FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization
Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts - to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active,healthy lives.
Our three main goals are: the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
- This technology describes a combination of good practices for soil and water conservation that were introduced to coffee farmers in the central cattle corridor of Uganda, with aim to enhance their resilience to dry spells, pests and diseases, as part of the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA)...
- Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. - 1996 World Food Summit
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Abstract, Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2020 December There is increasing interest in agroecology as a way to move toward more sustainable agriculture and food systems. However, the evidence of agroecology's contribution to sustainability remains fragmented because of heterogeneous...
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AQUASTAT is the FAO global information system on water resources and agricultural water management. It collects, analyses and provides free access to over 180 variables and indicators by country from 1960. AQUASTAT draws on national capacities and expertise with an emphasis on Africa, the Near...
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To meet the Sustainable Development Goals, the world needs to move faster from a crisis-led response to a proactive approach that reduces impacts, builds resilience and allows people to cope with drought. The tools, systems and techniques are already available. FAO supports countries to increase...
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The ECOCROP database was developed by the Land and Water Division of FAO as a tool to identify plant species for given environments and uses, and as an information system contributing to a Land Use Planning concept. The database was developed inthe 1990sand provides information for more than 2000...
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Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts - to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active,healthy lives. Our three main goals are: the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving...
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The Crop Calendar is a tool that provides timely information about seeds to promote local crop production. It contains information on planting, sowing and harvesting periods of locally adapted crops in specific agro-ecological zones. It also provides information on the sowing rates of seed and...
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This paper outlines three agricultural and rural extension market reforms and two non-marketing reforms, at all times emphasizing stakeholder, and particularly enduser, participation in the approaches employed in these reforms. It also recognizes the need for non-farm microenterprise development...
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AGRISprovides a great opportunity to increase analysis of agricultural performance and, consequently, help inform agriculture investment, innovation and policy to drive changes toward increasing sustainability in the agriculture sector. The platform provides free access to more than13 million...
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Welcome to AIMS AIMS is a portal with information about and access to standards, technology and good practices. It is also a forum for connecting information management workers worldwide and for discussing open access and open data. AIMS stands for collaboration and interoperability.
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Agroecology is based on applying ecological concepts and principles to optimize interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment while taking into consideration the social aspects that need to be addressed for a sustainable and fair food system. By building synergies, agroecology...
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The global food system is at a crossroads. Agriculture must meet the challenges of hunger and malnutrition – against a backdrop of population growth, increased pressure on natural resources including soils and water, the loss of biodiversity, and the uncertainties associated with climate change....
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A farming system is defined as a population of individual farm systems that have broadly similar resource bases, enterprise patterns, household livelihoods and constraints, and for which similar development strategies and interventions would be appropriate. Depending on the scale of the analysis,...
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AquaCrop is the crop growth model developed by FAO to address food security and assess the effect of the environment and management on crop production. AquaCrop simulates the yield response of herbaceous crops to water and is particularly well suited to conditions in which water is a key limiting...
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Global spatial database on water and agriculture.
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Biochar is the carbonaceous solid product of biomass pyrolysis which can be used as chemical feedstock for various purposes such as energy production, and adsorption of pollutants. In particular, application of biochar to the soil is gaining greater interests, which can reduce fertilizer...
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Properly constructed and operated brick kilns are without doubt one of the most effective methods of charcoal production. They have proved themselves over decades of use to be low in capital cost, moderate in labour requirements and capable of giving surprisingly good yields of quality charcoal...
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The carbonization stage may be decisive in charcoal production even though it is not the most expensive one. Unless it is carried out as efficiently as possible, it puts the whole operation of charcoal production at risk since low yields in carbonisation reflect back through the whole chain of...
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The Tropical Products Institute (TPI), a scientific unit of the Overseas Development Administration, has gained considerable experience in operating transportable metal kilns of various designs both in the U.K. and in many developing countries. The Institute has evolved a kiln design which is...
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The earliest industrial, use of charcoal, more than four thousand years ago, was as a reductant for iron smelting to change iron oxide into metallic iron. But charcoal was already well known as a high grade smokeless fuel for cooking and domestic heating. With the emergence of industrial society...
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This on-line resource offers a selection of hundreds of food security focused documents (most of which in English) classified under several main headings that include crop and livestock production systems, fisheries and aquaculture management as well as sustainable natural resources management.In...
