add beauty to landscaping even if they …

Bulbs are underground plant stems. They provide food for a shoot. Some bulbs produce flowers year after year. Gardening experts say tulips, daffodils and other bulbs are not very difficult to grow.Bulbs do well in climates with a cold season. They are placed in the ground about the time of the first frost. But, with …

A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide pollution that we produce as a result of activities. Some people try to reduce their carbon footprint because they are concerned about climate change. Now, researchers have a way for people to measure how much nitrogen pollution they produce — their nitrogen footprint. All plants and …

Japan’s nuclear crisis may mean greater demand for imported food and less competition from Japanese products on world markets. But it also means that Japanese farmers and others who make and sell food have to worry about their future. Yasumichi Tanaka sells fish at one of Japan’s busiest fish markets. But now there are fewer …

People in a community on the Pacific coast in Southern California awoke in March to a sea of dead fish. About eight hundred fifty sailboats and powerboats come and go from the marina at King Harbor in the city of Redondo Beach. But the sardines that swam into the marina never swam out. Estimates put …

Food companies say a new kind of maize could take the crunch out of corn chips and other popular foods. The big Swiss company Syngenta genetically engineered the maize to contain an enzyme called alpha amylase. The company says this enzyme will help the crop produce more ethanol, a renewable fuel, while using less water …

Food prices continue to rise, threatening to push more people into poverty and hunger. Experts have been urging increased efforts around the world to increase agricultural productivity. A new report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says one of the best ways would be to remove the barriers women farmers face that male …

White rice is the world’s most popular form of rice. But it goes through a milling process that removes many nutrients. As a result, people who eat a poor diet based on white rice may not get enough vitamin A. Each year an estimated two hundred fifty thousand to half a million children go blind …

Scientists have worked for twelve years to develop what they call Green Super Rice. They say several varieties should be available to farmers about two years from now in parts of Asia and Africa.The “green” in Green Super Rice means environmentally friendly. Researchers say it will produce at least as much grain as other rice …

Traditional fisheries may no longer be the world’s most important provider of fish. A new United Nations report shows that fish-farming or aquaculture may soon lead fish production.The Food and Agriculture Organization says aquaculture is growing by a rate of 6.6 percent a year. Aquaculture now produces forty-six percent of the world’s supply of fish. …

The United States Department of Agriculture has given farmers permission to plant genetically engineered sugar beets with some conditions. A USDA agency ruled on the most popular variety of Roundup Ready sugar beets. The agency said the genetically engineered sugar beets do not harm the environment or increase threats by pests. The Monsanto Company makes …

Airtight plastic bags can help farmers protect their harvests without the use of harmful chemicals. These bags are designed to keep air out of crops in storage. They are a simple way to fight insects and keep food fresh. Ten countries in West and Central Africa are involved in a project to improve the storage …

Sub-Saharan Africa has the world’s highest hunger rate. The United Nations says thirty percent of the people were undernourished last year. But a new report says African farmers also have ideas that could help the world fight hunger and poverty. Danielle Nierenberg from the Worldwatch Institute in Washington spent a year visiting twenty-five countries south …

Economists across the world are expressing concern about rising food prices. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently released its Food Price Index. The list showed that a number of foods cost more than during the world food crisis of two thousand eight. The index is at its highest level since it began in …

The United States is making the first major changes in its food safety rules since the nineteen thirties. A new law called the Food Safety Modernization Act will govern all foods except meat, poultry and some egg products. It calls for increased government inspections of food processors. And it lets the Food and Drug Administration …