Agriculture and environment  The crucial challenges are conservation of biodiversity, mitigation of climate change and the global shift towards bioenergy
Buried treasure: the potato  This hardy Andean tuber is a staple food of hundreds of millions of people around the world...
Starch market adds value to cassava  Cassava-producing countries should turn more of that relatively low-cost raw material into high-value starch
Safer coffee  An FAO project has developed good hygiene practices for coffee producers aimed at reducing contamination of raw beans by a potent fungal toxin
More fruit and vegetables  An FAO/WHO initiative seeks to boost production, supply and consumption of fruit and vegetables worldwide
A global plant breeding initiative  "Conservation of crop genetic diversity will be futile if plant breeding programmes in developing countries are unable to fully utilize it..."
Arsenic threat in Bangladesh  High levels of arsenic in water used to grow crops could degrade soils, reduce yields - and find its way into food
Global pest control  Natural and national borders that were once effective barriers to the spread of unwanted pests are now under intense pressure
Challenges to Near East agriculture  Irrigated agriculture faces growing pressure for "cost recovery", while introduced pests jeopardize access to exports markets
Sustainable grazing systems  In Latin America, even small payments for environmental services have encouraged livestock owners to adopt silvo-pastoral systems that improve productivity and reduce pressure to destroy native forests
Conservation agriculture  Around the world - from the humid tropics almost to the Arctic Circle - CA is practised on about 100 million ha of farm land
Protecting the pollinators  Farmers have long considered pollination as one of nature's many "free services". But mounting evidence indicates that pollinator populations, essential for food production and farmers' livelihoods, are declining worldwide
Rice faces the future  Urbanization, diminishing natural resources, climate change, and uncertainties over domestic support and trade pose new challenges to rice production
Area-wide integrated pest management  While logistically complex and managerially intensive, the AW-IPM approach requires fewer inputs, and pest control is usually more effective and sustainable
Good and agricultural practices and SARD  FAO's programmes for sustainable agriculture and rural development are responding to new challenges and targets
After the tsunami "Agricultural reconstruction will be a huge task - we are talking about damage to thousands of kilometres of coast and hundreds of small islands..."
Water, food and ecosystems in Africa  "Agriculture and ecosystems are inherently linked: both use the same resources and are based on the same biological processes..."
A new social contract on biotechnology  The "molecular divide" between developed and developing countries threatens to aggravate current inequalities
Shaping the future of agriculture  "In times like these, we have to look for opportunities, and reshaping agriculture for the common good presents just such an opportunity..."
Agricultural heritage systems  Developed over millennia, they represent a wealth of accumulated knowledge and biodiversity that needs to be preserved - and allowed to evolve
Big money in "speciality rices"  While much research has been done on common, high-yielding rice varieties, far less attention has been paid to special kinds, even though they command higher prices
Early warning on hazardous pesticides  The Rotterdam Convention aims to create a shared responsibility between countries that export and import toxic agro-chemicals
LMOs, alien species and "safe trade"  At age 50, the International Plant Protection Convention adapts to new challenges in the era of globalization
Oil palm in western Kenya  A new hybrid tree will help reduce the country's edible oil deficit and provide a badly needed source of extra income for farmers
Sweet sorghum in China  This "camel among crops" could be the key to agricultural development in areas affected by aridity and saline soils
Opening the biotechnology toolbox  Decisions on the costs and benefits of biotechnology need to be made within a policy framework that promotes and protects the public interest
Agriculture after September 11  In a world shaken by terrorism and war, does it make sense to talk about agriculture, poverty and hunger? Yes...
