Annual Report: CIRAD 2006
Preserving
Local Guinean rice varieties: diversity, dynamics and preservation
The genetic diversity of crop species is often assumed to be threatened by pressure from human activities and the introduction of improved varieties. The results of a study of local rice varieties in Guinea seem to contradict this assumption.
Agroforestry and coffee growing: enhanced sustainable production
How can a coffee crisis be overcome without necessarily boosting production? By enhancing production and focusing on quality. This is the main finding of CASCA, a large-scale project involving CIRAD in Central America. The results provide the scientific basis for improving coffee-based agroforestry system management, while promoting top-quality coffee and increasing producers’ incomes.
Invasive plants: threatening biodiversity in Réunion
Biological invasions represent a substantial threat to biodiversity in island environments. In Réunion, where there is an especially high level of endemic flora, it is essential to protect natural plant communities against introduced plants that have become invasive. Since the 1990s, CIRAD has been analysing the mechanisms by which these plants propagate, their impact and ways of controlling them. The goal is to provide environmental managers with efficient ways to deal with these exotic invaders.
Prospects for irrigated farming in the Mediterranean region
Water is a rare, saline, irregularly distributed and coveted commodity in Mediterranean countries, and a major concern for the agricultural sector in this region. A seminar organized within the framework of the EU WADEMED project enabled an assessment of the current status of irrigated agriculture in North Africa, while exploring new forms of cooperation.
Pig farming in the Red River Delta
The Red River Delta is a broad region of intensive agriculture in Vietnam. Livestock production is expanding at a dramatic pace, with pig farming representing a key factor for economic development. Pig rearing leads to a risk of water and soil pollution, which can in turn be detrimental to human health. How can the environmental impact of pig farming be managed while not undermining the competitivity of the pig farms? How can the spatial and societal constraints of this type of livestock production be allowed for in development policies?
Safeguarding endangered animal species in Vietnam
In the mountains of Vietnam, traditional livestock species and wild bovids have long been isolated. They are now threatened by the opening up of these regions, so a large-scale multidisciplinary study is being devoted to them. This should give rise to new strategies to promote and preserve these species while enhancing living conditions for rural communities, especially herdswomen, in these deprived regions.
Summary:
- Local Guinean rice varieties: diversity, dynamics and preservation
- Agroforestry and coffee growing: enhanced sustainable production
- Invasive plants: threatening biodiversity in Réunion
- Prospects for irrigated farming in the Mediterranean region
- Pig farming in the Red River Delta
- Safeguarding endangered animal species in Vietnam
- La gouvernance de l’eau