Seth DeBolt is a plant scientist at the University of Kentucky in the United States. He and other scientists wanted to find a source of fuel that poor people in rural areas of developing countries could use to make electricity. The United Nations Development Program says a billion and a half people have no electricity. A billion others have […]
Some people in the Netherlands are spending three hundred thirty thousand dollars — on a hamburger. The people are scientists at the University of Maastricht. They want to prove that they can make a hamburger that tastes good and does not require an animal to be killed. Researcher Mark Post and his team have been growing muscle-tissue cells in […]
An American intelligence report says water-related problems will likely increase tensions around the world in the next ten years. These problems include water shortages, poorwater quality and floods. The report says the problems will increase the risk of instability and the failure of governments. However, countries are seen as unlikely to go to war over water. The report […]
Bees add an estimated eighteen billion dollars a year to the value of American crops. They pollinate flowers that become fruits, nuts and vegetables. But, in recent years, honeybee colonies in the United States and Europe have been shrinking. Scientists have proposed different theories to explain what is known as colony collapse disorder. New research […]
A new report says if women farmers had the same rights as men, more could be done to reduce world hunger. The report, “Empowering Women in Agriculture,” is from the anti-hunger group Bread for the World. Bread for the World says equal access to agricultural resources would help increase food security and economic growth. Faustine Wabwire is the group’s […]
South America’s Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest and river system on Earth. But the Amazon is disappearing at the rate of about eight hundred thousand hectares a year. This deforestation is caused by an increase in agriculture and cattle ranching and the building of roads and dams. Another cause is the illegal cutting of trees for […]
The University of Georgia is a respected research university. Thirty-five thousand students attend the main campus in Athens, Georgia, and extended campuses around the state. And among its areas of research is agriculture. UGA has a center in San Luis de Monteverde in Costa Rica. This center is for students and visitors who want to learn more […]
Organic farming avoids the use of chemical pesticides and manmade fertilizers. Supporters say organic farming is better for the environment than other methods. But studies have shown that organic farming often produces less food per hectare. That lower yield means feeding the world organically would require more land. But good farmland is limited. And scientists say […]
Has anyone ever tried to get your goat? To “get your goat” is an expression. It means to make you mad. A good friend might tell you: “Don’t worry about what that person said. He was just trying to get your goat.” But there are plenty of good reasons to get a goat — and not […]
A United Nations report predicts that world rice production will be higher this year thanlast year. The report is from the Food and Agriculture Organization. The FAO says the global rice harvest should be almost two percent higher this year, mainly because ofincreased production in Asia. Large gains are expected in Bangladesh, Burma, China, India, Pakistan, […]