Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Consultation

Food Security and Nutrition: Building a global narrative towards 2030 - HLPE e-consultation on the Report’s scope

During its 45th Plenary Session (15-20 October 2018), the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) requested its High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) to produce a short report (around 20 pages, approximately 20 000 words) entitled Food Security and Nutrition: Building a global narrative towards 2030” to be presented by the first semester 2020". Click here to download the CFS request.

To implement this CFS request, the HLPE is launching an open e-consultation to seek views and comments on the following scope and building blocks of the report, outlined below.

2020 will be a milestone in the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with only ten years left before the 2030 deadline. Ten years after the CFS reform, this report aims to take stock of what CFS has done, with the support of the HLPE. It will assess how past CFS policy recommendations have contributed or could contribute to FSN and to the 2030 Agenda. This stocktaking analysis should be framed within the CFS vision and take into account the perspectives of the most affected by food insecurity and malnutrition.

Rather than simply summarising previous HLPE reports, the objective of this report is to articulate, for decision-makers and non-expert readers, the main findings of previous HLPE publications (including the two notes on critical and emerging issues)[1] in a global, coherent and comprehensive narrative around FSN and sustainable development, integrating different forms of knowledge. This report will reflect the current state of knowledge as evidenced in previous HLPE publications, as well as the most recent developments of knowledge on FSN related issues.

It will build upon the main areas of consensus and controversy, the major challenges and opportunities, the main knowledge gaps or uncertainties, emerging from previous HLPE publications. It will highlight, using concrete examples as appropriate, possible solutions and priorities for action for the world community to advance FSN in its four dimensions (availability, access, utilization and stability) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets, at different scales, from local to global. This report will examine food systems governance issues at different scales, considering the specific roles and responsibilities of and possible synergies between different actors (public sector, private sector and civil society).

Forward looking, this analysis should inform future CFS actions towards the achievement of FSN for all in the context of the 2030 Agenda.

During this e-consultation, the HLPE Steering Committee welcomes your feedback. In particular, you are invited:

  • to share your comments on the objectives and content of this stocktaking analysis;
  • to share your experience of situations where CFS policy recommendations and/or HLPE reports were used, at different scales (from local to global) and by different stakeholders (public, private or civil society), to open concrete, context-specific pathways towards enhanced FSN and sustainable development;
  • to share the most recent references that should be considered in this study because they describe important evolutions of the knowledge on FSN since the publication of a given HLPE thematic report.
 

[1] All these publications are available online: http://www.fao.org/cfs/cfs-hlpe/en/

This activity is now closed. Please contact [email protected] for any further information.

* Click on the name to read all comments posted by the member and contact him/her directly
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S. Jeevananda Reddy

India

The definitions of food and nutrition security vary with crops grown over (a) developed versus developing counties; (b) regions within the country; (c) rainfed versus irrigated agriculture; (d) polluted water versus non-polluted water; (e) chemical fertilizers versus non-chemical fertilizers; (f) adulterated food versus wastage of food versus using chemicals-preservatives for the preservation/ripening of fruits, etc. For example in Ethiopia around the capital city Addis Ababa [moderate rainfall zone] “tef” is the major staple food crop grown; but when you move to northwest [moderate to high rainfall zones] barley, wheat, tef, etc. are staple food crops grown; and in the southeast [low rainfall zones] millets + pulses are staple food crops grown, mostly under rainfed condition.

In India the staple food crops have changed with the green revolution technology: millets + pulses + oilseeds under rainfed + farmyard/green manure conditions have changed to rice + wheat under irrigation + chemical inputs. Crops/cropping systems were replaced by monocrop system. Thus, the fodder produced is of poor quality. As this is not suitable for as an animal feed, they are burnt in the crop field. In the northern parts of India they are burnt in winter. This is the major contributor of Air pollution and thus causing health hazards. The capital city of India, Delhi is the classic example for this disaster. Government is encouraging rice + wheat under heavily subsidized public distribution system [PDS]. Also, these crops are grown under subsidized chemical inputs. These are contributing to air, water, soil & food pollution and thus causing health hazards and it in turn causing pollution through drug manufacturing industry and hospitals, a vicious circle of pollution.