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This section presents information about individual crops, their crop water requirement, yield response to water; and bibliographic database on crop water productivity.
- Cross-slope barriers are measures on sloping lands in the form of earth or soil bunds, stone lines, and / or vegetative strips for reducing runoff velocity and soil loss, thereby contributing to soil, water and nutrient conservation. This is achieved by reducing steepness and / or length of...
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FAO hosts state-of-the-art databases and software to monitor and manage the many variables required to ensure food security while minimizing environmental impacts. All FAO’s standalone software models and other tools can be downloaded free, for use directly in the field or to assist in research...
- The Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is considered the most dangerous of all migratory pest species in the world. It threatens people’s livelihoods, food security, the environment and economic development. It can easily affect more than 65 of the world’s poorest countries. It can reproduce...
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Using earth as a shield against oxygen and to insulate the carbonising wood against excessive loss of heat is the oldest system of carbonization and surely goes back to the dawn of history. Even today it is perhaps used to make more charcoal than any other method. It is, therefore, worthy of...
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Our work on sustainable agriculture provides analysis and policy insights on how natural resource management can result in enhanced food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development. Research and field work seek to improve knowledge and understanding of how best to integrate...
- It is widely accepted that by 2050 the world will host 9 billion people. To accomodate this number, current food production will need to almost double. Land is scarce and expanding the area devoted to farming is rarely a viable or sustainable option. Oceans are overfished and climate change and...
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This guide provides information and advice to those concerned with the production and sale of eggs in developing countries with an emphasis on marketing, i.e. producing in order to meet market demand. Market-led egg production enables long-term business survival, higher profits and a better...
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Plants have two ways of reproduction, sexual by means of seeds, and asexually or vegetatively by means of vegetative tissue. Both ways occur in living plants in nature. In nature, some plants reproduce mainly vegetatively while others rely almost totally on sexual reproduction. For the plant...
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FAOSTAT provides free access to food and agriculture data for over 245 countries and territories and covers all FAO regional groupings from 1961 to the most recent year available.
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Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) presence is confirmed inall Eastern African countriesexcept in Djibouti. In Ethiopia, the forecast period (January–March) coincides with the growing of irrigated maize and the maize crop, a preferred host, will be at risk. In Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia,...
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Food composition data are the basis for almost everything in nutrition, and should receive more attention in agriculture to render our food supply more nutritious. FAO coordinates the International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS), a worldwide network of food composition experts aiming to...
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In developing countries agriculture is the mainstay of the economy. As such, it should be no surprise that agricultural industries and related activities can account for a considerable proportion of their output. Of the various types of activities that can be termed as agriculturally based, fruit...
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Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people, communities and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow. Weather patterns are changing, sea levels are rising, weather events are becoming more extreme...
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Detailed descriptions of more than 600 grassland species (common names, genus, and latin names) and a linked picture gallery of photos
- Medicinal Aromatic Plants (MAPs) play a valuable and important role in economic, social, cultural and ecological aspects of local communities the world over. Medicinal Aromatic Plants (MAPs) can be defined as botanicals that provide people with medicines - to prevent disease, maintain health or...
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The advice presented here is based on knowledge gained from people living with HIV/AIDS about useful herbal treatments and remedies. It does not claim that all herbs and remedies have the same effect on all people. Many communities have their own knowledge of health and nutrition, based on local...
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Home gardens are found in many humid and sub-humid parts of the world. They are sometimes called backyard or kitchen gardens. These gardens have an established tradition and offer great potential for improving household food security and alleviating micronutrient deficiencies. Gardening can...
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The DIRECTORY was first compiled in September 1988. It is updated regularly, as we become aware of new publications. Most of the tables are not held by the INFOODS Secretariat, and many are out of print. However, numbers of copies are held in libraries around the world and can often be obtained...
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Trends towards 2050 predict a steady population increase to 9 billion people, forcing an increased food/feed output from available agro-ecosystems resulting in an even greater pressure on the environment. Scarcities of agricultural land, water, forest, fishery and biodiversity resources, as well...
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The alternative to digging a pit is to stack the wood above the ground and cover the stack with earth. This method is also very old and is widely used in many countries. One finds many variations of the basic method. Studies have been made in some countries to optimise the design. The Swedish...