A Treaty on agrobiodiversity  The historic accord represents a legally-binding, international commitment to improvement of the world's key food and feed crops
Genetically modified crops  Evidence suggests that the technology has so far addressed too few challenges, in few crops of relevance to production systems in developing countries
Agribusiness and small farmers  Well managed contract farming contributes to both increased income for producers and higher profitability for "sponsors"
Global farming systems  FAO's new "agricultural atlas" will help the World Bank target investment to relieve hunger and rural poverty
"Cover crops" save soil in Brazil  Land preparation practices based on European models proved unsustainable in subtropical Santa Catarina state
Toward biosecurity  Biological and environmental risks associated with food and agriculture have intensified with economic globalization
Agriculture's role in climate change  The Kyoto Protocol may provide incentives for improvements in the sustainability of farm and forestry production systems
Earth Summit+10  FAO undertakes a major review of achievements - and new challenges - in sustainable agriculture and land use
Zero tillage: when less means more  South Asian wheat farmers are increasing productivity and conserving their natural resources - by spending less time on land preparation
Crop science and ethics  In order to continue their contribution to human development, crop scientists must regain credibility
New on the menu for livestock  FAO experts explore the untapped potential of mulberry trees and the cactus pear
New strategy for cassava  The aim is to spur rural industrial development and boost incomes for producers, processors and traders
Biotechnology in agriculture  While respecting ethical concerns, governments should recognize biotechnology's potential for increasing food supplies and alleviating hunger
Issues in urban agriculture Studies suggest that up to two-thirds of city and peri-urban households are involved in farming
Organic farming  Demand for organic products has created new export opportunities for the developing world
Towards seed security  Local farmer varieties stored in the world's genebanks could be used to restore crop production following disasters
Rice crisis looms in Asia  Green Revolution technologies are "almost exhausted" of any further productivity gains
Interview: James Cock  "Sustainability, profitability, employment: perhaps we're asking too much of agriculture..."

Coping with water scarcity  Given the state of global water scarcity, agriculture is under severe scrutiny to account for the water it uses
Brazilian technology for agriculture in Africa  The objective is to optimize the use of farm labour and help reverse widespread land degradation
Livestock impacts on the environment  The challenge is to reconcile demands for animal food products and environmental services
Arsenic threat in Bangladesh  High levels of arsenic in water used to grow crops could degrade soils, reduce yields - and find its way into food
Challenges to Near East agriculture  Irrigated agriculture faces growing pressure for "cost recovery", while introduced pests jeopardize access to exports markets
What's water worth?  Purely economic valuation of water often overlooks environmental values, such as water's role in maintaining ecosystems, and social values - such as growing food to eat
Conservation agriculture  Around the world - from the humid tropics almost to the Arctic Circle - CA is practised on about 100 million ha of farm land
Water use in agriculture  As cities draw on more water resources for their rapidly growing populations, agriculture must significantly improve its water use efficiency and productivity
Good and agricultural practices and SARD  FAO's programmes for sustainable agriculture and rural development are responding to new challenges and development targets...
After the tsunami "Agricultural reconstruction will be a huge task - we are talking about damage to thousands of kilometres of coast and hundreds of small islands..."
Water, food and ecosystems in Africa  "Agriculture and ecosystems are inherently linked: both use the same resources and are based on the same biological processes..."
Fertilizer and the future   Scenarios point to an increase in use efficiencies of all natural resources, particularly water, and to the need for greater - although not proportionally greater - use of mineral fertilizer
A new social contract on biotechnology  The "molecular divide" between developed and developing countries threatens to aggravate current inequalities
Water management: towards 2030  Objective: unlock the potential of water management practices to raise productivity, promote equitable access to water and conserve the resource base
Raising water productivity  The options include germplasm improvements, aerobic rice, water harvesting and trade in "virtual water"
Improving irrigation technology  Affordable innovations, tailored to local conditions, are readily adopted by resource-poor farmers
Modernizing irrigation management  Irrigation institutions need to improve their performance, both in economic and environmental terms
Shaping the future of agriculture  "In times like these, we have to look for opportunities, and reshaping agriculture for the common good presents just such an opportunity..."
Agricultural heritage systems  Developed over millennia, they represent a wealth of accumulated knowledge and biodiversity that needs to be preserved - and allowed to evolve
A precious and finite resource  Improved farming techniques and greater water use efficiency are the keys to food security for a growing world population
Early warning on hazardous pesticides  The Rotterdam Convention aims to create a shared responsibility between countries that export and import toxic agro-chemicals
Irrigation in the Near East  With less than 2% of the world's fresh water supply, the region's food security depends on getting "more crops per drop"
Opening the biotechnology toolbox  Decisions on the costs and benefits of biotechnology need to be made within a policy framework that promotes and protects the public interest
Agriculture after September 11  In a world shaken by terrorism and war, does it make sense to talk about agriculture, poverty and hunger? Yes...
