Raw sugar prices climbed to their highest level in 29 years on 1 February, with raw sugar ­for March delivery reaching 30.05 US cents a pound in early afternoon trading on ICE Futures US.

Mali had some 30mn chickens, ducks, guinea fowl and turkeys in 2005, but not enough protein-rich poultry products are consumed locally, according to the government and nutritionists.

Organic farming is a promising pursuit for small farmers in many of the world´s poorer nations.

Even the highly drought-resistant cowpea (a long type of legume) now has an increasingly difficult time surviving in the Sahel countries.

Global food prices are on the ascent again with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Price Index.