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Philippine Q1 agriculture output up 5.28% year-on-year
15 May 2017
Philippine agricultural output grew by 5.28 percent in the first quarter compared with a year earlier, rebounding from a contraction in the previous quarter largely due to good weather, the statistics office said.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/610781/philippine-q1-agriculture-output-up-5-28-year-on-year/story/
NIMET advocates better use of climate information in agriculture
14 May 2017
The Director General/CEO of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Sani Abubakar Mashi, has advocated better use of climate information in agriculture to rebuild the sector and make it sustainable.
https://guardian.ng/features/nimet-advocates-better-use-of-climate-information-in-agriculture/
British agriculture the real victim of Brexit
11 May 2017
Nothing could be more uncertain than the future of British farming
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/agribusiness-and-food/british-agriculture-the-real-victim-of-brexit-1.3078649
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CLIMATE CHANGE
UN agricultural guidelines tackle food security in context of climate change
14 May 2017
The United Nations (UN) have released new agricultural guidelines to help member countries make decisions about farming that are in keeping with their climate change pledges.
http://marketbusinessnews.com/un-agricultural-guidelines-tackle-food-security-context-climate-change/159135
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DROUGHTS
Pacific Northwest shows no sign of drought for the first time in years
13 May 2017
For the first time since 2011, the Pacific Northwest isn’t showing any signs of drought.
http://kgmi.com/news/007700-pacific-northwest-shows-no-sign-of-drought-for-the-first-time-in-years/
Egypt sends food, medical aid to drought-hit Somalia
12 May 2017
The Egyptian Army has transported a cargo-plane filled with food and medical aid to Somalia in an effort to support the drought-stricken country from starvation.
http://www.africanews.com/2017/05/12/egypt-sends-food-medical-aid-to-drought-hit-somalia/
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FLOODS
Land use and climate change could increase flood frequency, experts say
13 May 2017
Hans Schreier, professor emeritus in the department of land and water systems at the University of British Columbia, says future development needs to take more prevalent extreme weather into account. "We need to really rethink our land use policies and we need to change the way we develop the floodplains, because these extreme events will obviously be the norm," Schreier said.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/more-frequent-flooding-1.4113809
Historic floods are ravaging Canada
12 May 2017
Western Quebec and Eastern Ontario are currently being slammed.
http://www.popsci.com/canada-flooding
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FOOD SECURITY
36 new plots of farm land spanning 60ha to be up for bidding to boost Singapore's food security; priority given to high-tech farmers
11 May 2017
In a bid to increase Singapore's food security and boost the efficient use of farm land, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) will tender out 36 new plots of farm land in Lim Chu Kang and Sungei Tengah on 20-year leases.
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/36-new-plots-of-farm-land-spanning-60ha-to-be-up-for-bid-to-boost-singapores-food-security
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IRRIGATION
Freshwater from the desert
14 May 2017
Contrary to common belief, the most important riches of Libya are not the oil wells, but water. The world’s biggest reservoirs of fossil freshwater lie below its desert. Through an extensive pipeline system, these aquifers provide the country with water for consumption and agriculture. The so-called “Great Man-Made River” is the world’s largest irrigation project.
https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/libya-has-worlds-largest-irrigation-project
EBRD finances irrigation in three regions of Kazakhstan
11 May 2017
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is joining a strategic programme to significantly upgrade irrigation systems in Kazakhstan with a US$ 180 million financing package. Loan agreements were signed during the Bank’s Annual Meeting in Cyprus by EBRD First Vice President, Phil Bennett, and the Minister of Finance of Kazakhstan, Bakhyt Sultanov.
http://www.finchannel.com/business/64813-ebrd-finances-irrigation-in-three-regions-of-kazakhstan
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Water Management is Key to Sustainable Development and Stability in the Middle East and North Africa [EN/AR]
14 May 2017
World Bank and FAO join forces to support urgent action on regional water and food security
http://reliefweb.int/report/world/water-management-key-sustainable-development-and-stability-middle-east-and-north-africa
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
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/
69th IEC & Regional Conference, 12–17 August, 2018, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, on the theme: Innovative and Sustainable Agri-water Management: Adapting to a Variable and Changing Climate.
Website:
http://www.icid2018.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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