Over a tenth of Danish agricultural land now organic 
18 March, 2019 
Never before has organic agricultural land been as popular in Denmark as it is currently, according to a new report from the Landbrugsstyrelsen agricultural agency. The report reveals that 10.5 percent of land reserved for agriculture in Denmark has been transformed into organic land, and there are now close to 4,000 organic farmers in the country.  
http://cphpost.dk/news/over-a-tenth-of-danish-agricultural-land-now-organic.html 

No time, space to farm at home? Hyderabad Hydroponics firm has a doorstep solution: India 
18 March, 2019 
The fifth report of US-based The Global Harvest Initiative predicts that by 2030, agricultural production will only meet 59 percent of India’s total demand. With the help of ‘Hydroponic Farming’, a technique largely practiced in Europe and America, the burden on traditional farmers will be lessened by helping urban dwellers grow their own food. With help and guidance from the UrbanKissan, you can now grow fresh produce including lettuces, herbs, greens and exotic vegetables round the year. 
https://www.thebetterindia.com/175338/urban-farming-hyderabad-company-introduces-indoor-farming/ 

New support service launched to help farmers considering organic 
9 March, 2019 
A support service has been launched to provide free advice and technical guidance to organic farmers and those considering organic conversion. The Organic Advice, Support and Information Service (OASIS) has been developed collaboratively by independent farm consultancy Abacus Agriculture and OF&G (Organic Farmers and Growers), who certify over half the organic land in the UK. 
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/41129/new-support-service-launched-to-help-farmers-considering-organic/ 

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[[ CLIMATE CHANGE ]] 







World Bank grants Sri Lanka $125 million to improve productivity and climate resilience of agriculture 
9  March , 2019 
The World Bank Board of Directors recently approved a $125 million credit for Sri Lanka to improve the climate resilience and productivity of agriculture for more than 470,000 small farmers in 6 provinces in the dry zone of the country. The provinces selected are those that are most exposed to climate impacts. 
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_19A/Mar10_1552186572CH.php 

Climate change is creating toxic crops and poisoning some of world’s poorest people, scientists warn 
17 March, 2019 
Climate change threatens to poison the food supply of some of the world’s poorest people as crops respond to rising temperatures by pumping out dangerous chemicals. Experts are already concerned about the devastating impact extreme weather can inflict on vital crops, but these conditions also pose subtler hazards.  
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-poison-crops-toxic-fungi-ethiopia-un-environment-a8823071.html 

Evidence for man-made global warming hits 'gold standard': Scientists 
25 Feb, 2019 
Evidence for man-made global warming has reached a “gold standard” level of certainty, adding pressure for cuts in greenhouse gases to limit rising temperatures, scientists said. Human activities raising the heat at the Earth’s surface had reached a “five-sigma” level, a statistical gauge meaning there is only a one-in-a-million chance that the signal would appear if there was no warming. Mainstream scientists say the burning of fossil fuels is causing more floods, droughts, heat waves and rising sea levels. 
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-temperatures/evidence-for-man-made-global-warming-hits-gold-standard-scientists-idUSKCN1QE1ZU 

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[[ DROUGHTS ]] 

Farmers should shift to drought-tolerant crops 
18 March, 2019 
The latest UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s annual Africa Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition Report highlighted drought as one of the key factors contributing to the continuing rise in the number of hungry people in sub-Saharan Africa. And in South Africa, the Government’s Crop Estimates Committee announced that the country would harvest 20 percent less maize in 2019 because of drought conditions. 
https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/analysis/ideas/time-to-shift-to-drought-tolerant-crops/4259414-5031202-mghh57/index.html 

At least nine die as drought and hunger hits northern Kenya 
18 March, 2019 
Thousands of people in Northern Kenya’s Turkana and Baringo county are facing starvation due to drought. For close to a year now, the area has not received any rainfall. The death toll due to starvation has risen to nine as of Sunday. The nomads in Turkana are among the worst affected by climate change which has left them and their animals without food and drinking water. Children and women most affected, say villagers, demanding urgent aid. 
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/at-least-nine-die-as-drought-and-hunger-hits-northern-kenya-3476852 

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[[ FLOODS ]] 






Cyclone Idai: Flood deaths climb as Mozambique races to rescue stranded 
21 Mar, 2019 
Deaths from flooding in the wake of Cyclone Idai climbed to more than 380 as Mozambique’s government battled to deal with the devastation wrought by one of southern Africa’s most deadly recorded storms. The toll may rise dramatically yet as thousands remain stranded. 
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-21/cyclone-death-toll-jumps-in-race-to-help-stranded-in-mozambique 

Google using machine learning to improve flood forecasting systems 
11 March, 2019 
Google in collaboration with the Indian government is currently testing its machine learning (ML)-driven Flood Forecasting Initiative in the city of Patna in Bihar — a new approach towards generating high-resolution elevation maps for flood forecasting. Depending on the success of the project, it plans on scaling it up to additional locations within the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins. 
https://inc42.com/buzz/how-google-is-using-machine-learning-to-predict-floods-in-india/ 

