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Bayer, IFC-led alliance to help chilli, tomato growers: India
24 July, 2018
Nearly 2,000 small-time chilli farmers around Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh state and tomato cultivators in and around Ranchi in Jharkhand state can look forward to a better future with a consortium of Indian and global firms specializing in diverse aspects of agriculture value chain coming up with a novel initiative to help improve their returns from farming.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/a-new-alliance-to-help-chilli-tomato-farmers-to-get-better-returns/article24502398.ece
Women’s cooperatives boost agriculture and savings in rural Ethiopia
1 Aug,
2018
Through women’s cooperatives, a joint UN programme provides training in agricultural techniques, improved seeds and time-saving machinery, while also granting loans and encouraging saving. The Joint Programme “Accelerating Progress towards the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women” is being implemented by the Government of Ethiopia in partnership with UN Women, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The programme is supported by the Government of Spain through the Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDG-F), as well as the governments of Sweden and Norway.
https://reliefweb.int/report/ethiopia/women-s-cooperatives-boost-agriculture-and-savings-rural-ethiopia
Swedish wheat crop may fall 40 pct on the year on dryness, heat
2 Aug,
2018
Sweden’s wheat harvest could fall by more than 40 percent on the year, hit by dryness and a heatwave, the head of the grain unit of giant Swedish farm cooperative Lantmannen said, joining other producers around the world roiled by adverse weather. It is the latest in a series of indications that a lack of rain and extreme heat have damaged crops in countries such as France, Germany and the Baltics.
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/swedish-wheat-crop-may-fall-40-pct-on-the-year-on-dryness-heat/
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Plastic ‘is speeding up global warming’
2 Aug, 2018
Plastic is fuelling climate change, scientists claimed. Greenhouse gases such as methane and ethylene are released while it degrades, research showed. The most prolific producer of both gases is polyethylene which is used in shopping bags and is the most produced and discarded polymer in the world. They are released when plastic is exposed to sunlight, said the team from the University of Hawaii.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/997769/environment-news-greenhouse-gas-plastic-global-warming
Warmer soil releasing more carbon, worsening climate change
1 Aug,
2018
The dirt on the ground is making climate change worse, a new study finds. Plants capture massive amounts of carbon, pumping it into the soil, where usually it stays for hundreds or thousands of years. Observations from across the globe show that as temperatures have warmed, bacteria and fungi in the soil are becoming more active. These turbo-charged microbes are feeding on dead leaves and plants, releasing more heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the air, according to a study in journal Nature .
https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/warmer-soil-releasing-carbon-worsening-climate-change-56968366
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DROUGHTS
UK farmers call for summit over drought crisis
1 Aug, 2018
As the heatwave in northern Europe continues, farmers in Britain have called an emergency 'drought summit' to address the effect the heat is having on food security. A heatwave across the northern hemisphere is threatening crop yields in northern Europe, the United States, and Russia. Parts of the England and Wales have not seen any rain since May and UK farmers are calling for a drought summit to deal with the effects.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/uk-farmers-call-summit-drought-crisis-180801174647383.html
Aerial images show devastating effects of Australia's 'worst drought in living memory'
2 Aug, 2018
Aerial images have revealed the devastating extent of eastern Australia’s "worst drought in living memory". The harrowing photos show starved cattle and sheep flocking to feed across bone-dry soil. Parts of New South Wales have experienced the lowest rainfall in almost 30 years, meteorologists said, leaving farmers unable to grow crops and feed their livestock.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/aerial-images-show-devastating-effects-of-australias-worst-drought-in-living-memory-a3901556.html
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FLOODS
150,000 flee as Myanmar is hit by floods
3 Aug, 2018
Monsoon rains have pummelled the Mekong region in recent days with Myanmar bearing the brunt of flooding that has forced 150,000 to flee. It has started to recede in some areas, but the country is only just entering the peak monsoon season and more downpours are expected. Evacuation orders are still in place across Bago, Karen, Mon and Tanintharyi provinces with dozens of dams and reservoirs overflowing.
https://www.tnp.sg/news/world/150000-flee-myanmar-hit-floods
Early warning system for flash floods can save thousands of lives at risk
19 July,
2018
With an aim to prevent loss of life and extensive damage due to flash floods, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is working on a Flash Flood Guidance System (FFGS) that will predict the possibility of flash floods up to six hours in advance and alert disaster relief forces as well as local residents.
