China Photos/Stringer/Getty Images Although you might think the concept is rooted in the contemporary "green" movement, seed banking is not a new phenomenon. Scientists believe agriculture began as far back as 8000 B.C., in the mountains of Mesopotamia, now present day Iraq. Even then, far...
Wheat is also emblematic of the struggles facing agriculture as it attempts to keep up with a growing population and a changing climate. Not only have the gains in yield begun to slow, but wheat is particularly sensitive to rising temperatures and is grown in many regions, such as Australia,...
India, where daily infection toll is now about 90,000 cases, has registered a sharp uptick in coronavirus infections within rural areas. For Thakur Prasad, a farmer who grows rice and maize in eight acres of land in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, the pandemic is a real worry. “I'...
Potatoes are becoming China's fourth staple food after rice, wheat and corn, according to the Ministry of Agriculture in January. But why is the potato the choice? Potatoes are healthy and nutritious. And they are easy to grow. They can be grown in the north and south...
The National Gardening Association estimates that one out of five American households grows some edible produce, and several surveys have found that the typical participating family saves between one hundred and seven hundred dollars per year in food expenses. The impressive performance of urban farms ...
Grains, like wheat, rice, or corn You can combine large amounts of these with smaller portions of animal-based sources, like dairy products or eggs to make sure you're getting enoughamino acids. Limit the amount of protein you get from processed meats -- like bacon, sausage, or cold cut...
Knowing that just in the US alone,41 million tonnes of plant proteinis grown for the animal agriculture industry simply doesn’t add up! It’s just an inefficient way of using resources. This is one of the main reasons the Amazon rainforest is being cleared—to grow feed for livestock and...
Overfarming is another major factor. The intensive nature of today’s agriculture means the soil in which fruit and vegetables are grown is less rich in nutrients. Calcium deficiency Possible causes of hypocalcaemia (calcium deficiency) may include: ...
A coffee tree is more like a bush, and grows to about 11 feet in height. It takes a coffee tree 3 years to begin bearing fruit. The tree will bear productively for up to 20 years, with one harvest per year. But here is the fact that blew me away: How many pounds of coffee ...
The three big cereal crops for human consumption are corn, wheat and rice, she said: “Those three make up about 50% of the world’s calories, so they’re huge in people’s diets.” By comparison, barley is less important. “It grows as far north as areas of the Arctic circle; it...