Can Industrial Crops Feed the World? No.

Raj — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:11:08 -0600

Two important bits of news from the world of agricultural technology. First, we've a report that genetically modified soy beans yield less than ordinary ones. The study was motivated by a professor who heard soybean farmers asking "how come I don't get as high a yield as I used to?". A good question indeed. One answer - it wasn't designed to yield more, it was designed to withstand a herbicide sold by the same company that sells the seed.

But there's a bigger answer to the question of the future of agricultural technology. It comes with a report of the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). Snappy title? No. Bed-time reading? Hardly. It's hundreds of dense pages long (and I'll be reading it over the next week, so you won't have to).

But already, the IAASTD is an acronym to remember. ... read more »

Crops Less Nutritious, but Changing Farming Practices offer Hope

Raj — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 17:20:53 -0600

The Food News gang in Canada have sent along two complementary articles, one suggesting what farming in a post-oil economy might look like, and one that shows that the oil economy, and the way we grow food through it, is giving us less nutritious food. Won't post the text of these, but do jump on over to the respective sites.

agroecology

Can Industrial Crops Feed the World? No.

Crops Less Nutritious, but Changing Farming Practices offer Hope