Author: Luigi Guarino

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SBSTTA [decides]

SBSTTA’s recommendations on the review of the CBD’s programme of work on agrobiodiversity are out, after last week’s smackdown. As usual, there are analyses at UKabc and IISD. The general consensus seems to be that the recommendations have been weakened, but I talked to one person familiar with the negotiations who thought the text was actually clearer and more focused now. But a lot of square brackets remain, in particular the whole section on biofuels. One thing that struck me is the invitation by SBSTTA “to evaluate and characterize germplasm potentially suitable for adaptation to climate change.” I didn’t find that in the original document, so I am assuming it was added during the negotiations. It seems unusual for a CBD document in recognizing — albeit implicitly — the importance of ex situ conservation, at least in the context of climate change. But I don’t really know how these things work. I hope someone will explain it to me.

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Of spears, shields and sorghum

Africa’s farmers have been making sorghum beer for centuries, but it now looks like European brewers are getting in on the act. Heineken and Diageo have started replacing imported barley with locally-grown sorghum in their brewing operations in Ghana and Sierra Leone. It started as a social responsibility project (funded by the Common Fund for Commodities, with the European Co-operative for Rural Development as a partner), but recent increases in the price of malting barley have made it “commercially rather attractive” too.

Of course, farmers have to grow the right variety, and ensure that a consistent supply gets to the breweries, so the project has provided training, access to finance (for seed, fertilizer etc.), and assistance with organizing into groups. This is meant to lead to the establishment of a “sustainable production chain,” which is often touted as a prerequisite for the successful promotion of an underutilized crop — or a crop underutilized for a particular purpose, such as sorghum for industrial brewing: “Farmers need to build confidence that the market is there.”

What will the promotion of a single, industrial use for sorghum do to the diversity of the crop? Nothing good, probably, unless the possible consequences are recognized and appropriate steps taken. In a recent paper we have advocated a “spear and shield” approach to promotion. This means that specific incentives that support diversification should be included when promotion of a particular species, variety or use carries significant risks for (agricultural) biodiversity.

Actions which would support diversification include strengthening community germplasm exchange networks. Coincidentally, there’s an IFPRI discussion paper also out today which looks at the seed system for sorghum and millet in West Africa — Mali, in this case. It seems little certified seed is reaching farmers, though it is still unclear whether this is a demand or supply problem. One of the recommendations is that the formal seed supply systems should deal not only with improved material but also with local landraces. This should be brought to the attention of Heineken, Diageo and their sorghum-brewing partners. Their project should seek to strengthen the local seed system as a whole (the shield), not just help farmers get hold of the preferred brewing variety (the spear).

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Excellence in blogging

excellentblog.jpg We got tagged, awarded, rewarded, etc. with this E for Excellent blog-meme thing, for which thanks to Ian over at Further Thoughts. Not having seen this particular disease in the wild, as it were, we tried to track it back to the index case, a singular failure. Six steps back, at Another Tangential Thinker, the trail just snaps to a close. CS, whoever he or she might be, may as well never have existed. And at some point in its history, the meme doubled its virulence, demanding 10 new victims per infection. Given that there are two of us, we decided five each would satisfy the beast (plus one from both of us), and give you lot something to think about.

Here they are; now, who done what? Tell us in the comments.

  1. Fimoculous Because he had it exactly right about Paris Hilton.
  2. The Loom Because it’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it.
  3. This Week in Evolution Because it is never less than thought-provoking.
  4. Daughter of the Soil Because she reminds me of me at an earlier stage.
  5. Strange Maps Because he knows that it’s location, location, location…
  6. Communicatrix Because she writes like a dream and thinks even better.
  7. John Hawks Weblog Because the proper study of mankind is man.
  8. Human Flower Project Because no matter how irrelevant, it is always relevant.
  9. Ecosystems and Poverty Because everybody has to be somewhere.
  10. Gene Expression Because it forces me to remember my math.
  11. Language Log Because it’s no fun being a linguistic martyr.

We note, in passing, that a lot of people just infected their entire blogroll. That seems pretty miserable. We note further that each of us could probably have chosen a different five without it making a huge amount of difference. We note finally that some of those blogs need no help from us to gain readers, but they’re all equally excellent.