Great video from the Breadfruit Institute on the importance of that fruit in Hawaii.
A Green Revolution for trees
Prof Roger Leakey, sometime of ICRAF (among other places), where he pioneered tree domestication in support of rural livelihoods, and now Vice Chairman of the International Tree Foundation, has a fascinating new book in the offing.
In contrast to the doom and gloom often emanating from the tropics, ‘Living with the Trees of Life’ illustrates how many different aspects of agricultural science can be combined into a more robust approach to farming, which will be productive, as well as more environmentally and socially sustainable. This approach uses agroforestry as a delivery mechanism for multifunctional agriculture aimed at addressing the cycle of land degradation and social deprivation in the tropics. A key role in this is played by the ‘Trees of Life’, the large number of indigenous trees that produce marketable fruits, nuts, medicines and other products of day-to-day importance in the lives of local people throughout the tropics.
The book promises to be very practical.
A 3-step approach is described which can be used to close the Yield Gap (the difference between the yield potential of food crops and the yields actually achieved by farmers). This pays special attention to land husbandry and to the wise use of the natural resources which support agriculture and the livelihoods of poor farmers. By closing the Yield Gap agroforestry builds on the advances of the Green Revolution.
Builds on those advances while avoiding its pitfalls, and indeed rectifying its more regrettable consequences, one assumes.
Finally, all this comes together in a set of five ‘Convenient Truths’ which highlight that we have most of the knowledge and skills we need. This is illustrated by the Equator Prize winning project ‘Food for Progress’, in Cameroon, a project which has also been recognized by UK Government’s Office for Science as an African Success Story.
I had a little trouble identifying this project, but I believe I finally found it, and very interesting it sounds too.
Look out for the book in July, from CABI.
Nibbles: AnGR genomic resources, Agroforestry fund, US climate map, Cassava rules
- Big new project on farm animal genomics. Gene-jockeys lick lips.
- Big new push to raise money for the Moringa Fund. Agroforesters lick lips.
- Big new hardiness zone map unleashed by USDA on unsuspecting world. American GIS people and gardeners lick lips.
- Bill Gates mentions cassava. CIAT licks lips.
Nibbles: Canis then and now, Training roundup, Soybean genome, Top 10 viruses, PNG drought, Food archaeology, Sturgeon Bay, Moringa
- 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.
Nibbles: FIGS, Wassailing, Rice breeding, Mobile apps, GI, Coffee, Art, Symposium
- Probably way more than you ever need to know about FIGS. In one handy PowerPoint.
- The British love affair with the apple comes to a head. And goes over the top.
- 100 years of the Paddy Breeding Station. No, nothing to do with the Irish.
- Another damn app competition.
- Geographical Indications in Brazilian law deconstructed.
- Not too late for a cappuccino. But make mine a civet cat shit one.
- More rewriting of Amazon pre-history.
- Marianne North, botanical artist, in the Amazon and elsewhere, remembered.
- Starting now FAO Symposium: applying information on food and nutrition security to better decision making. There’s even a hashtag — #isfsi2012 — but nobody seems to be using it.