State governments are encouraging polluted food production under irrigation. However on 7th December 2018 FAO approved Indian proposal to observe 2023 as an International Year of Millets. Millets consists of sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet and minor millets. They are termed as nutri-cereals. However, the Indian scenario is to counter any such move, multinational companies (MNCs) are ready with new ideas such as “free kits – chemical fertilizers + hybrid rice-maize/corn” that generate polluted food. On our proposal government included in Food Security Bill of 2013 sorghum, pearl millet and finger millets at Rs. 1 per kg [rice Rs. 3/kg & wheat Rs. 2/kg]. But, the state governments are not providing them to PDS outlets. The state governments must encourage production of millets and procurement by paying minimum support price and supply them to PDS outlets.

CIAT published in “PLOS ONE” on November 19, 2018 on Climate-smart agriculture adding too many adjectives based on fiction. We call it “kichadi” agriculture. They claim that climate-smart agriculture boosts yields, mitigates extreme weather impact and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. They point to profitable opportunities for farmers and the environment. They state that “The two-punch combination of climate change and poor agricultural land management can be combined with simple measures that keep farms productive and profitable. CIAT study was funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development [IFAD]. One of the so-called climate-smart agriculture practices is crop rotation. By digging mountain they catch a rat. In fact this was an age-old practice but this was masqued by the introduction of chemical input mono crop technology. Two decades back I wrote a series of articles in daily newspapers to educate farmers on the importance of crop rotation. Tobacco farmers follow the crop rotation in India. However, with other crops only few farmers follow this voluntarily. In climate-smart agriculture, like all eminent groups in agriculture sector, CIAT also using climate change as an adjective.

In all the countries, climate, more particularly rainfall and temperature are different and thus cropping seasons are different. In colder regions single crop is grown per year and in the tropical warm countries, if water is available up to three crops are grown in a year. The extreme weather conditions have been attributed to global warming. Also, UN agencies are attributing recent prevailing drought conditions in southern Africa and Brazil to global warming. This is false propaganda only. In fact droughts & floods are part of natural rhythm [cyclic variations] in precipitation and heat & cold waves are part of general circulation pattern existing in a given countries, like Western disturbances in India. Add to this, the quality of production is highly variable with pollution [air, water, soil & food]. Under this scenario, to achieve sustainability in quality production we must quantify those variables [climate & pollution] per region, per country.

To achieve nutritious food, farming must include animal husbandry. Sea food-meat-fruits are different entity. Governments must plan to reduce the food wastage and agriculture system that provides socio-economic security to farmers. As per 2015, In India total population is 125.6 crores and rural population is 86.82 crores. The rural population constitutes 68.86% of total population. The total farmers population is 12.313 crores [14.24% of total population] and agriculture labour force is 14.969 crores [17.31% of total population]. Both jointly account 31.55% of rural population and 21.72% of total population. However, people are not only directly associated with agriculture, there are several entities that have been associated indirectly with agriculture sector, like services providers. Also the farm size is coming down drastically with the progression of the time on an average from 2.28 ha in 1970-71 to 1.08 ha in 2015-16 with the population growth. Also, diversion of agriculture land for non-agriculture purposes is increasing with the time, though governments’ statistics are not truly reflecting these. In such scenarios, the best system is traditional agriculture, with organic manure until animal husbandry form part of it, under cooperative farming mechanism. This system helps better utilization of resources, including natural resources.

With regional political parties’ entry in a big way in to Indian political arena, agriculture became the scapegoat of vote bank politics. These institutions destroyed well established practices and in its place providing financial incentives over above the central governments subsidies. Let me present a case of Telangana state wherein the government implemented (1) under Rhythu Bhandu scheme paid Rs. 8,000 per acre for 140.47 lakh acres; (2) though announced life insurance cover to farmers, it is applicable to only few farmers; (3) implemented loan waiver scheme but it is applicable to few farmers who took loans from banks. Central government implementing input subsidy and providing few other benefits including insurance under different names. The main beneficiaries with insurance associated with agriculture sector are the insurance companies.

