April - June 2003, Vol 3, No. 2
GENERAL FEATURES
Global food security: Facts, myths and policy needs
Productivity increases on small-scale farms in developing countries are an essential part of a solution to the food insecurity problem. The challenge is to help farmers design and implement win-win solutions. The challenge confronting us is to continue the expansion of food production to meet future demand without negative effects on the environment. Elimination of food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition in a manner consistent with an ecologically sustainable management of natural resources is of critical importance. Effective food and agricultural policies and institutions are needed to complement and guide globalization to achieve sustainable economic growth, improved equity, and reduced poverty and hunger. [Full report]

January - March 2003, Vol 3, No. 1
FOCUS
The importance of micro-nutrients in the region and benefits of including them in fertilizers
Micro-nutrients are as essential as macro and secondary nutrients to crop growth. The addition of micro-nutrients to fertilizers in the right amounts and in degraded soils ensures the sustainability of cropping through balanced nutrition and through this, the sustainable development of the fertilizer industry.  Micro-nutrients are needed in very small amounts and the existing soil reserves have been adequate for satisfactory crop production for many years.  More recently, however, crops in Asia and the Pacific region have begun to show significant deficiencies. Although the problem is well recognized at the university and scientific levels, its correction in the field, especially in broad scale cereal and oilseed crops is still lagging far behind.  There are a number of reasons for the lack of adoption of micro-nutrients by farmers. In this paper the role of the main micro-nutrients and the severity of deficiency in crops in Asia and the Pacific are outlined. The reasons for lack of treatment are discussed, and a practical solution proposed - that of fortified fertilizers, either compounded or blended. [Full report]

October - December 2002, Vol 2, No. 4
FOCUS
Precision farming approaches to small-farm agriculture
Precision farming implies a management strategy to increase productivity and economic returns with reduced impact on the environment.  It is based on the application of information technology to a description of variability in the field, variable-rate operations and the decision-making system.  There are three technology levels and three strategies in the development of precision farming.  Precision farming practices can be used on small as well as large farms, and could play a core role in rural development programmes which are integrated with industry.  A real-time soil spectrophotometer was developed to describe soil variability in farmers' fields, to be used in precision farming. [Full report]

July - September 2002, Vol 2, No. 3
GENERAL FEATURES
Agricultural Policy for the 21st Century: Towards a Socially, Economically and Ecologically Sustainable Global System
A new approach to agriculture is needed from a social, economic and ecological perspective. From a social point of view, this new approach should be to allow the large majority of today’s agricultural producers to (continue to) make a decent living through farming and complementary land management activities. From an economic point of view, such farming should be sufficiently productive and efficient to satisfy both local needs and the demand of a growing non-agricultural population, guaranteeing acceptable agricultural incomes as well as affordable prices for consumers. From an ecological point of view, this new approach should aim at creating ecologically sustainable agricultural systems, adapted to local climates, ecosystems, soils and the availability of water. All three perspectives call for a large scale reorientation of most of today’s agricultural activity.[Full report]