Suggestions that novel, non-food, dedicated biomass crops used to produce bioenergy may provide opportunities to diversify and reinstate biodiversity in intensively managed farmland have not yet been fully tested at the landscape scale. Using two of the largest, currently available landscape-scale biodiversity data sets from arable and biomass bioenergy crops, we take a taxonomic and functional...

Cover crops are important components of sustainable agricultural systems. They increase surface residue and aid in the reduction of soil erosion. They improve the structure and water-holding capacity of the soil and thus increase the effectiveness of applied N fertilizer. Legume cover crops such as hairy vetch and crimson clover fix nitrogen and contribute to the nitrogen requirements of subseq...

West et al.’s recent paper (1) compared tradeoffs of carbon and crop production in temperate and tropical zones. We welcome the empirical evidence in support of agricultural intensification rather than extensification. We strongly caution against the implicit conclusion that food production might need to be concentrated in the temperate zone, however. First, this has implications for food secur...

Why is Europe so critical of GMO crops? As long as it is cheaper to import food than to produce it locally, Western European countries have no need for GMO crops. Where it does matter is Africa. In my scientific opinion, GMO food is safe to eat, GMO crops can increase yield and, when used wisely, are good for the environment. Unfortunately, scientists are helpless in the emotional and political...

Modern agriculture and horticulture must combine two objectives that seem to be almost mutually exclusive: to satisfy the nutritional needs of an increasing human population and to minimize the negative impact on the environment. These two objectives are included in the Goal 2 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations: 'End hunger, achieve food security and improved n...

In the coming century, modern bioenergy crops have the potential to play a crucial role in the global energy mix, especially under policies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions as proposed by many in the international community. Previous studies have not fully addressed many of the dynamic interactions and effects of a policy-induced expansion of bioenergy crop production, particularly on crop yi...

For addressing potential food shortages, a fundamental tradeoff exists between investing more resources to increasing productivity of existing crops, as opposed to increasing crop diversity by incorporating more species. We explore ways to use local plants as food resources and the potential to promote food diversity and agricultural resilience. We discuss how use of local plants and the practi...

Underutilised crops represent an important component of agro-biodiversity with potential to contribute to climate change adaptation, food security and sovereignty in poor rural areas. However, despite emerging research interest, they continue to occupy the peripheries of mainstream agriculture. There is a need to consolidate the gains made and propose a coherent strategy for translating underut...

C hronic hunger persists in most African countries even as crop production reaches peak levels on other continents (Johns Hopkins 2000). In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 600 million people live on small farms measuring no more than a few hectares each. Low productivity due to biotic and abiotic factors is responsible for food insufficiency and malnutrition. The rapid increase in population (nea...

Growing crops for bioenergy or biofuels is increasingly viewed as conflicting with food production. However, energy use continues to rise and food production requires fuel inputs, which have increased with intensification. Focussing on the question of food or fuel is thus not helpful. The bigger, more pertinent, challenge is how the increasing demands for food and energy can be met in the futur...