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Food Production (food + production)
Selected AbstractsBeyond Food Production: The Role of Agriculture in Poverty ReductionJOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2009Daniel Solís No abstract is available for this article. [source] The Role of Biotechnology in Modern Food ProductionJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 3 2004CHERL-HO LEE ABSTRACT: Modern food production technology is given great challenges by the emerging fields of biotechnology and molecular biology. Knowledge of conventional fermentation technology is upgraded by the gene level explanations of enzyme actions and physiological functions of biomaterials derived therefrom. The use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their products in food widens the availability of resources while also raising public interest about safety and labeling. As an example of the application of molecular biology in conventional fermentation technology the selection of proteases from a Bacillus species grown in Korean traditional soybean fermentation starter, Meju, and the production of peptides with blood cholesterol lowering effect, obtained from soybean protein hydrolysate, are presented. Recent developments in the Korean bioindustry are reviewed as an example of the role of biotechnology in the food industry. The present status of GMO enzymes in food production is reviewed and safety issues about GMO use in the food system are discussed. [source] Building Integrated Food ProductionARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Issue 6 2008Ken Yeang Abstract Ken Yeang combines forces with Michael Guerra, author of The Edible Container Gardener, to make the compelling case for the integration of space and facilities for food production in new and refurbished buildings. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Edible insects: Traditional knowledge or western phobia?ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 5 2009Alan L. YEN Abstract With an increasing human population and environmental degradation, the world faces a major problem in providing adequate animal based proteins. Many traditional societies have used or still use insects as a protein source, while westernized societies are reluctant to use insects, despite being the major consumers of animal proteins. We now need to consider insects as a source of food for humans in a manner that acknowledges both the role of entomophagy in indigenous societies and the need for westernized societies to reduce the size of their environmental footprint with regard to food production. The situation on continents such as Africa, Asia, and Central and South America has some parallels to Australia in that there are two forces in operation: the sustainable traditional use of edible insects and the "westernization" of these societies leading to a movement away from entomophagy. However, the potential to reach a compromise is greater in these continents because entomophagy is already accepted. The major challenges will be establishing sustainable production systems that include food safety and security as well as environmental protection. Whether this will happen or not will depend upon: (i) a major change in attitude in westernized societies towards entomophagy; (ii) pressure to conserve remaining habitats in a sustainable manner; (iii) economic impetus to develop food production systems that include insects; and (iv) an acknowledgement that achieving adequate nutrition on a global basis will involve different diets in much of the developed world. [source] Advances in insect biotechnology for human welfareENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2008Thomas A. MILLER Abstract Biotechnology is the latest scientific breakthrough in the history of agriculture. Yet despite the promise of developing new tools for pest and disease control, transgenic organisms have encountered a mixed reception by the lay and scientific public alike. Yields are unable to keep pace with rising costs resulting in a decline in traditional farming. Switching to a new organic growing paradigm is occurring in Korea and the United States today. These new approaches ignore traditional tools that were responsible for the increased yields that support the current affluence and allowed us to protect crops while buying time to find more ecologically-friendly methods. The perception that we understand crop diseases and pests is false and those making this assumption risk destabilizing global food production. There are new pests and diseases that are very difficult to control without these traditional non-organic methods. Invasive species continue to arrive at high rates adding to the burden of farming. Global climate change is already causing changes in the pest and disease complexes and is forcing the entomologist and plant pathologist to make drastic changes to adjust to them. [source] Processed animal products with emphasis on polyunsaturated fatty acid contentEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Sabine Sampels Abstract The fat composition of processed fish and meat varies due to the source of the animal diet and to the fats used during processing. The aim of this study was to analyse the fatty acid profiles in some commonly available fish and meat fast foods. Variation between similar products from different brands indicated the use of different fat sources during processing. Especially in fish products, a high variation was found in the n -6/n -3 ratio, being up to more than 400-fold higher than in plain fish, which might be of special concern in the evaluation of diet-related health claims. Many products showed considerable differences compared to those included in the official database used for calculation of dietary intake. This leads to the conclusion that the fat sources used during processing of fast food should be reported and available to the consumers. Interdisciplinary dialogue between all sectors involved in food production, processing and health care is proposed to evaluate optimal development of fast foods with nutritionally favourable fat composition. [source] The origins of food production in north China: A different kind of agricultural revolution,EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Robert L. Bettinger Abstract By roughly 8,000 calendar years before the present (calBP), hunter-gatherers across a broad swath of north China had begun small-scale farming of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica).1,6 According to traditional wisdom, this early millet farming evolved from the intensive hunter-gatherer adaptation represented by the late Pleistocene microblade tradition of northern China,2, 7 termed