Lo striscione esposto dagli attivisti di PAN Network poco dopo la notizia della validità del milione di firme raccolte nell'ambito dell'Iniziativa popolare europea per vietare i pesticidi chimici entro il 2035. FOTO: Pan Europe.

Bees rejoice: the popular proposal for a EU law reaches one million signatures

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The EU Commission has confirmed the validity of the signatures of the European popular initiative bill "Save bees and farmers". Now the European institutions will have to express  on the request to ban synthetic pesticides, responsible for the collapse in the number of pollinators, by 2035
During Jair Bolsonaro's presidency, deforestation of the Amazon has accelerated. Photo: Isac Nóbrega/PR Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)Isac Nóbrega/PR Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Brazilians choose their president and the fate of the Amazon forest as well

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In Brazil the future of nearly 76 thousand sq. km. of the Amazon depends on the October 30 ballot, a study released by Carbon Brief states. That is the amount to the expected deforestation decline if former President Lula succeeds
Drought impacts soil conditions by exacerbating food crisis. Photo: Global Water Partnership Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)Global Water Partnership Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Climate change makes drought 20 times more likely

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Climate change drives drought especially in non-surface soil layers exacerbating food and economic crisis, a World Weather Attribution (WWA) survey has found
Il compost è un fertilizzante naturale estremamente utile in agricoltura, che riduce l'uso dei prodotti chimici e valorizza la frazione umida dei rifiuti urbani (la cosiddetta FORSU). FOTO: Matteo Berlenga

Plastic, glass, metals: the “enemies” that dirty the compost

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The alarm emerges from a series of video interviews with managers of composting plants carried out by the italian Biorepack consortium. Too high percentages of "foreign fractions" (up to 12%) make it more difficult and expensive to make compost. On the other hand, compostable, flexible and rigid bioplastics were promoted with flying colors: "very useful for increasing quantity and quality of the final product"
Scheduled for Oct. 24-26, the EU Soil Observatory Stakeholders Forum is designed to engage all stakeholders involved in soil protection. Photo: CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain DedicationCC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Soil protection requires everyone’s commitment according to EUSO 2022

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The promotion of soil health requires the involvement of all stakeholders, from policy makers and scientists to local stakeholders, citizens and civil society. That's the message of the EU Soil Observatory Stakeholders Forum, scheduled for Oct. 24-26
Russia's wheat and grain harvest in 2023 will be lower than last year. Photo: pxhere Sheikh Rayhan CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution requiredpxhere Sheikh Rayhan CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution required

Fears for global supply grow as drought hits crops in Russia

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Drought reduces sowing in Russia fueling implicit concerns for the world market. But the phenomenon also affects the rest of the Planet. And war threatens to further damage exports
Soil microorganisms perform critical services for plant and human health. Photo: pxhere CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution requiredpxhere CC0 Public Domain Free for personal and commercial use No attribution required

Microorganisms are the common thread between soil and human health

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Spread throughout the soil, bacteria, fungi and archaea make up 18 percent of the Planet's biomass. Their services are critical for humans and plants, a new research explains. But some critical factors put their resilience at risk
The application of agroecology principles in livestock farming may be a turning point for the sustainability of the UK food supply chain. Photo: Peter Standing Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)Peter Standing Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Meat can be sustainable thanks to agroecology

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According to the Soil Association in Edinburgh, the transition to agroecology in agriculture and livestock paves the way for a lower-impact production system. But extending the practice on a large scale requires a change in diet
Ants play an effective role in counteracting plant pests. Photo: Abdulmominbd Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Abdulmominbd Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ants better than pesticides in protecting soil health and increasing agricultural yields

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According to a research ants provide crucial services for crops such as decreasing pest activity and plant damage while leading to higher yields
High fertilizers prices threaten agricultural productivity in some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as Ethiopia, and Central America. Photo: ©2015CIAT/GeorginaSmith Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)©2015CIAT/GeorginaSmith Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Soil mapping means more information and less fertilizers

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An FAO project aims to gather information on soil nutrients to optimize the use of fertilizers in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central America. An initiative aimed at countering the impact of rising market prices