Global farming systems  FAO's new "agricultural atlas" will help the World Bank target investment to relieve hunger and rural poverty
"Cover crops" save soil in Brazil  Land preparation practices based on European models proved unsustainable in subtropical Santa Catarina state
Agriculture's role in climate change  The Kyoto Protocol may provide incentives for improvements in the sustainability of farm and forestry production systems
Earth Summit+10  FAO undertakes a major review of achievements - and new challenges - in sustainable agriculture and land use
Zero tillage: when less means more  South Asian wheat farmers are increasing productivity and conserving their natural resources - by spending less time on land preparation
Measuring the potential of farmland  FAO's GAEZ system produces an optimistic outlook for world food production - and reveals limits to growth in several regions
The life in soil  Soil biota perform functions vital to the environment and, particularly, to agriculture
Using water wisely  FAO forecasts that by 2030, developing countries should be able to boost food production significantly while using only 14% more water 
Monitoring land and water  Data on land and water have large gaps and are often of poor quality, especially in the less developed countries
Gabions in water development  A simple technique for building low-cost, long-lasting hydraulic structures in developing countries
Conservation in Latin America  More than 3 million sq km of farmland have been degraded, and vast areas of drylands are threatened by desertification
Managing plant nutrients  Nutrients available for recycling via plant and animal residues are rarely sufficient to compensate for what is removed with the harvest
Resolving conflict over land  Growing competition over land and water resources calls for greater cooperation among all stakeholders
Time to save the Aral Sea?  The destruction of this Central Asian lake is a textbook example of unsustainable development

Reconciling livestock and environment  Without major corrective measures, livestock's environmental impact "will worsen dramatically"...
Livestock impacts on the environment  The challenge is to reconcile demands for animal food products and environmental services
Farm animal biodiversity  Sustainable management and genetic improvement of local breeds are essential if countries are to meet their future food needs
Sustainable grazing systems  In Latin America, even small payments for environmental services have encouraged livestock owners to adopt silvo-pastoral systems that improve productivity and reduce pressure to destroy native forests
Conservation agriculture  Around the world - from the humid tropics almost to the Arctic Circle - CA is practised on about 100 million ha of farm land
Stopping avian influenza  The H5N1 virus has devastated domestic poultry, but has not yet mutated into a form transmissible to humans. The "window of opportunity" is still open...
Science and the livestock revolution  A range of "new" issues have social implications - such as the impact of livestock on the environment or the use of biotechnology
Good and agricultural practices and SARD  FAO's programmes for sustainable agriculture and rural development are responding to new challenges and development targets...
Globalization and livestock  While market integration can increase national income and improve nutrition, it also "globalizes" potential threats to livelihoods, human health and the environment
Avian influenza in Asia  Highly Pathogenic AI has become a major transboundary epidemic with wide-ranging economic, trade and social repercussions
Water, food and ecosystems in Africa  "Agriculture and ecosystems are inherently linked: both use the same resources and are based on the same biological processes..."
A new social contract on biotechnology  The "molecular divide" between developed and developing countries threatens to aggravate current inequalities
Rinderpest on the ropes  Smallpox was the first disease in history to be eradicated. By 2010, bovine plague could be the second
Shaping the future of agriculture  "In times like these, we have to look for opportunities, and reshaping agriculture for the common good presents just such an opportunity..."
Genetics and animal health  As veterinary drugs falter in the face of increasingly virulent pathogens, an FAO report proposes a new animal health strategy - breeding for disease resistance
Agricultural heritage systems  Developed over millennia, they represent a wealth of accumulated knowledge and biodiversity that needs to be preserved - and allowed to evolve
New animal disease threats  A global early warning system would help control the current upsurge in epizootic emergencies
Tick control in the Caribbean  An FAO programme to eradicate tropical Bont tick is helping revive the livestock industry, reduce beef imports and enhance food security
World livestock trade  Trade liberalization will benefit consumers in economies with high levels of agricultural protection, as well as "efficient producers around the world"
In praise of family poultry  Backyard- and free-range birds account for as much as 70% of total poultry production in low-income, food-deficit countries
Opening the biotechnology toolbox  Decisions on the costs and benefits of biotechnology need to be made within a policy framework that promotes and protects the public interest
Agriculture after September 11  In a world shaken by terrorism and war, does it make sense to talk about agriculture, poverty and hunger? Yes...
