By VOA

23 September, 2013

From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.

The United Nations Environment Program(UNEP) says 200 million Africans go to sleep hungry, that number represents 23 percent of the population on the continent. A new UN study shows that eight out of 10 countries facing the worst food shortage are in Africa.

Recently African experts, farmers and others gathered in Kenya for two days of discussion. They debated ways to feed the growing human population in Africa and deal with rising temperatures on earth surface.

The U.N. Climate Change Coordinator for Africa, Richard Munang was one of the speakers. He noted a need to increase food production to feed the population, but he said this must be done without putting more pressure on the environment. He said it is important to find ways to feed people without destroying forests, rivers and seas that provide food.

At the meetings, Emmanuel Dlamini served as a negotiator for One Africa. In his opinion, climate change is here to stay, he says African government and farmers have to look for ways to deal with the changes.

"In the negotiation, we trying to make sure such eco-base systems for food security there are available means for the countries to adopt."

Most of the African countries depend on rain to prepare their farmland and to start growing crops. For the past few years, a lack of rainfall has affected several countries, making their populations depended on food aid.

African farmers say that a combination of unpredictable rain and rising temperatures creates an environment for crop diseases that affects production.

The conference also heard from a representative of Nestle, one of world's largest food companies. Nestle Africa's Hans Johr says farmers need assistance from food processing companies and non-governmental organizations to deal with challenges.

"There is this challenge of climate change, and that is just now adding up a new dimension to the way we are interacting with our suppliers, but once again talking our suppliers these are farmers, these are mid-size farmers, but a lot of small holders they need to be trained to really understand and to cope up with these changes."

The conference organizers and delegates have called for joint efforts from farmers, governments and the international community to increase food production. They are also seeking ways to combine food security and sustainable agriculture with continental and international policies.

And that's the Agriculture Report from VOA Learning English, I'm Christopher Cruise.

From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。

The United Nations Environment Program(UNEP) says 200 million Africans go to sleep hungry, that number represents 23 percent of the population on the continent. A new UN study shows that eight out of 10 countries facing the worst food shortage are in Africa.

联合国环境计划署(简称UNEP)表示2亿非洲人饿着肚子睡觉，这一数字占到了非洲大陆人口的23%。联合国一项新的研究显示，10个面临严重粮食短缺的国家有8个位于非洲。

Recently African experts, farmers and others gathered in Kenya for two days of discussion. They debated ways to feed the growing human population in Africa and deal with rising temperatures on earth surface.

最近非洲专家、农民和其他人士齐聚肯尼亚，进行了为期两天的讨论。他们讨论了养活非洲不断增长人口和应对地球表面温度上升的办法。

The U.N. Climate Change Coordinator for Africa, Richard Munang was one of the speakers. He noted a need to increase food production to feed the population, but he said this must be done without putting more pressure on the environment. He said it is important to find ways to feed people without destroying forests, rivers and seas that provide food.

联合国气候变化非洲协调员Richard Munang是发言者之一。他指出了提高粮食产量养活人口的必要性，但他表示这样做不能对环境造成压力。他说，最重要的是找到办法养活人口而不破坏森林、河流和海洋。

At the meetings, Emmanuel Dlamini served as a negotiator for One Africa. In his opinion, climate change is here to stay, he says African government and farmers have to look for ways to deal with the changes.

在会议上，伊曼纽尔·德拉米尼(Emmanuel Dlamini)是“同一个非洲”组织的谈判代表。在他看来，气候变化会一直存在，非洲各国政府和农民们必须寻求办法来应对气候变化。

"In the negotiation, we trying to make sure such eco-base systems for food security there are available means for the countries to adopt."

他说，“在谈判中，我们努力确保粮食安全的这类生态基础是被各国有效接纳。”

Most of the African countries depend on rain to prepare their farmland and to start growing crops. For the past few years, a lack of rainfall has affected several countries, making their populations depended on food aid.

大多数非洲国家依赖雨水备耕备种。在过去几年里，降水不足已经对数个国家产生了影响，使得这些国家的人口依赖粮食援助。

African farmers say that a combination of unpredictable rain and rising temperatures creates an environment for crop diseases that affects production.

非洲农民说，降雨不可预知和气温上升相结合，形成了影响产量的作物病害环境。

The conference also heard from a representative of Nestle, one of world's largest food companies. Nestle Africa's Hans Johr says farmers need assistance from food processing companies and non-governmental organizations to deal with challenges.

会议还听取了全球最大食品公司之一的雀巢公司代表的意见。雀巢非洲公司的Hans Johr表示，农民们需要得到食品加工企业以及非政府机构的帮助以应对挑战。

"There is this challenge of climate change, and that is just now adding up a new dimension to the way we are interacting with our suppliers, but once again talking our suppliers these are farmers, these are mid-size farmers, but a lot of small holders they need to be trained to really understand and to cope up with these changes."

他说，“这是气候变化的挑战，这些挑战在我们影响供应的方式上增加了新的维度。但再次谈到我们的供应，有很多中小规模的农民，以及很多小农场主需要经过培训，来真正了解和应对这些变化。”

The conference organizers and delegates have called for joint efforts from farmers, governments and the international community to increase food production. They are also seeking ways to combine food security and sustainable agriculture with continental and international policies.

会议组织者和与会代表纷纷呼吁农民、政府和国际社会共同努力增加粮食生产。他们也在寻找途径，将粮食安全和农业可持续发展，同各大洲政策以及国际政策结合起来。