News Stories - Page 102

University of Georgia faculty and students are working to better understand pollinators and the threats they face. Pollinating bees are vital to healthy crops and a thriving ecosystem, but are under threat of extinction from disease, pollution and other factors. Here are 10 ways UGA is working to help pollinators.

While peach orchards are a common sight throughout middle and south Georgia — helping the Peach State live up to its name — peach producers need more than just the title to ensure that both long-established groves and newly planted fields are successful.

Food engineering professor Fanbin Kong has dedicated his life to studying how our bodies process the food we eat. Through his current research, Kong is gaining insights into how some nonfood materials may assist in weight loss.

For decades, farmers in Kenya and Malawi have suffered declining agricultural productivity due to climate change and unsuccessful adoption of advanced agricultural technology. However, new research from the University of Georgia indicates that improving government policy while integrating indigenous methods with new technology will increase the productivity of struggling farms.

The idea and principles of Farm to School programs have been around for more than two decades, but it took nearly half that time for adoption and funding to garner growth and wider attention.

Carpenter bees are a common sight this time of year and can cause aggravation for homeowners. The large, black and yellow bees begin emerging in March, April and May and can cause unsightly damage — and in some cases significant damage — to wooden structures like the eaves of houses, porches and decks.

Sean Posey didn’t see how agricultural economics would feed his love of math, but a decade into his grad school journey, he’s using those skills and interests to help improve farming practices in Africa. From information communication technologies to gender roles in information-sharing and incentivization programs that will improve groundnut health, Posey has been focused on improving agricultural practices and public safety for the past four years. At the University of Georgia completing his PhD, Posey is working on a research project led by professor Nick Magnan through the Peanut Innovation Lab

The 2021 College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Research Symposium drew 48 participants in a virtual format that showcased students’ research findings and provided cash awards to eight first- and second-place winners.

Even in the midst of a global pandemic, volunteers have continued to make a positive impact for Georgians of all ages. Throughout Volunteer Appreciation Week April 19 - 23, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is honoring thousands of volunteers who have dedicated their time to facilitate 4-H, Master Gardener and Family and Consumer Sciences programming on the county, district and state levels.