FAO Food Price Index declines in December
The benchmark measure of world food commodity prices ended 2023 approximately 10% lower than its year-earlier level.
Healthy soils are the foundation of global food production and ought to become a key agenda item in public policy, says the FAO.
Moujahed Achouri, Director of FAO’s Land and Water Division, made the statement while addressing the third Global Soil Week in Berlin this week.
Global Soil Week brings together more than 550 participants from 78 countries working on sustainable soil management and land governance.
“Soils are essential for achieving food security and nutrition and have the potential to help mitigate the negative impacts of climate change,” says Achouri, who added that pressures on soil resources are reaching critical limits.
In addition to sustaining 95% of food production, soils host more than a quarter of the planet’s biodiversity, are a major source of pharmaceuticals, and play a critical role in the carbon cycle, he adds.
The current level of soil degradation – estimated at 33% globally – is “alarming” and has the potential to threaten food security and send many people into poverty, Achouri says.
Sustainable soil management, in turn, can contribute to the production of more and healthier food. FAO called on the international soil community and policy makers to work together to reduce soil degradation and restore already degraded land.
Global Soil Week 2015 coincides with the International Year of Soils, which aims to raise awareness about the often-unrecognized benefits of soils to human health and sustainable development.
This year’s Soil Week highlights the need for including soil issues in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), currently under discussion.
“If humanity’s overarching need for food security and nutrition, climate change mitigation and sustainable development is to be met, soil resources have to be given the global attention they deserve,” says Achouri.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…