Suchergebnisse

Meeting the world demand growth in meat, milk and eggs requires increasing quantities of food crops to feed livestock. Feed/output ratios are known at local scales but not at national levels where heterogeneous breeding systems are coexisting. To fill this gap, we estimate over 47 years (1961-2007) with millions of FAO data how many calories and proteins of plant food products (PFP, mainly cereals and oilcakes, imported or locally produced) were used by countries for their animal food production (AFP). The empirical findings served to document and discuss the declining average productivities of PFP in AFP over the years, and to parameterize a simple model of livestock production that well simulate past evolutions in seven world regions. Results are also used to explore the need for food crops in 2050 according to five hypothetical scenarios of human diets ranging from "full veganism" to "full westernization". Simulations show that plant food production should increase from 4 to 131 compared to 2007 while the population increases by 36%.

The United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) Crop Post-Harvest Programme started to fund the first phase of the project on "Improved Food Crops Marketing through Appropriate Transport for Poor Farmers in Uganda" in April 2002. Subject to the results of a review by March 2003, the project may be extended on terms to be agreed on. The project purpose is to develop and promote strategies that will improve food security of poor households through increased availability and improved quality of food and better access to markets. The main outputs of the project are: a) Baseline study, b) Validated technology for IMTs, c) Promotional material. The outputs of this project will enhance the understanding of issues related to rural transport in Uganda, such as needs for intermediate means of transportation, constraints to up-take, and potential implications of improved transport for the farming system. Means of transportation will be tested and validated and the recommendations consequently developed will be presented to private sector associations, Government bodies (relevant Ministries), and National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), the donor community, non-government Organisations (NGOs), and relevant Networks. Their uptake will lead to an improvement of poor fanners' livelihoods.