B4FA – The Week in Review
7 July 2015
As the world looks forward to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP-21 conference in Paris starting on 30 November 2015, the relationship between climate change and agriculture is being examined. A piece from the Oxford Martin Program on the Future of Food points out that agriculture is not included in the draft of the global agreement and explores various facets of the issue. The author notes that, given "the current generation of farmers ... face two stark realities: the need to produce 70 per cent more food to feed a growing population of 9 billion by the year 2050, and the need to do so in climatic conditions never before faced," we should all be watching agriculture's evolving role in the climate negotiations carefully.
In “Countdown to COP21 in Paris: New expectations for Africa or the same old circus?”, Dr. Johnson Nkem of the UN Economic Commission for Africa discusses possible development trajectories for Africa in response to climate change. We also have news of the launch of a climate and disaster resilience initiative for sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the launch of a climate data project that seeks to prepare poorer nations for climate change. Such initiatives will help vulnerable countries build resilience to climate change, including in the agricultural sector.
In crop biotech developments, a GM wheat that produces an aphid alarm pheromone failed to repel aphids in the field. With this result, scientists may next engineer the wheat plant to change the timing of pheromone release. Meanwhile, researchers in Kenya have found that a gene silencing technique has successfully reduced aflatoxin in maize. This is promising for small farms in Africa, where current aflatoxin control strategies have not been effective.
From the B4FA Fellows, we hear from Abdallah El Kurebe, who writes about a successful field trial of a new Bt cotton variety in Northern Ghana. Michael Ssali reports on Ugandan farmers learning how best to process cassava so as to preserve it for longer, enhancing both food security and household income. Ssali also writes about the Pope’s upcoming visit to Uganda and, in light of the recent papal encyclical on climate change, reflects on the need to start practicing climate smart agriculture. Finally Lominda Afedraru writes about a USAID programme to link Ugandan farmers with quality inputs such as seeds and fertilisers.
Thank you as ever for joining us, and please send questions, comments and links to karen@b4fa.org.
Biosciences & plant genetics around the world
Climate data project seeks to prepare poorer nations
African Brains
Study: GM wheat producing aphid alarm pheromone fails to repel aphids in the field
ISAAA
Study: Host-Induced gene silencing reduces aflatoxin in maize
ISAAA
Unsubstantiated fears about GM takes food off of plates of hungry in Africa, Asia
Genetic Literacy Project
Reflections on why GM food is so hard to sell to a wary public
The Conversation
Improving crops with RNAi
The Scientist
Can gene editing provide a solution to global hunger?
The Conversation
Talking Biotech: Neal Carter on non-browing Arctic Apple; Jonathan Wendel on DNA the of cotton
Genetic Literacy Project
Might polyculture cover crops give some benefit over monocultures?
BioFortified
The people who transformed the world of crop biotech
SeedWorld
Ecomodernist Manifesto: Technology based agriculture more sustainable than ‘green’ myths
Genetic Literacy
Farmers net more profits growing GMOs globally, particularly in developing world
Genetic Literacy
Anti-poverty pioneer Sir Fazle Hasan Abed wins 2015 World Food Prize
BBC
White House orders review of rules for genetically modified crops
Business Standard
India: Scientists turn to crop gene editing to improve crops to avoid GM obstacles
New Indian Express
Pan-Africa
Countdown to COP21 in Paris: New expectations for Africa or the same old circus?\
Eldis
Development partners launch climate and disaster resilience initiative for sub-Saharan Africa
African Brains
Memorandum signed to strengthen the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering and maths in Africa
African Brains
African nations pledge greater women’s involvement in agriculture program
News Ghana
Yaya Toure: "Africa needs to invest in its youth, education and agriculture"
Nyasa Times
West Africa has "unprecedented opportunities" for agricultural growth
Global Post
Rwanda: Farmers urged to consider deploying insects against maize stem borer pests
AllAfrica
Angola: Banana, cassava growers test new techniques in Buco-Zau
AllAfrica
Kenya: Small farmers travel to Israel on agrotourism trips to learn best practices
FarmBiz Africa
Ethiopia: Improving seed quality for greater yield, food security
AllAfrica
Gambia: Gunjur women committed to year-round vegetable production
AllAfrica
Moth threatens Kenya’s Sh14b capsicum market
FarmBiz Africa
Horizon 2020 – first projects funded involving African researchers
Paepard
Website lets Kenyan farmers shop for seeds
VOA News
Maize farming simplified
FarmBiz Africa
Ghana
New BT cotton variety proves successful In Northern Ghana
News Diary Online, by B4FA Fellow Abdallah El Kurebe
Players in seed industry form association
News Ghana
Nigeria
Developing youth-friendly agriculture to boost food production
Leadership NGA
Agricultural infrastructure: a guarantee for jobs, poverty reduction and food security
Guardian
Tanzania
Farm production remains bleak
AllAfrica
Tanzania deputy minister for agri advocates adoption of biotech in agriculture
ISAAA
Uganda
Naro station teaches cassava farmers to add value
Daily Monitor, by B4FA Fellow Michael Ssali
On the Pope’s visit, climate change, and agriculture
Daily Monitor, by B4FA Fellow Michael Ssali
Why do Ugandan farmers hardly use inputs like fertilisers to boost production?
Daily Monitor, by B4FA Fellow Lominda Afedraru
Seed companies asked to allay fears associated with GM seeds
New Vision
Fertilizer deficit mars Uganda farming; gov encourages investment in its manufacture
AllAfrica
Agriculture boot camp for Miss Uganda contestants increases awareness of modern ag technologies
ISAAA
Views and opinions in Week in Review are solely those of the author or authors and do not necessarily represent those of B4FA.