More than 25 million hectares of cultivated land in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) are potentially threatened by locusts and grasshoppers every year, and infestations have increased by 65 percent since 2006. The three main locust pests (Italian, Moroccan and Asian Migratory...[more]

With support from FAO, eight African countries, members or observers of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), agreed to launch the Forum for African Seeds Testing during the ISTA 29th Congress held in Cologne, Germany, on June 20th 2010.This is an important...[more]

For years, and especially after the 12 January Earthquake, many institutions have implemented seed relief interventions in Haiti. FAO has participated in June 2010 in the implementation of a Seed System Security Assessment in order to better target future seed interventions.[more]

The adoption of sustainable farming practices allows small farmers of cotton in West Africa to increase their yields and incomes, reduce their use of toxic pesticides and protect the environment and their health.These are  the results of a training program for small farmers...[more]

Towns and cities in the world’s developing countries are growing on an unprecedented scale. Ten years ago, an estimated 40 percent of the developing world’s population - or 2 billion people - lived in urban areas. Since then, their numbers have expanded almost twice as fast...[more]

Salinization is a problem long being associated to agriculture, both as a constraint and as the result of inappropriate practices. In addition, agriculture intensification, as well as changes in temperature and precipitation patterns expected from climate change, are likely to...[more]

This Symposium will address production and environmental issues central to the development of sustainable agriculture in the subtropical zone, worldwide. This zone includes many lesser developed countries, which are increasingly facing pressure from a rapidly growing population....[more]

Horticulture in and around cities contributes to urban food supply and livelihoods.  FAO and Senegal’s Ministry of Agriculture have convened an international symposium to review experiences and foster urban and peri-urban horticulture initiatives and networking.[more]

Where pesticides are used and stored there is often spillage and environmental contamination. This is particularly true in countries where large volumes of pesticides are used, for example in locust control operations. The spilled pesticide can remain toxic and noxious for...[more]

The Red Locust, Nomadacris septemfasciata (Serville, 1838), is a very hazardous insect pest to agriculture in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa and breeds in specific grassland areas located in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. In 2008 aerial surveys undertaken by the...[more]