here the North China Microlithic. The archeological record of this hunter-gatherer connection is poorly documented, however, and as a result the early agricultural revolution in north China is not as well understood as those that occurred in other parts of the world. The Laoguantai site of Dadiwan, in the western Loess Plateau, Gansu Province, PRC, furnishes the first complete record of this transition, which unfolded quite differently from other, better known, agricultural revolutions. [source] Quality, imagery and marketing: producer perspectives on quality products and services in the lagging rural regions of the European UnionGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2001Brian Ilbery A range of factors, including consumer concerns about food safety, the growing popularity of rural tourism and policy initiatives to promote endogenous rural development, is converging to promote a relocalization of food production and service provision, especially in those regions marginalized by the globalization of the food supply system. The recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK has starkly illustrated the fragility of localized systems which depend heavily on consumers travelling to them. Within such a context, the importance of successful marketing strategies has become even more apparent. This paper reports on a questionnaire survey which investigated promotional and marketing strategies among a diverse range of producers and service providers in marginal agricultural areas of the EU. The findings suggest that many producers are situated towards the "formal" end of a marketing continuum, whereby ability to promote quality products and services (QPS) lies with a range of intermediaries. This raises doubts about the future economic benefits of QPS, should current marketing structures persist. The discussion offers critical reflections on interdisciplinary and international research of this nature, and advocates further theoretical and methodological development in order to explore in more depth many of the aspects raised in this exploratory investigation. [source] CREATIVE PRESERVATION IN CALIFORNIA'S DAIRY INDUSTRY,GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Issue 2 2003GREIG TOR GUTHEY ABSTRACT. Farmers in Marin and Sonoma Counties, located north of San Francisco, are experimenting with numerous alternatives to California's widely known industrial dairy style. Many analysts suggest that consumer politics, food scares, and globalization explain such shifts to organic and other types of "quality" food production. While acknowledging the importance of these factors, we argue that the alternatives in this region are best understood as an outcome of broad-based land-conservation efforts developed through historical and ongoing struggles over urban growth, rising concerns about environmental values, and deep regional interests in dairy preservation. Over time, preservation of this agricultural landscape has contributed to the emergence of a quality food industry historically rooted in the region's politics of place. [source] Gender and Biodiversity: A New Approach to Linking Environment and DevelopmentGEOGRAPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2007Janet Henshall Momsen The 1992 Convention on Biological Conservation and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (1996) reflect the growing importance of biodiversity for environmental conservation and as a way of maintaining the genetic variety needed for plant breeding and providing new sources of medicines. More recently, agrobiodiversity has been seen as vital for food security in developing countries. This article considers the need to understand decision-making for biodiversity at the grassroots. To achieve this, gender roles, as influenced by gender divisions of labour in food production and the gendered use of different environmental spaces, have to be considered. Women's roles in seed selection and seed saving and use of wild plants for food and medicines play a major role in biodiversity conservation, but these roles are not unchanging and are increasingly influenced by global trade networks and geographical context. [source] Contribution of N2O to the greenhouse gas balance of first-generation biofuelsGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009EDWARD M. W. SMEETS Abstract In this study, we analyze the impact of fertilizer- and manure-induced N2O emissions due to energy crop production on the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when conventional transportation fuels are replaced by first-generation biofuels (also taking account of other GHG emissions during the entire life cycle). We calculate the nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by applying a statistical model that uses spatial data on climate and soil. For the land use that is assumed to be replaced by energy crop production (the ,reference land-use system'), we explore a variety of options, the most important of which are cropland for food production, grassland, and natural vegetation. Calculations are also done in the case that emissions due to energy crop production are fully additional and thus no reference is considered. The results are combined with data on other emissions due to biofuels production that are derived from existing studies, resulting in total GHG emission reduction potentials for major biofuels compared with conventional fuels. The results show that N2O emissions can have an important impact on the overall GHG balance of biofuels, though there are large uncertainties. The most important ones are those in the statistical model and the GHG emissions not related to land use. Ethanol produced from sugar cane and sugar beet are relatively robust GHG savers: these biofuels change the GHG emissions by ,103% to ,60% (sugar cane) and ,58% to ,17% (sugar beet), compared with conventional transportation fuels and depending on the reference land-use system that is considered. The use of diesel from palm fruit also results in a relatively constant and substantial change of the GHG emissions by ,75% to ,39%. For corn and wheat ethanol, the figures are ,38% to 11% and ,107% to 53%, respectively. Rapeseed diesel changes the GHG emissions by ,81% to 72% and soybean diesel by ,111% to 44%. Optimized crop management, which involves the use of state-of-the-art agricultural technologies combined with an optimized fertilization regime and the use of nitrification inhibitors, can reduce N2O emissions substantially and change the GHG emissions by up to ,135 percent points (pp) compared with conventional management. However, the uncertainties in the statistical N2O emission model and in the data on non-land-use GHG emissions due to biofuels production