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Nutrition and biodiversity converge to a common path leading to food security and sustainable development. They feature directly theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs): halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger; and ensure environmental sustainability. In combination, nutrition and...
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One way to intensify fish culture without an input of expensive feed is through polyculture. In this way the natural food produced in the culture environment is utilized to a greater extent through compatible or complementary feeding habits of fish which do not compete with each other. In order...
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e-Agriculture SURVEY on the PRINCIPLES for DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT
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Media and Resources The themes presented in this section highlight some of FAO’s key areas of work. This list is constantly revised and updated in order to showcase new themes and topics.
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The marked rise in rabbit project development activities in developing countries, observed over the past ten years, may be attributable to the increased awareness of subsistence rural and peri-urban inhabitants to the potential of small-scale rabbit production. The need for descriptive data of...
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TheFAO Ration Formulation Tool for dairy cowscalculates least-cost rations for dairy cows using locally available resources. It has been specifically designed for techinicians looking for a simple and easy to use formulation tool. Meeting the nutrient requirements of dairy animals using a...
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- English (en)
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FAO The annual world production of cereal straws and stovers is approximately 2 000 million tons, however, the energy contained in this vast bulk of material is on the whole poorly utilized and its nitrogen incompletely returned to the soil. With the rising prices of both energy and nitrogen...
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Good nutrition is our first defence against disease and our source of energy to live and be active. Nutritional problems caused by an inadequate diet can be of many sorts, and when they affect a generation of youngsters, they can lower their learning capacities, thus compromising their futures,...
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- English (en)
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Seeds are the primary basis for human sustenance. They are the repository of the genetic potential of crop species and their varieties resulting from the continuous improvement and selection over time. Crop improvement and the delivery of high quality seeds and planting materials of selected...
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All over the world local varieties of fruit, vegetables and grain are grown. Many are seemingly forgotten or are underutilized despite having outstanding nutritional or taste qualities. Some have good commercial potential and could be an excellent cash crop for a smallscale or family farmers,...
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At the beginning of the year we took a tour of6 incredible plants you might not have heard of. Diets worldwide – from forest roots and leaves such as the moringa in Africa and parts of Asia to cardoon, the close relative of the artichoke in Europe – are varied, suited to local environment and can...
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Effective management during the postharvest period, rather than the level of sophistication of any given technology, is the key in reaching the desired objectives. While large scale operations may benefit from investing in costly handling machinery and high-tech postharvest treatments, often...
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TheInternational Union of Soil Science (IUSS)- at its Seventh Congress, at Madison, Wisconsin, USA, in 1960 - recommended that soil maps of continents and large regions be published. As a follow-upFAO and Unesco decided in 1961 to prepare a Soil Map of the World at 1:5 000 000 scale. The project...
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It is difficult to rate the importance of the different soil functions, since all are vital to our well-being, to some extent. However, the function ofsupportingfood andagricultureworldwide is fundamental for the preservation and advancement of human life on this planet. Soil is also the basis...
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The need to feed a growing population is a constant pressure on crop production, as is coping with an increasingly degraded environment and uncertainties resulting from climate change - and the need to adapt farming systems to these. Sustainable crop production intensification provides...
- This edition of The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculturepresents objective and comprehensive information and analyses on the current state, trends and challenges facing two of the most important agricultural production factors: land and water. Land and water...
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One of the dramatic achievements in the Asian region has been the remarkable progress in reducing the extent of famine, hunger and starvation. The recent economic crisis in the region, including Thailand has further emphasized the critical role of agriculture on the road to economic recovery....
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It is estimated that some 10,000 plant species are used medicinally, most of these are used in traditional systems of medicine. However, only a relatively small number of species are used in any significant volume. For example, in TCM, 9,905 botanical materials are used but only an estimated 500...
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Abstract, FAO, 1999 Some of the wide range of feed materials suitable for poultry in developing countries is listed in the order of their availability to small holders. Most are already fully utilised. A simple method for determining the amount of feed material available in a region for a chicken...
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The rapid growth of cities in the developing world is placing enormous demands on urban food supply systems. Agriculture – including horticulture, livestock, fisheries, forestry, and fodder and milk production – is increasingly spreading to towns and cities. Urban agriculture provides fresh food,...
