VOA慢速英语2012 AGRICULTURE REPORT - Demand for Wheat Growing in Sub-Saharan Africa

 

AGRICULTURE REPORT - Demand for Wheat Growing in Sub-Saharan Africa

农业报道 - 撒哈拉以南非洲地区小麦需求猛涨

From VOA Learning English, this is the AGRICULTURE REPORT in Special English.

这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。

Agricultural experts met in Ethiopia last week to discuss ways to help sub-Saharan Africa become a major producer of wheat. The area traditionally produced little wheat.

农业专家上周在埃塞俄比亚会面，讨论如何帮助撒哈拉以南非洲地区成为小麦的主要生产国。该地区传统上生产小麦不多。

Currently, maize¹ -- or corn -- is the top cereal crop in countries south of the Sahara. In North Africa, wheat is the most important crop. Wheat production fell sharply in sub-Saharan countries during the nineteen eighties. 

目前，玉米是撒哈拉以南地区的主要谷类作物。在北非，小麦是最重要的作物。上世纪80年代期间，撒哈拉以南非洲国家的小麦产量大幅下跌。

Hans Joachim Braun is director of the Global Wheat Program of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.

汉斯·约阿希姆·布劳恩（Hans Joachim Braun）是国际玉米和小麦改良中心全球小麦项目的负责人。

“Wheat was always a commodity crop in North Africa. North Africa was the grain basket for the Roman Empire. And wheat production and domestication² started in North Africa, Turkey, Iraq. So for traditional reasons, wheat was always there.”

“小麦一直是北非的一种商品类作物。北非是罗马帝国的粮食基地。小麦的生产和驯化始于北非、土耳其和伊拉克。因为这一传统原因，小麦一直在这里生长。”

In the nineteen sixties, attempts were made to grow wheat in sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa and Zimbabwe. But those countries found it was less costly³ to import wheat from Europe and the United States.

上世纪60年代，人们试图在撒哈拉以南非洲，包括南非和津巴布韦种植小麦。但这些国家发现从欧洲和美国进口小麦成本更低。

Another problem is that Africa’s wheat farms were often far from population centers. There also were transportation issues. And some lowlands were not a good place to grow wheat.

另一个原因是非洲的小麦农场通常远离人口中心。此外还有运输问题。同时一些低地不是种植小麦的好地方。

Hans Joachim Braun says now is a good time to increase wheat production. 

布劳恩表示，现在是提高小麦产量的一个好时机。

“In the last four years we have seen three major price hikes, where the wheat price and other staple⁴ process exploded. And that puts a big, big bill on countries which are depending on wheat imports, and Africa is the biggest wheat importer.”

“在过去四年里，我们看到三种主要商品价格猛涨，小麦价格和其它大宗商品加工爆发。这给依赖小麦进口的国家压上了沉重的账单，非洲是最大的小麦进口国。”

He also says demand for wheat in sub-Saharan Africa is growing faster than for any other crop. There are two main reasons for that.

他还表示，撒哈拉以南非洲地区小麦需求的增长速度远远超出其它任何作物。这主要有两个原因。

“With higher income people would like to have more diversified⁵ food. But that is possible not the most important one. The most important one is that there is a tremendous migration⁶ of in particular male labor⁷ to the cities. And wheat products are convenient food because you can easily buy it. It’s easy to process and you also can store it for a few days, which is different from some of the maize and rice products.”

“收入较高者想要有更多元化的食品。但这可能不是最重要的原因。最重要的原因是人口，特别是男性劳动力向城市的巨大迁移。而小麦产品是方便食品，因为你可以轻易买到。它很容易加工，你也可以将它保存多日，这和一些玉米和水稻产品是不同的。”

There are three possible challenges for growing more wheat in Africa: climate change, disease and pests, like insects. Mr. Braun says rising temperatures should not have a major effect on wheat. In fact, he says, it could help wheat grow in areas with high rainfall totals. As for fighting disease and pests, experts suggest growing more resistant⁸ crops.

在非洲种植小麦存在三种可能的挑战：气候变化，疾病和昆虫一类的害虫。布劳恩先生表示，不断上升的气温对小麦应该不会有重大影响。事实上，它可以帮助小麦在多降雨地区生长。为防止病虫害，专家建议种植高抗作物。

In addition, railroads and roads would have to be improved so large amounts of wheat could be moved to large markets.

此外，铁路和公路还得加以改善，这样大量小麦才能运输到大型市场。

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center estimates that sub-Saharan Africa will import forty million tons of wheat this year. Those imports are expected to cost eighteen billion dollars.

国际玉米和小麦改良中心估计，撒哈拉以南非洲地区今年将进口4千万吨小麦，预计耗资180亿美元。

1 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

2 domestication   

n.驯养，驯化

参考例句：

• The first was the domestication of animals. 第一个阶段是驯养动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• In northwestern China, there is no evidence for endemic domestication of any animals. 在中国西北，没有任何当地动物驯化的迹象。 来自辞典例句

3 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

4 staple   

n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类

参考例句：

• Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
• Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。

5 diversified   

adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• The college biology department has diversified by adding new courses in biotechnology. 该学院生物系通过增加生物技术方面的新课程而变得多样化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Take grain as the key link, develop a diversified economy and ensure an all-round development. 以粮为纲，多种经营，全面发展。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

8 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。