In Telangana state, nearly 50% of the cultivated area is under cotton and chilies. Major share of subsidized chemical pesticides/insecticides have been used for these crops only. There is high year to year variation in cultivated area & yield. In the case of cotton, during 2016-17 the area under cotton cultivation was 30.2 lakh acres, in 2017-18 it was 47.5 lakh acres and in 2018-19 it is 42.3 lakh acres of the 162 lakh acres of cultivable land. A report states that during 2018-19 farmers’ spent Rs. 25,000-30,000 on inputs per acre. During 2017-18 the yield per acre was 10-15 quintals and price was low. During 2018-19 the yield per acre was low, 3 to 5 quintals. The price was reasonable (Rs. 5450 per quintal) but CCI putting too many queries for procuring on the quality and thus the farmers were compelled to sell it to middlemen at lower price.

The low cotton yields during 2018-19 were due to (a) drought condition, (b) adulterated seed/GM seed and (c) pink bollworm infestation with GM seed. Government did little on such hazards that push the farmers in to debt trap. In fact, this is what the farmers need. Before Telangana became separate state, it was a seed capital of India. Now the government claims the same but it is not so. The state government could not stop the sale of adulterated seed; illegal GM seeds production and commercial cultivation – they include BG-III cotton & several GM food crops. Illegal means that the central government has not cleared for cultivation in India. UN agencies should have played a crucial role to stop such activities of MNCs in developing countries. With GM crops the silent sufferers are the neighbouring farmers with infestation.

The government makes statement every other day that they will give water to one crore acres. At present 50% of the area is under well irrigation wherein groundwater is depleting with the time very fast. Agriculture has been carried out with toxic water [ground and surface]. That means not achieved sustainability in water availability in quantity & quality. Irrigation projects were put in cold storage for decades and thus still around 60% of the cultivated area is at the mercy of “Rain God”. In 7th and 8th Five Year Plan periods instead of irrigation projects implemented Watershed Programme in India. In Andhra Pradesh [undivided] it was implemented in 94 watersheds in 19 districts [except Guntur, Krishna and West Godavari – Rice bowl belt]. During Yerracheruvu watershed near Anantapur, in the base year 1983-84 the groundnut yields were 8.90 q/ha and the lowest yield of 3.23 q/ha was recorded during 1989-90 and the highest yield of 18.40 q/ha was recorded during 1986-87. This is due to erratic rainfall, characteristic of this zone with the drought proneness of 50-60% of the years. The farmers and politicians countered the crop rotation by saying if crop fails let the government compensate the farmer. Similar argument was put forth by sugarcane societies in Maharashtra. If crop fails let the government compensate it.

One of the constantly repeated, sympathy-seeking messages by politicians, by UN & UN Agencies, agencies such as World Bank, alarmists, by the mainstream media, and by brainwashed good-intentioned people, is that “the world’s poorest countries have been hit hardest by human-induced global warming”. The other word linked to this is the human health. A false alarm created by vested interest groups. The classic example to this is the subsidized food provided by Indian government wherein around 58% of it entered the “black market” accounting to thousands of crores of 1.6 lakh crores spent on food subsidy per year.

A recent report by World Health Organization of United Nations (WHO) at the UNFCCC Conference (COP24) in Katowice on December 5, 2018 noted that “A million lives in the world can be saved if countries cut air pollution levels as per the Paris Agreement by 2050”. Here they are misusing the word pollution. The WHO Director General states that “The Paris Agreement is potentially the strongest health agreement of the century”. Also he states that “The evidence is clear that climate change is already having a serious impact on human lives and health. It threatens the basic elements we all need for good health – clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply and safe shelter”. Here he is trying to mix Paris agreement with general issues. All these form part of constant stream of global warming/climate change disinformation? Carbon dioxide is not a pollution.

