In the wake of the recent UN Climate Summit, there can be little point in playing down the destructive impact humanity is having on the planet. “Climate extremes are the new normal”, was among the key messages, and unless we take action today, the outlook is very bleak. The window for change is narrowing, and […]
Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of biomass occurring in the absence of oxygen. It is the fundamental chemical reaction that is the precursor of both the combustion and gasification processes and occurs naturally in the first two seconds. The products of biomass pyrolysis include biochar, bio-oil and gases including methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon […]
Lately many people seem to be wondering if agricultural development could succeed in Singapore. Kenny Eng, the president of the Kranji Countryside Association, seems to think so suggesting that the farms in Singapore should be valued for more than the economic productive capabilities that they possess. The question is why agriculture couldn’t be a success? […]
Human existence largely depends on agriculture. However, farming comes with many risks, from weather conditions becoming increasingly unpredictable due to climate change. As a result of these risks, yields fall, which leads to financial losses for the agricultural enterprise and threatens food security. How can we cope with threats to yields and reduce financial losses? […]
Agricultural biomass as an energy source is a system of interdependent components. Economic and technical viability of this system relies on a guaranteed biomass feedstock supply, effective and efficient conversion technologies, guaranteed markets for the energy products, and cost-effective distribution systems. One of the most important factors in the efficient utilization of agricultural biomass resource is […]
Farming is the world’s most ancient industry, founded some 10,000 years ago. Back then it was a rather simple affair and probably just supplemented food gathered from nature. Today, though, it is essential. Without it, virtually nobody would be able to eat and the world as we know it would come to a crashing end. […]
If you were to look at the forecasts and predictions on paper, the fact we’re faced with a changing climate and over nine billion people to feed by 2050 could be seen as bleak. Uncertainty on how to continue our current and the rising competition for food are the two major obstacles that we need […]
Brussels sprouts that taste like chocolate? Bananas that protect against hepatitis B? Since their introduction in 1994, genetically engineered crops have been widely used in the U.S. and other parts of the world. But while cocoa-flavored vegetables and fruit as medicine sounds good, you probably won’t be seeing either on the supermarket shelf any time soon. What […]
Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture (the raising of fish) and hydroponics (the growing of plants without soil). Because of increase in population, people are moving to urban areas in large quantities, leading to huge increase in the demand for healthy and organic products and fishes. Therefore, new and sustainable farming techniques must be found […]
It is fairly complex to keep up with all the issues the industrialized agriculture and the agri-food chain face nowadays. From palm trees harvested for their oil destroying an increasing portion of Indonesia’s and Malaysia’s rainforest alongside its biodiversity to the progressive but already dramatically advanced mass destruction of our arable lands, our current industrial […]
As more information becomes known about the potential negative health impact of commercial pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), eating organic is becoming more important to people today than ever before. Concerned parents want the best products for their kids. Chefs lure in new diners with the promise of fresh organic dishes that maximize flavor […]
As a grower-shipper, you have to be very mindful of your profit margins. After all, in order to maintain a healthy business, you need to make sure that your margins are adequate. There are a few different ways to control your margins, with a maintained and delicate balance between ensuring a good product and making […]
Food production practices have changed a lot since people first started working the land about 13,000 years ago, as some historians estimate. Though people have existed for much longer than that, the population started growing with the start of some basic crop cultivation. However, it really boomed only after the appearance of the mechanization processes […]
Hydroponic farming is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. The hydroponic gardener regulates the composition of nutrients in the liquid solution used to water the plants. He also regulates the frequency of supplying the nutrients to the plants. Simply, the hydroponic gardener controls the growing environment of the […]
The use of robotics is transforming many industrial sectors, but few as much as farming. The farming industry was originally slow to embrace robotics and automation, but now the agricultural robotics market is expected to reach an eye-watering $11.58 billion by 2025. Robots, drones and automation can be used in many agricultural applications and help […]
Do you want to improve the health of your crops? In order for all plants to grow, they need certain nutrients. While some are able to get these nutrients from the soil, others will need some help along the way to grow. This means that you might have to use fertiliser to give your crops […]
Farming is a practice that may seem extremely satisfying and therapeutic even, but from a distance. Come closer and see the toils involved, you’d understand. A farmer puts a lot of arduous effort into ensuring his produce reaps him the reward he puts in. That said, the task doesn’t merely end in collecting the produce. […]
Many time I heard from my mom that it’s better to buy local goods rather than imported. And now together with you I’ll try to find the reasons why and prove it to myself. Here are the top reasons to buy local instead of imported: 1. Price The local goods mostly will be cheaper because […]
Today, the international agricultural community recognizes the urgent need for the transition to agroecology. Developing and implementing optimal algorithms to do it as efficiently and fast as possible is the need of the hour. Such need for change comes from ineffective and non-environmentally conscious approaches to agriculture that have been in use before. Those approaches […]
Living near a farm is a dream come true for many people. Few things are as charming as waking up in the morning to the peace, tranquility, and beauty that country living offers. But there is also a downside to living near a farm: pesticide-ridden rain run-off that can affect your drinking supply and your […]
If you are like me and love coffee, you probably noticed many “sustainability” labels on different coffee products and wondered what it all means. First, let’s start off by explaining the concept of sustainability. The EPA describes sustainability as “Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly on our […]
Mycorrhizal fungi forms association with a lot of plant roots and studies have shown that they help plant nutrient and water uptake as well as help in increased pathogen and disease resistance. Mycorrhizal fungi can be applied to plants where soil conditions are poor (ectomycorrhizal) or where there is a high risk of plant pathogens […]