https://india.mongabay.com/2018/07/19/early-warning-system-for-flash-floods-can-save-thousands-of-lives-at-risk/
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FOOD SECURITY
Africans visit Start-up Nation in search of Israeli agricultural innovation
2 Aug, 2018
A delegation from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) just completed a two-day visit to Israel to learn about local companies that specialize in agriculture technology (agri-tech) that can be brought back to African farmers to upgrade their food production. AGRA is backed by some of the biggest names in the non-profit world, including The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Food Program, as well as the Canadian, German and UK governments.
https://worldisraelnews.com/african-delegation-seeking-food-security-partners-with-israeli-agri-tech-firms/
Climate taxes on agriculture could lead to more food insecurity than climate change itself
30 July, 2018
New IIASA-led research has found that a single climate mitigation scheme applied to all sectors, such as a global carbon tax, could have a serious impact on agriculture and result in far more widespread hunger and food insecurity than the direct impacts of climate change. To address this, smarter, inclusive policies are necessary instead.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180730120348.htm
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IRRIGATION
Micro irrigation to be compulsory for farmers in Gujarat: India
5 July,
2018
The state government has decided to make micro irrigation systems compulsory for farmers who wish to receive water from canals of the Narmada project. The government will start this on a pilot basis for the 2 lakh hectare command area of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited in Saurashtra region. It will soon implement this for all the farmers who wish to receive water from Narmada canals.
http://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-gujarat-micro-irrigation-to-be-compulsory-for-famers-2633323
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Pay more attention to forests to avert global water crisis, researchers urge
16 July, 2018
According to a new report, the growing human population and climate change are exacerbating a looming global water crisis that has already hit home in places like Australia’s Murray Darling basin — but the crisis could potentially be averted if humans paid more attention to the links between forests and water.
https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/pay-more-attention-to-forests-to-avert-global-water-crisis-researchers-urge/
Iraq water shortage reaching critical level
2 Aug, 2018
Once lush farmlands have turned into dry, barren wastelands as a combination of factors have crippled the region. A combination of lower-than-normal rainfall in recent years, upstream dams in Turkey, Syria and Iran, and political turmoil within Iraq have combined to create a disastrous situation for thousands of people.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/international/iraq-water-shortage-reaching-critical-level/70005670
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
9th International Micro Irrigation Conference (IMIC) 2019: Hurry!! Call for abstracts extended to 31 August 2018
Paper presentation will have to fall under the purview of any one of the topics within the sub-themes specified for the conference. Kindly access the link https://imic2019.ivyleaguesystems.com/ for online submission of abstract/ synopsis for the Conference.
For more details, please visit: http://micro-irrigation2019.com/paper-submission/
International Conference and 69th International Executive Council Meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, 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/
Global Water Security for Agriculture and Natural Resources (GWSAN), 3-6 October 2018, Hyderabad, India: An ASABE Global Initiative Conference.
Website: http://www.asabewater.org/
5th International Symposium on Dam Safety, 27-31 October 2018, Istanbul, Turkey
Website: http://www.damsafety2018.com/
9th International Micro Irrigation Conference, 16-18 January 2019, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India on the theme: Micro Irrigation in Modern Agriculture.
Website: http://micro-irrigation2019.com/
International Dam Safety Conference 2019, 13-14 February 2019, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India
Website: www.damsafety.in/idsc2019
3rd World Irrigation Forum (WIF3) and 70th International Executive Council Meeting, 1-7 September 2019, Bali, Indonesia on the theme: Development for water, food and nutrition security in a competitive environment.
Website: http://www.icid2019.org/
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LATEST PUBLICATION(S)
Water Productivity Mapping of Major Indian Crops 2018, published by NABARD
The study on Water Productivity Mapping of Major Indian Crops presents for the first time, maps on the water productivity of ten major Indian crops across cultivating districts and states. It builds on the expectation that if key decisions regarding irrigation, cropping patterns, input pricing, and incentive structures are predicated on water productivity of crops, it would ensure that water in agriculture is distributed more widely, water-use efficiency is enhanced, and Indian agriculture becomes more sustainable and productive in the long run. Thus, the study seeks to inform targeted policies and investment interventions for meeting the twin objectives of har khet ko pani (water to every field) and ‘more crop per drop’. The report will encourage policy makers to take note of and trigger an effective response to the looming water crisis faced by the agriculture sector in India. The book has been released as an Open Access and may be downloaded @ http://icrier.org/pdf/Water_Productivity_Mapping_of_Major_Indian_Crops.pdf
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