Nourishing the Planet

Naresh Kumar Sagar Its vibration in man that speaks volume either in word or silence Krishna term him Yogi Listen to him he is within us

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Naresh Kumar Sagar Leaders with yogi style is revered by masses2 seconds ago ·

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Check out more  from Nourishing the  Planet!   Order your copy of State of the World 2011              Read our blog, updated daily Research in Real Time   Dear Naresh,    Thanks to all of our readers who responded to our questions about our upcoming research on food waste, animal production, and agriculture and climate change. We value your feedback and constantly benefit from your suggestions, which you can email to me at daniellenierenberg@gmail.com.     This past week, we highlighted the Just Label It! campaign's new infographic which shows that although 92 percent of Americans are in favor of labeling genetically engineered foods, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has failed to make labeling mandatory. In this post we highlighted Jonathan Bloom's recent book event, where he discussed the economic and environmental costs of food waste and the efforts consumers and policymakers need to take to reduce waste. And in this post, we examined the Union of Concerned Scientists' recent findings that Monsanto does not meet the advocacy group's criteria for sustainability.   We continued to receive exciting press coverage last week. Our 12 innovations that empower women around the world were featured in the Seattle Press-Intelligencer. Our research on urban agriculture and livestock production was featured in the Inter Press Service. Meanwhile, our research from State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet was featured in Bolivia's Bolpress.  And our State of the World 2011 report is now on sale for only US$9.99! Click here to take advantage of this offer today.  All the best, Danielle Nierenberg Nourishing the Planet Project Director Worldwatch Institute www.nourishingtheplanet.org Please connect with us on Facebook!     Here are some highlights from the week: Monsanto Receives 'F' on Sustainable Agriculture Test Monsanto, the agricultural biotechnology corporation perhaps most known for its controversial genetically modified crops, has been given the failing grade of 'F' for sustainability by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The company advertises itself as dedicated to sustainable agriculture, but UCS believes it does not fulfill these promises. "In reality, the company is producing more engineered seeds and herbicide and improving its bottom line, but at the expense of conservation and long-term sustainability," says Doug Gurian-Sherman, one of UCS' Food and Environment Program's senior scientists.      A Little Green Water Rain Can Go a Long Way to Feed Many More  In this guest post, Marketing Communication and Multi-media Specialist with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, JeromeBossuet discussed the benefits of green water, or rainwater captured by the soil and available for plants. In many arid and semi-arid regions, rainfall is concentrated in a short rainy season, which is impossible to forecast and highly variable each year. But good water management in agriculture that not only focuses on high tech drip or pumping systems, but also promotes local practices of rainwater harvesting, management, conservation, and efficient use of water resources, can be effective in improving crop yields.      UN Calls for More Greenbacks to Grow Green Agriculture Globally  Recently, the United Nations Development Policy and Analysis Division released their annual World Economic and Social Survey, which called for an increase in government support to aid small-scale farmers and reduce environmental damage from conventional agriculture. The report finds that the Green Revolution practices of the last century have had harmful effects on the environment, leading directly to land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. But supporting small-scale farmers, according to the report, can encourage the use of local innovations and experience, and mitigate the consequences of conventional agriculture.        We Have a Right to Know Check out this latest infographic from the Just Label It! campaign to encourage the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to label genetically engineered (GE) food. Although 92 percent of the American population is in favor of labeling GE foods, the FDA has failed to mandate companies to identify such foods. Click here to see the infographic and here to sign the petition before the March 27th deadline.        American Wasteland: Jonathan Bloom on Why Food Waste Deserves Attention Jonathan Bloom recently discussed his book, American Wasteland at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore, MD. The book highlights the economic and environmental costs of food waste, and how consumers and policymakers can play their part in reducing waste to protect the environment, fight hunger, and save money. Bloom estimates that as much as 25 percent of all the food Americans bring into their homes goes to waste. In the United States food is inexpensive----thanks largely to government subsidies----and abundant for most consumers. As a result, Americans tend to value food less than they did before food was so readily available and inexpensive, and throw it away more frequently.          Alpaca: Packing Fiber Our indigenous livestock of the week is the Alpaca, a species of South American two-toed herbivore similar to the llama. Alpaca have been domesticated for many centuries in the high Andean Plateau of western South America. The powerful Incan empire reserved a special place in their culture for the animal, regularly using hand-spun alpaca garments to trade, clothe royalty, and bury the dead. And while post-Columbian arrivals in the New World introduced new breeds of livestock, alpaca retained their place in Andean culture and play an important economic role in modern Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile.