Tag: drought

The Sahel Is Getting Wetter, But Will It Last?

by | 5.9.2013 at 7:58am
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New research gives a unifying explanation of the Sahel’s past, present and future climate patterns.

Poor Ethiopian Farmers Receive ‘Unprecedented’ Insurance Payout

by | 12.11.2012 at 5:49pm
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Thanks to a groundbreaking new program that relies on advanced satellite technology, a weather index insurance payout of unprecedented scale will benefit poor African farmers.

Epic Wetness in Greater NYC, and What Broadleaf Trees Have to Say About It

by | 9.6.2012 at 8:32am | 3 Comments
Glade and Jacob in front of 512 year old tuliptree, aka tulip-poplar. Photo: N. Pederson

2012 is turning out to be an exceptional year in the eastern US. Starting out with what was essentially a #YearWithoutaWinter, followed by a heat wave in March, a hot summer, Macoun and Cortland apples coming in 2-3 weeks early, and the continuation of a severe drought in the Southern US that expanded into the Midwest [...]

From Birmingham to Bamako: How Farmers Deal with Drought

by | 8.27.2012 at 2:01pm
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A look at the tools and technologies farmers in Mali use to enhance their decision making in the face of droughts and other climate risks.

What’s Holding Water Conservation Back in Rockland County?

by | 8.22.2012 at 10:44am | 1 Comment
Lake Deforest, a reservoir on the Hackensack River, provides 37 percent of Rockland's water; the rest comes from underground aquifers.

Rockland County’s main water provider, United Water NY, wants to build a treatment plant on the Hudson River that would deliver more freshwater to Rockland taps. As the project awaits state approval, a new debate on water consumption has emerged. Should people be encouraged, or even required, to use less? And if so, how?

Forecasting Climate’s Effects on Global Food Production

by | 8.17.2012 at 11:31am | 1 Comment
Farm workers, Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh, India (Carolyn Mutter/CCSR)

The worst drought to hit the U.S. in decades has already brought corn yields to a 17-year low and will almost certainly raise food prices. Wealth will soften the blow in the U.S., but in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, prolonged drought has often had deadly consequences. Is there a better way to anticipate climate’s effect on food production?

Preparing for a Future of Perpetual Drought

by | 8.16.2012 at 7:45pm | 2 Comments
A Missouri cornfield. Photo credit: Theresa L. Wysocki

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that droughts will likely increase in central North America this century. How can we prepare for a future of perpetual drought?

Brief Broadleaf Forest Happenings: tulip goodness, delighted about Turkey, and drought

by | 7.29.2012 at 8:12am | 1 Comment
Massive black cherry & field crue. Photo: N. Pederson

I have to call myself out. Earlier I had professed to being a former coniferphile. That was, of course, silly. I like coniferous trees very much. Half of my business is made from this lovely branch of the tree family. This introduction is a lead in to say that this blog will be quieter while [...]

Photo Essay: In the Heart of Dryness

by | 6.6.2012 at 2:30pm | 1 Comment
Men from the farming community of Soudoure, just outside of Niamey, Niger. F. Fiondella/IRI

Explore the country of Niger in this visual essay while learning about the importance of seasonal forecasting to the Sahel, one of the poorest and most climate-vulnerable regions in the world.

Video: Is Drought In East Africa The New Normal?

by | 5.3.2012 at 11:31pm
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A video interview with climate scientist Bradfield Lyon, who explains his latest research on what’s driving rainfall patterns in parts of East Africa.