HORIZON SOLUTIONS SITE | Working to find and advance solutions to environment, health, poverty, and development problems


Integrated whole farm -- whole landscape planning	By incorporating an integrated approach to farming and water management, Pyneham farm in Frankland, Australia, has overcome problems caused by land degradation to create a more sustainable system. The newly established farming system, known as integrated whole farm -- whole landscape planning, has not only helped combat desertification, but also helps restore biodiversity in an area which previously experienced vast forest depletion for agricultural expansion.
Ecological tourism to organic farms	The mission of the European Centre for Ecological Agriculture and Tourism-Poland (ECEAT-Poland) is to use ecological tourism to organic farms as a tool to help small farmers make a sometimes difficult transition from conventional agriculture to ecological agriculture. In this way the farmers benefit financially while environmentally sound practices are spread, and the natural landscape, biodiversity and local culture and traditions are protected and shared with visitors. By working in a cooperative and ecological way small Polish farmers will be able to protect their livelihoods and their traditional way of life in a coming period of difficult economic and social transformation.
A non-toxic method of controlling the noxious weed Striga, the bane of farmers in Africa's Sahel region.	Problem Overview: Controlling Striga infestation The pretty pink flowers of a weed named Striga belie its devastating impact on cereal crops such as corn, sorghum, millet, and rice. Parasitic by nature, Striga compensates for the lack of its own root system by penetrating the roots of other plants, diverting essential nutrients from them, and stunting their growth. Also known as witchweed, Striga infests an estimated two-thirds of the 73 million hectares devoted to cereal crops in Africa, resulting in crop losses of up to 70% among subsistence farmers. Striga accounts for an estimated 4.1 million tonnes in lost cereal yields each year, and is considered by many experts to be the greatest obstacle to food production in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region.
An effort to promote the production and consumption of soybeans as a means of improving nutrition in Nigeria.	Overview: Malnutrition Rapid population growth and crippling economic problems in many African countries have reduced living standards and adversely affected eating habits, causing widespread malnutrition. In Nigeria, a faltering economy has led to declining imports of costly protein-rich food. Moreover, currency devaluations in other countries have resulted in drastically reduced imports of oil and animal feed.
Kano, Nigeria: Adoption and impact of dry-season dual-purpose cowpea in the Nigerian semiarid region	Problem Overview: In the semiarid zones of west and central Africa, farmers cultivate different cowpea varieties. Some are for grain for human consumption and others for animal fodder. The aboveground parts of cowpeas, except pods, are harvested for fodder. Traditionally, farmers cultivate two main types of cowpea: early maturing varieties, grown for grain and late maturing varieties that are grown for fodder production. The dry season is characterized by scarcity in good quality fodder and hence there is a need for dual purpose varieties that give reasonable grain and fodder yields, and, thereby, maximize the output from land and labor.
Negros Rainforest Conservation Project	The Negros Rainforest Conservation Project (NRCP) is a joint programme of co-operative, research, education and training between the Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation Inc. (NFEFI) and Coral Cay Conservation (CCC). The NRCP is based on the North Negros Forest Reserve (NNFR), Negros Occidental, Philippines.
The Commercialization of Camels in Mid-altitude Ethiopia and Beyond	A recently published report, Shifting Sands: The Commercialization of Camels in Mid-altitude Ethiopia and Beyond, describes a relatively new trend in pastoralist livestock marketing that is a dynamic response to increasing demand for camels in mid-altitude areas of Ethiopia and in neighboring Sudan.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Announce $120 Million in New Agriculture Grants: Bill Gates to Call for United Action to Support World's Poorest Farmers	Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, on Thursday, October 15, 2009 will urge governments, donors, researchers, farmer groups, environmentalists, and others to set aside old divisions and join forces to help millions of the world's poorest farming families boost their yields and incomes so they can lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. Gates will say the effort must be guided by the farmers themselves, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and the environment.
Eco-Farming Can Double Food Production in 10 Years, says New UN Report
Gallery Article 4

Integrated whole farm -- whole landscape planning

By incorporating an integrated approach to farming and water management, Pyneham farm in Frankland, Australia, has overcome problems caused by land degradation to create a more sustainable system. The newly established farming system, known as integrated whole farm -- whole landscape planning, has not only helped combat desertification, but also helps restore biodiversity in an area which previously experienced vast forest depletion for agricultural expansion.