Anthrax in animals  The deadly disease affects domestic animals, wild ruminants such as antelopes, gazelles and impalas - and even elephants
About camels and llamas  Two of our most versatile domestic animals are also distant cousins...
Global farming systems  FAO's new "agricultural atlas" will help the World Bank target investment to relieve hunger and rural poverty
Toward biosecurity  Biological and environmental risks associated with food and agriculture have intensified with economic globalization
Domestic animal diversity at risk  FAO/UNEP report says 1,350 mammal and bird breeds face extinction
Draught animals plough on  Why animal power should become an integral part of strategies for rural development and agricultural mechanization
New on the menu for livestock  FAO experts explore the untapped potential of mulberry trees and the cactus pear
Livestock issues in Asia  The capital-intensive sector generates little employment, poses environmental risks and creates challenges to human and veterinary health
Livestock and human needs  "Should intensification of production processes continue to be encouraged globally or should alternatives be sought?"
Interview: Brian Hursey  "Trypanosomiasis is the only animal disease that completely determines where and how people grow food..."
Cost of trypanosomiasis  The parasitic livestock ailment is most serious in areas of Africa that hold the greatest potential for agriculture
Livestock and environment  Shortsighted policies - and some programmes to "support" livestock owners - contribute to land degradation

School kids and street food  Street food could become "part of the solution" to alarming levels of micronutrient deficiency in Tanzania
How to bottle coconut water  A simple cold preservation process keeps bottled coconut water fresh for up to three weeks
Buried treasure: the potato  This hardy Andean tuber is a staple food of hundreds of millions of people around the world...
Safer coffee  An FAO project has developed good hygiene practices for coffee producers aimed at reducing contamination of raw beans by a potent fungal toxin
More fruit and vegetables  An FAO/WHO initiative seeks to boost production, supply and consumption of fruit and vegetables worldwide
Arsenic threat in Bangladesh  High levels of arsenic in water used to grow crops could degrade soils, reduce yields - and find its way into food
Food security in Ethiopia  In two of the country's most disadvantaged rural areas, an FAO project achieved measurable improvements in the health and nutrition of an estimated 26,000 people
Fighting hunger – and obesity  A growing number of developing countries must cope with the persistence of undernutrition, along with a rapid rise in overweight and diet-related chronic diseases
New paradigm: Quality  FAO's Agriculture Department begins 2006 with a new, broader mandate and a new unit, the Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division (AGN).
Farmers and supermarkets in Asia  The good news is that the region's rapidly expanding supermarket chains are particularly keen on selling fresh produce...
Globalization and livestock  While market integration can increase national income and improve nutrition, it also "globalizes" potential threats to livelihoods, human health and the environment
Securing the food chain  FAO is developing a comprehensive strategy to help countries ensure a "safe and nutritious" food supply...