Unfortunately, UN agencies such as FAO, WHO; agencies like World Bank, CGIAR, etc. haven’t raised the danger signals on food produced under chemical inputs [GM is also works under chemical inputs] and pollution [soil & water]. Naturally, when such products are sold through food market chains, people buy them. Thus, nobody takes blame on consequent health hazards. The impact of on earnings was highlighted by Stan Cox in his book “Sick Plant: Corporate Food and Medicine” – I contributed to pollution section chapter. Production of medicine and hospitals generate more pollution [water & air]. Unknowingly people eat and buy health problems. Corporate and contract farming outputs are vulnerable to such hazards.

Climate is dynamic. Climate change was there in the past; it is there at present; and will be there in the future. However with preconceived notions, scientific groups mislead the community. Often scientific community (?) uses truncated data series of a rhythmic variation series and present sensational inferences that mislead the agriculture scientists in specific and in general readers. A data series that present cyclic variation, present increasing trend in one arm and decreasing trend in the other arm of a sine curve. In agriculture the main component of climate change that is of importance is natural variability in rainfall. The so-called global warming is insignificant when compared to seasonal and annual variations in temperature. Global level is important for collection and spending of billions of dollars under green fund – this is clearly evident at COP24. Health is wealth but money makes many things!!! In the “global warming”, the word “global” is a misnomer. In addition to the Sun, Climate System plays the main role on local weather and thus climate. They only play the important role in agriculture and not the so-called global warming.

Ecological changes include both heat-island and cold-island effects. The surface data was not adjusted for cold island effect. So we get warmer condition. The so-called heat island effect correction is highly bogus as in the urban areas, the heat-island effect may not affect the met station but it changes the atmospheric lapse rate. This is also true with cold island effect. Under heat-island affects the temperature increases over the standard atmospheric lapse rate with height and decreases with cold-island effect. Thus, the balance must reduce the temperature on land surface. This was clearly reflected in satellite data [original]. But this was replaced with warmer pattern [current satellite data] to cooperative with warmist’s propaganda. In this there is no role of carbon dioxide. In urban areas air pollution is short lived [one day] affect the health directly unlike carbon dioxide with long life and accumulates with the time.

  1. in Knee Technologies were invented recently that (a) global warming is causing severe droughts and floods by WMO/UN Secretary General in 2013, (b) organic farming is contributing global warming by Stefan Wirsenius from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden [published in Journal Nature], etc.

Forefathers developed, based on their hundreds of years of experience, agriculture and horticultural systems that fit in to the soil and climate systems including cyclonic activity. With new technologies, developed with few years’ experience, increased the risk with the soil and climate system. Thus, it created “technology drought” over traditional weather based drought. The inefficiency in water use under irrigated agriculture added another “inefficiency drought”.

Now people of developing countries are severely affected by the adulterated food including milk. Fruits are treated with chemicals. Chemicals are used to ripening of mango fruits. Oil is extracted from dead animals and mixed with others. Bt-cotton seed oil is produced illegally. Even though this is a major hazard the people of India are facing, the rulers are looking at real estate business at the cost of destruction of environment. Poor ethics and poor governance is ruling the roots of the nation. UN agencies can do something on such issues???

In conclusion,

· As long as soil and water pollution play the role in agriculture, we may achieve production in quantity but not in quality;

· As long as we follow chemical input-mono crop agriculture system we rarely achieve the nutrition security;

· The foods supplied through market chain are unhealthy food excluding organic foods, whatever may be claims of the suppliers;

· UN agencies and agencies like World Bank must work and help in the eradication of role of pollution in agriculture instead of wasting money on issues like “global warming and carbon credits”;

· However, under vote bank politics the chances of implementation of agricultural technology that provides socio-economic, food-nutrition security and that is environment friendly are bleak; particularly with changing guard frequently. However there is an urgent need for improving the quality of life of farming community and to achieve this goal:

o Rulers must keep vote bank agenda aside and develop national policy on agriculture technology and financial assistance programmes to agriculture sector, more particularly to farming community;

o To achieve this goal states and central agriculture ministries must come together; and as well at state level both ruling and opposition leaders must come together to evaluate the policy and give concrete suggestions;

o By taking into account such suggestions from the states, the centre must bring out the policy document and implement the same. This will also save the wasteful expenditure.