are large; they can change the GHG emission reduction by between ,152 and 87 pp. [source] Molecular strategies of plant defense and insect counter-defenseINSECT SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005KEYAN ZHU-SALZMAN Abstract The prediction of human population growth worldwide indicates there will be a need to substantially increase food production in order to meet the demand on food supply. This can be achieved in part by the effective management of insect pests. Since plants have co-evolved with herbivorous insects for millions of years, they have developed an array of defense genes to protect themselves against a wide variety of chewing and sucking insects. Using these naturally-occurring genes via genetic engineering represents an environmentally friendly insect pest-control measure. Insects, however, have been actively evolving adaptive mechanisms to evade natural plant defenses. Such evolved adaptability undoubtedly has helped insects during the last century to rapidly overcome a great many human-imposed management practices and agents, including chemical insecticides and genetically engineered plants. Thus, better understanding of the molecular and genetic basis of plant defense and insect counter-defense mechanisms is imperative, not only from a basic science perspective, but also for biotechnology-based pest control practice. In this review, we emphasize the recent advance and understanding of molecular strategies of attack-counterattack and defense-counter-defense between plants and their herbivores. [source] Globalization vs. localization: global food challenges and local solutionsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 3 2010Quaye Wilhelmina Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effect of global,local interactions on food production and consumption in Ghana, and identify possible local solutions. Primary data were collected using a combination of quantitative-qualitative methods, which included focus group discussions and one-on-one interviews. Approximately 450 household heads were randomly selected and interviewed between August 2007 and August 2008 in Eastern, Central, Upper East and Northern Regions of Ghana. Findings revealed increasing consumption of foreign rice as opposed to decreasing consumption of local rice and other staples like millet, sorghum and yam because of global,local interactions. However, opportunities exist to re-localize production-consumption patterns through the use of ,glocal foods' like improved ,koose and waakye'. Referencing the situation in Ghana, the study recommends improved production and processing practices backed with appropriate technologies that reflect changing consumption dynamics in order to take full advantage of opportunities created as a result of global,local interactions. [source] Product attributes, consumer benefits and public approval of genetically modified foodsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 5 2003Ferdaus Hossain Abstract The use of biotechnology in food production has generated considerable debate involving the benefits and risks associated with its use. Consumer acceptance of genetically modified foods is a critical factor that will affect the future of this technology. Using data from a national survey, this study examines how public acceptance of food biotechnology is related to consumers' socioeconomic and value attributes as well as the benefits associated with the use of this technology. Empirical results suggest that consumer acceptance of food biotechnology increases considerably when the use of this technology brings tangible benefits for the public. Consumers with different socioeconomic and demographic attributes have diverging views of food biotechnology only when its use brings specific benefits to them. When the use of genetic technology confers no additional benefit, public attitudes towards genetically modified foods are driven primarily by their scientific knowledge, views of scientists and corporations associated with biotechnology as well as public trust and confidence in government. [source] Cassava starch functional properties by etherification , hydroxypropylationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 6 2006Cláudio S. Schmitz Summary Starches are important food biopolymers with gelling properties that are well explored by the food industry for texture and physical food characteristic control. Brazil contributes to a large part of the starches produced world wide, but the modified starches used are imported and expensive. The objective of this work was to develop a hydroxypropylated starch from cassava starch, at a lower price and in conditions in accordance with Brazilian reality. Dihydroxypropylstarch (DHPS) was produced with a less expensive and less harmful substituting molecule, chloropropylene glycol. DHPS physical chemistry properties, retrogradation and micro structural characteristics were studied and compared with native corn, cassava starches and a commercial hydroxypropylated (HPS) cassava starch, with an extensive use in the food industry. DHPS showed the highest values for swelling power and viscosity, low retrogradation and higher freezing,thawing stability, compared with HPS, cassava and native corn starches. The microstructure of DHPS remained unmodified when compared with commercial HPS. Retrogradation and physical chemistry properties are superior to DHPS, which would indicate its use in industrial food production. [source] Consumers' beliefs, attitudes and intentions towards genetically modified foods, based on the 'perceived safety vs. benefits' perspectiveINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2005Ioannis S. Arvanitoyannis Summary It has been repeatedly claimed that the application of genetic engineering in the field of agricultural and food production is both beneficial and advantageous. However, biotechnology is developing in an environment where public concerns about food safety and environmental protection are steadily increasing. The present study aims at gaining an insight into Greek consumers' beliefs, attitudes and intentions towards genetically modified (GM) food products. The objectives of this study are summarized as follows (i) to provide evidence that consumer beliefs are built around the ,safety-benefits' axis, and (ii) to segment the Greek market in terms of consumer beliefs about GM food products and identify a number of clusters with clear-cut behavioural profiles. Although the overall attitude of Greek consumers towards GM food is negative, the research very interestingly concludes that there exists a market segment of substantial size, whose beliefs about GM food appears to be positive. This finding suggests that there