POST Online Media Lite Edition



 

UN agriculture agency looking at cactus as climate resilient food

Staff Writer |
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is urging communities around the world not to take the prickly cactus for granted.

Article continues below






“Climate change and the increasing risks of droughts are strong reasons to upgrade the humble cactus to the status of an essential crop in many areas,” said Hans Dreyer, the Director of Plant Production and Protection Division at FAO, noting the plant’s potential.

According to the UN agency, cultivation of cactus pear is slowly catching on, in part, boosted by growing need for resilience in the face of drought, degraded soils and higher temperatures.

This was evident during the recent intense drought in southern Madagascar, where the plant – once viewed as a worthless invasive species – provided a crucial supply of food, forage and water for local people and their animals.

While most cacti are inedible, the Opuntia species – also referred to as prickly pear – has much to offer, especially if treated like a crop rather than a weed run wild.

“Today the agriculturally relevant Opuntia ficus-indica subspecies – whose spines have been bred out but return after stress events – is naturalized in 26 countries beyond its native range,” says FAO, adding: “Its hardy persistence makes it both a useful food of last resort and an integral part of sustainable agricultural and livestock systems.”

Historically, cactus’ culinary qualities have been a prominent feature in Mexico as well as the Italian island of Sicily, renowned for its gourmet tradition.

In Mexico alone, the yearly per capita consumption of nopalitos – the tasty young pads, known as cladodes – is 6.4 kilograms and the plant is grown on small farms (as primary or supplemental crop) and harvested in the wild on more than three million hectors.

Aside from providing food, cactus also stores water in its pads, providing up to 180 tonnes of water per hectare – enough to sustain five adult cows.

This usefulness is all the more important during droughts, when livestock survival rate has been far higher on farms with cactus plantations.

And with pressure on water sources only projected to rise in the future, cactus could become one of the important crops for the 21st century.

Furthermore, there is evidence that yields in barley – a major cereal grain globally – rise when cactus is grown alongside it as a soil-improving alley crop, and there is research showing that use of cactus in cattle diets reduces the ruminants’ methanogenesis (production of methane in the guts of animals, especially cattle and other ruminants), thus contributing to lower greenhouse gas emissions.


What to read next

Making genetic diversity part of climate change adaptation
Sap-sucking bugs to help farmers combat coral cactus
Morocco to raise $30bn for agriculture in Africa

U.S.: Areas of excessive rainfall and severe thunderstorm potential today

 
A pair of slow moving storm systems are responsible for prolonged periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms in the Southeast and the Northeast.
 
 

Latest

Baker Hughes: U.S. oil rig count down by 5 to 474
LEGO Group will create 305 new jobs in Prince George County, Virginia
PPG will establish Cleveland County manufacturing center creating 110 jobs
World's first vaccines that don't need refrigeration entered trials

NEWS

Captain of Hong Kong ship charged with damage to Baltic gas pipeline

U.S.: Strong to severe thunderstorms from Southern Plains to Ohio Valley
U.S.: Severe thunderstorms, heavy rain and fire threat
Peru court jails ex-President Humala for money laundering
Bosnia risks air traffic shutdown over unpaid debt
Active weather in Eastern U.S.; warm weather and critical fire weather across portions of West
 

BUSINESS

U.S. rig count drops for first time in three weeks

Azerbaijan seeks investor to build bitumen materials plant
Baker Hughes: U.S. oil rig count up by 2 to 483
Domestic tourism spending in Britain falls by £3bn, analysis reveals
IMF approves $20 billion extended arrangement for Argentina
Bangladesh, Japan sign construction deal for Matarbari deep seaport
 

Trending Now

Spain unveils plan for Europe's largest hydrogen pipeline network

Mission to "weigh" all of Earth's forests from space launched

NASA's SPHEREx space telescope begins mapping entire sky

Government and MBS Global Investments to create Maldives International Financial Centre


POLITICS

Commission: Sweden failing to fulfil its obligations under EU maritime security acquis

European Parliament approved wide framework for screening of foreign direct investments
Government and MBS Global Investments to create Maldives International Financial Centre
Greece and Egypt reaffirm plans for 1,000-kilometre undersea power cable
Czech government buys 80% stake in Dukovany II power plant
Punjab to launch Air Punjab and Pakistan's first bullet train
 

Today We Recommend

Government and MBS Global Investments to create Maldives International Financial Centre


Highlights 

LEGO Group will create 305 new jobs in Prince George County, Virginia

PPG will establish Cleveland County manufacturing center creating 110 jobs

Skechers agrees to be acquired by 3G Capital


COMPANIES

Disney announces Abu Dhabi theme park and resort

Skechers agrees to be acquired by 3G Capital
Incat unveils world’s largest battery-electric vessel
Spain unveils plan for Europe's largest hydrogen pipeline network
Rolls-Royce and Turkish Technic to establish world-leading aero engine maintenance facility
543 new jobs to be created in Wayne, Bay Counties, Michigan
 

CAREERS

Jetcraft appoints Philip Baer as sales director in U.S.

