Chester Makana
Chester Makana
The United Nations Ecological and Earth Science division is expected to release a report next week titled "International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development".
The report considers issues such as biofuels, genetically-modified crops, use of traditional know-how, the effect of climate change and the pressing need to change the rules of modern agriculture.
"Business as usual is no longer an option," the report stresses.
It says that agricultural science and technology have made it possible to greatly increase productivity but that the sharing of benefits has been far from equitable.
"Progress has been achieved in many cases at a high social and environmental cost."
The report recommends that agricultural science should place a greater emphasis on safeguarding natural resources and on "agro-ecological" practices.
UN report favours green farming
Chester Makana
Chester Makana
The United Nations Ecological and Earth Science division is expected to release a report next week titled "International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development".
The report considers issues such as biofuels, genetically-modified crops, use of traditional know-how, the effect of climate change and the pressing need to change the rules of modern agriculture.
"Business as usual is no longer an option," the report stresses.
It says that agricultural science and technology have made it possible to greatly increase productivity but that the sharing of benefits has been far from equitable.
"Progress has been achieved in many cases at a high social and environmental cost."
The report recommends that agricultural science should place a greater emphasis on safeguarding natural resources and on "agro-ecological" practices.