· The governments must think seriously to eradicate the production and sale of adulterated food stuff; treating fruits with chemicals; etc.

· Instead of harping on global warming and wasting billions of dollars on them,

o UN agencies must plan to help the nations by encouraging studies related natural variability in rainfall and thus adapting agriculture to such variations;

o UN agencies must plan to help the nations by building agriculture systems like organic farming + animal husbandry under cooperative agriculture structure;

From: Dr. S. Jeevananda Reddy

Formerly Chief Technical Advisor – WMO/UN & Expert-FAO/UN

Fellow, Telangana Academy of Sciences

Convenor, Forum for a Sustainable Environment

[email protected]; (040) 23550480

Dears colleagues,

Burundi just finished adopting a new National Development  Program 2018-2027. This program concerning all sectors including Fodd security and nutrition.

The document is here attached

Best regards

Leonard Ntakirutimana

Ph.D. candidate

Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning

[email protected]

[email protected]

Gerhard Flachowsky

Federal Research Institute of Animal Health
Germany

Dear Colleagues,

Many thanks for your invitation to contribute in your eConsultation about the HLPE Report on „Food Security and Nutrition“. You asked for feedbacks/comments to three important topics, such as

  • The objectives and the content of the analysis:

I have some problems to understand and to follow any objective of the report. It should be clearly said to decision makers and all interested readers in some words/sentences, what is the objective of the report and what should be done to improve the global „Food Security“ until 2030.

  • Experiences of situations

During the last few years, I made some comments/remarks to various CFS and HLPE papers.

  • Some recent references, which may be helpful for HLPE/CFS reports

In the last time, we have done some studies around the resource efficiency (e.g. land, water) and the emissions (e.g. Carbon Footprints) to produce food of animal origin. In all our studies, edible protein of animal origin was the base for our calculations. We consider the protein of animal origin (including amino amini acids, minerals and vitamins) as essential for human being (mainly for pregnant women and kids). On the other side, it is the most scientific/objective parameter to compare the yield of animals or per animals or per ha land.

To all this topics I will add some recent papers from our group for your information.

The results show strong influences of animal species/categories and animal yields on all footprints.

Another point is the feed/food competition between men and animals. We consider the human edible fraction in feed as an important parameter to characterize typical animal feed. On this base, we can also calculate the feed/food yield per ha arable land. Such criterions should also be more considered in calculations.

Best regards

Gerhard Flachowsky

 

Prof. Dr. G. Flachowsky

Institute of Animal Nutrition

Federal Research Institute of Animal Health

Bundesallee 37

38116 Braunschweig

Germany

Effects de l'utilization de quatres legumineuses comme enghrais verts  sur le bilan de l azote en culture pluviale.

le remplacement partiel de la jachere par l'utilization des legumes comme engrais verts offre la possibilite d'amelorer la production cerealiere et la preservation de la durabilite de l'agriculture. cela peut se realiser aussi longtemps qu'on puyisse optimizer l'enrichissement en azote du sol par les legumineuses annuelles et la disponibilite des elements pour ces cultures.

