VOA慢速英语:UN Says Food Production Must Rise; How 'Fertilizer Trees' Could Help

The United Nations estimates that world food production will have to increase by seventy percent by twenty-fifty. A world population growing in number and wealth will require one billion tons more grain each year, and two hundred million tons more meat.
据联合国估计，世界粮食产量到2050年将必须增加70%。由于世界人口在数量和财富上的增长，每年将需要新增十亿吨粮食和两亿吨肉。

The Food and Agriculture Organization says those gains will have to happen largely on existing land through "sustainable intensification."
粮食及农业组织称，这些收获将必须大部分通过在现有土地上实行“可持续集约化”来实现。

Officials say the new report provides the first "global assessment of the state of the planet's land resources." It says large parts of all continents are experiencing damage. One-fourth of all land is described as "highly degraded." The greatest threats are losses of soil quality, biodiversity and water resources.
有关官员称，这份新的报告提供第一份“全球土地资源状况评估。”该报告称，所有大陆的大部分地区正在遭受损害。1/4的土地被描述为“高度退化。”最大的威胁是土壤质量、生物多样性和水资源的损失。

New agricultural methods and technology increased food production in many countries during the Green Revolution. Cropland increased by twelve percent from nineteen sixty-one to two thousand nine -- yet production grew by one hundred fifty percent.
在“绿色革命”期间，新农业方法和技术让许多国家的粮食产量增加。农田从1961年到2009年增加了12%，然而产量增加了150%。

But the new report warns that production rates have been slowing in many areas. In too many places, it says, practices that have increased production have also harmed the land and water. It calls for greater use of ways that can expand production while limiting damage to ecosystems.
但新的报告警告称，许多地区的生产速度已经放缓。报告称，在太多地方，增加产量的做法也损害了土地和水资源。报告呼吁加大使用可以扩大生产但同时能限制对生态系统破坏的增产方法。

One such practice might be the use of "fertilizer trees." These are fast-growing trees and shrubs whose leaves and roots help improve soil. A recent study found that about four hundred thousand farmers in southern Africa are using them.
其中一种做法可能是“肥料树”。这些都是快速生长的树木和灌木，它的叶子和根系有助于改善土壤。最近的一项研究发现，南非约40万农民正在使用它们。

The study appeared in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability. Lead author Oluyede Ajayi is senior scientist at the World Agroforestry Center in Nairobi, Kenya.
这项研究发表在《国际农业可持续发展期刊》上。主导作者Oluyede Ajayi是肯尼亚内罗毕世界农林中心的资深科学家。

OLUYEDE AJAYI: "Basically these are trees that can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert them into nitrates for fertilizer, for organic fertilizer, for the soil."
OLUYEDE AJAYI：“基本上，这些是树可以把大气中的氮转换为可供土地使用的有机肥料硝酸盐。”

Farmers who planted fertilizer trees reported double the maize production of other farmers. In Zambia, the fertilized fields provided up to one hundred fourteen additional days of food.
种植肥料树的农民的玉米产品比其他农民高出一倍。在赞比亚，这种变肥沃的土地提供了多达可供114天使用的额外粮食。

Farmers say they need less rainwater if they use fertilizer trees. The trees reduce water runoff and soil erosion.
农民们说，如果它们使用肥料树，就只需要很少的雨水。这种树可以减少水分流失和土壤侵蚀。

Mr. Ajayi says the project began when scientists were trying to identify the main threats to food security.
Ajayi先生说，当科学家们试图确定粮食安全的主要威胁时开始了该项目。

OLUYEDE AJAYI: "We actually got started by about twenty years ago trying to diagnose, to look at, the chief problems within the country, within the region."
OLUYEDE AJAYI：“实际上，我们大约在20年前就开始试图诊断、审视该国区域内的主要问题。”

The farmers themselves designed and managed part of the testing in the field, and spread the word of their successes.
农民们自己设计和管理了土地的部分测试，并传播了他们成功的消息。