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
Tra le azioni ipotizzate dalla Commissione Ue nella proposta normativa sottoposta alla consultazione dei propri cittadini, c'è l'ipotesi di prevedere monitoraggi periodici sullo stato di salute dei suoli, per ridurre la desertificazione e l'erosione. FOTO: Matteo Berlenga.

What actions for soil health? The EU gives the floor to the citizens

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La Commissione europea sta lavorando a una proposta normativa che introduca misure di contrasto al degrado del suolo. Per ascoltare il punto di vista di esperti e cittadini ha lanciato una consultazione pubblica. Obiettivo: individuare le azioni considerate più efficaci e condivise. Termine ultimo per partecipare: 24 ottobre 2022
The Madre de Dios region in the Peruvian Amazon hosts the community project supported by CESVI and Lavazza Foundation. Photo: Yoly Gutierrez/CIFOR Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)Yoly Gutierrez/CIFOR Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Amazon forest, a walnut can make a difference for local economy and climate change

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Supported by CESVI and the Lavazza Foundation, Peruvian indigenous communities are finding in the Amazon nut a new opportunity for empowerment. With positive impacts on the economy and the climate
Soil is a complex system, say three British researchers. Today, a unified method for assessing its health still doesn't exist. Photo: Soil Science Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)Soil Science Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

British researchers propose a new theory of soil health

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If we want to analyze soil health, we cannot rely on single indicators, says a new paper by Cranfield and Nottingham Universities. Instead, we need to focus on the relationships among the components of the system to get a complete picture. At the center of the new approach are four different dimensions
Peatlands in the Congo Basin cover more than 167 thousand square kilometers, 15 percent more than previously estimated. Photo: Dicklyon Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Dicklyon Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Congo’s peatlands are a barrier against climate change

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More than a quarter of the carbon stored in the Planet's peatlands is found in the Congo River Basin, says a research released by Nature. But these environments are threatened by land use
With soaring fertiliser prices, British agriculture must adopt a new production model focused on protecting soil health. Photo: Walter Baxter / Preston Farm / Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)Walter Baxter / Preston Farm / Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Fertiliser crisis provides a boost to regenerative agriculture

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As fertiliser prices soar, British agriculture sector faces new risks as it remains too dependent on imports. More than 60 companies are now calling on the government to implement a transition plan to a new production model