While interest is generated over new and emerging technologies, there is a diversity of knowledge, technologies and practices in agriculture, health care, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystem management. Many of these support the livelihoods of small farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples and local entrepreneurs affecting millions of people and communities across the world, especially in developing countries. In many cases, national industries have developed from traditional knowledge and endogenous technologies.There are thus vast potential and promises in these sustainable systems and practices, requiring investment and mainstreaming into development policies at the national, regional and international level. A holistic approach to technology assessment and choice would develop sophisticated principles, criteria and indicators that enable countries to benefit from sustainable production and conservation systems.

The Myths of Agricultural Biotechnology: some ethical questions

The author contends that the key problem facing agroecologists, is that modern industrial agriculture, today epitomized by biotechnology, is founded on philosophical premises that are fundamentally flawed. […]

The Potential of Agroecology to Combat Hunger in the Developing World

The authors maintain that agroecology, a scientific discipline that uses ecological theory to study, design, manage and evaluate agricultural systems that are productive but also resource conserving, may well be the answer of hunger in the Third World. […]

Agroecology: principles and strategies for designing sustainable farming systems

The author introduces agroecology as an example of the practice of sustainable agriculture. […]

Seed Purity

This research report documents the alternatives to thresholds and concludes that no relaxation of the zero tolerance standard is required given the availability of commercially viable, extremely low risk pathways to import seed. […]

Organic farming produces same yields but uses less energy and no pesticides

Organic farming produces same corn and soybean yields as conventional farms, but consumes less energy and no pesticides, study finds. […]

Energy, Productivity and Biodiversity

Generations of ecologists have puzzled over the causes of biodiversity and its relationship with productivity. Dr. Mae-Wan Ho investigates. […]

Which Science or Scientists Can You Trust?

Michael Meacher on the need to have independent science and scientists who take the precautionary principle seriously and sweeping changes are needed in science funding and scientific advice to the government that ensures the protection of independent sci […]

Are Organic Foods More Healthy?

A report on new research showing that organic feed gives protection against toxins under vulnerable conditions where conventional feed fails. […]

Diet Trumping Genes

Most geneticists are still focussing on gene sequences to find out which gene variants go with which diseases. But that’s a serious mistake, and for more reasons than one. Dr. Mae-Wan Ho reports. […]

Organic Agriculture Helps Fight Cancer

Organic agriculture largely excludes synthetic inputs and focuses instead on long-term ecological health. The health benefits of organic foods are now clear: they are richer in anti-cancer chemicals. […]