Nibbles: Sorghum research, Alternative millet, IRRI genebank genomics, Cattle genomes, CIAT genebank, Rainforest genebank, Saving seeds, Millet in India, Varied diets, Cheese rind microbes, Fermentation, Artisanal hooch, Truffle oil, Coconut water, Fancy carrots, Edible insects, Farming tuna, Saving cetaceans, Fancy tomato database

What must be done about sorghum in Africa, by someone who should know because they worked at ICRISAT, which has a sorghum genebank.
ICRISAT also has pearl millet genebanks — in India and Africa. So when did pearl millet become “alternative” in India? Well, at least it’s not on this list of “indigenous foods.”
3000 rice genomes (from the IRRI genebank), and 1000 bull genomes. Brave new world.
The CIAT genebank makes the news, and not a genome in sight.
An in situ forest genebank deep in the heart of Sabah.
And you can bet they’re all saving seeds the right way. But there’s always a webinar if not. Or this.
Micronutrients? It’s the food system, stupid. Yes, indeedy. And there’s even a webinar about it.
The fascinating microbial system of cheese rinds.
Sauerkraut has a pretty fascinating microbial system too, I bet.
Artisanal whiskey is a thing? Isn’t it, basically, moonshine?
Truffle oil is a scam. Damn.
Coconut water tries not to seem a scam.
Heifer Farm shows off its weird carrots. Yeah, they’re more than just about livestock at Heifer.
Though that doesn’t include insects, I don’t think. Yes, insects.
Or bluefin tuna. Or the vaquita. But enough of that.
Plenty of weird tomatoes on this great wiki I came across.

A paean to diverse diets is just what we all need.
And another one, from the MIT Technology Review of all places.
Menawhile, there’s only one reference to dietary diversity in the World Bank’s investment framework for nutrition.
Maybe you have to quantify that diversity before you can save it? Now where have I heard that before?
Meanwhile, Europe reports on biodiversity-friendly farming practices. Does that include the biodiversity of the actual crops? Perhaps surprisingly, yes!
You want biodiversity-friendly farming practices? Talk to Indigenous people. The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has launched an e-consultation on “Preserving, strengthening and promoting Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems and traditional practices for sustainable food systems.”
There’s diversity in asparagus too.
Genebanks can help with those biodiversity-friendly practices, diverse diets and rops and Indigenous practices.
Even big international genebanks.
Even the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
But some are in trouble.
Though others are coming back.