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Improving crop yields while conserving resources
20 Dec, 2018
When it comes to the health of the planet, agriculture and food production play an enormous role. Finding ways to make agriculture more sustainable and efficient is crucial not only for the environment, but also for global food supply. Ph.D student Julia Sokol is helping develop drip irrigation technologies that allow farmers to save water and energy.
http://news.mit.edu/2018/improving-crop-yields-julia-sokol-1220
Bhimashankar villagers multiply indigenous seeds: India
30 Dec, 2018
Farmers from Gundalwadi village near Bhimashankar Sanctuary near Pune have been cultivating hybrid varieties for many years. But this year, over 20 farmers from Gundalwadi and nearby villages cultivated 50 varieties of indigenous seeds and harvested over 8 tons. The farmers have joined hands with a local residential school to grow and conserve indigenous varieties of crops.
https://thewire.in/agriculture/bhimashankar-villagers-multiply-indigenous-seeds
Harness big data in farming
3 Jan, 2019
Artificial intelligence (AI) is much closer to our lives than ever before. Be it Apple’s Siri or Google’s Alexa, every intelligent assistant relies on speech recognition software whose backbone is AI. But for its untapped potential, human beings are turning to AI not only to play their favourite song from the playlist, but also to safeguard the environment, win over the climate change challenge and increase agricultural productivity.
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/columnists/harness-big-data-in-farming.html
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Global warming likely to reduce crop production by over 15% in 2020: India
18
Dec, 2018
Effects of climate change will be felt sooner by the farmers in India, a document of the department of agriculture has revealed suggesting that rice production in the country may reduce by 4 percent in the year 2020. The impact will be far more severe and persistent for other crops.
https://www.firstpost.com/india/global-warming-likely-to-reduce-crop-production-by-over-15-in-2020-govt-report-warns-of-highest-losses-in-up-rajasthan-bengal-5748041.html
Scotland’s famous wildlife faces catastrophic damage from climate change: Report
3 Jan,
2019
Some of Scotland’s most famous wildlife, including Atlantic salmon, the capercaillie and the freshwater pearl mussel, could be at risk from climate change, a new report has warned. Rising sea temperatures could mean cold water species, such as the white-beaked dolphin, are "at risk of being lost from our waters."
https://www.itv.com/news/2019-01-03/scotlands-famous-wildlife-faces-catastrophic-damage-from-climate-change-report/
11 policy ideas to protect the planet
2 Jan, 2019
Last year’s report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sounded the alarm: The world has until 2030 to implement “rapid and far-reaching” changes to our energy, infrastructure and industrial systems to avoid 2 degrees Celsius of warming, which could be catastrophic. But the scale of the challenge can appear so overwhelming that it’s hard to know where to start.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2019/01/02/feature/here-are-11-climate-change-policies-to-fight-for-in-2019/?utm_term=.140ce59603ff
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DROUGHTS
Farmers must work around El Nino to reduce drought effects
3 Jan,
2018
Last year will be remembered in the history of the country for attaining the highest tobacco production levels ever since the growing of the golden leaf commenced. There were also no grain imports as the country had enough grain in stock. The forecast of an El Nino during the 2018-19 season was not so welcome and Government and responsible authorities are already working on mitigation measures.
https://www.chronicle.co.zw/farmers-must-work-around-el-nino-to-reduce-drought-effects/
Somalia drought: Sand dams improving access to water supply
26 Dec, 2018
The construction of sand dams which retain water above and below sandbars is improving access to water supplies for people in Somalia as the country continues to weather periods of damaging drought. Parts of the Horn of Africa nation have not received rain for three consecutive years and, as a result, crops and livestock have perished. Many fear a repeat of the 2011 famine in which nearly 260,000 people died.
