SciDev.Net

Ambitious reforms aimed at meeting the world's food demands lie ahead for the agency that networks agricultural research in poor regions.

Nutrient-rich foods could combat malnutrition — but getting from the lab to the plate is proving a challenge.

An agricultural scientist whose work in sorghum improvement has benefited African farmers has won the World Food Prize.

Is hydroponics — a system using no soil and very little water — a route to increased food security? Some Cape Verdean farmers think so.

Florence Wambugu, winner of the 2008 YARA prize for African agriculture, speaks to SciDev.Net about the challenges facing the field.

Afghan farmers are weaning themselves off illegal poppy cultivation and branching out into other crops, reports T. V. Padma.

Cassava is getting a transgenic makeover to boost its nutritional value, shelf-life and disease resistance.

The first drought-tolerant maize varieties developed by the Asian Maize Network, established to tackle poor harvests, are showing promise.

A mutant strain of drought-resistant wheat is contributing to Kenya's food security, enabling the use of land previously unsuited to cultivation.

Anthony Patt, Laban Ogallo, and Molly Hellmuth look back over ten years of Climate Outlook Forums for rainfall prediction in Africa.

Faced with a changing climate, projects to help Africans adapt are springing up across the continent, reports Patrick Luganda.

Maryke Steffens reports on the influences behind Africa's diverse attitudes to transgenic crops, and the need for a unified agenda.

Could edible insects be the answer to Africa's food security problems? Harold Ayodo reports on a Kenyan researcher who believes so.

Michael Malakata reports on efforts to fight hunger in Africa by preserving seeds and boosting research into improved crop varieties.

A new virus is plaguing cassava, the main subsistence crop in Africa ― but scientists are helping it make a comeback, reports Fred Pearce.

The life's work of an Indian researcher has culminated in a high-yield variety of the vital pigeon pea, reports Eric Stokstad.

The spread of deadly wheat rust to Yemen has triggered a rush to pin down wheat varieties that are resistant to it.

The chequered history of Bt cotton in India — marked by pest resistance and farmers' suicides — has polarised opinions over the technology, reports TV Padma.

Indian scientists say that reduced access to plant material in international gene banks will limit the country's ability to produce enough wheat, reports K.S. Jayaraman.

Jurgenne Primavera describes her research into ways of farming marine species in developing countries without destroying important mangrove forests.