Archaeology

Nibbles: Neolithic foods, Diplomacy, San, Bango, Urban Navy beas, Veg Celebs, Seed swaps

What wild foods did Neolithic farmers eat? Archaeobotanists want to know. So do we.
British Foreign Office promotes economics of biodiversity and ecosystems in SE Asia. Nothing to say on agrobiodiversity.
Maybe they could learn how to use Nature to profit from the San in Namibia?
You say mango, I say bango, lets call the whole thing off.
Is this now the biggest urban farm in the world?
Silly veg stuff on Twitter. My favorite so far is Okra Winfrey.
Seedy Sunday, approaching fast in the UK, cries out for some silliness.

Want to teach about agrobiodiversity? Help is at hand.
Want to learn about agrobiodiversity? Stay here.
Want to know what’s going on in biodiversity conservation at Cambridge? Here’s how. Tell us if agriculture gets a look-in. If it doesn’t, come back here. But I bet there’ll be something about landscapes.
What is a landscape? “The answer … differs tremendously depending on the respondent,” it says here. Wow, those Cambridge boffins will be so shocked.
Want to know about the plants in that landscape whose definition is so much in the hands of respondents? Most were discovered by just a few botanical superstars. But how many women?
And if that landscape is Turkish and there are (is?) livestock in it, this is what you’ll see.
Want to tour the world’s top evolution sites? Here’s the first stop. Now, how about crop evolution (and domestication, natch) sites. Like some livestock- and crop-wild-relative-discovered-by-a-botanical-superstar-filled Turkish landscape, perhaps.
Or what about sites connected with food production and marketing more generally, for that matter. No, that list would be too long. Interesting, but too long. Would need to prioritize ruthlessly.
One thing for certain, though, it should include a couple of community genebanks.
Where it is not inconceivable that seeds would be protected following age-old practices. Which may or may not be taught in fancy courses.
Oh, and beer.

Dogs were first domesticated animal. But the love affair is cooling off, at least for some breeds.
Building capacity for animal genetic resources use, and for conservation and sustainable use under the ITPGRFA. And tree domestication. Is someone keeping track?
BGI continues to take over DNA world.
And the Worst Plant Virus Oscar goes to…
How PNG farmers cope with drought. From what is developing into a really useful blog.
I wish I had time to read 200 pages on ancient Athenian food. But maybe you do?
Learn about the USDA potato collection, including lots of wild relatives.
The tree that thinks it’s a supermarket: Moringa in the limelight again.

The Archaeobotanist reviews the domestication and spread of bananas …
… and says that bananas weren’t important to the first farmers of Central Africa.
New York Times blog dissects the climate change and agriculture paper that’s making waves.
But biodiversity loss is a bigger threat than climate change. No mention of ag; do these guys ever talk to one another?
In India, children of women who farm their own land are less malnourished.
So what if 11 plant species “account for 93 percent of all that humans eat”? Rachel Laudan thinks that fine, and I agree.
The patent on one of the Roundup-Ready genes is about to expire. So?

“[D]iversity in domestic dogs derives from a small genetic tool kit.” Really, really small. Like, 50 genes.
ILRI says we need to maintain indigenous farm animal diversity in Asia. They eat dogs, don’t they?
You say pomato, I say totato: “Tomato-potato cross benefits farmers.” Fine, but it’s a graft. So why call it a cross?
Non timber forest products important “in times of crisis” shock.
Sumerian beer non-alcoholic? Not even beer, but “fermented cereal beverage“.
Then again, ancient Peruvians discovered popcorn. But not movies.
IRRI wants a student to re-examine optimal drying conditions for rice.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault– is it important for plant genetic resources? Answers here, next week.