Widespread presence of chemical pesticides in commercial insecticides/insect repellents products: the timely new European pesticide strategy Farm to Fork

From Dr. Konstantinos C. Makris Within the new European Green Deal framework, the Farm to Fork strategy (1) recommends the gradual reduction in both the use of chemical pesticides, and the use of the most dangerous for human health pesticides by 50% in all European countries by 2030. Residues of chemical pesticides are often detected in 

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Toolbox for farmers (Greek)

http://news.ari.gov.cy/apps/irrigation.html The overall aim of the toolbox is to provide farmers, policy makers as well as other stakeholders, a tool for the calculation of the irrigation needs of crops in a specific location in the Republic of Cyprus.  

Recent research on organic shows health and environmental benefits

Based on the Organic Report (the official magazine of the Organic Trade Association), research studies published in 2016 highlighted the environmental and health benefits of organic. The benefits are summarized below: Health Benefits (1) Pesticides: Two studies out of China and Korea showed that up to a quarter of all leafy greens exceed the maximum allowable residue limit for pesticides, 

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CoR/EESC canteen: Model of sustainability

European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and Committee of the Regions (CoR) have confirmed its commitment towards food management by making a model of sustainable canteen. Some of the practices that have been introducing in the canteen through a well-organized process over the years was the thoughtful and effective food reusability, the selection of sustainable 

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FiBL Newsletter March 2017

1 Animal welfare and global food supply: Discover the new FiBL activity report! One of FiBL’s particular strengths is sharing its knowledge – in Switzerland, in other European countries and especially in emerging and developing countries. Several pages of FiBL`s activity report 2016 are covering the activities on knowledge transfer and international cooperation as well 

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New Year’s science-based resolutions from ORGANIKO LIFE+

1 – Minimize your children’s exposure to pesticides It was recently shown that maternal residential proximity to agricultural pesticide use is associated with poorer neurodevelopment such as decreased verbal comprehension and IQ scores, in 7-year-old children. More info: http://bit.ly/2hSaLEP   2 – Increase your omega-3 fatty acids intake with organic milk and meat A range 

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Organic agriculture can feed the world sustainably

A large review study recently published in Nature Plants journal by Washington State University researchers examined the performance of organic farming according to productivity, environmental impact, economic viability and social well-being as well as some of the barriers for the adoption of organic farming systems and the policies needed to overcome them. Data from meta-analysis-based 

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Positive effects of organic farming and conservation agriculture on soil life

The intensive production practices often generate negative effects on soil life affecting its quality and farming sustainability. A study published by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research compared the long-term (14 years) effects of conservation agriculture, organic farming and conventional agriculture on specific soil organisms, involved in major soil functions that support many ecosystem 

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