is not a ,consensus' regarding the rejection of GM foods in the Greek market as one might have expected thus ,encouraging' the implementation of adequate marketing strategies to target this segment of ,early adopters' in the first place. [source] Localised agricultural knowledge and food production in sub-Saharan AfricaINTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 187 2006Lazare Séhouéto In Benin localised agricultural knowledge is produced or taken on board by the farmers according to their specific cognitive frames and social logic. It is therefore important to analyse them in their complexity. The analysis of farmers' knowledge as to the choice of associating or not associating various crops shows that, while the reasons advanced in the first case are above all ecological (more than 80 per cent of the responses), those put forward in the second are at once economic and ecological. Yet the farming calendar is not merely an adaptation to weather and climatic requirements: it brings together the implications of politics, economics, religion, and natural constraints. In this article I argue that to promote this localised knowledge which helps the majority of men and women who live south of the Sahara to survive, scientists must make more rigorous descriptions and interpretations of localised knowledge, in order to avoid the risk of becoming trapped in folklore or the mystical. [source] High-yielding capacity building in irrigation system management: targeting managers and operators,,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue 3 2008Thierry Facon développement des capacités; gestion du système; Asie Abstract Irrigation management is facing complex challenges evolving with the transformation of agriculture, competition over resources, environmental concerns, without forgetting the critical objective of food production. Managers are ill prepared to meet these challenges and the FAO called for and initiated a massive retraining programme of engineers and managers on irrigation system modernization to address these issues, starting in Asia. Results from this first generation of interventions confirmed the lack of success of many investments and institutional reforms, gaps in capacity and training and the potential for achieving significant improvements at minimal cost by focusing on system operation. The FAO prepared new guidelines for improving system operation and management (MASSCOTE) based on service-oriented management concepts, tested them through training workshops in Nepal, India and China and is disseminating them through a second-generation training programme building on first- generation knowledge synthesis. This paper presents the FAO's strategic approach to capacity building on service-oriented management. It builds on the major lessons drawn from past programmes and is based on three interrelated thrusts: at the system, state and regional/global levels. Concepts, methodologies, lessons learned on upscaling to policy and long-term investment planning, limitations and conditions for success and future programme development are discussed. Copyright © 2008 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. La gestion de l'irrigation est confrontée à des défis complexes en évolution avec la transformation de l'agriculture, la concurrence sur les ressources, les préoccupations environnementales, sans oublier l'objectif critique de la production alimentaire. Les gestionnaires sont mal préparés pour répondre à ces défis et la FAO a lancé un vaste programme de nouvelle formation des ingénieurs et cadres sur la modernisation des systèmes d'irrigation pour traiter ces questions, en commençant par l'Asie. Les résultats de cette première génération d'interventions ont confirmé le manque de succès de beaucoup d'investissements et de réformes institutionnelles, les lacunes dans les capacités et la formation et les possibilités de parvenir à des améliorations significatives à peu de frais en se concentrant sur le fonctionnement du système. La FAO a élaboré de nouveaux guides pour améliorer l'exploitation et la gestion des systèmes (MASSCOTE) basés sur les concepts de service, les a testés par des ateliers de formation au Népal, en Inde et en Chine et les a diffusés par une deuxième génération de programmes de formation s'appuyant sur la synthèse des connaissances de première génération. Cet article présente l'approche stratégique de la FAO pour le renforcement des capacités de gestion orientée sur le service. Il s'appuie sur les principaux enseignements tirés des précédents programmes et repose sur trois axes étroitement liés: au niveau du système, de l'état et régional/mondial. Les concepts, les méthodes, les leçons apprises sur les politiques et la planification des investissements à long terme, les limites et les conditions du succès, et le développement des programmes futurs sont discutés. Copyright © 2008 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Benchmarking productive efficiency of selected wheat areas in Pakistan and India using data envelopment analysis,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue 4 2006Naeem M. Malana MEG (/DEA); analyse comparative; productivité de l'irrigation; productivité; blé; Pakistan; Inde Abstract Food demand is bound to increase significantly in future as a result of a growing world population. As a large proportion of the available land and water resources have been developed, there is limited scope for further increase in the use of these resources. Thus future increases in food production will originate from improvements in performance of existing agriculture rather than development of new resources. It is anticipated that wheat demand in the South Asia will rise significantly in future. In order to increase production and overcome diminishing water availability for irrigation, performance of wheat farms must increase. This paper describes the process of benchmarking the productive efficiency of wheat in selected areas of Pakistan and India. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to evaluate and rank productivity performance of wheat growing areas in both countries based on three inputs: irrigation (m3,ha,1), seed (kg,ha,1) and fertiliser use (kg,ha,1). The results of analysis show that DEA is an effective tool for analysing and benchmarking productive efficiency of agricultural units. Ranking of productive efficiency based on three inputs is also shown to differ significantly from that based on a single resource (irrigation). