A rice variety submerged in salt water is being developed at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Laguna province south of Manila. REUTERS/Cheryl Ravelo 

Under the Sea: The Underwater Farms Growing Basil, Strawberries and Lettuce
Scuba divers and agricultural experts have developed a project to research if growing plants in underwater-pods is a viable solution to issues of global food insecurity. The research project began in 2012 and currently consists of seven pods, each of which can hold around 22 plant pots. The company behind the research is ready to scale up its testing with the ultimate aim of commercializing its operations.

New Fund Aims to Fuel Growth in Market for Clean Cookstoves
A new $4 million fund aims to speed up the development of supply chains for less polluting cookstoves in poor communities, by lending to businesses that would otherwise struggle to finance their growth. The Clean Cooking Working Capital Fund, the first debt fund focused on greener cookstoves, awarded its first loans this week to two US-based social enterprise firms, Envirofit International and BioLite.

Productive, Protein-Rich Breadfruit Could Help the World's Hungry Tropics
Breadfruit, a traditional staple in Hawaii and other tropical regions, could emerge as a productive, nutritious alternative to starchy foods such as rice and wheat. The breadfruit’s fast-growing perennial trees require far less labor, fertilizer, and pesticides than crops like rice and wheat, and a single tree yields an average of 250 fruits a year. Breadfruit is also rich in high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Can We Feed 10 Billion People on Organic Farming Alone?
Organic agriculture occupies only 1% of global agricultural land, making it an untapped resource for solving one of humanity’s greatest challenges: producing enough food for 10 billion by 2050 without extensive deforestation and harm to the wider environment. Although organic farming systems produce yields that average 10-20% less than conventional agriculture, they are more profitable and environmentally friendly.

Crossing Over: Who Grew My Meat?
Despite the rise in more ethical meat consumption, the data show that global demand for meat is rising, and most of the supply comes from feedlots and factories. Would I hug a laboratory beaker in which a hamburger had been carefully cultured by scientists? Perhaps not, but the idea of lab-grown meat is far more palatable than the thought of eating an animal raised in conditions of unspeakable cruelty.