The UK must make big changes to its diets, farming and land use to hit net zero – official climate advisers: William Edge / shutterstock If the UK is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, over one-third of its sheep and cows will have to go, with their fields being replaced by huge new …
Drought and farming: how women in South Africa are using Indigenous knowledge to cope: Africa’s small-scale farmers make up nearly 80% of all farms in the agriculture sector. In South Africa, there are about 2 million small-scale farmers, predominantly Black and based in the eastern summer rainfall region of the country. A small-scale farmer produces …
Pesticides: farming chemicals make insects sick at non-deadly doses – especially in hot weather: Farm workers are also at risk of serious harm from pesticide exposure. Bell Ka Pang/Shutterstock The various regulatory systems for approving pesticides in operation around the world are crude and flawed. This has long been clear to scientists and it is …
Does parrot farming protect wild species? Wildlife trade researchers review the evidence: The lives of people and parrots have been entwined for thousands of years. These colourful, charismatic birds are kept as pets all over the world for companionship and entertainment. However, today, nearly one-third of the 400 parrot species globally face the threat of …
Discovery of 5,000-year-old farming society in Morocco fills a major gap in history – north-west Africa was a central player in trade and culture: A new discovery of an ancient farming society at Oued Beht in Morocco fills a centuries-old gap in history. It reveals that, 5,000 years ago, the Maghreb (north-west Africa) was far …
Farming with a mixture of crops, animals and trees is better for the environment and for people – evidence from Ghana and Malawi: Moving away from intensive farming practices comes with many benefits. Nikada Farming just one kind of crop in a field at a time, and using a lot of chemicals, poses a risk …
South Africa’s Agulhas long-billed lark: adapting and surviving despite farming taking over their nesting grounds: The Agulhas long-billed lark (Certhilauda brevirostris) is only found in South Africa. It builds nests on the ground mainly in Renosterveld fynbos, a type of vegetation filled with grasses and wild spring flowers that is critically endangered by agricultural expansion. …
COP28’s commitment to transforming farming and food systems is an insult to Africans: Globally, food systems are unsustainable: 80% of the production of food is powered by fossil fuels. The food system is responsible for over one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. It is the primary driver of biodiversity loss. The COP28 climate change conference …
Climate change and farming: economists warn more needs to be done to adapt in sub-Saharan Africa: Sub-Saharan African countries strongly rely on the agricultural and forestry sectors. Agriculture contributes up to 60% of some countries’ gross domestic product. But the sector is highly vulnerable to climate change because it relies heavily on climatic factors. This …
Farming tuna on land heralded as a win for sustainability – but there are serious concerns around animal welfare: Intense fishing pressure has taken a toll on Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks. Steven4z/Shutterstock Atlantic bluefin tuna used to be caught only relatively rarely, mainly by sports fishermen in North America. But this all changed in the …
Traditional farming knowledge should be stored for future use: the technology to do this is available: Indigenous knowledge and traditional practices have played a critical role in development all over the world. For centuries, various disciplines ranging from medicine to biodiversity conservation have drawn on these resources. On the African continent, societies have been guided …
Ecowas rules to protect pastoralists discourage investments in modern livestock farming: A common sight around west Africa is to see cattle grazing freely, even in major cities, on highways and in airports. Every year, about 300 million head of livestock (mostly cattle) move across west Africa. Based on seasonal factors, they leave their usual grazing …
How dormant plant traits could be reawakened to unlock fertiliser-free farming: Plants are among the most intrepid explorers on Earth. Roughly 460 million years ago, the first plants started leaving lakes and rivers and appeared on land. At that time, the surface of Earth was mostly bare rock. These pioneers had to overcome extraordinary challenges …
New research reveals that Ötzi the iceman was bald and probably from a farming family – what else can DNA uncover?: In 1991, hikers came across a body that was partially contained in ice high up in the Alpine province of South Tyrol, Italy. Initially thought to be from a recent death, the body was …
Lion farming in South Africa: fresh evidence adds weight to fears of link with illegal bone trade: GettyImages In South Africa an estimated 8,000 lions are bred and kept in captivity for commercial purposes in more than 350 facilities. This is far more than the country’s wild population, estimated at 3,500 individuals. These big cats …
Technology can boost farming in Africa, but it can also threaten biodiversity – how to balance the two: Agriculture is a leading employer in Africa. Wikimedia Commons Cultivating one hectare of maize used to be an arduous task for Precious Banda, a farmer in Zambia. It would take her hundreds of hours to prepare her …
Nigeria is Africa’s leading rice producer, but still needs more – reusing wastewater for irrigation would boost farming: Rice is widely eaten in Nigeria. Benson Ibeabuchi/AFP via Getty Images Rice is one of the staple foods globally, ranking third after wheat and maize in terms of production and consumption. It contributes over 20% of the …
Farming in South Africa is being hobbled by power cuts and poor roads. Rural towns are being hit hardest: The cost of irrigation adds to the farmers' burden. GettyImages South Africa’s agriculture has had great consecutive seasons since 2019/20. The sector’s gross value added grew by 14.9% in 2020, 8.8% in 2021 and modestly by …