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/science-environment/301263-sand-dams-improving-access-to-water-supplies-for-people-in-somalia
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FLOODS
Discovery of recent Antarctic ice sheet collapse raises fears of a new global flood
18 Dec,
2018
Some 125,000 years ago, during the last brief warm period between ice ages, Earth was awash. Temperatures during this time, called the Eemian, were barely higher than in today’s greenhouse-warmed world. Yet proxy records show sea levels were 6 to 9 meters higher than they are today, drowning huge swaths of what is now dry land. Scientists have now identified the source of all that water: a collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/12/discovery-recent-antarctic-ice-sheet-collapse-raises-fears-new-global-flood
Death toll from Usman landslides, floods climbs to 85
2 Jan,
2018
The death toll from landslides and devastating floods in the central Philippines triggered by a tropical depression climbed to 85, officials said, and 20 people were missing as rescuers slowly reached cut-off communities. Tropical depression Usman, which weakened into a low-pressure system before leaving the Philippines on Sunday, brought heavy rain that triggered landslides and flooding in the Bicol and eastern Visayas regions.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/02/19/death-toll-from-usman-landslides-floods-climbs-to-85
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FOOD SECURITY
SANSA is addressing food security in Africa through AfriCultuReS
3 Jan, 2019
The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has joined forces with a number of African and European partners to develop space-based EO solutions to advance food security and agriculture in the African continent through a H2020 funded project (774652), namely; Enhancing Food Security in African AgriCultural Systems with the support of Remote Sensing (AfriCultuReS).
https://africanews.space/sansa-is-addressing-food-security-in-africa-through-africultures/
Engineered plants without photorespiration 'glitch' could help feed millions in coming decades
3 Jan, 2019
One of the major problems with food security is crop production. At the moment, we are not growing enough to keep up with demand. Paul South, a molecular biologist is one of the researchers who has made what could be a major breakthrough in boosting plant production. He and a team of scientists haves found a way to fix a “glitch” in plant growth—photorespiration. The problem arises from the enzyme Rubisco, a protein used in photosynthesis.
https://www.newsweek.com/food-security-production-engineered-crops-photosynthesis-photorespiration-1278212
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IRRIGATION
Mitsubishi Electric is backing India’s push for solar-powered irrigation systems
2 Jan,
2019
The solar power irrigation is, indeed, becoming a viable option for both large and small-scale farmers and is effective in reducing energy cost for irrigation. In the effort to make the energy readily available, Mitsubishi Electric has developed an advanced solution, a solar power operated pump controller, which converts the DC power to drive the AC induction motor of a water pump and control its function. Mitsubishi Electric solar pump controllers are powered by the most advanced innovations in the industry. Their latest range of solar pump controllers is based on Internet of Things (IoT) and can be controlled through smartphones.
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/features-2/mitsubishi-electric-is-backing-indias-push-for-solar-powered-irrigation-systems-heres-how-3348161.html
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Conserve every drop, Isotope Hydrology techniques improves Kuwait's water management techniques
28 Dec, 2018
Arid countries like Kuwait are increasingly focussing on techniques using stable isotopes to assess their groundwater resources and meet the challenge to manage the freshwater resources in a sustainable way for their growing populations. Isotope hydrology techniques are one of the key scientific methods that experts in Kuwait use to trace fresh water movement and to assess the age of available groundwater.
https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/conserve-every-drop-isotope-hydrology-techniques-improves-kuwaits-water-management-techniques
Andean Glacier and Water Atlas warns of ‘significant reduction in glacier mass’
4 Dec, 2018
The Andean Glacier and Water Atlas says that lower-altitude glaciers of the tropical Andes could lose between 78 and 97% of their volume by the end of the century. The multidisciplinary project initiated by UNESCO and aided by the Flanders Fund in Trust (FUST) quantifies the contribution of glaciers to drinking water supplies in cities, agriculture, hydropower and industries. The findings highlight the impact of shrinking glaciers on water availability and the threat to water security for millions of people.
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/andean-glacier-and-water-atlas-warns-of-significant-reduction-in-glacier-mass--62380
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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/2Q6O
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