Nebraska flood damage losses hit $1.4 billion, more states flooded 
22 Mar, 2019 
State officials say the flooding that swept Nebraska has caused nearly $1.4 billion in estimated losses and damage. Roads, levies and other infrastructure have sustained an estimated $449 million in damage. Damage to private homes and businesses has reached $85 million so far. The flooding has also taken a heavy toll on agriculture, inundating tens of thousands of acres, threatening stockpiled grain and killing livestock. Farmers have experienced $400 million in cattle losses and $440 million in crop losses. 
https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/nebraska-flood-damage-losses-hit-1-4-billion-more-states-flooded/ 

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[[ FOOD SECURITY ]] 







Speed breeding of crops by Queensland researchers in bid to battle global hunger 
19 March, 2019 
Queensland researchers are advancing the technology of ordinary glasshouses to speed up the life cycle of crops with a revolutionary “speed breeding” technique to minimise the impacts of drought, climate change and global hunger. The first wheat variety completely bred and developed in the speed breeding system was released to Australian growers last year. 
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-15/queensland-researchers-world-first-speed-breeding-crops/10894466 

Rice fortification can end hidden hunger in Nigeria: Report 
18 March, 2019 
Rice, one of the most important staple foods in Nigeria could hold the secret to ending micronutrient deficiency (hidden hunger)in the country. In Nigeria, rice fortification has been largely underutilised and while Nigeria is one of the countries that are signitories to the mandate of food fortification to combat hidden hunger, it is not necessarily translating policy into improved nutrition.  
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/rice-fortification-can-end-hidden-hunger-in-nigeria-report/ 

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[[ IRRIGATION ]] 






Drone technology to improve irrigation practices  
14 March, 2019 
Monash University engineers are working with Australian farmers to help them improve irrigation practices, reduce water use and maximise crop harvest by using autonomous drone technology. The data taken from the drone can be downloaded and used to produce a map of ground soil moisture levels to inform the farmer on how best to irrigate the paddock. 
https://freelocalnews.com.au/surfcoasttimes/news/drone-technology-to-improve-irrigation-practices/ 

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[[ WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ]] 









Harvesting water from air possible using solar-powered device 
27 Feb, 2019 
In a major breakthrough, scientists have developed a novel solar-powered harvesting system that absorbs moisture from the air and converts it into clean, usable water. The technology, described in the journal Advanced Materials, could be used in disaster situations, water crises or poverty-stricken areas and developing countries. It relies on hydrogels, gel-polymer hybrid materials designed to be “super sponges” that can retain large amounts of water. 
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/asean-plus/30366046 

UN Report finds billions still lack access to water, sanitation 
18 March, 2019 
A new study - the United Nations World Water Development Report - finds that investing in clean water and sanitation is an economic and social winner, but billions of the world's poorest people still lack access to these key services. The latest report finds myriad groups, including women and sometimes the elderly, can be excluded from what many of us consider basic services. Most have one thing in common: poverty. 
https://www.voanews.com/a/un-report-finds-billions-still-lack-access-to-water-and-sanitation/4837197.html 

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4th Water Sensitive Cities Conference 2019: Delivering the transition to water sensitive cities- approaches, activities and achievements, 26-28 March 2019, Brisbane 
Website: https://watersensitivecities.org.au/content/wsc-conference-2019/ 

Water for Food Global Conference 2019, 29-30 April 2019, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA  
Theme: Water for a Hungry World: Innovation in Water and Food Security 
Website:  https://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/explore-our-conferences 

2019 Floodplain Management Australia National Conference, 14-17 May 2019, Canberra, Australia 
Website:  https://floodplainconference.com/ 

ISMAR 10: International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge, 20-24 May 2019, Madrid, Spain 
Website:  http://ismar10.net 

3rd World Irrigation Forum (WIF3) and 70th International Executive Council Meeting, 1-7 September 2019, Bali, Indonesia   
Theme: Development for water, food and nutrition security in a competitive environment 
Website:  https://icid2019.com/ 

5th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage (ARCID), 16-19 March 2020, Marrakech, Morocco   
Theme: Sustainable Management of irrigation for improved resilience of agriculture in Africa 
Website:  http://5arcid.ma/ 

MinWat 2020: 3rd International Multidisciplinary Conference on Mineral Waters: Genesis, Exploitation, Protection, and Valorisation, 31 March-3
April 2020, Caserta, Italy 
Website:  https://iah.org/events/minwat-2020 

24th ICID International Congress & 71st IEC Meeting, 22-28 September 2020, Sydney, Australia 
Website:  http://www.icid2020.com.au 

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FAO launches new handbook titled On-farm practices for safe use of wastewater in urban and peri-urban horticulture - A training handbook for Farmer Field Schools | Published: Second Edition, 2019 

Many farmers in developing countries grow crops, especially vegetables, in urban and peri-urban environments using this wastewater, raw or diluted, to irrigate their crops. Such wastewater is often heavily contaminated with disease-causing organisms and chemical agents that can seriously harm the health of the farmers, the traders who handle crops and the people who consume them. Safe irrigation methods are essential when using wastewater for irrigation, but they need to be complemented with other practices from farm to fork to ensure the safety of others involved in the value chain. The second edition of the handbook titled ''On-farm practices for the safe use of wastewater in urban and peri-urban horticulture'' by FAO focuses on low-cost and low-tech on-farm wastewater treatment and safe irrigation practices that farmers can adopt to grow safer products.  

+ Download the Handbook>> http://www.fao.org/3/CA1891EN/ca1891en.pdf