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A report revealing how soy monoculture is advancing in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay entitled ‘Soybean Production in the Southern Cone of the Americas: Update on Land Use and Pesticides’ has been released by the Norwegian Centre for Biosafety. The report addresses “soyization” as a regional problem, illustrating how deforestation, land consolidation, and evictions […]

The cost of pesticide-related illnesses in sub-Saharan African between 2005 and 2020 could reach $90bn, according to a UN report released on Wednesday highlighting the increasing health and environmental hazards from chemicals. The report by the UN environment programme (Unep) warned that the production of chemicals, especially in emerging economies where there are weaker safeguards,

The World Development Movement (WDM) have estimated that Barclays bank will make up to £529million in 2010 and 2011 from speculating in food markets while millions of people around the world face starvation and crippling food prices. Figures released by the WDM this week show that world food prices jumped 10 per cent in July,

In the light of soaring food prices, the G20 countries have decided not to take joint action until the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) release its new crop report in September. In a video conference call on Monday, agriculture officials from France, the US and Mexico, which currently holds the G20 presidency, discussed current

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is using ‘World Water Week’ to highlight the negative impact of water scarcity on food production. The relationship between water and food security is the topic of this year’s event organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute, taking place from the 26-31 August in Stockholm. It will bring

In the first case of its kind in Argentina, the poisoning of people through the use of pesticides has been punished. Soya farmer, Francisco Parra, and pilot of pesticide-spraying aircrafts, Edgardo Pancello, were yesterday convicted of polluting the neighbourhood of Ituzaingó Anexo with glyphosate and endosulfan. Both were given conditional sentences of three years, along

Climate change could threaten food supply chains from fields to consumers’ forks, and trigger further food price spikes such as the one the world is currently experiencing following the drought in the United States. According to food security experts contributing to a United Nations report on global warming (due to be published in 2014), governments

On Sunday, British Prime Minister David Cameron hosted a hunger summit at Downing Street. Political leaders from Brazil, Kenya and India among others, as well as representatives from NGOs and the private sector, were joined by double Olympic champion Mo Farah at the event where a plan to cut child malnutrition by the next Olympics

According to the Food Price Index, global food prices have increased by 6% from June to July. The index, published today by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), measures monthly price changes in a food basket consisting of commodities such as cereals, dairy products and oilseed. Food prices averaged 213 points in July. This is

According to a new report published last week by the European Environment Agency (EEA), emissions of air pollutants in the European Union have decreased over the past 20 years despite the fact that several Member States have failed to meet internationally agreed emission limits. The agricultural sector also remains one of the biggest polluters, along