In other news…

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of agri-food systems to shocks and stresses, and led to increased global food insecurity and malnutrition. Now, countries need to urgently make agri-food systems more resilient, efficient, sustainable and inclusive, according to the 2021 State of Food and Agriculture report. Published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the report provides an assessment of the ability of national agri-food systems to respond to and recover from shock and stressors, such The post 2021 State of Food and Agriculture Report Released appeared first on Farming First.

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Meg Kauthen, Sustainability Designer at Business for Development, investigates how the transition towards a low-carbon future can create new agricultural opportunities. South Africa is highly dependent on coal, with almost 90 per cent of its energy coming from coal-fired power stations, which is further complicated by load shedding – or scheduled outages designed to ensure that supply meets demand. As the world transitions towards a low-carbon future, how can South Africa move away from coal and meet supply demands without disrupting people’s The post A Just Transition – Repurposing Mine Sites for Agricultural Opportunities appeared first on Farming First.

Deepak Dhoj Khadka, Country Director of iDE Bangladesh, explores how access to agricultural technology can attract young people to agriculture and transform rural economies. Porabari in Jashore, a village proud of its farming heritage, lies along the western border of Bangladesh, nestled in a quiet area intersected by a single rural farm road leading to a small market. It is a village of farmers, busy from dawn to dusk and serious about their business. Mofizur Rahman wakes up early. At The post How Technology is Bridging the “Yield Gap” and Bringing Youth into Agriculture appeared first on Farming First.

Fulco Wijdooge, General Manager China at Ridder Group, investigates the potential of technology and talent to intensify agricultural production in China. China is the world’s top producer of cereals, fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs and fishery products. It has achieved the remarkable feat of producing one quarter of the world’s grain, feeding one fifth of the global population, and all with less than 10 per cent of the world’s arable land. However, China also faces several challenges – chief among The post Technology and Talent Are Key to China’s Agricultural Modernisation Drive appeared first on Farming First.

Kindra Halvorson, Chief Transformation Officer, TechnoServe, reflects on the previous year to identify key learnings to help food systems recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.  A year and a half since COVID-19 was first declared a pandemic, nearly every aspect of our world has been impacted and disrupted. Food systems are no exception. According to the FAO’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021, the pandemic pushed an additional 118 million people into hunger during 2020, representing the The post Helping Food Systems Recover from COVID-19: Where Do We Go from Here? appeared first on Farming First.

Matija Zulj, CEO and Founder AGRIVI, examines the importance of agricultural digitisation to improve not only local food production and competitiveness, but overall community health.   Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of global versus local food production has been primarily discussed in academic settings and international politics. What is more, the discussion revolved around highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of different countries’ over-reliance on one or the other extreme. At the same time, the issue of strengthening local production was The post Digitisation is Key to Strengthening Local Food Production and Global Competitiveness appeared first on Farming First.

Agricultural Funding for Infrastructure, equipment and technology available to improve farm productivity and to benefit the environment. Basic Payment Scheme 2021 – Direct Payments Changing to Productivity and Environment Improvement Payments The basic payment scheme is being phased out starting in 2021 and a new incentive is being introduced which rewards farmers and land managers while delivering additional public goods that improve the environment and sustainability. Victoria Prentis, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) stated “Changes of this significance can be intimidating, and it is natural that many farmers are worried about the phasing out of Direct Payments from 2021. The new farm payment system is being brought in gradually and policies will be improved as required if they don’t work as intended.” Victoria went on to express an understanding that farmers would need time to adjust to the changes. The government have committed to maintaining the annual budget every year they remain in. So the funding that was previously for direct farm payments will all be redirected for funding the Countryside Stewardship and other new Agri-environment schemes available. So the same amount of funding is available to the agricultural sector the only change The post Basic Payment Scheme 2021 appeared first on Agrismart.

Environmental Land Management Schemes The environmentally-focused agricultural schemes are changing, three new Agri-Environment schemes have now been introduced to incentivise farmers for environmental measures. The three new Agri-Environment Schemes are: Sustainable Farming Incentive Local Nature Recovery schemes  Landscape Recovery scheme These schemes are designed to support farmers improve the environment, sustainability of farming, farm productivity and profitability. In addition to achieving the outlined 25 Year Environmental Plan target: Protection of 30% of land in the UK by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050. Farmers can enter the Agri-Environment Schemes and be paid for meeting outlined targets including: Clean and plentiful water  Clean air  Thriving plants and wildlife  Reduction in and protection from environmental hazards  Adaptation to and mitigation of climate change  Beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment. Sustainable Farming Incentive The Sustainable Farming Incentive was developed with the support and advice of farmers and the wider agricultural industry. To date, 3,000 farmers and land managers have been involved in the process of the tests and trials of the Agri-Environment scheme. In March 2021 the 3-year pilot for the Sustainable Farming Incentive was launched. Farmers were involved with assisting with planning a scheme that was viable and supported farmers. With The post Agri-Environment Schemes appeared first on Agrismart.