agriculture

Modern varieties of rice may produce high yields, but they can’t withstand the tough conditions that are becoming more common as climate change affects farming. That’s why Indian scientists are turning to older, indigenous grains to keep communities fed.

Chinese New Year begins next week and all across China people are getting ready. It’s a time for visiting friends and relatives. Throughout the country, people stock up on fruit to eat at home with family and to give as gifts. These days, Chinese shoppers are opening up their wallets for a particular luxury item — imported fruit.

American and Cuban officials are sitting down in Havana this week to try to hammer the details of their rapproachment. But McDonalds and Walmart won’t move in anytime soon.

From the son of slaves to one of the most influential agricultural scientists in US history, George Washington Carver embodied the idea that curiosity, intellect and innovation, coupled with determination, can bring great things to the world, no matter how difficult the circumstances.

Many of today’s synthetic pesticides are derived from chemical weapons developed during the First and Second World Wars. Today, in the US, chemical warfare is waged daily against weeds in industrial agriculture. It has become an escalating conflict, as unruly weeds rapidly adapt to new products. The latest weapon has stirred strong opposition from environmentalists, farmers and food safety advocates.