Rice Bibliography Poster at the Joint AFITA/IAALD/WCCA Congress

Rice Bibliography Poster at the Joint AFITA/IAALD/WCCA Congress

Posted: 07 Sep 2008 01:35 PM CDT

2008/08 - What's New in the IRRI Library

A role for FARA-CGIAR collaboration for strenghtening geo-spatial capacity

A role for FARA-CGIAR collaboration for strenghtening geo-spatial capacity

Posted: 07 Sep 2008 02:08 PM CDT

2008/09 - FARA Secretariat

Gov’t scouts for new rice areas

Inquirer.net - Philippines
By Amy R. Remo MANILA, Philippines--The Department of Agriculture is looking for new areas to be planted to rice this year to raise production. ...

Redefine concept of commercial agriculture (22 Jan, 2008)

Redefine concept of commercial agriculture:Ramaswamy
Economic Times - Gurgaon,Haryana,India
22 Jan, 2008, 2005 hrs IST, PTI COIMBATORE: The concept of commercial agriculture, needs to be redefined in the light of recent developments in the sector, ...

The future for agriculture in Africa

This articles examines agricultural trends in Africa as well as suggestions to help solve the current food crisis. The article notes how agriculture is once more the most pressing problem in African development currently. With food production having unable to keep up with population increase and thus food prices having escalated too high thus leaving farm productivity at a quarter of the global average, 30% of the population malnourished and more than 200 million people chronically hungry.

The article also notes new players like the Kofi Annan-backed Alliance for an African Green Revolution backed by Rockefeller Foundation ($150 million). Agra is trying to combine science and research with the needs of agricultural business and farmers to provide the equivalent of the technological inputs that triggered Asia's transformation.

Other players like the International Assessment of Agriculture, Science and Technology who focus on an environmentally-friendly approach to agriculture propose, for example, paying small holders not to drain wetlands or clear forest.

Agricultural growth should to reduce poverty since African farming tends to be labour-intensive and raises returns to land. Moreover food output should push down the price of foods.

Factors hampering the second largest continet from being the breadbasket include enormous variation in both climate and soil conditions, underdeveloped infrastructure, markets and financial instruments, erratic governments influenced by financial orthodoxy of international institutions like the IMF that dried up state support for the kind of public agricultural research and support that ensures European farmers keep up to date with the latest developments. points out, 17 are in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The article ends by "... big farms and foreign capital really are the best short-term option".

Demand strong, but record-high costs hammer poultry producers

Demand strong, but record-high costs hammer poultry producers
Demand for poultry products remains strong, but high production costs continue to put a strain on producers' pocketbooks. John Anderson, agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said production costs have soared to historic levels because of high feed prices and climbing diesel fuel prices. "The biggest factor facing poultry and other livestock industries is record-high feed prices. We have never been in a feed-price situation as difficult as this," Anderson said.

Meat prices surge as poor weather hits U.S. feed crops

Meat prices surge as poor weather hits U.S. feed crops
The world economy faces a fresh wave of food inflation as the price of meat surges on the back of record prices for corn and soybean, the main fodder crops for farm animals. Both crops jumped to fresh highs on Monday after U.S. farmers said heavy rain and low temperatures over the past six weeks had damaged millions of acres of crops and meant several million more acres had been left unplanted.

Extension Publication Addresses Nutrient Management in No-till Systems

Extension Publication Addresses Nutrient Management in No-till Systems
A new Montana State University Extension bulletin is available on nutrient management practices for no-till and minimum till systems. Details on similarities and differences in recommended fertilizer management practices among tillage systems are described in Nutrient Management in No-till and Minimum Till Systems. (PDF/2.4MB) "Research has shown that no-till and minimum till systems affect water infiltration, soil moisture, soil temperature, nutrient accumulation in certain areas of the soil profile, soil aeration and microbial populations and activity," says Kent McVay, the MSU Extension cropping systems specialist at the Southern Agricultural Research Center. Because these factors all affect soil fertility, "understanding differences among tillage systems should assist in optimizing fertilizer use and crop yields," he adds. The publication is available free online in PDF.
Related ATTRA Publication: Pursuing Conservation Tillage Systems for Organic Crop Production

Large Farm Adapts to Organic Techniques

Large Farm Adapts to Organic Techniques
A study appearing in the July 2008 issue of Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment documents how one large grower made the transition to organic production, says a story on Mongabay.com. Study author Sean Smukler of UC Davis tracked a Salinas Valley farmer's efforts to convert 215 acres of vegetable fields to organic production over three years. While small-scale organic producers typically grow small plots of each crop and use local or on-farm organic fertilizer sources, larger growers rely on different approaches. The grower in the study evolved a system using mid-size plots, a factory-made organic fish fertilizer, and plantings designed to attract beneficial insects, as well as crop rotations and hoeing.

