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OCTOBER 2017 |
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A Message From IFA's Chairman, Rakesh Kapur |
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As IFA’s recently appointed chairman, I am excited to present our entirely revamped Fertilizer & Agriculture newsletter, now in a modernized format and enriched with multi-media content and links for those of you who want to dig deeper into the array of topics.
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Revitalizing Indonesia's Cocoa Production Industry |
When most people think of cocoa, Indonesia is probably not the first place that comes to mind. But the country is actually the world’s third biggest producer after the Ivory Coast and Ghana. A key crop for many Indonesian smallholder farmers, who own more than 90 percent of the country’s cocoa plantations, declining yields have left numerous farmers in a downward spiral of poverty, with some ready to give up growing it entirely despite increasing global demand.
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Infographic: OFRA's Fertilizer Promotion Achievements in Africa
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From optimizing fertilizer use for 37 different crops and cropping systems to creating 74 different fertilization use tools, this handy infographic shows some of the Optimising Fertilizer Recommendations in Africa (OFRA) project's key achievements.
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Environment & Sustainability |
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Can Solar Powered Irrigation Change the Farming Landscape in Africa? |
With less than 4% of farmland in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) currently under irrigation, increasing access to water could play a huge part in supporting Africa’s productivity, allowing farmers to grow crops three seasons a year, increase their nutrient intake and produce a surplus to sell. Over the last few years a new generation of solar-powered pump startups have sprung up in Africa and they’re beginning to make an impact.
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Video: The Future of Food in a Climate Changing World
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Experts and leaders share their insights into the connections between climate change and food systems, their visions of the food systems we need today and tomorrow and how to chart potential pathways to get there.
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Future Thinking: How Drones Could Help Close the Global Yield Gap |
Drones are making a lot of headlines these days, but they’re much more than just a novelty. Predicted to disrupt a range of industries, their potential for agriculture has also been hotly tipped, with the market expected to be worth $3.77 billion by 2024. Drones might just be a key innovation for increasing crop yields around the world. Already one of the most effective analytical tools in precision farming, they also have considerable potential for distribution and application.
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Video: Enabling Precision Agriculture with AI, IOT and Drones |
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Microsoft’s innovative FarmBeats project focusses on using low cost sensors, cameras and drones with Artificial Intelligence and special high bandwidth routers to give farmers in remote and poor areas information such as soil moisture, temperature and PH levels.
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Akinwumi Adesina: A Pioneer of Africa’s Green Revolution wins the World Food Prize |
With almost 70% of Africa’s population dependent on agriculture, improving agricultural productivity is an excellent way to boost the continent’s living standards. For the past two decades, the winner of this year’s World Food Prize has been focussed on doing just that. From promoting fertilizer use and growing Nigeria’s food production to increasing credit to smallholder farmers and making agricultural progress a political priority, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has been instrumental in developing African agriculture.
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In Memoriam: Professor Tekalign Mamo, 2016 IFA Norman Borlaug Award Recipient |
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It is with great sadness that IFA learned of Professor Tekalign Mamo’s passing on September 7. Professor Mamo, a distinguished soil scientist and former Ethiopian State Minister of Agriculture, was IFA’s 2016 Norman Borlaug Award winner.
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IFA Showcases Industry Progress on SDGs at UN High-Level Political Forum in New York
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From 10-19 July, IFA led a strong industry delegation to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2017 (HLPF 2017) in New York.
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2017 IFA Crossroads Asia-Pacific Conference - 24-26 October 2017, Shanghai, China
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With more than 400 participants expected to attend, IFA's Crossroads Asia-Pacific Conference, which focusses on the pivotal Asian region and Pacific basin, is extremely popular.
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2017 IFA Strategic Forum - 14-15 November, Zurich, Switzerland
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IFA’s Strategic Forum has become a must visit for inspiring discussions about strategically important topics relating to plant nutrition and the future direction of the fertilizer industry.
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