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Scientists increase crop growth up to 40% with photosynthesis shortcut
7 Jan, 2019
Scientists engineered plants with a photosynthesis “shortcut” to increase crop production by up to 40%, according to a research article published in Science journal. The study shows scientific evidence of how seed germs could be re-engineered to help feed a growing world population over the coming decades.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-news-scientists-crop-growth-photosynthesis-20190107-story.html
Tamil Nadu farmers innovate to overcome fodder shortage: India
27 Dec, 2018
Currently, India has only 4% of its cropping area under fodder cultivation. In fact, studies show that the country will see a deficit of 65% for green animal fodder and 25% for dry fodder by the year 2025. While fodder shortage and increasing cost of fodder has led to large-scale distress selling of cattle across India, some farmers in Tamil Nadu are reinventing the way their cattle are fed.
https://thewire.in/agriculture/tamil-nadu-farmers-innovate-to-overcome-fodder-shortage
2018: Vietnam’s agriculture growth hits record high in seven years
8 Jan, 2019
The expanded export market, the export revenues hitting record high with US$40.02 billion, and the promotion of domestic consumption are the bright spots of Vietnam’s agricultural sector throughout 2018, which also witnessed the highest agricultural growth rate over the past seven years.
http://en.nhandan.org.vn/business/item/7035502-2018-vietnam%E2%80%99s-agriculture-growth-hits-record-high-in-seven-years.html
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CLIMATE CHANGE
2018 was 4th hottest year on record, says EU climate agency
7
Jan
, 2019
Last year was the fourth warmest on record, extending a scorching streak driven by a build-up of man-made greenhouse gases, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said. Average world surface air temperatures were 14.7 Celsius in 2018, just 0.2C off the highest, it said in the first global assessment based on full-year data. This year will also likely be hot, its scientists said.
https://globalnews.ca/news/4823684/climate-report-eu-2018/
Before they disappear: Treasured UNESCO sites at risk from climate change
7 Jan,
2019
There are 1,092 must-see spots currently on the UNESCO World Heritage list, including the remote Rapa Nui — also known as Easter Island. But, if climate change continues unchecked, these remarkable treasures might lose their value. Some sites may even be lost forever.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/world-heritage-sites-climate-change/index.html
Global warming of oceans equivalent to an atomic bomb per second
7 Jan, 2019
Global warming has heated the oceans by the equivalent of one atomic bomb explosion per second for the past 150 years, according to analysis of new research. More than 90% of the heat trapped by humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions has been absorbed by the seas, with just a few percent heating the air, land and ice caps respectively.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/07/global-warming-of-oceans-equivalent-to-an-atomic-bomb-per-second
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DROUGHTS
Thousands of fish die in NSW drought: Australia
8 Jan,
2019
Hundreds of thousands of fish have died in far western New South Wales (NSW) as drought conditions continue to grip the state. The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Water NSW are investigating a large fish kill in several rivers and dams at Menindee after a sharp cool change hit the region following a period of very hot weather.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/thousands-of-fish-die-in-nsw-drought/news-story/3dcd573451f899c79070e34e2eeef566
Our current drought is worse than most megadroughts, new study says
5 Jan, 2018
The Colorado River — Tucson’s drinking water supply — carries nearly 20 percent less water than in 2000. Bark beetles are chomping away at our forests and killing off ponderosa pines. Wildfires are rapidly growing in intensity. These problems have been linked to a drought that has stretched 19 years with no respite.
https://tucson.com/news/local/our-current-drought-is-worse-than-most-megadroughts-new-study/article_43e83de3-8f04-536d-a1ea-741729aa8388.html
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FLOODS
Flooding, mudslides and snow hit California roads
7 Jan,
2019
Flooding, mudslides and snow closed several highways in California over the weekend, with more rain and snow set to hit later in the week. It said widespread rain and snow had impacted highways, with some closed due to whiteout conditions and spin outs in the Sierra Nevada.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/07/us/california-winter-weather-wxc/index.html
Mismanagement can worsen Odisha extreme rainfall events: India
9 Jan,
2018
As climate change makes extreme rainfall events more frequent in the Mahanadi River basin in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, there is urgent need to better manage the river and its dams. Of the recent disasters related to such extremes, the Kerala deluge haunts the national memory the most. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), in its latest State of Global Climate report, noted that among the extreme weather events in 2018, the Kerala floods caused the maximum number of casualties globally.
