Tag: Agriculture
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Farmers’ Almanac to Publish Final Edition After 208 Years of Weather Wisdom
Overview: The End of an Era for Practical Weather Forecasting The Farmers’ Almanac, a Maine-born institution long revered by farmers, gardeners, and outdoor enthusiasts, has announced that its upcoming issue will be its last. For more than two centuries, the publication has offered weather predictions, moon phases, planting calendars, and various horticultural tips that readers…
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Eat Ghana Rice Campaign Calls for Local Consumption to Support Farmers
Global Market Glut Meets Local Hope: The Eat Ghana Rice Campaign The Eat Ghana Rice Campaign, a collaborative effort by key partners in the agricultural sector, has issued a urgent appeal to Ghanaians: prioritise locally produced rice. The goal is twofold—to tackle a persistent glut in the rice market and to protect the livelihoods of…
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ICAR-IIRR Industry Meet 2025: Driving Stronger Research-Industry Ties for Rice Innovation
Overview of ICAR-IIRR Industry Meet 2025 In a decisive move toward closer collaboration between research institutions and industry players, ICAR–Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR–IIRR) in Hyderabad hosted its Industry–Interaction Meet 2025 at the Rajendranagar campus. The event gathered a broad spectrum of stakeholders from the agricultural sector, including seed companies, agro-chemical firms, machinery manufacturers,…
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Stinkbugs’ mobile fungal gardens: a surprising symbiosis
What are mobile fungal gardens? In the world of insects, symbiosis often takes remarkable forms. A growing body of research has uncovered a striking example in some stinkbugs: female Dinidoridae species appear to ferry living fungal gardens on their legs. These mobile gardens, created and nourished by the bugs themselves, may help the insects acquire…
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Engineering climate may not save coffee, chocolate and wine: study warns
Climate engineering and its limits for key crops As heatwaves, droughts, and shifting rainfall patterns intensify, researchers have explored climate engineering strategies—such as reflecting sunlight away from Earth—to cool the planet. A new study, however, cautions that even dramatic interventions in this arena may not be enough to secure the future of some of the…
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Geoengineering Isn’t a Silver Bullet: Coffee, Chocolate and Wine at Climate Risk
Introduction: A stark warning for beloved commodities Climate change threatens the flavor, availability, and price of everyday favorites like coffee, chocolate, and wine. A recent study suggests that even aggressive geoengineering efforts—such as blocking sunlight to cool the planet—may not be enough to save these crops from the cascading effects of warming temperatures, shifting precipitation,…
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Africa’s Dairy Equation: More Milk, But More Imports, Too
Introduction: A Growing Dairy Landscape Africa is quietly reshaping its dairy sector. Across the continent, milk production rose by about 17% from 2013 to 2023, a sign that dairy farming is expanding beyond traditional borders. Yet rising demand, coupled with persistent yield gaps, has kept import bills elevated—reaching roughly $7.5 billion in 2023. The result…
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Northeast B.C. Water Crisis: Should Industry Pay More to Pump?
Growing Struggles with Water in Northeast B.C. In Dawson Creek and surrounding communities, residents and farmers have watched a quiet but stubborn reality unfold: the water harder to find, the taps slower to fill, and wells that once provided dependable supply now running drier than in memory. Across northeast British Columbia, a region fueling industries…
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Northeast BC Water Crunch: Should Big Users Pay More to Pump Groundwater?
Water scarcity tightens its grip on northeast British Columbia In Dawson Creek and the surrounding rural pockets of northeast British Columbia, a quiet but urgent crisis is reshaping how communities think about water. Over the past five years, farmers have watched wells run dry and filters clog with black sand, a symptom of deeper changes…
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Researchers warn as microplastics damage soil health and release greenhouse gases
What the study found A recent study conducted by scientists at the Institute of Urban Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reveals a troubling link between microplastics in soil and degraded soil health. More worryingly, the researchers observed that these microplastics can contribute to the emission of heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. The findings…