Webcast to Address Manure Management for Small Farms

Image via WikipediaWebcast to Address Manure Management for Small Farms

The Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center announces "Managing Manure on Small Farms," the latest in its free Educational Webcast Series, scheduled for June 20. During the webcast, speakers will give a guided tour of resources available to help minimize environmental impact. They will discuss how to develop a manure nutrient plan for small farms. The webcast will also be archived for later viewing.

Conservation Tillage Systems in a Changing World

Conservation Tillage Systems in a Changing World
July 29-31, 2008
Tifton, Georgia
The 30th Southern Conservation Agricultural Systems Conference and the 8th Annual Conservation Production Systems Training Conference are being combined this year to bring together producers, extension and NRCS personnel from Georgia and the Southeast in a three-day meeting. The theme of the 2008 combined conference will be Conservation Tillage Systems in a Changing World. The conference will provide practical information on precision agriculture technologies and information on new and developing technologies.

Food Summit to Convene

Food Summit to Convene
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is convening a High-Level Conference on World Food Security June 3-5 in Rome. The objective of this conference is to assist countries and the international community in finding sustainable solutions by identifying the policies, strategies and programs required to safeguard world food security. Heads of State and Government and ministers will discuss the current global food situation with soaring food prices, how climate change affects agriculture, and how agriculture can contribute to reduce climate change.

Vermont to Allow Hemp Production

Vermont to Allow Hemp Production
Vermont farmers might have a new chance to diversify their operations. Governor Jim Douglas allowed a bill that permits farms to plant crops of industrial hemp to become law without his signature. Federal law prohibits cultivation of hemp because it comes from the same plant that marijuana does. But lawmakers believe there eventually will be a change in federal policy. Advocates say hemp can be used to make a variety of products, from cosmetics to food to clothing. So legislators overwhelmingly adopted a law that directs the Agriculture Agency to be ready when there is a change. USAgNet reports the Agriculture Agency will be required to draw up rules for hemp cultivation so farmers could be licensed as soon as federal law changes. North Dakota is the only other state that has done the same thing.

Farmers Advocating for Organics Fund

Image via WikipediaFarmers Advocating for Organics Fund

The Farmers Advocating for Organics (FAFO) fund provides a way for the organic farmers of CROPP Cooperative to identify and support key issues facing the organic marketplace and organic agriculture. The FAFO Farmer Committee accepts proposals from organizations seeking funding for particular projects or programs dedicated to furthering organic education, organic farming or product research, and advocating for organic standards or policies. FAFO is open to funding both small and large scale projects with a suggested budgetary guideline being $5,000 - $50,000 per year. In addition, FAFO has established a Small Grant Fund for individuals and organizations seeking grants that amount to less than $5,000. Small grant proposals will be reviewed monthly. There are two funding rounds in 2008, with proposal deadlines of June 1 and October

Strolling of the Heifers

Image by Robert Scarth via Flickr

Strolling of the Heifers

June 6-8, 2008Brattleboro, VermontThe theme of this year’s agricultural celebration is "Live Green!" To transform the public’s concern about global climate change into civic action, the weekend's festivities will focus on protecting the environment. Events on the agenda include a celebration of women in agriculture, farmers' market, local food meals, and farm tours.

Online Courses Offered for Organic Agriculture Certificate

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeOnline Courses Offered for Organic Agriculture Certificate

Beginning / New Farmers

Half of all current farmers in the U.S. are likely to retire in the next decade. Enlisting and supporting new farmers is essential to the future of family farms, the farm economy and healthy rural communities.

List of Alternative Crops and Enterprises for Small Farm Diversification USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center. Detailed list of farming alternatives - crops, livestock, value-added enterprises, agritourism - currently utilized by U.S. farmers. Links to Extension and other farmer-friendly sources that help evaluate and start non-conventional farming enterprises are included.

Evaluating a Rural Enterprise. Marketing and Business Guide National Center for Appropriate Technology. ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. Summarizes selected enterprise planning guides about business, financial and marketing plans. Suggests helpful books, periodicals, Web sites and organizations.

Informational Toolkit for Beginning Farmers Iowa State University. Cooperative Extension Service. Value Added Agriculture Program. General information about farm leases and farm management, new farmer loan programs, beginning farmer training programs, mentoring programs for beginning farmers and more specific information about developing agricultural business and marketing plans. Predominantly from Iowa, but additional resources from the upper Midwestern U.S. and Canada also included.

Growing New Farmers New England Small Farm Institute. Programs, services and resources for new farmers in the 12 Northeast states and beyond. Includes: directory of programs and services for new farmers, reports about new farmers and their service needs, tools and resources for new farmers and for working with new farmers and programs/projects for new farmers.

