Food Security

Combating food insecurity

Combating food insecurity

Recent events in Gaza have highlighted the significance of food security. Hundreds of deaths in the region in recent weeks are attributed to lack of food. The situation underscores how access to food is critical to stability, nutrition, and well-being. The term food insecurity has become a buzzword nationally and internationally. The forecast about this…

Climate change linked to decline in nutritional quality of food

Climate change linked to decline in nutritional quality of food

New preliminary research suggests that a combination of higher atmospheric CO2 and hotter temperatures contribute to a reduction in nutritional quality in food crops, with serious implications for human health and wellbeing. Most research into the impact of climate change on food production has focused on crop yield, but the size of the harvest means…

Smart Farming Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture: A Case Study of a Mediterranean Aromatic Farm

Consumer interest in medicinal and aromatic herbs is on the rise, with buyers increasingly concerned about the microbiological quality of nutraceutical and aromatic plants. The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and sensor technology allows for high-resolution crop monitoring, particularly in the production of rosemary and sage in Grotte (Italy), Agrigento District. The aim of…

International team calls for new approach to estimate crop yield potential

International team calls for new approach to estimate crop yield potential

An international team of agronomists is calling for a new approach to estimate crop yield potential and gaps — information that is critical in planning how to meet growing food demand.  University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers made major contributions to the study, published online April 8 in the journal Nature Food.  “We are in a race…

Impacts of wastewater irrigation on Mediterranean soil and food: A three-year case study in Italy

Water supply for irrigation is a limiting factor for agriculture in Mediterranean countries. A strategy for increasing water availability proposes to use low quality water for irrigation to avoid irrigation with precious and high cost potable water. A drawback about using waste water is the potential heavy metal accumulation in soil and foodstuff. In this…

Microplastics hinder plant photosynthesis, study finds, threatening millions with starvation

Microplastics hinder plant photosynthesis, study finds, threatening millions with starvation

The pollution of the planet by microplastics is significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesise, according to a new assessment. The analysis estimates that between 4% and 14% of the world’s staple crops of wheat, rice and maize is being lost due to the pervasive particles. It could get even…

Breakfast for Eight Billion

Breakfast for Eight Billion

Sometime in the 1980s, an unprecedented change in the human condition occurred. For the first time in known history, the average person on Earth had enough to eat all the time. Depending on their size, adult humans need to take in about 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day to thrive. For as far back as…

Why vertical farming – and digitalisation – could be an answer to food shortages

Why vertical farming – and digitalisation – could be an answer to food shortages

As global populations grow, food security is becoming more urgent. And traditional agriculture, which is susceptible to weather patterns and reliant on arable land, is struggling to meet existing crop production before even considering this increasing demand. The UK is also set for further harvest challenges, as highlighted by recent by recent Defra analysis, which…

How plant roots access deeper soils in search of water

How plant roots access deeper soils in search of water

Scientists have discovered how plants adapt their root systems in drought conditions to grow steeper into the soil to access deeper water reserves. Plant scientists from the University of Nottingham, in collaboration with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, have identified how abscisic acid (ABA), a plant hormone known for its role in drought response, influences root…

Chickpeas – sustainable and climate-friendly foods of the future

Chickpeas – sustainable and climate-friendly foods of the future

Study shows: Chickpeas are a drought-resistant legume plant with a high protein content Climate change has a negative impact on food security. An international research team led by Wolfram Weckwerth from the University of Vienna has now conducted a study to investigate the natural variation of different chickpea genotypes and their resistance to drought stress….