Environment: Planet under pressure - Eco-farming 'helps world's poor'

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PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT

Planet under pressureEco-farming 'helps world's poor'

More information:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/2004/planet/default.stm

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Last Updated: Friday, 17 November 2006, 17:09 GMT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With humanity demanding more from the Earth than ever before, BBC News explores the planet's most pressing environmental problems in a six-part series.

 

Introduction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animated guideHow the greenhouse effect might shape our climate

 

 

 

Changed EarthBefore and after images of the effects of climate change

 

 

 

Kyoto era dawnsEU emissions trading scheme starts the carbon revolution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART 1: BIODIVERSITY

The sixth mass extinction?

Brazil's 'Noah's Ark' forest

Photojournal: Forest settler

Quiz: Species and extinction

Viewpoints: Saving species

Map: Biodiversity hotspots

 

 

PART 2: WATER

Running dry?

Marble trade sucks villages dry

Photojournal: On parched land

Quiz: World water crisis

Viewpoints: The water debate

Map: The world's water hotspots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART 3: ENERGY

Heading for a crisis?

China's dirty energy takes its toll

In pictures: Amid the fumes

Quiz: Renewable energy

Viewpoints: Powering the planet Alternatives to oil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talking PointHow does climate change affect you? Can it be tackled?

 

 

 

Climate evidence Warming world, rising sea and melting ice

 

 

 

Saving the planetTeenagers tell us how they would tackle environmental damage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART 4: FOOD

Can the planet feed us?

Polish factory farms cause a stink

Photojournal: Inside a hog factory

Quiz: How green is your food?

Viewpoints: Food for all?

 

PART 5: POLLUTION

Pollution: A life and death issue

Durban poor's pollution battle

Photojournal: Fight for clean air

Quiz: Are you pollution-savvy?

Map: Pollution hotspots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART 6: CLIMATE CHANGE

Entering uncharted waters?

Bangladesh faces flooded future

Quiz: Clued up on climate?

Viewpoints: The way forward

Climate change reports

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green gardeningSee the results of our eco-friendly garden competition

 

 

 

Where will we be?BBC website exploring the UN's goals for the planet in 2015

 

 

 

Changing worldYour pictures of environmental change around the world

 

SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/2004/planet/default.stm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eco-farming 'helps world's poor'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Mark Kinver BBC News science and nature reporter

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water is a scarce resource for many farmers (Image: Jules Pretty)Sustainable farming methods can help the poorest farmers in developing nations out of poverty, new research suggests.

Scientists found that techniques such as crop rotation and organic farming increased crop yields by an average of 79%, without risking future harvests.

The study, possibly the largest of its kind, looked at more than 280 projects in 57 of the world's poorest countries.

The findings appear in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

The team of international scientists who carried out the four-year project found that the farmers enjoyed improved crop productivity, while reducing their use of pesticides and water.

Healthy soil

One of the report's co-authors, Professor Jules Pretty from the University of Essex, UK, said the findings challenged the dominate view that the West knew best when it came to agriculture.

"Most people think it is bad news from the south," Professor Pretty said, "but in many ways farmers in developing country are leading the way."

The researchers found methods that did not have an adverse effect on local biodiversity allowed farmers to reap the rewards of growing crops in healthy soil.

"People are using a variety of integrated pest management techniques; making the best of biodiversity like predators, parasites and multiple cropping," Professor Pretty told the BBC News website.

"In essence, it allows the ecosystem to deliver the pest management services."

This approach paid dividends, he said, because it not only cut the use of pesticides but also resulted in farmers having to spend less of their income on chemicals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEEDS OF HOPE

 

 

An awful lot of this happened without any direct policy input

 

Prof Jules Pretty, report co-author

Healthy soil also required less water to cultivate crops, he added: "All crops need water, but soils that are higher in organic matter are better at holding water.

"If you have diverse and higher soil quality then it is better prepared to deal with drought conditions when access to water becomes a critical issue."

Figures from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that many environmental benefits - clean air and water, stable climate - are being lost through unsustainable farming practices.

Professor Pretty hoped the data would act as a catalyst for governments and national organisations to adopt better land management.

"One of the key things from all of this is that an awful lot of this happened without any direct policy input," he said.

"If there was more central support then we would expect to see these sorts of techniques and ideas spread more rapidly."

The researchers admit that uncertainty remains as to whether these farming methods can meet the growing global demand for food.

But they concluded that they were cautiously optimistic it could help the world's poorest farmers out of poverty.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4716224.stm