DuPont Crop Protection (author) and Exponent PR (author)
Format:
Online document
Publication Date:
2015
Published:
United States: Public Relations Society of America
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 8 Document Number: D10301
Notes:
3 pages., Via Silver Anvil Awards., Doubling the world’s food supply in the next 35 years is no small challenge, but that’s what will be required to feed the estimated global population of 9 billion people. That goal will be achieved by increasing production one farmer at a time. Crop production continues to get more complicated with challenges from weather, weed competition, disease, insects and more – and every growing season is unique. Exponent Public Relations brought targeted, relevant, up-to-the-minute solutions to farmers and their consultants by identifying and sharing expertise of local DuPont Crop Protection experts.
Bentley, Amy (author) and Spackman, Christy (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
2014
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 153 Document Number: D11628
Notes:
16 pages., Chapter in 2014 edition of Paul B. Thompson and David M. Kaplan (editors), Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics, Springer, Dordrecht. Online via UI e-book., Sustained, cultural exploration of foods at the core of disturbances (bread, meat, rice, or milk) arising from deprivation that stirs people to the point of collective action.
13 pages, The sustainability of milpa agriculture, a traditional Mayan farming system in southern Belize, is uncertain. For centuries, the milpa has been a sustainable agriculture system. The slash-and-burn aspect of milpa farming, however, has become less reliable and less sustainable over the last 50 years due to several factors, including forest loss, climate change, population growth, and other factors. The traditional milpa practices of slash-and-mulch and soil nutrient enrichment (nutrient cycling) are agroecological practices that produce food in a more sustainable way. Agriculture extension, a government service in Belize, can promote additional agroecological practices to address food and livelihood insecurities in milpa communities. This study examines perceptions of these practices from milpa farmers and agricultural extension officers in Belize using a socio-ecological systems (SES) framework. SES considers multidisciplinary linkages, including social, economic, environmental, cultural, and other factors in the agroecological system. The study finds several of these SES linkages between agroecological practices--specifically slash-andmulch and soil nutrient enrichment--and the sustainability of the milpa farming system in southern Belize. Milpa communities are part of the broader SES and therefore are affected by changes to it. Milpa communities can also be enabled and participate in solution-finding. The findings imply that increasing the use of agroecology practices in milpa communities is needed and that government involvement and action, particularly from agriculture extension services, can facilitate a more sustainable milpa farming system and therefore more food and livelihood security in milpa communities in Belize.