 

Leonard NTAKIRUTIMANA

BURUNDI

PhD student , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)

Institut of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning

[email protected]

[email protected]

+8615625476270

Beijing , China

The benefit of Green Manure and Countermeasures of Enlarge Planting Area

in Hubei Province

 

REN Wen-hai (1),HU Qun-Zhong (1),HE Xun (1),MA Kun-Wei (2),ZHANG Zi-qi (2),WU Han (3)

1.The Quality of Cultivated Land and Fertilizer Work Station in Hubei Province,Wuhan 430070,China;

2.Soil and Fertilizer Station in Xianning City,Xianning 437100,Hubei,China;

3.Soil and Fertilizer Station in Yichang City,Yichang 443000,Hubei,China)

 

Abstract:

The green manure planting benefit, feasibility and the reasons for planting area reducing were investigated and surveyed,and the countermeasures and suggestions were put forward. The results show that planting benefit of green manure is remarkable,first,which can improve soil organic matter content and physical and chemical properties,and increase the utilization rate of nutrients and crop nutrient supply;Second,which can increase crop yield,reduce the fertilizer input,enhance the output value of agricultural products,and eliminate the continuous cropping obstacle;Third, which can effectively broaden the industry,promote planting and breeding,dock rural tourism and development new industries. Hubei province has a successful green manure planting history,development area is larger,and financial support for green manure planting experiment and demonstration obtained obvious effect. Because direct economic benefit is not obvious,the contradiction in water supply is highlight,basic-level agro-technique extension is difficult,and the problem such as supporting technology is not mature,green manure planting area of Hubei province have not been able to improve. To expand cultivated area of green manure and implement the central concept of green development,demonstration and propaganda should be strengthened, the way of financial support should be actively widen,the multisectoral cooperation mechanisms should be build,the entire social service tone should be strengthen,and measures to green manure production pattern should be built by local conditions.

 

 

Research Progress in Intercropping Upland Crops with Green Manure

 

Song Li (1), Liao Wanyou (1), Wang Yejun (1), Su Youjian (1), Zhang Yongli (1),  Luo Yi (1), Liao Jun (1), Wu Weiguo (2)

(1Tea Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Huangshan 245000, Anhui, China;

2Huangshan Huizhou Area Agricultural Council, Huizhou 245061, Anhui, China)

 

Abstract:

Upland crops reasonable interplanting green manure reasonably could relieve the contradiction of green manure and the main cropland, and make better services to the green manure in main crops, further promote the sustainability of agricultural production. Here we reviewed the current literature and drew conclusions on the following aspects: the main varieties and species selection principle of upland crops interplanting green manure, and effects of upland crops interplanting green manure on soil fertility, the main crop yield and quality, and ecological environment influence. We summarized the predecessor's research results and sum up the problems existing in the current research

and extension, and pointed the direction of research in the future.

 

 Comments:

Green manure is a biological fumure/ manure. Green manure have many benefit for farmer, for soil, for biodiversity. The contribution of green manure in foods security are important. See attached the details of green manure planting

 

Leonard NTAKIRUTIMANA,

BURUNDIAN,

Ph.D student  in Chinese Academy of Agricultural Siences (CAAS) ,

Institut of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning. [email protected], [email protected], +8615652476270.

Ms. Cara Flowers

Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Network - hosted by Save The Children UK
United Kingdom

La humanidad está en un gran dilema: por un lado, debe aumentar la producción de granos básicos para garantizar el derecho a una alimentación nutritiva y, a la vez, reducir en 45% la emisión de gases efecto invernadero antes de 2030.  

Por ende, satisfacer el derecho a la alimentación exige producir granos básicos a nivel local de forma sostenible, en cantidad suficiente, que sean inocuos y de alta calidad nutritiva. Una alternativa para alcanzar estos propósitos es aplicar el Modelo Productor-Innovador (MP-I) que se construyó a partir de una evaluación integral del paquete tecnológico creado y recomendado por el Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias-México, al compararlo con el manejo hecho por los maiceros. Para ello, se calculó el Índice de Apropiación de Tecnologías Radicales (modernas) y el Grado de Empleo de Tecnologías Progresivas (campesinas); además, se clasificó a los productores según su rendimiento por hectárea, destacando a los eficientes y su patrón tecnológico creando así el MP-I. 

