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Britain's first 'vertical farm' to produce its first crop with help of robot 'Frank'
18 Nov, 2018
Forget all those traditional images you have of agriculture: rolling fields, combine harvesters and lumbering tractors, even greenhouses and polytunnels. A 'vertical farm' in Scunthorpe has the potential to change agriculture forever. Only four human beings work at the vast warehouse, bathed in eerie pink light. It is designed to produce 500 tonnes of plants annually starting with fresh herbs. A single robot — called Frank — is responsible for gathering trays of plants.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6403635/Britains-vertical-farm-produce-crop-help-robot.html
Four Agri-Tech innovations in Asia Pacific are changing the game for agriculture
19 Nov, 2018
We seldom think of how the food on our table gets there, much less how it was farmed, harvested, and delivered, but agriculture is also experiencing a seismic shift through tech-enablement. The so-called agri-tech is growing in Asia Pacific both among startups dedicated to the space as well as horizontal companies that target the sector in some way. Here are four tech companies from Asia Pacific that can give you an idea of how entrepreneurs can innovate in agriculture.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/323463
Bonds soon to meet power subsidy to agriculture connections: India
22 Oct, 2018
The State government’s subsidy bill towards agricultural connections is on the rise during the last four years with the demand for connections increasing significantly. It has to foot a subsidy bill of about ₹6,030 crore (60.3 billion) during the current fiscal. As the budgetary allocations do not match the demand, it is contemplating issuing bonds in near future.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/bonds-soon-to-meet-power-subsidy-to-agriculture-connections/article25281503.ece
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CLIMATE CHANGE
G20 nations still led by fossil fuel industry: Climate report
14 Nov, 2018
Among the G20 nations 15 reported a rise in emissions last year, according to the most comprehensive stock-take to date of progress towards the goals of the Paris climate agreement. The paper, by the global partnership Climate Transparency, found 82% of energy in these countries still being provided by coal, oil and gas, a factor which has relied on an increase of about 50% in subsidies over the past 10 years to compete with increasingly cheap wind, solar and other renewable energy sources.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/14/g20-nations-still-led-by-fossil-fuel-industry-climate-report-finds
Shrinking Swiss glacier hosts world's largest postcard
17 Nov, 2018
A postcard aimed at creating awareness about global warming and climate change has been laid out on Switzerland's rapidly shrinking Aletsch glacier. Organisers claim the postcard consisting of 125,000 children's drawings and messages is the world's largest. The glacier, which experts faer could disapper by 2100, is losing up to 12 metres of ice a year.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46248470
Farms of every type and size have to be climate smart
19 Nov, 2018
An annual review by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), a wing of the agriculture ministry, has said that crops, plantations and livestock in 151 districts, or slightly more than one-fifth of the total districts in India, are susceptible to the impact of climate change. Using data sets created by the University of Delaware and India Meteorological Department, the review projected that climate change could reduce annual agricultural incomes in the range of 15-18% on average and up to 20-25% in unirrigated areas.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/editorials/why-farms-of-every-type-and-size-have-to-be-climate-smart/story-8KgIg0caOTP0acZswrMhXP.html
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DROUGHTS
Drought has hit Europe's Rhine River and its commerce hard
12 Nov,
2018
A prolonged dry spell across Germany and Central Europe that began with record-breaking summer heat wave and extended through what is usually a rainy autumn season has reduced the depth, volume and width of the 765-mile-long Rhine to levels that are precarious for ships and commerce.
https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-europe-germany-rhine-20181112-story.html
Afghan opium cultivation down 20 percent due to severe drought: UN
19 Nov, 2018
A new United Nations survey finds that opium cultivation in Afghanistan has decreased by 20 percent in 2018 compared to the previous year, citing a severe drought and falling prices of dry opium at the national level. The total opium-poppy cultivation area decreased to 263,000 hectares, from 328,000 hectares estimated in 2017, but it was still the second highest measurement for Afghanistan since the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) began monitoring in 1994.
https://www.voanews.com/a/un-says-afghan-opium-cultivation-drops-by-20-percent/4664563.html
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FLOODS
Tourists flee as flash floods trigger sirens at popular desert attraction: Jordan
19 Nov,
2018
Desert flash flooding struck the World Heritage site of Petra, setting off a flood alarm system for the first time since its fitting in 2014. A video shows a fast flowing stream gushing towards the popular attraction, while tourists escape through a narrow canyon with the assistance of guides.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1047353/jordan-flash-flooding-floods-2018-petra-desert
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FOOD SECURITY
Trade, animal disease, weather threaten 2019 food security
15 Nov, 2018
While the global food price environment remains relatively stable, ongoing geopolitical tension, the threat of El Niño weather system and diseases affecting livestock bring great uncertainty to the outlook for 2019, according to research from Rabobank, the specialty food and agribusiness bank.
https://www.feedstuffs.com/news/trade-animal-disease-weather-threaten-2019-food-security
Yemen suffers world's worst food insecurity: UN humanitarian chief
17 Nov, 2018
The UN humanitarian chief warned that Yemen suffers the worst food insecurity in the world and the ongoing conflict is worsening circumstances for a humanitarian response. Due to the fighting, humanitarian programs have been scaled back in the port of Hodeidah, a crucial gateway for aid efforts.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-11/17/c_137613769.htm
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IRRIGATION
Niger seeks World Bank’s assistance to revive 17 irrigation schemes
15 Nov,
2018
The permanent secretary in the ministry of agriculture and rural development, Ibrahim Musa, has said that Niger state needs help from the World Bank-sponsored Fadama programme to reactivate 17 irrigation schemes and improve mechanisation to encourage youths and women involvement in agriculture. https://www.legit.ng/1204146-niger-seeks-world-banks-assistance-revive-17-irrigation-schemes.html
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
New toilet can save 30% of water and 30% of consumers' water bills
20 Nov, 2018
South Africa has developed a revolutionary new toilet that uses less than two litres of water for a full flush – saving around 700 litres of water a person every month. Normal lavatories use between six and 12 litres for each flush and account for 30% to 40% of a household's water use, so the new loo can save on water bills.
https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/new-toilet-can-save-30-of-water-and-30-of-consumers-water-bills-20181120
City of Cape Town to harness stormwater to boost water resources: South Africa
13 Nov, 2018
Stormwater is set to become a new water resource, the City of Cape Town has said. Instead of rushing down gutters and into the sea, stormwater will be kept and used. Just how it will be incorporated into the water system, or how much of it will be captured, is still in the planning stages. Having dodged Day Zero, the strategy is part of Cape Town's path to becoming a "water-sensitive city".
https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/city-of-cape-town-to-harness-stormwater-to-boost-water-resources-20181113
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
9th International Micro Irrigation Conference (9IMIC), 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
5th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage (ARCID), 16-19 March 2020, Rabat, Morocco on the theme: Sustainable Management of Irrigation for Improved Resilience of Agriculture in Africa.
Website: http://www.anafide.net/
Water for Food Global Conference 2019, 29-30 April 2019, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA on the theme: Water for a Hungry World: Innovation in Water and Food Security.
Website: https://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/news-and-events
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)
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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 @ https://bit.ly/2Q6OU
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