https://indiaclimatedialogue.net/2019/01/09/mismanagement-can-worsen-odisha-extreme-rainfall-events/
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FOOD SECURITY
With farms atop malls, Singapore gets serious about food security
8 Jan, 2019
Visitors to Singapore's Orchard Road, the city's main shopping belt, will find fancy malls, trendy department stores, abundant food courts - and a small farm. Comcrop's 600-square-metre (6,450-square-foot) farm on the roof of one of the malls uses vertical racks and hydroponics to grow leafy greens and herbs such as basil and peppermint that it sells to nearby bars, restaurants and stores. The farm's small size belies its big ambition: to help improve the city's food security.
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/other/313777-feature-with-farms-atop-malls-singapore-gets-serious-about-food-security
Root-to-flower eating is to be food trend of 2019, experts say
8 Jan, 2019
Root-to-flower eating is sweeping the menus of Britain as food waste worries mean chefs are using the whole plant instead of throwing away leaves. From the River Cottage to Nobu, diners can enjoy carrot tops, beetroot stems, cauliflower leaves and cucumber flowers.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/08/root-flower-eating-food-trend-2019-experts-say/
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IRRIGATION
Pune’s Hinjewadi residents pitch in to set up drip irrigation for plants on hills: India
1 Jan,
2019
Bhavesh Karekar, a resident of Sangria, Megapolis, Hinjewadi phase 3, along with other residents of the area have been working overtime to convert a nearby hill into a green forest. Karekar and like-minded individuals volunteered to make the hills surrounding their township green and besides planting trees on the hill, they have now started drip irrigation there. Known as the Hinjewadi Hills Green Army, this team of 25 volunteers was formed in June. They started a plantation drive and then, continuously looked after the plants.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/pune-news/pune-s-hinjewadi-residents-pitch-in-to-set-up-drip-irrigation-for-plants-on-hills/story-LZnukQxW1wRnrmlgIVhklO.html
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
ADB provides $107 mln for water management in Balochistan
5 Jan, 2019
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the provincial government of Balochistan signed the project agreement of a $107 million loan and grants to improve irrigation infrastructure and water resource management in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet economically poor province. This project will introduce efficient water usage systems and practices to help farmers improve productivity and farm incomes.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/415133-adb-provides-107-mln-for-water-management-in-balochistan
Water conservation plans to go on the web in Ernakulam district: India
2 Jan, 2019
Soon, the citizens in Ernakulam district of Kerala will get access to micro-level information on the proposed development and rejuvenation plans for the various water resources in their region. The initiative will be part of the Jalasamridhi Mission under the Haritha Keralam programme that aims at protection of water resources based on integrated watershed-based resource management planning.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/water-conservation-plans-to-go-on-the-web/article25892833.ece
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
9th International Micro Irrigation Conference (9IMIC), 16-18 January 2019, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
Theme: Micro irrigation in Modern Agriculture
Website: http://micro-irrigation2019.com/
THA 2019 International Conference on Water Management and Climate Change towards Asia's Water-Energy-Food Nexus and SDGs
23-25 January 2019, Bangkok, Thailand
Website: https://www.tha2019.org
International Dam Safety Conference 2019, 13-14 February 2019, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India
Website: www.damsafety.in/idsc2019
Water for Food Global Conference 2019, 29-30 April 2019, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
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
Theme: Development for water, food and nutrition security in a competitive environment
Website: https://icid2019.com/
5th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage (ARCID), 16-19 March 2020, Rabat, Morocco
Theme: Sustainable Management of Irrigation for Improved Resilience of Agriculture in Africa
Website: http://www.anafide.net/
24th ICID International Congress & 71st IEC Meeting, 22-24 September 2020, Sydney, Australia
Website: http://www.icid2020.com.au
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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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