LETTER | Planting trees starts with the right seed
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LETTER | The government has launched an initiative to plant 100 million trees across the country in the next five years. The effort is laudable: recent studies show that large-scale forest restoration is perhaps the single most effective way to combat the ongoing climate change, while it also helps alleviate more localised natural disasters such as soil erosion and floods.
But realising the benefits of restoration requires having the right trees for the right place, and that is easier said than done. As restoration targets grow in ambition, natural seed sources continue to diminish due to deforestation and forest degradation. In Malaysia, restoring many native trees such as the majestic Meranti species is particularly challenging because they only flower and bear seed every four-five years, and the seed cannot be stored for long.
County Climate Risk Profiles Critical and Timely for Kenya s Struggling Smallholders ipsnews.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ipsnews.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The survival of Kenya’s smallholder farmers, who predominantly rely on rainfed agricultural systems, is at stake as agricultural experts warn that farmers are increasingly battling floods, droughts and heat stress at more frequent, intense and unpredictable rates. It has led to severe crop and livestock losses.
Wanjiku said that in a good year, a commercial crop farmer makes between $2,000 to $3,000 per acre from crops such as maize, wheat, tea and coffee. At the same time the price of land was quite high.
“An acre of farm land in Kiambu generally goes for a minimum of $100,000, depending on the area. If I hold on to my acre, how many years will it take me to make that kind of money? We are at a crossroads,” Wanjiku said.
Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) Launch Date Location
Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) is a new initiative that will enhance access to climate information services and validated climate-smart agriculture technologies in Africa.
With the support of AICCRA projects, farmers and livestock keepers will be able to better anticipate climate-related events and take preventative actions, with better access to climate advisories linked to information about effective response measures. This will help communities better safeguard their livelihoods and the environment.
It is supported by a grant from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank, and will enhance research and capacity-building activities by the CGIAR and its partners.
29/04/2021
FORTHCOMING (MAY 2021):
Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems: Insights on sustainability and resilience from the front line of climate change
This publication, co-published by FAO and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, includes a compilation of eight Indigenous Peoples food systems profiles carried out across the world. Attention is given to their climate resilience and sustainability elements, portraying Indigenous Peoples’ food systems contributions to the global debate on sustainable food systems.
book by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)
According to this year’s edition – which includes an article on FAO – throughout 2020, Indigenous Peoples were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they proved their resilience by setting up their own networks and solutions, connecting communities to help transfer information and goods, and implementing traditional methods of protection. The publication als