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. La demande de nourriture est appelée à augmenter de façon significative du fait de la croissance de la population mondiale. Une forte proportion des ressources en terre et en eau ayant déjà été utilisée, leur potentiel d'accroissement est faible. La production supplémentaire de nourriture devra donc venir de l'amélioration des performances de l'agriculture plutôt que du développement de nouvelles ressources. Il est prévu que la demande de blé en Asie du Sud-Est augmente significativement dans le future. Afin d'augmenter la production et de surmonter la raréfaction de l'eau pour l'irrigation, la performance de la culture du blé doit progresser. Cet article décrit le processus d'analyse comparative appliquée à la productivité de certaines zones à blé du Pakistan et de l'Inde. La Méthode d'Enveloppe Graphique (MEG) est utilisée pour évaluer et classer les productivités des zones à blé de ces deux pays sur la base de trois intrants: l'irrigation (m3/ha), les semences (kg/ha) et les engrais (kg/ha). Les résultats de l'analyse montrent que la MEG est un outil efficace pour l'analyse comparative des productivités d'exploitations agricoles. Le classement des productivités à partir de trois intrants est également différent de celui obtenu à partir d'une seule ressource (l'irrigation). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Characteristics of river floods and flooding: a global overview, 1985,2003,,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue S1 2006Klaas-Jan Douben inondation; victims; dommages; stratégies de protection contre les inundations Abstract Since ancient times people have settled in flood-prone areas due to favourable geographic conditions which facilitate economic growth, such as accessibility (transportation) and food production (fertile land). This fact forces societies all over the world to protect valuable assets against flooding. Nevertheless flooding is still the most damaging of all natural disasters. One-third of the annual natural disasters and economic losses and more than half of all victims are flood related. Flood mitigation policies and measures have been implemented, enabling societies to increase their resilience to flood hazards. With increasing population densities, often associated with improved living standards and consequently higher values of property and infrastructure, flood defence receives more importance and the consequences of flooding become less acceptable. Trends in flood frequencies and flooding damage seem to be increasing, primarily due to a growing vulnerability arising from societal changes such as interference by occupation, developments, investments and land-use changes in flood-prone areas. The Asian continent was particularly affected by floods and flooding between 1985 and 2003. It recorded nearly half of all flooding events; together with Europe and North America it was confronted with the majority of flooding damage and it incurred nearly three-quarters of all casualties. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Depuis toujours les populations se sont installées dans les zones à risque d'inondation du fait de conditions géographiques favorables à la croissance économique, telles que l'accessibilité (transport) et la production de nourriture (terre fertile). Ceci oblige les sociétés partout dans le monde à protéger les biens contre les inondations. Mais celles-ci sont toujours les plus préjudiciables de tous les désastres naturels. Chaque année, un tiers des désastres naturels et des dommages économiques ainsi que plus de la moitié des victimes sont liés aux inondations. Des politiques et des actions de protection contre les inondations ont été mises en oeuvre, permettant aux sociétés d'augmenter leur résistivité aux risques d'inondation. Avec l'augmentation des densités de population, souvent liée à la progression des niveaux de vie et donc à la valeur plus élevée des habitations et des infrastructures, la protection contre les inondations devient plus importante et leurs conséquences moins acceptables. La fréquence des inondations et de leurs dommages semble en augmentation, principalement en raison d'une vulnérabilité croissante résultant de changements sociaux tels que les interférences des activités, aménagements, investissements et occupation de l'espace dans les zones à risque. Le continent asiatique a été particulièrement affecté entre 1985 et 2003. Il a enregistré presque la moitié de tous les événements d'inondation, a dû faire face à la majorité des dommages avec l'Europe et l'Amérique du Nord et a compté presque trois quarts de toutes les victimes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Addressing the unanswered questions in global water policy: a methodology framework,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue 1 2003Charlotte de Fraiture Demande et fourniture de l'eau et de la nourriture au niveau globale 1995,2025; modélisation globale; politique globale sur l'eau; projections 2025 Abstract Are the available water resources sufficient to produce food for the growing world population while at the same time meet increasing municipal, industrial and environmental requirements? Projections for the year 2025, presented by different research groups at the second World Water Forum in The Hague, show an increase in global agricultural water use ranging from 4 to 17%. Estimates for the growth of total withdrawals, including domestic and industrial sectors, vary from 22 to 32%. This range is the result of differences in model structure and assumptions. Although these analyses were instrumental in raising awareness concerning the extent of present and future water scarcity problems, they raise many questions, which remain largely unanswered. The questions relate to the impact of water- and food-related policies on global and regional water scarcity, food production, environment and livelihoods through the year 2025. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) embarked on a joint modeling exercise to address these questions. This paper lays out the issues and discusses the methodology. During the 18th ICID Congress in July 2002 at Montreal, preliminary results will be presented. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. RÉSUMÉ Est-ce que les ressources en eau disponible sont suffisantes pour produire la nourriture pour une population mondiale qui s'accroît, et satisfaire en même temps les besoins municipaux, industriels et environnementaux? Les projections faites pour l'an 2025 par différents groupes de chercheurs lors du 2ème Forum Mondial de l'Eau à la Haye montrent une augmentation de 4 à 17% dans l'utilisation globale de l'eau agricole. Les estimations pour l'augmentation des prélèvements, y compris les secteurs domestiques et industriels, varient de 22 à 32%. Cette portée est le résultat des différences dans la structure des modèles. Quoique ces analyses permettent de sensibiliser le peuple sur les problèmes actuels et futurs de la disponibilité de l'eau, elles soulèvent de nombreuses questions qui restent non-résolues en bonne part. Ces questions concernent l'impact aux niveaux régionau et globau des politiques sur l'eau et la nourriture, la production alimentaire, l'environnement et les moyens d'existence et sources de revenu vers l'an 2025. L'Institut International de Recherche sur la Politique Alimentaire (IFPRI) et l'Institut International de Gestion d'Eau (IWMI) préparent conjointement un modèle pour traiter toutes ces questions non-résolues. Le rapport en question identifie toutes ces questions et discute la méthodologie. Au 18ème Congrès de Montréal en juillet 2002, les résultats préliminaires seront présentés. