Agriculture

04 May 2018

Smart beehives and heat treatments could protect bees from decline

Since the mid-1980s, the number of bees in Europe has been in decline. Threatened by pesticides, insecticides and climate change, they are also being struck by infestations of mites and a crippling virus that deforms their wings. But new technology aims to take the sting out of the situation.

Aquaculture and fish farms must adapt to the changing sea conditions of climate change. Image credit - Ferit Rad from Mersin University

environment | agriculture

09 April 2018

Europe must sea food in a new way thanks to warming waters

Aquaculture, or fish farming, is one of the world's fastest growing food sectors, providing about half of all the fish we eat. As it stands, climate change is altering our ocean’s environment, causing the seawater to become warmer and impacting the marine ecosystems profoundly. How will these changes affect marine species, consumers and industries that rely on them?

Recycling food waste to use as animal feed and turning manure into green fertilizers can lead to lower environmental impacts from food production. Image credit - pxhere/1271653, licensed under CC0 Public Domain

environment | agriculture

05 April 2018

Turning food waste into animal feed could take a chunk out of livestock emissions

Using European plant and dairy waste as an alternative to soy-based animal feed could see a big drop in agricultural emissions and prevent deforestation.

As more food than ever is being grown, it is important to find ways to promote and maintain soil quality. Image credit - Pixabay/ meganelford0

agriculture | environment

13 February 2018

Cultural cross-fertilisation to rescue soils

Sharing best practice farming techniques with farmers from different cultures and traditions could help increase the quality of our soils – a vital step in ensuring that we can grow enough food for people in the coming decades.

Solar-powered irrigation systems can help reduce water consumption by letting farmers know exactly how much water is needed and when. Image credit - MASLOWATEN

agriculture | energy | environment

13 December 2017

Farmers bank on solar power to stave off European water crisis

Rising populations and climate change are putting pressure on the water needed for agriculture but a solar-powered irrigation system may reduce the amount that farmers use – while simultaneously slashing the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Sea-based agriculture that cultivates large quantities of algae could help triple or quadruple the amount of food we get from our oceans. Credit - pxhere/ picture is in public domain

agriculture | environment | policy

08 December 2017

Algae and krill may be a tough sell for European consumers

People will need to be persuaded to eat new types of seafood if we are to extract more food from the oceans and feed growing human populations, according to fishing industry experts.

Growing coffee under the forest canopy can help preserve biodiversity. Credit – ‘Coffee Plant near the Quilalí - San Juan del Río Coco border’ by Elizabeth Sampson is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

agriculture | environment

22 November 2017

Forest plantations are a potent blend for coffee production

Climate change is threatening Europe’s coffee supplies, but the impacts could be diluted by planting the crops amongst trees - a technique known as agroforestry, which is also being revived in European farming.

Taste-based feeding traps can keep away pests like the poplar leaf beetle. Image credit – Dr Pentzold / ChemoSense project

agriculture | environment | open innovation

30 October 2017

Plaguing insects with bittersweet tastes to protect crops

Herbivorous insects are estimated to be responsible for destroying one-fifth of the world's total crop production annually, but a new, natural approach to pesticides that turns insects' taste and smell preferences against them could help reduce this toll.

Cristina Amaral says we must improve food security in migrants home countries to help manage food-related migration. Image credit - Cristina Amaral

interview | agriculture | health

16 October 2017

World hunger on the rise due to conflict and climate change - UN’s Cristina Amaral

The number of undernourished people rose for the first time in over a decade in 2016 due to conflict and climate change, and more research is needed into how to increase the security of people’s food supply and manage migration, according to Cristina Amaral, Director of the FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organisation) liaison office with the European Union and Belgium. She is due to speak about investing in food systems and rural development to change the future of migration on 16 October at the Harnessing Research and Innovation for FOOD 2030 conference in Brussels, Belgium.

Dr Panagiotis Zervas wants to make European agriculture data available to all researchers. Image credit — Dr Panagiotis Zervas

interview | agriculture | environment | open science

11 October 2017

Open data can secure our food supply – Dr Panagiotis Zervas

We live in an era where open data can pave the way to a more sustainable, secure and safe food system, according to Dr Panagiotis Zervas, senior project manager at Agroknow, a company that finds, connects and delivers agricultural and food information worldwide.