Dr. B.R. Barwale, founder of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Pvt Ltd (Mahyco) has passed away on July 24, 2017 at 86. Dr. Barwale, who devoted his life for the upliftment of Indian farmers, is widely regarded as the father of the Indian seed industry, having founded Mahyco in 1964.

Corn management processes contributing to optimal levels of nitrogen uptake could lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study conducted by Purdue University scientists. The results are published in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science. "Previous internationally accepted estimates were that for every pound of nitrogen fertilizer applied in grain crop production, there is a loss of 1 percent as nitrous oxide to the atmosphere," said Purdue professor Tony Vyn

Dr. Elioda Tumwesgye, Ugandan Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation has reaffirmed government support towards the passage of a Biosafety Bill currently under parliamentary debate. The Minister spoke as he officially opened the Agri-biotechnology and Biosafety Communication (ABBC) 2017 Africa Symposium, in Entebbe, Uganda on July 18, 2017.

The United Nations food standards body Codex Alimentarius Commission is meeting in Geneva from 17 to 22 July 2017 to adopt food safety and quality standards. Charged with protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade, the Codex Alimentarius is a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Thirty-year-old Esther Atieno is the winner of the recently concluded Smart Food cooking show – a 13-episode reality TV show that was hosted by the Kenya Television Network (KTN) on Sunday evenings.  Esther, who is a trained waiter and caterer, was crowned winner and won the title ‘Smart Chef’ during the finale of the show on June 4, 2017.

Ecosystems and landscapes offer significant opportunities to reverse environmental degradation and enhance the sustainable intensification of production. Our research priorities for natural resources and ecosystem services are captured in the work of our Research Centers and Programs as they work to improve dietary diversity, improve nutritional content and safety of foods

The Government of Mozambique, the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have announced a new project that will strengthen sustainable forest management and contribute to Mozambique achieving Sustainable Development Goal 15 on forests.

In an emotional ceremony held this past Wednesday at CIAT, Jeroen Cooreman, Belgian ambassador to Colombia, made the delivery of the civil decoration granted by royal order “in recognition of the services rendered.”

Mallikarjuna Swamy, head of the Healthier Rice Breeding Group at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), shares his thoughts on the role of science in solving malnutrition, particularly zinc deficiency.“More than two billion people in the world are malnourished and most of them live in rice-consuming Asian countries,” says Dr. Swamy. He adds, however, that huge opportunities exist to improve the nutritional content of rice varieties to solve the micronutrient-deficiency problem.

- Poor rains across East Africa have worsened hunger and left crops scorched, pastures dry and thousands of livestock dead - according to an alert released today by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).The most affected areas, which received less than half of their normal seasonal rainfall, are central and southern Somalia, southeastern Ethiopia, northern and eastern Kenya, northern Tanzania and northeastern and southwestern Uganda.