From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Cassava is a very important crop in many countries. More than 160 million people across Africa depend on the plant for food or to earn money. The continent produces 60 percent of the world’s cassava. In May, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported that cassava production […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Researchers are developing ways to fight hunger in Africa by increasing rice production. The African Rice Congress discussed the work at a meeting in October. Experts say 60 percent of rice used in Africa is imported from Asia. They estimate that Africa spends $5 billion to import […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Raising chickens is gaining popularity in some American cities. Poultry farming may not be right for everyone, but the business seems to have a bright future. Collecting eggs is a daily pleasure for the Hurst family in the state of Maryland. Naomi Hurst says her family started to […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Farmers use soil conservation methods to protect their land from the damage caused by farming, wind and other forces of nature. Planting windbreaks is one method of soil conservation. Windbreaks are barriers formed by trees and other plants. Farmers plant these barriers around their fields. Windbreaks stop wind from […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Aquaponics is a new farming method that combines growing vegetables and raising fish. The word aquaponics comes from aquaculture and hydroponics. Aquaculture means fish farming. Hydroponics means growing plants in water without soil. Supporters say this is an efficient way to produce healthy food. At Cylburn Aquaponics Farm […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Some food experts estimate that up to 40 percent of all food in most wealthy countries is wasted every year. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organizationsays more than a billion tons of food goes to waste each year. Food waste also takes place in developingcountries. Even as so much food […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Americans love Christmas trees. The NationalChristmas Tree Association says more than 35 million of them were bought in the United States in 2012. In large cities, many people buy trees that have already been cut. But some people drive to a tree farm and cut their own tree. The National Christmas […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Poinsettias are the best-selling potted flowering plant in the United States and, they are a traditional part of Christmas celebrations, which is why almost all of them are sold in the winter. The Department of Agriculture estimates that Americans bought $250 million worth of poinsettias last year. The poinsettia is native […]
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization expects harvests in the Sahel area of Africa to be smaller in 2013 than they were in 2012. The UN agency says a short rainy season reduced grain and cereal production in several countries in the Sahel. The agency described the conditions in its Crop Prospects and Food Situations report. The report […]
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report. Farmers in the United States are concerned about a possible decrease in the use of ethanol. Ethanol is a liquid fuel made from plants, such as corn. Last November, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed lowering the required amount of ethanol in the nation’s gasoline supply. The requirement began in […]