Good and agricultural practices and SARD  FAO's programmes for sustainable agriculture and rural development are responding to new challenges and targets
Urban food security  In the "century of cities", a major challenge will be providing food for urban inhabitants, especially the poor
Oil palm in western Kenya  A new hybrid tree will help reduce the country's edible oil deficit and provide a badly needed source of extra income for farmers
Genetically modified crops  Evidence suggests that the technology has so far addressed too few challenges, in few crops of relevance to production systems in developing countries
Toward biosecurity  Biological and environmental risks associated with food and agriculture have intensified with economic globalization
Urban food marketing  Feeding the cities requires coordinated action among city authorities, food producers, transporters, market operators and a myriad of retail sellers
Biotechnology in agriculture  While respecting ethical concerns, governments should recognize biotechnology's potential for increasing food supplies and alleviating hunger
Organic farming  Demand for organic products has created new export opportunities for the developing world
Small-scale fermentation  Traditional technologies contribute significantly to food security, but risk being displaced by economic development and cultural change

Agribusiness boom  Changes in agrifood systems have significant implications for growth, poverty and food security
Brazilian technology for agriculture in Africa  The objective is to optimize the use of farm labour and help reverse widespread land degradation
How to bottle coconut water  A simple cold preservation process keeps bottled coconut water fresh for up to three weeks
Starch market adds value to cassava  Cassava-producing countries should turn more of that relatively low-cost raw material into high-value starch
Safer coffee  An FAO project has developed good hygiene practices for coffee producers aimed at reducing contamination of raw beans by a potent fungal toxin
More fruit and vegetables  An FAO/WHO initiative seeks to boost production, supply and consumption of fruit and vegetables worldwide
Conservation agriculture  Around the world - from the humid tropics almost to the Arctic Circle - CA is practised on about 100 million ha of farm land
Finance for the rural poor  The future of rural poverty alleviation is investment in all aspects of rural development, not only agriculture
Farmers and supermarkets in Asia  The good news is that the region's rapidly expanding supermarket chains are particularly keen on selling fresh produce...
Securing the food chain  FAO is developing a comprehensive strategy to help countries ensure a "safe and nutritious" food supply...
Good and agricultural practices and SARD  FAO's programmes for sustainable agriculture and rural development are responding to new challenges and development targets...
Policy coherence for agriculture and development   "Policy coherence should aim at coherence between all development objectives and not just trade and agriculture..."
A new social contract on biotechnology  The "molecular divide" between developed and developing countries threatens to aggravate current inequalities
Shaping the future of agriculture  "In times like these, we have to look for opportunities, and reshaping agriculture for the common good presents just such an opportunity..."
Agricultural heritage systems  Developed over millennia, they represent a wealth of accumulated knowledge and biodiversity that needs to be preserved - and allowed to evolve
Big money in "speciality rices"  While much research has been done on common, high-yielding rice varieties, far less attention has been paid to special kinds, even though they command higher prices
Urban food security  FAO provides much-needed technical assistance to local governments so that they can perform better today - and be prepared for tomorrow
Early warning on hazardous pesticides  The Rotterdam Convention aims to create a shared responsibility between countries that export and import toxic agro-chemicals
In praise of family poultry  Backyard- and free-range birds account for as much as 70% of total poultry production in low-income, food-deficit countries
Agriculture after September 11  In a world shaken by terrorism and war, does it make sense to talk about agriculture, poverty and hunger? Yes...
Agribusiness and small farmers  Well managed contract farming contributes to both increased income for producers and higher profitability for "sponsors"
Global farming systems  FAO's new "agricultural atlas" will help the World Bank target investment to relieve hunger and rural poverty
"Cover crops" save soil in Brazil  Land preparation practices based on European models proved unsustainable in subtropical Santa Catarina state
"Today's market prices..."  Agricultural market information services need to get their information to farmers. The solution may be local FM radio stations
Zero tillage: when less means more  South Asian wheat farmers are increasing productivity and conserving their natural resources - by spending less time on land preparation
Draught animals plough on  Why animal power should become an integral part of strategies for rural development and agricultural mechanization
Input shortage hits Africa's export farmers  Few traders are offering inputs on credit because of difficulties in obtaining repayment
Bammy bread bounces back  How an FAO project helped restore demand for a traditional Jamaican food product - and create new markets for the country's beleaguered cassava farmers
Urban food marketing  Feeding the cities requires coordinated action among city authorities, food producers, transporters, market operators and a myriad of retail sellers
Small-scale fermentation  Traditional technologies contribute significantly to food security, but risk being displaced by economic development and cultural change
Contract farming in Asia  Market-oriented farming offers producers lower risks and gives processors a guaranteed supply of raw materials
Women and farm tools  Study shows how poorly designed, poorly made farming implements add to burdens on Africa's rural women
New sports drink: coconut water  Simple production process gives tropical countries the key to a booming market
Tropical starch misses market  Agricultural research needs to focus on product characteristics that make processing easier