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Irrigation and drainage systems research and development in the 21st century,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue 4 2002Bart Schultz irrigation; drainage; développement durable; système de réseau Abstract One critical problem confronting mankind today is how to manage the intensifying competition for water between expanding urban centres, traditional agricultural activities and in-stream water uses dictated by environmental concerns. In the agricultural sector, the dwindling number of economically attractive sites for large-scale irrigation and drainage projects limits the prospects of increasing the gross cultivated area. Therefore, the required increase in agricultural production will necessarily rely largely on a more accurate estimation of crop water requirements on the one hand, and on major improvements in the construction, operation, management and performance of existing irrigation and drainage systems, on the other. The failings of present systems and the inability to sustainably exploit surface and groundwater resources can be attributed essentially to poor planning, design, system management and development. This is partly due to the inability of engineers, planners and managers to adequately quantify the effects of irrigation and drainage projects on water resources and to use these effects as guidelines for improving technology, design and management. To take full advantage of investments in agriculture, a major effort is required to modernize irrigation and drainage systems and to further develop appropriate management strategies compatible with the financial and socio-economic trends, and the environment. This calls for a holistic approach to irrigation and drainage management and monitoring so as to increase food production, conserve water, prevent soil salinization and waterlogging, and to protect the environment. All this requires, among others, enhanced research and a variety of tools such as water control and regulation equipment, remote sensing, geographic information systems, decision support systems and models, as well as field survey and evaluation techniques. To tackle this challenge, we need to focus on the following issues: affordability with respect to the application of new technologies; procedures for integrated planning and management of irrigation and drainage systems; analysis to identify causes and effects constraining irrigation and drainage system performance; evapotranspiration and related calculation methods; estimation of crop water requirements; technologies for the design, construction and modernization of irrigation and drainage systems; strategies to improve irrigation and drainage system efficiency; environmental impacts of irrigation and drainage and measures for creating and maintaining sustainability; institutional strengthening, proper financial assessment, capacity building, training and education. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Résumé Aujourd'hui le problème critique pour l'humanité est comment manier la compétition intensifiante pour de l'eau entre les centres urbains en expansion, pour des activités traditionnellement agricoles et pour l'usage de l'eau fluviale prescrit par des conditions écologistes. Dans le secteur agricole les perspectives d'agrandir les champs cultivés bruts sont limitées par le nombre diminuant des terrains économiquement attractifs pour des projets d'irrigation et du drainage de grande envergure. Par conséquent l'augmentation nécessaire de la production agricole comptera surtout sur une évaluation plus précise du besoin des plantes d'un côté, et de l'autre sur de grandes améliorations dans la construction, dans l'opération, dans le management et dans la performance des systèmes d'irrigation et du drainage. On peut attribuer les défauts des systèmes actuels et l'incompétence d'exploiter durablement les ressources hydriques de surface et souterraines au planification, au système de la gestion de l'eau et au système du développement. Cela est partiellement dû à l'incapacité des ingénieurs, des planificateurs et des gérants, de quantifier adéquatement les effets des projets d'irrigation et de drainage sur les ressources hydriques et d'utiliser ces résultats pour améliorer la technologie, la planification et la gestion de l'eau. Pour profiter le mieux possible des investissements dans l'agriculture, on exige un effort considérable pour moderniser les systèmes d'irrigation et de drainage et pour développer des stratégies de gestion de l'eau qui doivent être appropriées et compatibles avec les tendances financières et socio-économiques et avec l'environnement. Ceci a besoin d'une procédure holistique pour la gestion et le monitorage de l'eau, pour augmenter la production d'aliments, pour conserver l'eau, pour prévenir la salination du sol et pour protéger l'environnement. Tout cela demande, entre autres choses, une recherche d'avant-garde et une variété d'instruments comme les contrôles du régime hydrique et les appareils de régulation, la télédétection, les systèmes de l'information géographique, les systèmes et les modèles de support de décision et de même les levés sur le terrain et les techniques d'évaluation. Pour entreprendre ce défi nous devons nous concentrer sur les questions suivantes: capacité de mettre enoeuvre des technologies nouvelles; le développement des procédures pour intégrer la planification et la gestion des systèmes d'irrigation et de drainage; l'analyse pour identifier les causes et les effets de forcer à la performance des systèmes d'irrigation et de drainage; l'évapotranspiration et les méthodes de calcul en question; l'évaluation des exigences hydriques des cultures; les technologies pour le dessein, la construction et la modernisation des projets d'irrigation et de drainage; les stratégies pour améliorer l'efficacité des systèmes d'irrigation et de drainage; les impacts des projets d'irrigation et de drainage et des mesures appropriées pour créer et entretenir la durabilité; l'amélioration du contexte institutionnel, l'évaluation financière, la formation et l'amélioration des compétences techniques. