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Agriculture pulling Nigeria out of recession – Presidency
19 March 2017
The presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, says efforts to get the nation out of its present economic challenges are beginning to yield positive results, especially in agriculture. According to him, an increase in the volume of rice production and processing across the country is already saving the country a lot of foreign exchange.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/226585-agriculture-pulling-nigeria-recession-presidency.html
How Sensors, Robotics And Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Agriculture
19 March 2017
The world population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. China and India, the two largest countries in the world, have populations totalling around one billion. In four years, by 2022, India is predicted to have the largest population in the world, surpassing China. This means we need new ways to grow food that are smarter and helps regulate our use of land, water and energy in order to feed the planet and avoid a global food crisis. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute believe the answer lies in sensors, artificial intelligence (AI) and robots.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2017/03/19/how-sensors-robotics-and-artificial-intelligence-will-transform-agriculture/#391b26d0384b
Argentina and New Zealand sign agriculture cooperation agreement
16 March 2017
New Zealand and Argentina have agreed to collaborate in an area where they have traditionally competed in an attempt to improve food supply into other countries.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/fieldays/90510560/argentina-and-new-zealand-sign-agriculture-cooperation-agreement
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Himalayan Climate Change Affects Regional, Global Environments
15 March 2017
The high-elevation region that includes the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding mountain ranges has been dubbed the “Third Pole.” This region encompasses approximately 5 million square kilometers of unforgiving terrain, with an average elevation of more than 4000 meters above sea level, and it straddles tense geopolitical borders. The Third Pole includes an estimated 100,000 square kilometers of glaciers. Cumulatively, this region holds the planet’s largest concentrated stock of ice outside the Arctic and Antarctic. The annual variability of snow extent affects global atmospheric circulation patterns, monsoon variability, and, more important, drinking and irrigation water that sustains roughly 1.5 billion people in downstream countries, including India, Nepal, China, and Bangladesh.
https://eos.org/meeting-reports/himalayan-climate-change-affects-regional-global-environments
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DROUGHTS
How Can Colorado Have Both A High Snowpack And A Drought?
17 March 2017
From the Continental Divide east, much of Colorado is in some form of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. But the white capped mountains illustrate a different story. The state’s snowpack is sitting at 125 percent of normal -- above average for this time of year.
http://www.kunc.org/post/how-can-colorado-have-both-high-snowpack-and-drought
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FLOODS
Peru floods kill 67 and spark criticism of country's climate change preparedness
17 March 2017
Devastating downpour, caused by high ocean temperatures, could not have been predicted, president said, months after state of emergency declared for wildfires. Sixty-seven people have been killed and thousands more forced to evacuate by intense rains which damaged 115,000 homes and destroyed more than 100 bridges in Peru’s worst floods in recent memory.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/17/peru-floods-ocean-climate-change
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FOOD SECURITY
Malaysia ranks among best in terms of global food security: Agriculture Minister
14 March 2017
The Global Food Security Index 2016 has revealed that Malaysia is ahead of other Asean nations in terms of food security, placing 35th out of 113 countries worldwide.
http://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/03/220716/msia-ranks-among-best-terms-global-food-security-agriculture-minister
Hydroponics, organic farming top food security strategy
Abu Dhabi, 14 March 2017
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has put a priority on increasing the use of hydroponic technology, which relies on nutrient-rich water to grow plants with the use of little or no soil, and organic farming as part of the 2017-2021 food security strategy, a top official told the Federal National Council.
http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/government/hydroponics-organic-farming-top-food-security-strategy-1.1993738
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IRRIGATION
Solar irrigation projects to get priority
Bangladesh, 17 March 2017
The Bangladesh Bank has issued a master circular on rules and regulations of the Refinancing Scheme for Environment-friendly products and initiative, reports UNB news agency.
http://en.prothom-alo.com/economy/news/142525/Solar-irrigation-projects-to-get-priority
$590,000 for new smart irrigation projects
New Zealand, 16 March 2017
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has welcomed two new investments in smart irrigation projects in the latest Sustainable Farming Fund round. The first project, led by Irrigation New Zealand, will receive $294,000 to identify the benefits of irrigation good management practice and barriers to uptake. The results of this will then be used in strategies to overcome these barriers and improve practices.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1703/S00277/590000-for-new-smart-irrigation-projects.htm
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
WORLD WATER DAY | Waste water is a resource, conserve and recycle it: this year's theme
Manila, 19 March 2017
The weeklong observance of World Water Day, lasting until March 22, is under way with Philippine activities led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in coordination with the Interior department, private businesses like Maynilad, and advocacy NGOs. The theme for this year's United Nations-designated World Water Day is "Water and Waste Water."
http://interaksyon.com/business/137833/world-water-day--waste-water-is-a-resource-conserve-and-recycle-it-this-years-theme
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
13th International Drainage Workshop (IDW), Ahwaz City, Iran, 4-7 March 2017, Theme: Drainage and Environmental Sustainability.
Website:http://idw13.org
68th IEC and 23rd ICID Congress on Irrigation and Drainage, 8-14 October 2017, on the theme: Modernizing Irrigation and Drainage for a new Green Revolution, Mexico City, Mexico, 8-14 October 2017.
Website: http://www.icid2017.org/
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LATEST PUBLICATION(S)
National Agriculture Policy, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, September 2016.
Agriculture remains the mainstay of Malawi’s economy, contributing significantly to employment, economic growth, export earnings, poverty reduction, food security, and nutrition. It also plays a critical role in ensuring sustainable use of natural resources. All of these pose a threat to food security and nutrition in the face of a growing population, increased land pressure, and climate change. In trying to address these challenges in the past, Malawi has over-concentrated on maize self-sufficiency for food and tobacco as a cash crop, at the expense of other agricultural commodities, including livestock and fisheries. Moreover, the sector remains predominantly subsistence-oriented. In response, the NAP seeks to sustainably transform the sector from subsistence to a market orientation in order to increase agricultural production, marketed surpluses of commodities, and real incomes.
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/NAP_Final_Signed.pdf
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