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Why is irrigation important? Feeding the world requires a lot of water. In most countries, more water is used for irrigating land than for any other purpose. A total of 70% of all water throughout the world taken from river, lake and groundwater systems supports irrigated crops and the feeding and watering of animals.Irrigation allowsRead more

The world currently produces more food per person than ever before. However, there are still over 800 million people who are suffering from severe malnutrition worldwide. For example, in rich countries total per capita food production for human consumption is about 900 kg a year. Due to unequal food distribution and large quantities of foodRead more

All over the world, farmers work hard to earn a living. However, not all farmers make a steady income, especially small family farmers. There is very little leftover after they pay for all their inputs (seeds, livestock breeds, fertilizers, pesticides, energy, feed, labor, etc.). The emergence of integrated farming systems (IFS) has enabled farmers toRead more

Synthetic fertilizers have been vital for sustaining a booming world population. Without them, we would not have about one-third of the food that is produced today. They are produced using a century-old industrial process that is used to make nearly 500 million tons of fertilizer every year. However, this process is energy-intensive and consumes almostRead more

Organic farming relies on methods which combine scientific knowledge of ecology and modern technology with traditional farming practices based on naturally occurring biological processes. It is a farming system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. The principal methods of organic farming include crop rotation, green manure and compost, mechanical cultivation and biologicalRead more

Pollinators are hard-working animals responsible for over 80% of the world’s flowering plants and nearly 75% of farm crops. Since one out of every three bites of food is attributed to the work of bees and other pollinators, without them, humans and wildlife wouldn’t have much to eat or look at.Often we may not noticeRead more

When the time comes to harvest, it’s important to choose a suitable method to maximize the yield and minimize losses. Many farmers have difficulties at harvesting and handling their crops. They have to know the exact time for harvest, because harvesting period and the duration affect the quality, durability, transportation and storage of harvested crops.Read more

After the Hiroshima, Fukushima, and Chernobyl nuclear disasters, many farmlands become unusable for crop production. The radioactive materials released by the accident had many immediate harmful effects on plants, animals, and their environment. This direct deposition on plants was of most concern during the first two months after the accident since radioactive iodine decays quickly.Read more

Global food security is one of the most pressing issues for humanity, and farming is critical for achieving this. There are many factors that are having severe impacts on food production: water stress and desertification which is reducing the amount of arable land; climate change and plant pests and diseases which are becoming resistant toRead more

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plant is the member of the gourd family Cucurbitaceae and has been cultivated since the 9th century. It originated in India and today is widely cultivated, with current largest cucumber producing countries such as China, Iran, Turkey, Russia and US. The total amount of cucumber production in the world is nearly 58 million tonsRead more