Water

Freedom to Farm Law Becomes Freedom to Add Subsidies

WASHINGTON, June 5 - Farmers who raise lentils, a crop so ancient it is mentioned in the Book of Genesis, have survived for years without government assistance. But Congress has decided they need a little help.

Worsening Water Shortage Prompts Riots In Algeria

Agence France Presse | June 6, 2002 Rioters set alight government buildings and cars in Algeria in protest against a worsening water shortage affecting much of the north African country, press reports said Thursday.

United Nations Seeks Funding to Halve World Hunger

The United Nations food body urged countries on Tuesday to spend $24 billion a year to halve world hunger by 2015 and said a new anti-hunger program would bring major economic benefit to many millions of people. Without this investment, the Rome-based U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) fears there would still be 600 million hungry people in 2015.

Irrigation Issue is Going to Court

Omaha World-Herald | By Paul Hammel | May 31, 2002 A Panhandle ranch has sued the State of Nebraska, claiming the state has allowed a local creek to dry up by failing to control groundwater irrigators.

National Farm Disaster Relief Training

TO: Farm, Religious and Rural Organizations FROM: Farm Aid, National Family Farm Coalition, Farmers' Legal Action Group, Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA) RE: NATIONAL FARM DISASTER RELIEF TRAINING -- JULY 26-27, 2002, MADISON, WI DATE: May 31, 2002 Please circulate/forward among your networks!

Organic Farms Viable Despite Lower Yields, Study Finds

A 21-year Swiss study of organic and conventional farming systems is providing new evidence that large-scale organic farming is economically viable and environmentally sustainable over the long haul, although crop yields still fall short of conventional methods.

Agencies hurrying food to famine areas

Canadian aid agencies are scrambling to help head off a deepening famine in southern Africa that's expected to turn into a crisis by midsummer if food aid is not increased soon. Severe crop failures due to extreme weather conditions -- drought, heavy rains and even frost -- have affected people in Malawi, Mozambique, Angola, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe rejects US food aid consignment

HARARE - The United States said it gave Zimbabwe 8,500 tonnes of maize this week to ease a food shortage but a further 10,000 tonnes was rejected because it did not have a certificate saying it had not been genetically modified.

Water crisis hurts US - Mexico farmers

EL PASO, Texas - Water taps spit mud and silt-laden power lines droop lifelessly along a stretch of the Texas-Mexico border, where the land is parched by drought and politics.

Texas, Mexico Quarrel Over Water

Associated Press | May 23, 2002 HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - Parched farmland, a summer drought and frustrated farmers have raised the stakes in the international struggle over water flowing through the Rio Grande.