Archive for the ‘Biotechnology’ category
Ethical and Social Implications of New Biofuels
By Joyce Tait and Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka*
Biofuels were first pioneered in the early days of car manufacturing.
Cheap fossil fuels soon overtook them as our fuel of choice, but concerns about climate change have revived interest in them — global biofuel production doubled between 2000 and 2007, and is expected to double again by 2011.
‘First generation’ biofuels, [...]
Ghana to Pursue Renewables, Solar Power for Kenya Schools
Below is a roundup of news from or about Sub-Saharan Africa for the period: 31 December 2009–13 January 2010, as compiled by the Science and Development Network (Scidev).
Tanzanian text message project monitors antimalarial stocks
A mobile phone initiative has been launched to increase the availability of antimalarials in remote areas of Tanzania. SMS for Life — [...]
Agriculture in Developing Nations Can Address Food Security
By Marshall Bouton*
As the world still struggles to deal with the first truly global recession, little attention has been given to the growing number of hungry people and the possibility of mounting food crises in the years ahead.
According to the World Bank, over a billion people around the world are now chronically hungry.
Stagnant agricultural productivity, [...]
Annan’s AGRA Looking to Japan for Rice Technology
By Maya Kaneko
Former UN chief Kofi Annan is seeking the support of Japan and other rice-producing countries to help double rice output in Africa by 2018, saying sustainable production of the grain would ease hunger and poverty in the continent.
Annan who is chairman of the board of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa [...]
Mixed Views on Sustainability of Jatropha as Biofuel
By Dave Harcourt*
Three different news items highlight the vast differences in viewpoint and the continuing uncertainty around the farming of Jatropha by small scale farmers as a feedstock for Europe’s refineries moving towards meeting the EU’s renewable liquid fuel goals.
Clarity on What Jatropha Can Deliver
At the recent Africa Biofuels Conference in Midrand South Africa, Vincent [...]