Ecological tourism to organic farms

The mission of the European Centre for Ecological Agriculture and Tourism-Poland (ECEAT-Poland) is to use ecological tourism to organic farms as a tool to help small farmers make a sometimes difficult transition from conventional agriculture to ecological agriculture. In this way the farmers benefit financially while environmentally sound practices are spread, and the natural landscape, biodiversity and local culture and traditions are protected and shared with visitors. By working in a cooperative and ecological way small Polish farmers will be able to protect their livelihoods and their traditional way of life in a coming period of difficult economic and social transformation.

A non-toxic method of controlling the noxious weed Striga, the bane of farmers in Africa's Sahel region.

Problem Overview:

Controlling Striga infestation

The pretty pink flowers of a weed named Striga belie its devastating impact on cereal crops such as corn, sorghum, millet, and rice. Parasitic by nature, Striga compensates for the lack of its own root system by penetrating the roots of other plants, diverting essential nutrients from them, and stunting their growth. Also known as witchweed, Striga infests an estimated two-thirds of the 73 million hectares devoted to cereal crops in Africa, resulting in crop losses of up to 70% among subsistence farmers. Striga accounts for an estimated 4.1 million tonnes in lost cereal yields each year, and is considered by many experts to be the greatest obstacle to food production in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region.

An effort to promote the production and consumption of soybeans as a means of improving nutrition in Nigeria.

Overview:

Malnutrition

Rapid population growth and crippling economic problems in many African countries have reduced living standards and adversely affected eating habits, causing widespread malnutrition. In Nigeria, a faltering economy has led to declining imports of costly protein-rich food. Moreover, currency devaluations in other countries have resulted in drastically reduced imports of oil and animal feed.

Kano, Nigeria: Adoption and impact of dry-season dual-purpose cowpea in the Nigerian semiarid region

Problem Overview:

In the semiarid zones of west and central Africa, farmers cultivate different cowpea varieties. Some are for grain for human consumption and others for animal fodder. The aboveground parts of cowpeas, except pods, are harvested for fodder.

Traditionally, farmers cultivate two main types of cowpea: early maturing varieties, grown for grain and late maturing varieties that are grown for fodder production. The dry season is characterized by scarcity in good quality fodder and hence there is a need for dual purpose varieties that give reasonable grain and fodder yields, and, thereby, maximize the output from land and labor.

Negros Rainforest Conservation Project

The Negros Rainforest Conservation Project (NRCP) is a joint programme of co-operative, research, education and training between the Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation Inc. (NFEFI) and Coral Cay Conservation (CCC). The NRCP is based on the North Negros Forest Reserve (NNFR), Negros Occidental, Philippines.

The Commercialization of Camels in Mid-altitude Ethiopia and Beyond

A recently published report, Shifting Sands: The Commercialization of Camels in Mid-altitude Ethiopia and Beyond, describes a relatively new trend in pastoralist livestock marketing that is a dynamic response to increasing demand for camels in mid-altitude areas of Ethiopia and in neighboring Sudan.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Announce $120 Million in New Agriculture Grants: Bill Gates to Call for United Action to Support World's Poorest Farmers

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, on Thursday, October 15, 2009 will urge governments, donors, researchers, farmer groups, environmentalists, and others to set aside old divisions and join forces to help millions of the world's poorest farming families boost their yields and incomes so they can lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. Gates will say the effort must be guided by the farmers themselves, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and the environment.

Eco-Farming Can Double Food Production in 10 Years, says New UN Report

Gallery Article 4

HORIZON INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS SITE

Navigation

Search

Latest articles

Agriculture

Air Pollution

Biodiversity

Desertification

Endangered Species

Energy

Exhibits

Forests

Global Climate Change

Global Health

Industry

Natural Disaster Relief

News and Special Reports

Oceans, Coral Reefs

Pollution

Population

Public Health

Rivers

Sanitation

Toxic Chemicals

Transportation

Waste Management

Water

Water and Sanitation

Yale Himalaya Initiative