indigenous crops

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Growing threat to food from decline in biodiversity

February 25th, 2019 / BBC, UK

The plants, animals, and micro-organisms that are the bedrock of food production are in decline, according to a UN study.

If these critical species are lost, the report says, it “places the future of our food system under severe threat”.

The study says that land-use changes, pollution, and climate change are all …

Kenya: Indigenous seeds key in ensuring food security

October 10th, 2018 / AllAfrica

The solution to achieving food security for the country is based on access to seeds.
This is especially because the quality of seeds determines the quantity of food harvested.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (Fao), about 75 percent of biodiversity has been lost in the last century, globally.
The loss has …

Indigenous crops and smallscale farms: Ruth Oniang’o on Africa’s agricultural future

December 1st, 2017 / The Guardian, UK

The Africa Food Prize winner talks about her work with Kenya’s smallholder farmers, and how indigenous crops can be a tool in the battle against food insecurity and climate change.
When Ruth Oniang’o was working as a nutrition researcher in 1980s Kenya, she noticed an ominous change in the country’s agricultural …

Ethiopia: Research reveals indigenous crop varieties face danger

October 6th, 2015 / AllAfrica

Because of little attention given to indigenous crop varieties including teff, wheat and barley in favor of improved seed varieties, Ethiopia’s indigenous crops are facing a serious threat of extinction, according to research jointly conducted by the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI) and the International Biodiversity Institute (IBI). Measures are being …

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