En estudios hechos en distintos periodos y territorios durante más de tres lustros, encontré las siguientes regularidades empíricas: a) hay maiceros con distinta productividad destacando los eficientes, los cuales siembran el maíz como milpa; b) en el manejo de la milpa predomina un diálogo de saberes donde interaccionan tecnologías campesinas y modernas que, mediante el trabajo útil campesino, deriva en el MP-I, el cual posee cualidades productivas superiores a las que le precedieron; c) las tecnologías campesinas son más aplicadas que las modernas y tienen un mayor impacto en el rendimiento, y d) la mayoría de los milperos eficientes son pobres alimentarios.

La eficiencia productiva del MP-I deriva del diálogo de saberes que promueve cuatro procesos clave. Tres de ellos están articulados al manejo de la biodiversidad, calificada como el saber-praxis campesino más potente que forma parte de su herencia biocultural. El cuarto proceso deviene de la aplicación de insumos modernos que catalizan estos procesos.

Los cuatro procesos agroecológicos originados del diálogo de saberes genera un agronicho que recrea una comunidad biótica y abiótica dentro de la milpa, los cuales establecen complementariedades e interacciones entre sí, lo que mejora la captura de dióxido de carbono y el uso eficiente de la energía solar, del agua, del aire, de la sombra, , del nitrógeno, de la temperatura, de la materia orgánica, de los insectos, de los microrganismos y de los nutrientes del suelo, etcétera.

Como política pública, el MP-I propone tres programas: a) evaluar las tecnologías aplicadas en el manejo del maíz e identificar a los milperos eficientes y su patrón tecnológico; b) establecer faros agroecológicos para que funcionen como vitrinas tecnológicas y módulos de experimentación para mejorar la eficiencia productiva del MP-I, y c) compostear la basura orgánica originada en las ciudades. La fabricación de composta crearía miles de empleos y reduciría los problemas causados por la basura en la ciudad: pérdida de vidas y de patrimonio, polución ambiental, generación de gas metano, taponamiento de drenajes e inundaciones, etcétera.

El impacto del MP-I es multisectorial: a) avala sosteniblemente el derecho a la alimentación y reduce la insuficiencia alimentaria; b) mejora la nutrición y la salud; c) reduce la emisión de gases efecto invernadero y mitiga el cambio climático; d) crea empleos; e) reduce la violencia en el campo y la ciudad; f) tutela el manejo de la milpa y con ello, del material genético criollo y del diálogo de saberes aplicados a nivel local, y g) promueve una relación armónica entre sociedad-naturaleza, campo-ciudad y culturas campesinas y modernas.

En conclusión, la ejecución del MP-I articulada al manejo de la milpa, es una alternativa viable para conseguir la seguridad alimentaria y la nutrición y, a la vez, reducir el cambio climático, objetivos centrales de la Agenda 2030 de la ONU.

Integrated Nutrient Management in Corn Production: Symbiosis for Food Security and Grower’s Income in Arid and Semiarid Climates

Soil fertility and corn productivity is continuously declining due to removal of essential

plant nutrients from the soils. The deficiencies of essential plant nutrients, organic matter, and beneficial soil microbes in soils had negative impact on soil fertility, corn productivity, and grower’s income, which has increased the problem of food insecurity under arid and semiarid climates. Best management practices including the proper use of plant nutrients increase (1) soil fertility and health, (2) yield per unit area, and (3) grower’s income (profitability). Our long-term field experiments on maize crop indicated that a significant increase in yield per unit area occurred with the integrated nutrient management (combined use of chemical fertilizers + organic fertilizers + biofertilizers). The integrated use of major plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash) along with different organic carbon sources (animal manures and plant residues) plus biofertilizers (beneficial microbes) significantly improves maize growth, yield and yield components, and grower’s income.

Amanullah and S. Fahad. 2018. Integrated Nutrient Management in Corn Production: Symbiosis for Food Security and Grower’s Income in Arid and Semiarid Climates. In: Amanullah and Shah Fahad (eds.). Corn - Production and Human Health in Changing Climate. InTech, London, UK. Pp: 03-12.

