Nairobi, Kenya
(17 May 2010)-Soil-living bacteria and fungi
can be used to boost crop yields by more
than 50 per cent without the use of fertilizers,
an international research project has found.
In combination with
fertilizers, yields of key crops such as
beans, can more than double, the scientists
from seven countries discovered.
The findings, the result
of an international effort to unravel the
mysteries of so-called 'below ground biodiversity',
are likely to have important implications
for food security and farmers livelihoods
and incomes.
The amount of fertilizer
needed to boost yields is far less than
using inorganic fertilizer on its own. Other
important findings are that some of the
micro-organisms assist in fighting crop
diseases which in turn can reduce the need
for pesticides.
For farmers switching
to organic agriculture-whose produce commands
higher premiums on world markets-this could
prove especially valuable.
The findings were announced
today at the opening of a week-long conference
at the World Agroforestry Centre. The conference,
bringing together some 70 experts, will
outline how the soil organisms work, where
they live and how they are extracted from
the soil and packaged to work in the farmers'
fields and in other ecosystems.
The research project,
entitled the Conservation and Sustainable
Management of Below Ground Biodiversity
(CSM-BGBD), has involved scientists from
Brazil, Cote d'Ivoire, India, Indonesia,
Kenya, Mexico and Uganda.
The eight-year project
has been coordinated by the Tropical Soil
Biology and Fertility Institute of CIAT
(TSBF-CIAT) with co-financing from the Global
Environmental Facility (GEF), and implementation
support from the United Nations Environment
Program (UNEP).
Some Key Findings
Studies in Kenya indicate
that inoculation with Rhizobium bactreia
increased soybean yields by 40%, 60% and
54% in Homabay, Kabete and Mtwapa, respectively,
without the use of fertilizers.
However, when the organisms
like Trichoderma are used in combination
with fertilizers like Mavuno, which have
micro-nutrients, bean yields more than doubled.
These findings were
reported in a paper published in an internal
journal in December 2009, led by Dr. Sheila
Okoth of University of Nairobi.
The findings of this
project also show significant economic returns.
Using Rhizobia as bio-fertilizers,
for example, in combination with Triple
Super Phosphates (TSP) fertilizers can produce
a benefit to cost ratio of 2.3 that translates
to a net benefit of US$253 after cost deductions
for one hectare of land.
Using the fertilizer
on its own has a cost benefit ratio of 1.9
with a net benefit of US$170 and deploying
Rhizobia alone gives a similar cost-benefit
ratio with a net benefit of US$143.
Benefits arise in terms
of a lowering of costs to farmers with the
soil organisms assisting to improve the
efficient use of nutrients and improved
utilization of water.
A paper published by
CIAT scientist - led by Dr. Jonas Chianu
- also indicates that the financial value
of the nitrogen fixing attribute of soybean
in sub-Saharan Africa annually amounts to
about US$200 million across 19 countries.
With the fertilizer
price of US$795 per ton (as of June 2008),
this would amount to US$375 million.
Notes to Editors
Details of the Conservation
and Sustainable Management of Below-Ground
Biodiversity (CSM-BGBD) project can be found
at http://www.bgbd.net
This week's conference
at the WorldAgroforestry Centre provides
a platform in which scientists provide recommendations
on what needs to be done to implement the
use of these micro-organisms and how it
can be done.
There will be policy
entry points prepared, and panel discussion
on policy matters that should translate
the findings of the project to meaningful
issues for attention.
For background information,
images, and maps, please visit the online
press room at: http://www.bgbd.net
For more information and interview requests,
contact
Dr. Peter Okoth, Project Information Manager
+ More
Christiana Figueres
New UN Climate Convention Secretary
(Bonn, 17 May 2010)
- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed
Christiana Figueres as the new Executive
Secretary of the United Nations Climate
Change Secretariat based in Bonn, Germany.
The appointment was endorsed by the Bureau
of the UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) on Monday.
In announcing her appointment
the UN Secretary-General said: "Ms.
Figueres is an international leader on strategies
to address global climate change and brings
to this position a passion for the issue,
deep knowledge of the stakeholders and valuable
hands-on experience with the public sector,
non-profit sector and private sector."
Ms. Figueres' leadership
at the helm of the UNFCCC comes at a crucial
time in global efforts to take effective
action on climate change.
"I am honored by
the designation of the Secretary General
and I am thankful to the members of the
UNFCCC Bureau for their vote of confidence.
Most of all, I am humbled by the opportunity
of the challenging task at hand," said
Ms. Figueres.
"As I take on my
new responsibilities at the helm of the
secretariat, I will have two immediate priorities:
to work with the Secretary General to strengthen
trust in the process, and to support the
Danish and Mexican COP Presidencies as well
as all other Parties in the preparation
of a successful COP16 in Cancun," she
added.
Ms Figueres has been
a member of the Costa Rican negotiating
team since 1995. She represented Latin America
and the Caribbean on the Executive Board
of the Clean Development Mechanism in 2007,
and was then elected Vice President of the
Conference of the Parties 2008-2009.
She has served as Director
of International Cooperation in the Ministry
of Planning in Costa Rica, and as Chief
of Staff to the Minister of Agriculture.
She was also the Director of Renewable Energy
in the Americas (REIA) and is founder of
the Center for Sustainable Development of
the Americas (CSDA).
Outgoing UNFCCC Executive
Secretary Yvo de Boer said: "I have
known Christiana Figueres for many years
and can testify to her deep commitment and
work to establish the robust and effective
international climate regime that is the
only way for all nations to avoid the worst
impacts of climate change. She is familiar
with the different interests a successful
outcome of negotiations must address and
can help stakeholders to find common ground.
I wish her every success."
UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-moon in turn commended Yvo de Boer:"I
am grateful for his dedicated services and
tireless efforts on behalf of the climate
change agenda," he said.
Ms. Figueres, 53, holds
a Masters Degree in Anthropology from the
London School of Economics, and a certificate
in Organizational Development from Georgetown
University.
About the UNFCCC
With 194 Parties, the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) has near universal membership
and is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto
Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified
by 190 of the UNFCCC Parties. Under the
Protocol, 37 States, consisting of highly
industrialized countries and countries undergoing
the process of transition to a market economy,
have legally binding emission limitation
and reduction commitments. The ultimate
objective of both treaties is to stabilize
Greenhouse gas concentrations
in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent
dangerous human interference with the climate
system.
