Available to Us as a Nation (1940 – 2002) – a Review of the 6th Edition of McCance and Widdowson, discusses these changes in detail. It shows that the nutrient levels in food have decreased between 10 and 100%.
Table 1 illustrates the significant decline in essential minerals in roast chicken between 1940 and 2002. Closer inspection reveals how levels of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and iron declined significantly between 1940 and 1991. Between 1991 and 2002 trace elements either increased or remained stable.
Maintaining healthy soil is a sure-fire way to increase the nutrient density of food. Soil without living organisms serves no purpose for growers, which is why it is important to balance its chemistry, physical structure and biology. Unfortunately, some land-use operations, such as industrial agricultural practices, mining, and construction and development, tend to harm soil quality.
Common causes of soil damage include long-term chronic toxicity, pollution due to irresponsible or unbalanced application of herbicides, irrigation and drainage, grazing, tillage, fertilisers or contaminants. Pesticides and insecticides that damage macrofauna (animals that are 1cm or longer in length, but smaller than an earthworm) in the soil can also harm its health and calls into question whether it is possible to revive dead or damaged soil.
Diagnosing soil problems
Dawie van Rensburg of SWP AGRI believes that soil can be revived by following a few crucial steps. He says the process begins with evaluating photosynthesis, making a checklist to measure the soil’s ‘vital signs’, diagnosing the problem, determining which treatment is required and taking responsibility for the environment.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2020 من FarmBiz.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2020 من FarmBiz.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Hauling In A Full Net: Reaping The Benefits Of Processed Fish
As local and global governments deal with the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, producers are now more than ever searching for new options for expanding their businesses. That said, farming and value addition to produce does not have to be limited to landlocked food sources.
Grow Produce Year-round With Tunnels And Greenhouses
Climate change is an inescapable reality and can wreak havoc in open-field production systems that rely on the right weather patterns to produce good yields. For this reason, many producers worldwide have turned to growing crops in tunnels or greenhouses. These production systems offer protection from changing weather patterns, allowing them to grow crops throughout the year.
Saving Soil: Harnessing The Microbiome
We live in unprecedented times.
Summer Grain Production: A Producer's Perspective
The 2020 planting season for producers in the summer rainfall areas is here and most of them are looking forward to the first summer rains so that they can plant their crops. FarmBiz spoke to Jaco Minnaar from the farm Uitsny near Henneman about the new season. Jaco is vice-chairperson of Agri SA and currently serves on the Senwes board.
Electronic Auctions: The New Normal?
The South African livestock industry has suffered a tremendous setback with challenges posed to physical auctions. However, the industry is nothing if not resilient. The first ban on livestock auctions was imposed during the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in 2019.
Oxygen Types That Damage Crops In Extreme Weather Conditions
Oxygen is best known as a life-giving gas without which life as we know it, would not be possible.
Asia's Maize Imports Likely To Grow
In 2019, the Asian maize market was finally on the rise to reach US$204,4 billion after two years of decline. The total consumption indicated buoyant growth from 2009 to 2019. Its value increased at an average annual rate of 5,1% over the last decade.
Cultivated grazing: Fertiliser is the key to success
Nowadays everything in agriculture has to be done on a larger scale. Cultivated grazing has also become a science, with producers forced to think bigger to get more out of their grazing – all at the most economical cost.
Industry Giants Comment On Special Adjustment Budget
Prof Johan Willemse, an independent agricultural economist, says the supplementary budget delivered by the minister of finance on 24 June was a real shocker. According to him, the government is spending an additional R145 billion on the COVID-19 issue. The real issue, however, is a record budget shortfall due to the economic meltdown, with wrong policy choices and corruption on the cards.
Rethinking The Conversion Process Of Poultry Litter To Biogas
The poultry industry is generally comprised of broiler chicken production, egg production, day-old chick suppliers and other poultry. While micro-enterprise businesses are gaining prominence as a means to address the challenges of job creation, economic growth and equity, the industry has future challenges concerning poultry litter management.
