Ascension Cafe

Human compost boosts harvests in Mozambique The more than 2,500 residents of Mozambique’s impoverished village of Matimangwe have harnessed the power of their poo to fertilize their crops, and the village is now on the road to sustainable food production and development. Thanks to a human-waste compost latrine system called EcoSan, villagers have seen a … Read more

Did you know that even in land scarce Singapore, there are more than 50 vegetable farms producing mainly leafy vegetables. And more than 80% of the leafy vegetables produced are derived from soil cultivation under protective netting which protects the vegetables underneath. There are 6 agro-technology parks in Singapore, located in Lim Chu Kang, Murai, … Read more

Yuan Longping wants to share technology with other countriesIt’s not often that one person can be said to be responsible for feeding 60 million people. But then Yuan Longping has never been an ordinary person. Yuan, 74, a Chinese agricultural scientist, is widely acknowledged as having discovered the genetic basis of heterosis in rice – … Read more

Twenty-three African countries face food emergencies despite normal or above-average food production in others during 2004, says the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).In its latest report, the UN agency said food security in sub-Saharan Africa has been hit by several factors, including drought, invasions by crop-devouring locusts and civil conflicts. According to the … Read more

A gift of dependency? American GM corn is unloaded in hungry Malawai, leading to concern about the future.From disease to civil strife, Sub-Saharan Africa has a host of troubles. But in the last five years, the problem of hunger also has come to the top of the list of woes. Developed countries have responded both … Read more

Hydroponic gardening isn’t just for potheads anymore. Growing produce without soil and in limited space is increasingly popular among both backyard gardeners and commercial farmers. Unpredictable weather — such as this year’s four Florida hurricanes, which sent tomato prices soaring — and soil contamination and erosion have turned growers’ attention to a technology that dates … Read more

This is a unique moment in history, when God has given us the means to dramatically reduce hunger and poverty.The pangs of hunger can be so painful and physiologically destructive, especially for children. Yet hunger also produces a more intangible pang — that of stigma and shame. Ironically, stigma is not just confined to individuals … Read more

BEIJING, (Xinhua) — Statistics show that by the first half of this year, China had 1,929 companies using “green food” labels, producing 25 million tons of green food annually. The rapid growth of China’s national economy and per capita income have triggered changes in market demand, and more people care about their nutrition and health … Read more

Over the past 10 years, the supply and the demand for organic foods have steadily increased. And — as with all markets — as more organic products move off the shelves, more producers and retailers take note and become interested in making the products more available. In 2001, organic foods constituted almost $5 billion in … Read more

So what is Halal food and why should it be certified as such? To Muslims, as a matter of religious obligation, these are foods that are permissible for them to eat. Meaning, the food (especially meat) was prepared according to Islamic practice and does not contain any by-products, raw materials, or ingredients that are considered … Read more