
Science and Development Network
News, views and information about science, technology and the developing world
Displaying 1-20 of 32 links
Launched in 2003, AGORA provides free or subsidised journal access to not-for-profit institutions in eligible countries. Once details are finalised, all institutions in countries with a GNP per capita under US$1,000 will be given access to participating literature. The journal collection focuses on agriculture and related sciences, and includes titles from major publishing houses. AGORA is an FAO initiative. Click here for more details about registering.
The Africa Portal, part of the larger Africa Initiative project, is an online resource for policy-related issues in Africa, covering climate change, food security, energy and health, among other areas. It is published by the Centre for International Governance Innovation; Makerere University, Uganda; and the South African Institute of International Affairs. The website offers an open access publications library with more than 3,000 books, journals, and digital documents available online or to download. It also publishes opinion and analysis on current issues, a directory of experts on African policy, and announcements including events and grants.
AJFAND is an academic journal — published quarterly — by the Rural Outreach Programme, a non-profit company based in Kenya. The journal's free-access website features peer-reviewed articles about poverty, food security, disease and agriculture in Africa. It also provides commentaries, short communications, book reviews, and relevant news and events. Students can submit work to the student section.
A project of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, AlertNet is a news aggregator that aims to raise awareness of humanitarian crises around the globe, particularly 'forgotten' emergencies that rarely make headlines. It publishes news from over 400 aid agencies and other media outlets across a range of topics, from natural disasters to climate change to health. AlertNet also provides tools for journalists, including facts and figures, crisis briefings and training modules.
The Gates Foundation's nutrition programme aims to include essential vitamins and minerals in the diets of people in the developing world, and to guarantee proper nutrition under the age of two, including in the womb.
Progress sheets and a strategy overview on the organisation's nutrition program are available to download as well as press releases and information on grants given. The website also includes job listings, downloadable fact sheets, financial statements and annual reviews.
The foundation funds population-wide food fortification programmes and invests in research and development of diagnostic tools and biomarkers for identifying and measuring micronutrient deficiencies. It also funds research to examine how different nutritional interventions affect infection.
FEWS NET, funded by the US Agency for International Development, provides early warning and vulnerability information on food security issues to 25 countries, many of which are in the developing world.
FEWS NET uses a combination of satellite data and socio-economic analyses to publish regular bulletins, updates and briefings as well as drought and food shortage alerts.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation is a United Nations body with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity, and to better the condition of rural populations.
This website publishes news and information on the joint European Committee and Food and Agriculture Organization programme 'Linking information and decision making to improve food security'. It includes 30 country-level food security briefs, a food security analysis 'toolkit' and a range of publications including policy briefs and reports.
The site also promotes training and workshops, and hosts e-learning courses, on topics such as crop forecasting, market analysis and vulnerability assessment.
The Food Security Network is an independent, non-profit coalition of people throughout the world dedicated to participating in an open, informed and impactful dialogue addressing solutions to global food security concerns through sustainable agricultural practices. The website includes regular updates and news stories, which are often pro-biotechnology.
FoodFirst opposes the use of genetic engineering in agriculture and food. It publishes briefings, position papers and opinion articles on genetically modified crop technology in relation to sustainable agriculture, hunger and poverty. Its website includes audio and video interviews with FoodFirst staff as well as photo galleries illustrating, among other topics, agriculture in developing countries.
This consortium of African and UK institutions aims to encourage dialogue and good practice among policymakers involved in African agriculture. Its website publishes research, working papers, policy briefs, news and online debates on issues such as climate change and pastoralism among others.
This foundation's mission is to reduce malnutrition through food fortification. It focuses on providing supplements — such as iodised salt — and healthy food to malnourished populations. The website includes downloadable fact sheets of GAIN's programmes around the world and overviews of vitamins and nutrient deficiencies.
The organisation targets vulnerable groups such as young children, pregnant women, people with infectious diseases, remote rural populations, or refugees. GAIN takes a business-minded approach to funding better nutrition, pooling its money with financial institutions, not-for-profit global venture funds and venture capitalists to encourage local businesses to develop new products, distribution channels and marketing approaches.
This website publishes video news coverage of under-reported global health stories, focusing on HIV/AIDS; polio; tuberculosis; malaria; neglected tropical diseases; maternal and child health; and food security. Each topic includes an overview of the subject, a photo gallery, and the latest news and videos highlighting current issues. The website includes a blog, a 'newsroom' page that highlights developments within the organisation, details of current and future film projects, and links to related organisations.
GRAIN is a nongovernmental organisation that promotes sustainable management of agricultural biodiversity. The food crisis section of this website links to publications and websites about the global food crisis and its impact on small-scale farmers in the developing world. It publishes articles, films and audio files including several articles on the rise in 'land-grabbing', in which, to ensure their own food security, rich countries buy up large tracts of land in poor ones.
The Guardian Environment website publishes news and commentary on environmental issues such as climate change, energy, ethical living, food and recycling.
It also provides blogs, job listings and multimedia, including audio and video podcasts. Users can comment and are encouraged to join discussions.
The website also aggregates relevant news from members of the Guardian Environment Network, which brings together the world's best environment websites including SciDev.Net, China Dialogue, Real Science and the World Resources Institute.