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Agriculture & Environment: Agri-biotech in Africa

News

Here is a list of the latest articles

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Food security in East Africa 'within reach'

East Africa must adopt alternative farming techniques to combat the crop losses projected for 2050, a study says.

13 November 2009 | EN

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War may have spread hybrid rice

Against expectations, West African rice varieties have interbred in the field and war may have helped these improved hybrids spread.

27 October 2009 | EN

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Technical fixes needed to stem crop losses

Pests, disease and post-harvest problems are drastically reducing crop yields, a summit has heard, and quick technical fixes are a priority.

23 October 2009 | EN

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Peru and Ethiopia team up to defend biodiversity

Scientists and farmers from Peru and Ethiopia will defend agrobiodiversity through the exchange of scientific and traditional knowledge.

16 October 2009 | ES

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Grant bolsters African biosafety capacity

The African Biosafety Network of Expertise can now begin building African countries' biosafety knowhow in earnest.

15 October 2009 | EN

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Drought-hardy maize ready for field trials

South African researchers will soon begin field trials of a variety of maize capable of withstanding extreme dehydration.

6 October 2009 | EN

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Cassava virus dealt a blow in southern Africa

A cassava virus rampant in southern Africa could be facing annihilation, thanks to genetic research in South Africa.

1 October 2009 | EN | FR

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Acacia tree can boost crops — and more — across Africa

Co-planting an acacia variety with crops delivers timely natural fertiliser as well as cutting erosion and supplying wood for domestic use.

27 August 2009 | EN

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Nigeria to roll out fungus-resistant soybean crops

Soybean farmers in Central and West Africa will soon have a variety resistant to an Asian fungal rust that can devastate their crops.

11 August 2009 | EN | FR

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Fungal pesticide saves crops from locusts

Swarms of red locusts in Tanzania have been destroyed by the application of a biopesticide containing fungal spores.

27 July 2009 | EN

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Field trials offer hope of conquering food toxin

Studies in maize show that benign strains of the fungus Aspergillus can outcompete toxic forms that contaminate African crops.

26 June 2009 | EN

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West Africans hope to produce iron-tolerant rice

West African researchers are working with farmers to develop rice that will thrive on their iron-rich soils.

18 March 2009 | EN

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'Super cassava' to enter field trials

A project to genetically engineer cassava to provide a day's nutrition in one meal has progressed with the approval of initial field trials.

19 February 2009 | EN

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Kenya approves GM after years of delays

Kenya has become the fourth African country to allow genetically modified farming after the president signed off on new biosafety legislation.

18 February 2009 | EN

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Parasite-resistant maize 'a hit' with Nigerian farmers

Nigerian farmers are selling more seeds of parasite-resistant, yield-boosting maize crops than official distribution channels.

13 February 2009 | EN

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Kenya prepares to approve biosafety legislation

Kenya's parliament expects to approve its much-delayed biosafety bill before the Christmas break.

6 November 2008 | EN

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Biotechnology 'no cure-all' for food insecurity

Biotechnology will not offer the full solution to Africa's food problems, warn scientists at the All Africa Congress on Biotechnology.

26 September 2008 | EN

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African agricultural research 'neglected ' by donor policies

A UN report cites a lack of emphasis on agricultural research in development policy as a key reason for African farming problems.

24 September 2008 | EN

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Agricultural developments 'failing to reach farmers'

Agricultural research advances in Africa — including seeds that can improve crop yields — are not reaching farmers, say top scientists.

1 September 2008 | EN | 中文

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Accept GM, urges senior African Union official

A senior African Union official has urged African leaders to allow commercial growing of GM crops.

29 August 2008 | EN