Farming tropical insects to feed the world in 2050
Farming edible insects to provide protein for people and in animal feed is seen as a way to meet food demands of the world’s population in 2050. Dr Sarah Beynon, an entomologist, was a guest on BBC radio 4 programme Midweek[18th November 2015] & fellow guests were invited to try cricket flour cookies and mealworm burgers. She is on a mission to both educate the UK public on the importance of insects (including wasps and spiders) and to provide sustainable food by farming tropical insects. CABI’s role in ProteINSECT, the EU project trialling insect protein in animal feed, is highlighted.
A look at development influences on traditional food systems in Nigeria
Bookie Ezeomah, marketing intern at CABI, talks about her studies in Nigeria and the UK focusing on agriculture and food security Food security, poverty, Africa and sustainable development are buzz words and phrases that punctuate most development discourse these days. I come from a developing country and was one of those who became so fatigued…
Misshapen fruit and ugly veg….is it time that retailers relaxed cosmetic specifications?
Would you eat a carrot with three roots or an overly curved cucumber? The contribution of "ugly" fruit and vegetables to food wastage is not a new problem but one that has moved in and out of the spotlight for several years. A new BBC production "Hugh’s War on Waste", fronted…
Global food and poverty issues on the table
Awareness on global food and poverty issues was raised last weekend as the World Food Day was observed on the 16th of October followed by the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on the 17th. Both days were highly topical since eradicating poverty and improving food security were the first two goals listed in…
International Day of Rural Women, 15 October 2015
The first International Day of Rural Women was observed on 15 October 2008 and was established by the UN to recognize the vital role and contribution of rural women everywhere to agricultural and rural development and to improvements in food security and the alleviation of rural poverty. The theme continues to be of relevance today given that the…
The farmers behind your coffee: what challenges do they face?
1 October 2015 is the very first International Coffee Day. Today, I’ll be swapping my usual cup of tea for coffee and encouraging colleagues to do the same. Many of us can’t start the morning without a coffee. But as you’re drinking your first cup, spare a thought for where this important commodity crop comes…
New sustainable development goals for 2030
This past weekend world leaders gathered at a United Nations Global Summit in New York to make the world a better place to live by 2030. They signed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and ratified 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). The new goals will become applicable from January 2016 and are expected to influence…
New report reveals the true cost of land degradation
Why we need to value our ecosystem services A recent report The Value of Land: Prosperous lands and positive rewards through sustainable land management published 15th September by the Economics of Land Degradation Initiative (ELD) estimates the value of ecosystem services lost worldwide due to land degradation at a staggering US $6.3 trillion to $10.6 trillion…
Migrants fleeing conflict: a trial run for mass-migration due to climate change
Faced with an humanitarian crisis taking place on their shores, EU governments debate how to redistribute Syrian migrants fleeing conflict. In 2009, international health and travel medicine specialists at ECTMIH (Italy) identified mass migration as a key public health issue that Europe needed to prepare for because of climate change. What lessons can we learn from handling the current migrant crisis to prepare for the future warming of the planet?
Enhancing youth engagement in agricultural careers
The 12th August marked this year’s International Youth Day with a theme of Youth Civic Engagement. The aim of the day was to promote civic engagement and participation of youth in politics and public life, so that young people can be empowered and make a full contribution to society, development and peace.