Integrated Phosphorus Management: Symbiosis for Sustainable Crop Production and Improvement in the Income of Smallholders under Semiarid Climates

Soil resources and health is continuously declining due to removal of essential plant nutrients from the soils in the current changing climate scenario. Low and high water and temperature stresses results in the deficiencies of essential plant nutrients especially phosphorus, organic soil carbon and beneficial soil microbes that had negative impact on soil health, crop productivity and grower’s income globally. Integrated management phosphorus along with organic carbon sources and biofertilizers increase soil fertility and health, increase crop productivity and grower’s income. Soil organic carbon management under semiarid climate in soils plays a role in four important ecosystem services: resistance to soil erosion, soil water retention, soil fertility for plants and soil biodiversity. Stable and productive soils having enough organic matter affect the resilience of farms to cope with the effects of climate change. Our long-term field experiments on field crops e.g. cereals crops (rice, wheat & maize), oilseed crops (canola, sunflower & soybean) and grain legumes/pulses (chickpea, mungbean & mashbean) confirmed a significant increase in yield per unit area with integrated phosphorus management under arid and semiarid climates. The combined application of phosphorus along with different biofertilizers (beneficial microbes) + organic carbon sources (farmyard manure; animal manures:  poultry manure, cattle manure, sheep manure, goat manure etc.; plant residues: onion residues, garlic residues, wheat residues, rice residues, chickpea residues, fababean residues, canola residues etc.) into the soil had significantly improved crop growth and increased productivity and smallholder’s income.

References

Amanullah et al./FAO/GLO. 2017.  THREATS TO SOILS: GLOBAL TRENDS AND PERSPECTIVES. UNCCD/ Global Land Outlook/Working Paper. Pp: 1- 27

Amanullah, S. Khan and S. Fahad. 2017. Phosphorous and beneficial microorganism influence yield and yield components of wheat under full and limited irrigated conditions. J. Plant Nutr. 40 (2): 258-267.

Amanullah and S. Khalid. 2016. Integrated use of phosphorus, animal manures and biofertilizers improve maize productivity under semiarid condition. In: Marcelo L. Larramendy and S. Soloneski (ed.) Organic Fertilizers - From Basic Concepts to Applied Outcomes. InTech, Rijeka, Croatia. Pp-137-155.

Amanullah, Amir Saleem, Asif Iqbal, and Shah Fahad. 2016. Foliar Phosphorus and zinc Application Improve Growth and Productivity of Maize (Zea mays L.) Under Moisture Stress conditions in Semi-Arid Climates. J Microb Biochem Technol 8:433-439. DOI: 10.4172/1948-5948.1000321.

Amanullah, S. Tamraiz and A. Iqbal. 2016. Growth and productivity response of hybrid rice to application of animal manures, plant residues and phosphorus. Frontiers in Plant Sciences.  7:1440 (DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01440).

Amanullah and Inamullah. 2016. Residual phosphorus and zinc influence wheat productivity under rice–wheat cropping system. SpringerPlus.5:255 (DOI 10.1186/s40064-016-1907-0).

The Nobel Laurate for peace Muhammed Yunus stated and to quote from his authored book "THREE ZEROES"- "The Millenium Development Goals(MDG s)are (1) to eradicate extreme poverty and  hunger (2) to achieve universal primary education (3) to promote gender equality and empower women (4) to reduce child mortality (5) to improve maternal health(6) to combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases (7)to ensure environmental sustainability and (8) to develop a global partnership for development".The much venerated Tamil SAint poet Thiruvalluvar in his classic Thirukural stated "What else is more painful than poverty/.Poverty alone is as painful as poverty"."Hunger is one of the worst violations of human dignity.In a world of plenty, ending hunger is within our grasp.Failure to reach this goal should fill every one with shame"-Late Kofi Annan.An edited document ZERO HUNGER INDIA:POLICIES AND PERSPECTIVES summarises strength, weakness, oppertunities and threads facing to have a hunger free world.([email protected])