Wednesday 22 February 2012
Headlines
Did you find this story interesting? (0) (0)
27/01/2012 17:54:22
Potato Congress speaker Haverkort outlines developments for 2012
This year’s World Potato Congress, to be held in Edinburgh in May and organised by Potato Council, has attracted a remarkable line-up of international speakers including Dr Anton Haverkort of Netherlands-based Plant Research International.
Around the world companies are putting more emphasis on sustainability and the drive will continue during 2012, with developed markets like Europe paving the way, says Dr Haverkort.
’The global population is set to peak at 9bn by mid-century. The diet of that population is also changing to include more meat and the need for land, water and energy will rise steeply.
’This, together with adverse effects of climate change in some areas may mean the footprints of land, water and energy may become too large to sustain food production in the long run.’
Buyers will continue to reduce the footprints they expect their suppliers to operate within, Dr Haverkort believes. ’Sustainability is a movement, a continuous change. The current situation is defined by an indicator and its values ’ when it becomes the norm for most producers, the limits may be tightened and the shift goes on.’
To help growers meet changing carbon targets, Unilever initiated a project at Aberdeen University to produce the Cool Farm Tool. This spreadsheet programme allows growers to calculate easily how much carbon dioxide (CO2) it costs to produce a crop. PepsiCo and McCain funded the potato-specific part, which Dr Haverkort completed.
’CO2 costs per tonne of potato vary between 70 and 300kg, mainly depending on yield, nitrogen fertilisation and irrigation. Such footprints increasingly will become part of the information required by buyers - their companies want to know these values to reduce future footprints.
Anton will present the Cool Farm Tool at World Potato Congress and discuss how carbon accounting can help growers meet the sustainability challenge.
Around the world companies are putting more emphasis on sustainability and the drive will continue during 2012, with developed markets like Europe paving the way, says Dr Haverkort.
’The global population is set to peak at 9bn by mid-century. The diet of that population is also changing to include more meat and the need for land, water and energy will rise steeply.
’This, together with adverse effects of climate change in some areas may mean the footprints of land, water and energy may become too large to sustain food production in the long run.’
Buyers will continue to reduce the footprints they expect their suppliers to operate within, Dr Haverkort believes. ’Sustainability is a movement, a continuous change. The current situation is defined by an indicator and its values ’ when it becomes the norm for most producers, the limits may be tightened and the shift goes on.’
To help growers meet changing carbon targets, Unilever initiated a project at Aberdeen University to produce the Cool Farm Tool. This spreadsheet programme allows growers to calculate easily how much carbon dioxide (CO2) it costs to produce a crop. PepsiCo and McCain funded the potato-specific part, which Dr Haverkort completed.
’CO2 costs per tonne of potato vary between 70 and 300kg, mainly depending on yield, nitrogen fertilisation and irrigation. Such footprints increasingly will become part of the information required by buyers - their companies want to know these values to reduce future footprints.
Anton will present the Cool Farm Tool at World Potato Congress and discuss how carbon accounting can help growers meet the sustainability challenge.
|
Farming items for Sale
|
Lamborghini 1060PREMIUM - Dungannon(GBP 17940)
Used New Holland 8560 - York(GBP 13500)
Case IH cvx1190 - Burwell
(Price on Application)
(Price on Application)
Case IH 885XL - Enniskillen(GBP 9540)
John Deere 8345R - Thame
(Price on Application)
(Price on Application)
Related News
Great expectations for British seed potato exports in 2012 - 05 Jan 2012Seed potato exports from Britain are expected to break more records following a highly successful season in 2011 and Potato Council head of seed and e...
Key challenges for agriculture outlined at Congress opening - 16 Oct 2007"Agriculture must provide more food, more feed, more fibre and now fuel to the world in the 21st Century. But it must face these challenges with a sho...
Animal health and international development to be discussed at BVA Congress 2009 - 11 Sep 2009The British Veterinary Association’s 2009 Congress boasts a packed agenda and includes sessions highlighting the links between animal health and...
Edinburgh to host Potato Congress - 15 Jul 2010Potato Council Chairman Allan Stevenson and the President of World Potato Congress Inc (WPC Inc), Allan Parker, announced today that Edinburgh has bee...
Industry sponsorship tops ’200k in support of Potato Congress - 19 Dec 2011Organisers of the 2012 World Potato Congress in Edinburgh next year have released the names of the first 13 commercial sponsors responsible for over &...
Seed certification database to be showcased at World Potato Congress - 02 Feb 2012Scottish seed producers will soon be able to view seed certification data in real time from 2012, thanks to the latest online roll out of Scotland&rsq...
Call for 2012 promotional blitz - 22 Jun 2006Source Ranger www.bfrepa.co.uk An EU-wide public information campaign should be launched to encourage consumers to switch to buying free range and ...
NFU highlights why farming matters to 2012 Olympics - 30 Nov 2006The 2012 Olympics could provide a prime opportunity to market speciality food and drink and show off the best home-grown plants, says the NFU. NFU ...
Argentina-Importing beef by 2012. - 19 Jan 2009ARGENTINA. BEEF IMPORTS MAYBE REQUIRED by 2012. Argentina could be forced to import beef by 2012, if current policies are not modified, however curr...
2012 broadband report fails to bridge digital divide - 30 Jan 2009The publication of the interim report on "Digital Britain" yesterday (Thursday, 29 January) shows graphically that the Government has failed...
