Wednesday, 14 July 2010 Water and Pesticides
There are scores of nations missing in the following link: Report lists top ten countries at risk of water shortages (29 June, Ecologist). I wonder how many nations have adequate fresh-water systems for their future...
Monday, 12 July 2010 Ignore at Your Peril!
We should take notice when a multi-lateral body takes a stand: Agroecological farming methods being ignored, says UN expert (28 June, Ecologist). It is another matter that the United Nations has low regulatory status in current...
Thursday, 08 July 2010 Someone in Cornwall has been naughty
Phytosanitation should be taken for granted in this day and age. This applies to soil tests before planting anything. Neither of these farming (gardening) principles have been followed here: Pest and disease alert: Arabis Mosaic...
Tuesday, 06 July 2010 A Global Issue
One of the nicest things I like about the United States is its dynamic freedom to express concerns for issues that other countries brush under the carpet: It's Time to Save America's Farms and Ranches (20 June, Change.org) ...
Saturday, 03 July 2010 A Better Revolution
I read the following link with a mix of nostalgia and pride: We need another Green Revolution (no date, IRIN)
One of my less pleasant childhood memories is of being forced to eat bad-quality cereals gifted by the United States...
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 Need Not Be A Sad Ending
I regret that a person of such eminence should end a resolute professional career on such a sad note: "Too many barriers to the introduction of biological control" - Farewell speech Professor Joop van Lenteren, Professor of...
Saturday, 26 June 2010 The Integrated Pest Management Oath
I am as guilty as anyone else, but it would be fair to say that IPM is generally a victim of lip service.
IPM is just a part of ICM Integrated Crop Management. Look, with this caveat, at this: Gap between best and worst arable...
Thursday, 24 June 2010 What an opportunity!
China is not alone in this crying need: China encourages grain yielding base to expand production (25 May, News of the Communist Party of China).
The oriental dependence on rice is staggering. It exceeds by far the arable land...
Tuesday, 22 June 2010 Scale for Integrated Pest Management
How can you practice IPM on your small patch of land if neighbours do not act in concert? Extension workers often address farmers as individuals. The poor farmers listen to what they are told, but cannot practice IPM.
Let us...
Sunday, 20 June 2010 Affordable Pesticide Safety
DDT is (we still use it in India) cheap. It is not the nominal sticker price alone, but the ability of a chlorinated hydrocarbon to protect for extended periods. The latter trait paved the way for activists to ban the entire...
