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HORTICULTURE

FAO adds to data coverage of employment in
agrifood systems

The#Food#and#Agriculture#Organization# Asia recorded the highest number of peo-
of#the#United#Nations#(FAO)#has#launched# ple – 830 million people - working in agrifood
¿YH QHZ LQGLFDWRUV DQG RYHUKDXOHG WKH systems, with China and India accounting for
data# available# on# its# # portal,# the# global# nearly 60 percent of such employment. Af-
goKto#resource#for#those#interested#in#agK rica followed with an estimated 300 million
rifood#facts#and#rural#livelihoods. people. The two continents combined ac-
count for 88 percent of global employment
The expanded data domain now provides, in agrifood systems.
at the country, regional and global levels,
information on 23 indicators ranging from insights on what is the world’s largest labor Globally, the agricultural sector makes up
employment in agrifood systems, status in sector, employing close to 1.3 billion people, 67.5 percent of agrifood system employ-
employment, divisions of agriculture and or 39.2 percent of the global work force. It ment, though regional di!erences are sub-
hours worked of the people employed in also sets the stage for more detailed moni- stantial. In the Americas, Europe, and Ocea-
agriculture, forestry and "shing and in rural toring of trends at a local level going forward. nia, much of agrifood employment centers
areas by sex and age whenever possible. on o!-farm activities like food processing,
Key indicators refer to agricultural and non- Some takeaways services, trade, transportation, and non-food
agricultural employment in agrifood systems The global share of employment in ag- agricultural manufacturing. By contrast, Af-
and break down data by age groups, sex and rifood systems (AFS) has decreased signi"- rica and Asia primarily rely on farming for ag-
sectors of agriculture including forestry and cantly, from 52.2 percent in 2000 to 39.2 per- rifood jobs. Agricultural employment within
logging and "shing and aquaculture as well cent in 2021, indicating a major shift towards agrifood systems ranges from 74.4 percent in
as hunting and crop and animal production. other sectors over the past two decades. Africa to just 34.8 percent in Europe.
“The expanded FAOSTAT responds to a Africa leads with 64.5 percent of employ- Non-agricultural employment in agrifood
critical need to improve the availability of ment in AFS, highlighting a strong reliance systems (AFS) has remained stable at around
employment data to inform the transforma- on agrifood systems. Asia follows with 41.5 13 percent of total global employment over
tion of agrifood systems. It o!ers a better percent, re%ecting both agrarian economies the past two decades, with Africa as the only
picture of how many people are working alongside growing industrialization. The region experiencing growth in this sector.
in agrifood systems around the world and Americas hold a 22.4 percent share in total In 2021, non-agricultural AFS employment
highlights their key role in feeding the plan- reached 16.5 percent in Africa, followed by
et,” said José Rosero Moncayo, Chief Statisti- employment, followed by Oceania at 18.7 the Americas at 12.8 percent, Asia at 12.4
percent, and Europe at 14.7 percent, indicat-
cian and Director, FAO Statistics Division. percent, Oceania at 11.9 percent, and Eu-
ing more diversi"ed economies with a lower rope, which had the lowest share at 9.6 per-
The new FAOSTAT o!ering gives useful reliance on AFS employment. cent. Circle 27 on enquiry card
Research into It is important to note that when this meth-
od is used in practice, growers should keep in
the effect of mind that additional water may be required to
Verimark on ensure that the agent is distributed through-
out the irrigation line.
coco substrate Results

In# innovation# centre# ‘de# Kas’,# Van# der# In the greenhouse, we observed some hot Aphid control was similar on both substrates.
Knaap# Group# recently# conducted# a# trial# spots of aphids before the start of the trial, with Four series of leaf samples were taken: three
with#crop#protection#agent#Verimark#from# no clear preference for either substrate. To ac-
producer#FMC.#This#research#was#set#up#in# curately assess the e!ectiveness of Verimark, days after the "rst application, three days af-
response#to#concerns#from#growers#about# we took leaf samples that we tested for the ter the second application, fourteen days after
WKH SRVVLEOH GHJUDGDWLRQ RU ¿[DWLRQ RI FURS concentration of the active ingredient cyantra- the second application and 28 days after the
protection#agents#on#coco#substrate.# niliprole. The leaf samples were always taken second application. It can be seen in the leaf
from the same height, using leaves that were
This would potentially reduce the e!ective- formed in the same week. Thus, for each analy- samples (graph) that the initial concentration
ness of the pesticide. Although we have no sis, we took older leaves. of active ingredient in the plants on the stone
negative experiences with the e!ectiveness
of crop protection products on coco substrate, Implementation and circumstances wool substrate is higher than the plants on
and a number of growers indicate in practice In consultation with Nico Harteveld of FMC, the coco substrate, but that this concentration
that pests such as aphids are e!ectively con- it was decided to carry out a block of two Veri- decreases faster on the stone wool substrate
trolled, we wanted to establish this objectively mark applications. This builds up the active than on the coco substrate. Interestingly, the
in a controlled trial. substance in the plant, extends the duration concentration of active substance in the coco
Trial e!ect and reduces the chance of resistance. substrate still increased slightly between the
Both applications took place on days when
The study took place in a bell pepper crop second and third measurements, without the
(variety Alzamora RZ, planting date January 3, we expected the plants to be active. The "rst application of additional agent.
application took place on June 28, 2024 at a
2024) where we compared a stone wool sub- light irradiation of 2400 J/cm² and a maximum
strate with a coco substrate. The research com- outdoor temperature of 21.5°C. The second ap- At the time of writing this article (week 36), no
partment was separated into twelve sections, in plication followed on July 8, 2024 at 1800 J/cm² reinfection of aphids was observed on either sub-
which both substrates were evenly distributed and a maximum of 22.3°C.
to minimize di!erences in greenhouse climate. strate. This con"rms the e$cacy of the pesticide
Separate irrigation systems were installed for graph: weight distribution of Forteco Prof- as an e!ective aphicide on both coco substrate
both substrates to ensure optimal watering. it coco substrate in 'de Kas' and stone wool substrate. Circle 28 on enquiry card
Vol. 40 No. 8 21