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] World Commission on Dams: implications for food and irrigation1,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue 2 2001Chris Perry barrages; l'irrigation; securité d'alimentation Abstract The World Commission on Dams has now published its report. Insights into the workings and conclusions of the Commission were published in the last edition of this Journal. While the WCD report brings together a number of important existing and new recommendations on ameliorating the negative impacts of large dams, it pays inadequate attention to the impacts in the major area (food production and security) for which dams have been built. Consideration of data presented by the WCD would suggest a more positive impact, and a brief review of national and world trends in food production suggests that irrigation , of which large dams are an intrinsic and central component , has underlain if not dominated the vast improvement in food availability that occurred in the second half of the last century. With water in crisis in many countries, planners, policymakers and politicians will continue to face challenging decisions on the allocation of limited freshwater supplies, and demands to increase the level of water resources development. Some guidance from the WCD is helpful, and some is flawed. Most importantly, much is missing, and to be useful, guidance must reflect rational and balanced, expert and rigorous assessment of all the impacts of the available options. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. La Commission Globale des Barrages a maintenant publiée son rapport. Quelques apercus sur les méthodes et les conclusions de la commission ont été données dans la dernière edition de ce journal. Quant le rapport CGB a se rassemblé quelques recommendations nouveaux et actuels pour amèliorer les impacts négatifs des grands barrages, il n'y a pas d'attention suffisante donnés aux impacts sur les questions importantes (comme le production et la sécurité d'alimentation) pour qui les barrages ont étés construits. Penser aux donnés du CGB suggère un impact plus positif et un critique des tendances nationale et globale du production d'alimentation denote que l'irrigation (dont les grands barrages sont un composant central et intrinsèque) a soutienne si non dominée l'immense amélioration de la disponibililité d'alimentation dans la dernière partie du XXe siècle. Avec la crise actuèlle de l'eau en beaucoup de pays, les planificateurs, les dirigants de politique et les politiciens se continuent de faire face aux decisions difficile sur les questions d'allocation d'eau limitée et les demands pour une augmentation de développement des resources en eau. Quelques conseils du CGB sont util mais quelques uns sont en défaut. Les plus importantes problèmes sont que le rapport manque beaucoup de choses et que, pour être utile, les conseils doivent réfléchir les impactes de tous les choix dans une façon rationale et équilibrée avec une évaluation experte et rigoureuse. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Determinants of Voter Support for a Five-Year Ban on the Cultivation of Genetically Modified Crops in SwitzerlandJOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2008Felix Schläpfer D62; D72; Q26 Abstract While much effort has been devoted to estimating market premiums for non-genetically modified (GM) food, the results of such research are largely silent about the preferences for the public good aspects, or externalities, of GM food production. For public goods, the closest substitute of private consumption decisions is voting on referenda. In November 2005, 55.7% of 2 million Swiss voters approved a five-year moratorium (ban) on the commercial cultivation of GM plants in Switzerland. The present study examines how individual voting decisions were determined by: (i) socioeconomic characteristics; (ii) political preference/ideology; and (iii) agreement with a series of arguments in favour and against the use of GM plants in Swiss agriculture. The analysis is based on the data of the regular voter survey undertaken after the national-level voting in Switzerland. The results suggest that current concerns about the use of genetically engineered plants in agriculture may not automatically decrease with higher levels of education/knowledge and generational change. Furthermore, analysis of voter motives suggests that public support for a ban on GM crops may be even larger in other countries, where industrial interests in crop biotechnology are less pronounced. [source] Comparative Advantage in Demand: Experimental Evidence of Preferences for Genetically Modified Food in the United States and European UnionJOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2006Jayson L. Lusk Q130; Q170; Q180; C190 Abstract The United States (US) exports more than US$6 billion in agricultural commodities to the European Union(EU) each year, but one issue carries the potential to diminish this trade: use of biotechnology in food production. The EU has adopted more stringent policies towards biotechnology than the US. Understanding differences in European and American policies towards genetically modified (GM) foods requires a greater understanding of consumers' attitudes and preferences. This paper reports results from the first large-scale, cross-Atlantic study to analyse consumer demand for genetically modified food in a non-hypothetical market environment. We strongly reject the frequent if convenient assumption in trade theory that consumer preferences are identical across countries: the median level of compensation demanded by English and French consumers to consume a GM food is found to be more than twice that in any of the US locations. Results have important implications for trade theory, which typically focuses on differences in specialization, comparative advantage and factor endowments across countries, and for on-going trade disputes at the World Trade Organization. [source] Agricultural Economics and Rural Development: Marriage or Divorce?JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2001Presidential Address Rural development is a growing field of interest, both in policy and conceptual terms. However, it is sometimes loosely defined, and statistical information is therefore often confusing. This paper attempts to clarify some of the concepts involved, and then to explore the relationship between the study of rural development and that of agricultural economics. It is argued that much would be gained by a clearer separation between the economics of