Beginning Farm Center Iowa State University. Cooperative Extension Service. Iowa resources for new farmers looking for support, land, training and contacts.

National Farm Transition Network National Farm Transition Network. The network supports programs that foster the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Site includes information and state contacts for "Land Link" programs – programs that match retiring farmers/land with new farmers seeking land and support.

USDA Service Center Agencies Online Services United States Department of Agriculture. USDA service agency contacts, tools and eforms for farmers from the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Rural Development. Specific services include loans and mortgages, payment options, real estate sales and Farm Bill tools.

Livestock dominates agric sector

SEROWE - Livestock production is reported to be dominating the agricultural sector though pastoral farming was in the past bedeviled by frequent droughts and diseases.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC), Dr Motshudi Raborokgwe, said the livestock sub-sector contributed about 80 per cent of the agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product.

He said at the Sandveld Ranchers Association farmers’ field day at Xarojena ranch over the weekend that Botswana was likely to remain heavily dependent on livestock production as a source of food, income, employment and as an investment opportunity.

He mentioned the beef sector’s strong linkages with the BMC, which is entrusted with export monopoly, adding the commission was faced with challenges that include the outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD), the European Union requirements (EU) on beef sale, the age of the plant and low throughput.

BMC has the capacity to slaughter 1 200 cattle a day but he said it only managed 650, which is 54 per cent capacity utilisation, with the same cost of slaughtering 1 200 cattle. He blamed the situation on some factors, erratic arrival of cattle.

Another challenge, according to Dr Raborokgwe, was that of low weights.

“Animals are received in very poor conditions and our markets prefer cuts from animals that weigh more than 200kg,” he said.

He however said the national herd was valued at more than P2 billion. Though BMC is a business competing internationally, it is unable to recruit the best personnel in the market because of salary constraints.

“We are not able to compete with the mines and the private sector in Botswana because BMC pays government salaries leading to accountants, engineers and computer specialists departing for the mines,” he said. “We have to be prepared for competition and move from a protected industry to open competition.”

Dr Raborokgwe said citing other obstacles outside the BMC such as low productivity of the national herd, difficulties for farmers to get permits to sell to the commission and rampant FMD outbreaks. He complained about poor physical infrastructure that supports the beef industry.

“The capital costs to start livestock farming are very high, especially when utilities like water, telecommunication and electricity are not supplied,” he added.

Dr Raborokgwe termed selling to the BMC a hassle because a farmer has to coordinate transport, go through the veterinary officers and the police before accessing the commission.

“Consumers who buy our beef are worried about the welfare and environmental issues”, saying the commission has to meet their demands before they buy beef.

He however explained that the BMC had managed to increase cattle prices and had quota and duty free access to the EU market.

Dual-purpose canola—a new opportunity in mixed farming systems

Dual-purpose canola—a new opportunity in mixed farming systems

The term dual-purpose canola describes the use of a canola crop for forage before seed production. It could potentially provide a profitable and flexible break-crop option for mixed farms, but there have been no studies to test the concept in Australia. We investigated the feasibility of using canola in this way in field experiments near Canberra, Australia, from 2004 to 2006, using European winter and mid–late maturing Australian spring canola varieties. Winter varieties sown from early March to mid-April produced 2.5–5.0 t/ha of biomass providing 0.3–3.5 t/ha of high-quality forage grazed by sheep in winter. The spring varieties produced similar amounts of vegetative biomass from April sowing but were unsuited to the earlier March sowing as they flowered in early winter and did not recover from grazing. The canola forage was readily eaten by sheep; alkane-based estimates of diet composition indicated that >85% of the organic matter intake consisted of canola. Canola forage was also highly digestible (86–88%) and Merino hoggets grew at 210 g/day from a dry matter intake of 1530 g DM/day. The canola generally recovered well when grazed in winter before bud elongation. Delays in flowering associated with heavy grazing ranged from 0 to 4 days when grazed before buds were visible, to 28 days if the crop had commenced flowering. Significant delays in flowering (>14 days) associated with winter grazing did not reduce seed yield or oil content when favourable spring conditions allowed compensatory growth. Yield loss was observed when winter and spring conditions were unfavourable for compensatory growth, or if grazing continued too late into spring (late September) irrespective of seasonal conditions. The yield loss was more than offset by the value of the grazed forage and the mean gross margin for dual-purpose canola over the four experiments was $240 to $500 higher than for grain-only canola depending on the value assumed for the forage. The study indicates there is considerable scope to capture value from grazing early-sown canola crops during winter without significant, uneconomic trade-offs with seed yield. Further investigations in other medium to high rainfall environments in southern Australia are warranted.

How to develop a communication strategy

How to develop a communication strategy
24 Apr 2008 12:22 PM CDT