Pere Mañé appointed as new CEO of Suanfarma
Ben Söderling new CEO of Sovellusmestarit Oy and MoveRoll Oy
Helio Fujita joins Mars as global people & organization VP for petcare business
Cold Summit appoints Harld Peters as president of Cold Summit Europe
Royal Van Leeuwen chairman Peter Rietberg stepped down
 

ECONOMY

California is now world’s 4th-largest economy

Thailand's exports jump 17.8 pct to 3-year high in March
Turkish exports hit second highest March figure on record
EU hourly labour costs ranged from €11 to €55 in 2024
U.S. consumer confidence dropped sharply in February
EU records trade surplus for 6 quarters in a row
 

EARNINGS

Ericsson Q2 sales down but North America up

Lockton revenue $3.55 billion
Motorcar Parts of America Q4 sales $189.5 million
Limoneira Q2 revenue $44.6 million
Lululemon athletica Q1 revenue increased 10% to $2.2 billion
PVH Q1 GAAP EBIT $205 million
 

OP-ED

Micromanaging is the worst enemy of efficiency and teamwork

Niger set to monetize massive gas reserves through Saharan natural gas pipeline
Putting the brakes on EV folly that choked the market
Oil discovery in Kavango Basin may mean huge benefits for Namibians
Cape Town and Dubai battle over Africa's energy future
Is America going to lose its superpower status?
 

AGRIFISH

Minister István Nagy: FMD immunity can be announced on May 30

£50 million equipment and technology grants to boost food production, farm profitability
Philippines approves beef supplies from Russia
Hong Kong: Import of poultry meat and products from areas in U.S. suspended
U.S.-Mexico reach agreement on screwworm
Tanzania bans agricultural imports from South Africa and Malawi
 

LEADERSHIP

Study: Missing a deadline has a bigger impact than you might think

Employers prefer younger job candidates for AI roles although experienced workers perform same or better
Study finds workers misjudge wage markets
Some organizations may need to expand their hierarchical structures earlier than others
Study finds there's right way and wrong way to deliver negative feedback in workplace
Allyship is critical and its needs appreciation
 

CRIME

EU fines carmakers €458 million for anti-recycling cartel

Commission fines Pierre Cardin and its licensee Ahlers €5.7 million for restricting cross-border sales of clothing
BHP, Vale agree to pay $30B damages for Brazil dam disaster
Commission fines České dráhy and Österreichische Bundesbahnen €48.7 million over collusion to exclude common compe
SEC charges Keurig with making inaccurate statements regarding recyclability of K-Cup beverage pod
SEC charges John Deere with FCPA violations for subsidiary’s role in Thai bribery scheme
 

Magazine

TRAVEL

Radisson Hotel Group debuts in the heart of Tunisia’s capital city, Tunis

Morocco’s first Radisson branded hotel opens in Casablanca
Buna channels, an unreal and beautiful part of Bosnia and Herzegovina
JW Marriott unveils Mindful Haven with opening of JW Marriott Hotel Nairobi
Sotheby's Sports Week returns with fantastic artifacts
Red Roof properties open in Michigan
 

SEA, LAND, AIR

Citroën C3 Aircross, the most affordable compact SUV with 7 seats

2025 Chevrolet Equinox stands apart with fresh looks and capability
Hill Helicopters HX50, luxury in the sky
Opel Movano becomes fully equipped camper van
Porsche Panamera, new hybrid variants
Dodge Charger, 670 horsepower of electric
 

DESIGN

Cold night, hot fire pit, cool entertainment

Embellish your home with PVC panels
You'll have to hurry if you want one of 20 new Louis Vuitton watches
Luxury duvet looks good, fells good and keeps you healthy
Vacheron Constantin, watches for life and more
Schüller kitchens, where functionality marries design
 

GADGETS

MESA/Boogie Celebrates 40-year partnership with John Petrucci

reMarkable 2, monochrome tablet for your thoughts and your eyes
OnePlus Ace 3V, first with Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, flagship with a reason
Samsung Galaxy S24 is photography powerhouse
Casette tapes are making a big comeback, and so are portable players
 

HEALTH

First patient enrolled in Phase 1 clinical trial of Akiram’s cancer drug candidate

FDA grants marketing authorization of first home test for chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis
Human cases of anthrax reported in western Mongolia
One more barrier to developing vaccine for HIV removed
Rwanda begins world's first clinical trial for treatment of Marburg virus disease
Rwanda restricts gatherings amid Marburg virus outbreak, to begin trials of vaccine
 

MEANTIME

Mission to "weigh" all of Earth's forests from space launched

NASA's SPHEREx space telescope begins mapping entire sky
Russian academics, gas industry experts see undersea LNG transportation as feasible
India launches space docking experiment mission
World-first carbon-14 diamond battery made
Einstein Telescope step closer