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Agriculture holds the key to successfully achieving the objectives and aspirations articulated in the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. It is also crucial to the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers and rural communities worldwide....
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This paper in effect replaces the excellent, but now long out of print booklet, entitled "Water Lifting Devices for Irrigation", by Aldert Molenaar, published by FAO as long ago as 1956 [1]. Since that time, little more than one generation ago, the human population has almost doubled. In the same...
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In broad terms, land tenure rights are often classified according to whether they are “formal” or “informal”. There can be perceptual problems with this approach because, for example, some so-called informal rights may, in practice, be quite formal and secure in their own context. Despite these...
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FAO actions FAO operates a centralizedDesert Locust Information Service (DLIS)within the Locust Group at FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy that monitors the Desert Locust situation throughout the world. FAO provides information on the general locust situation to the global community and givestimely...
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The increasing degree and extent of soil degradation processes due to mismanagement and land use changes are threatening our soils. Urgent action is needed to reverse this trend if we are to ensure the necessary food production for future generations, mitigation of climate change, provision of...
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These guidelines aim to measure harvest and post-harvest losses for food grains (cereals and pulses). They presentFAO’srecommended methods to estimate food grain losses to allow countries to monitor SDG 12.3.1 (food losses along the supply chain).They present cost-effective methods that could be...
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FAO Promoting nutritionally adequate diets for all people is a major aim of FAO. Undernutrition, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, obesity and diet-related chronic diseases exist side by side in many countries. Whether food supplies are scarce or abundant, it is essential that people know how...
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Crops that have been forgotten over the last century are being rediscovered. Scientists and policymakers are now beginning to recognize the value of so-called ‘orphan' crops, affirming what local communities have known for generations. The African Yam Bean, the Desert Date and Ber (a stocky tree...
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The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for...
- Entomophagy is the consumption of insects by humans. Entomophagy is practised in many countries around the world but predominantly in parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Insects supplement the diets of approximately 2 billion people and have always been a part of human diets. However, it is...
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Agriculture and food systems are facing wide-ranging and interlinked challenges that demand urgent actions. The 10 Elements of Agroecology have been internationally endorsed as a framework to support research and development efforts in the design of differentiated paths for agriculture and food...
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Many farmer experiences with new technologies and promising crops stay just that, experiences, and promises. Implementing and scaling up technologies requires evaluation. Here we highlight a resource called the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE), developed by the Food and...
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Abstract, Frontiers in Science, 2016 Chenopodium quinoaWilld., a high quality grain crop, is resistant to abiotic stresses (drought, cold, and salt) and offers an optimal source of protein. Quinoa represents a symbol of crop genetic diversity across the Andean region. In recent years, this crop...
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The phytosanitary legislation are basic laws granting legal authority to a national plant protection organization (NPPO) from which phytosanitary regulations may be drafted (ISPM5 Glossary of phytosanitary terms). The establishment of a phytosanitary system therefore presupposes the existence of...
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2022-11-15 Session:What do large UN and governmental agencies have to offer small agencies, NGOs and local NGOs? Having worked in both a small organization and with FAO, Bicksler will bring a fresh perspective on the assets each provides to the other. Bicksler will provide real-life, practical, and helpful...
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Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA)can be defined as practices that yield food and other outputs through agricultural production and related processes (transformation, distribution, marketing, recycling…), taking place on land and other spaces within cities and surrounding regions. It involves...
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Our story follows Satyavati – a young woman from the Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh, India, as she compels her community to adopt a farming practice that is revolutionizing small-scale farming across India. Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a farming practice that believes in the natural...
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The Food Systems Dashboard combines data from multiple sources to give users a complete view of food systems. Users can compare components of food systems across countries and regions. They can also identify and prioritize ways to sustainably improve diets and nutrition in their food systems....
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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)and theInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)have cooperated over several decades to develop and implement the Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ) modelling framework and databases. AEZ relies on well-established land...
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AGROVOC is a controlled vocabulary covering all areas of interest of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, including food, nutrition, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, environment etc. It is published by FAO and edited by a community of experts. AGROVOC consists of...
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Ruminant diets in most developing countries are based on fibrous feeds: mainly mature pastures (particularly at the end of the dry season) and crop residues (e.g. wheat and rice straw, maize and sorghum stovers). These feeds are imbalanced as they are deficient in protein, minerals and vitamins...