70% of Ukraine is a prime agricultural area. It is responsible for producing a significant portion of the world’s wheat, potatoes, corn, rye, barley, and sunflower oil. Crop shipments from Ukraine to the European Union, India, China, and other parts of Northern Africa and the Middle East are falling as Russian forces block Ukrainian ports. Meanwhile, the flow of grain exports from Russia, the world’s largest wheat producer, is being disrupted by harsh Western sanctions.
Today’s discussion focuses on the global impact of Russia’s war in …
Author: andrew
Food is Just as Vital as Oil to National Security
Be the Change You Wanted to See as a Young Girl
Madhulika Singh grew up in a traditional Indian community where girls choosing to study science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) subjects were as radical as them picking their own life partner.
Women are said to hold up half of the sky. Singh, who is now an agriculture specialist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, believes girls should be able to hold their own and even contribute equally to STEM.
In her early adolescence, she observed her mother, a school principal, juggle her …
Another Food Crisis?
The consequences of the Ukraine crisis are likely to last for months, if not years. If the cuts in wheat exports from Russia and Ukraine are as severe as expected, global wheat supplies will be severely limited. If fertilizer exports are drastically reduced, global markets for food sources will become tighter. This will put vulnerable people around the world at risk of rising food costs and starvation.
The small …
New Endeavor to Fast-track the Power of Crop Diversity for Climate Resilience
A new project is expanding the use of biodiversity held in genebanks to develop new climate-smart crop varieties for millions of small-scale farmers worldwide.
The dependency of many farmers on seasonal rains for cultivation has been responsible for food shortages over the years. It is also obvious that implementation of alternative growth methods that do not rely on natural rains, such as irrigation, are expensive, and their uptake is slow. The development of climate-resilient crop varieties is a viable option.
If …
Russia Ukraine Conflict and the Global Food Security
Wheat supply chains, fertilizer exports, and other food system components will be disrupted as a result of the war in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia. In combination with other factors, they have the potential to unleash a significant food security crisis.
The confrontation between Russia and Ukraine will severely affect global wheat supplies and food security. Agricultural research investments are essential for building resilient food systems and ensuring a stable food supply in the coming future.
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Beneficial Bioactives
Maize and wheat are frequently at the focus of arguments about carbohydrate overuse. In developing countries, maize is mostly consumed in its natural form. Maize and wheat flour are also common staples in developing countries. Globally, these two bowls of cereal are processed and used in making a wide range of foods that you will find on supermarket shelves.
Whole grains have high nutritional value. However, the …
Cereal Grain Harvesting and Post-harvest Machinery in Nepal
Many aspects of the rice and wheat grain production process are completely mechanized in Nepal’s Terai plains and the larger valleys in the highlands. As early as the 1960s, wheat and rice threshing and cleaning were also mechanized. In the 90s, practically all of the wheat in the Terai was being threshed, largely by stand-alone threshers with horsepower diesel engines. It was obvious that complete mechanization of the process would not take long.
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Can Uganda Attain Zero Hunger?
Uganda is one of Africa’s fast-growing economies, which is in the middle of a socio-economic revolution. Uganda’s GDP has grown by more than 5% over the last two decades.
This expansion is paralleled by the country’s growing population and urbanization. In 2019, 24.4 percent of Uganda’s population lived in urban areas. By 2030, Uganda’s population is estimated to reach 60 million, …
High-yielding Staple Crops for Improving Health and Prosperity in Developing Countries
Several recent studies highlight the “Green Revolution’s” long-term benefits. They argue for sustained investment in the development and usage of high-yielding staple crop varieties. This has been touted as a solution to food shortages in developing countries.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the global food system’s vulnerability to attacks. It has brought a realization of the need to alter our food systems to …
Genome-wide Breeding for Wheat Blast Curtailing
The first study testing selection of genomic inbreeding when it comes to resistance has been undertaken, and the results have been published. The deadly disease, caused by a fungus, has spread from Brazil to mainland Africa and is threatening wheat cultivation today.
Wheat blast is quickly becoming a challenge that is threatening the livelihoods of countless farmers. Unless it is combated quickly, the disease can lead to loss of livelihood for millions of families, especially in Africa and Asia.
We are working on …