land, covering its environmental aspects as well as food production, and that of the rural population and economy. Links between the two certainly exist, but are better recognised individually, by analysts and policymakers alike. [source] The top 27 animal alien species introduced into Europe for aquaculture and related activitiesJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 2010D. Savini Summary The information extracted from IMPASSE, DAISIE, FishBase, and FAO-DIAS inventories of alien species were used to draw a list of the 27 most utilized animal alien species for aquaculture and related activities (e.g. stocking, sport fishing, ornamental purposes) in Europe. Three variables have been considered to assess their negative ecological impacts when these species escape from aquaculture facilities: (i) their distribution across Europe (including non-EU Member States); (ii) evidence of their environmental impact in the wild; and (iii) evidence of their being vectors of non-target alien species and other hitchhikers (e.g. pathogens). Drivers of use and mechanisms of dispersal in the wild have been also considered and reviewed. Twenty of the species are freshwater fishes: alien cyprinids and salmonids have been introduced into Europe mainly for food production, sport fishing and ornamental purposes. The most widespread species are the goldfish Carassius auratus and the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, established in 29 and 28 European countries, respectively. Notwithstanding their successful distribution in Europe, only the Gibel carp Carassius gibelio and the peneid shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus were found to have environmental impact in all the countries of establishment. Crayfish and predatory fishes (e.g. catfishes and salmonids) cause major environmental impacts in Europe by outcompeting native species and altering habitat structure. Alien crayfish, Procambarus clarkii and Pacifastacus leniusculus, are responsible for the largest range of impacts (i.e. crayfish plague dissemination, bioaccumulation of pollutants, community dominance, competition and predation on native species, habitat modifications, food web impairment, herbivory and macrophytes removal). Cyprinids (e.g. herbivorous carps) are vectors of diseases and parasites, while salmonids (e.g. Salvelinus fontinalis) often cause genetic impairment of native stocks by hybridization. The importation of alien farmed (target) species frequently leads to the introduction of associated non-target species. The cultures of the Pacific cupped oyster Crassostrea gigas and Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum were responsible for the introduction of the largest number (60) of non-native invertebrates and algae, often attached to packaging material, fouling the shell or parasitizing bivalve tissues. [source] Internal amplification controls have not been employed in fungal PCR hence potential false negative resultsJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007R.R.M. Paterson Abstract Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is subject to false negative results. Samples of fungi with the genes of interest (e.g. a disease or mycotoxin) may be categorized as negative and safe as a consequence. Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that are involved in many fields of human activity such as antibiotic, toxin and food production. Certain taxa are implicated in human, animal and plant diseases. However, fungi are difficult to identify and PCR techniques have been proposed increasingly for this purpose. Internal amplification controls (IACs) will ameliorate the situation and need to become mandatory. These are nucleic acids that posses a sequence which will provide a PCR product (i) using the same primers employed for the target gene, and (ii) that will not coincide on the gel with the product of the target gene. Only one group of workers employed an IAC, to respond to potential inhibition, which was reported in 1995 from this present assessment of numerous reports. Inhibitors in cultures need to be minimized, and secondary metabolites are an obvious source. The fields reviewed herein include medical mycology, mycotoxicology, environmental mycology and plant mycology. The conclusion is that previous reports are compromised because IACs have not been employed in fungal PCR; future research must include this control at an early stage. [source] Food Security in China and Contingency Planning: the Significance of Grain ReservesJOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2006Hendrik J. Bruins China is inhabited by ca 20 percent of the world population, but has only 7 percent of global arable land and only 6.6 percent of global freshwater resources. These unfavourable relationships between population size and the basic resources for food production , soil and water , require careful food security and contingency planning by the Chinese authorities. The country has been remarkably successful in raising its food production since 1949 at a faster rate (400 percent) than the increase in its population (240 percent). This has basically been achieved by increasing the yields per unit area with enhanced fertilizer use, as the total size of arable land has been decreasing in recent years. Though China attempts to be largely self-sufficient in food grain production, two possible contingency scenarios are suggested that might cause grave problems: (1) severe multi-annual drought; (2) reduced chemical fertilizer manufacturing. If Chinese food production would drop as a result by, say, 33 percent, famine, the dreaded scourge throughout Chinese history, might recur. A shortage of ca 150 million tons of food grains cannot easily be buffered by the volume of food grains annually traded on the world market, ca 240 million tons. Much of this amount tends to be committed already to traditional buyers, as most countries in the world have to import food grains. Cash reserves, therefore, may not guarantee food purchases, because global grain reserves are limited and declining. The formation and maintenance of large internal food grain reserves in China, common in its tradition and ancient history, seem the only realistic contingency planning strategy to avert famine in case of a severe decline in its food production in future crisis years. [source] Fabrizio Bresciani and Alberto Valdes (Eds.). Beyond food production: the role of agriculture in poverty reduction.AGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009$110., 232 pp., ISBN: 978-1-84720-075-4 (FAO ISBN: 978-92-5-1055351), MA: Edward Elgar, Northampton, the FAO No abstract is available for this article. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||