- Stilton cheese from Stilton village? Illegal. h/t CAS-IP
- Is Indian agriculture heading for disaster?
- “If you read any economic, financial, or political analysis for 2010 that doesn’t mention the food shortage looming next year, throw it in the trash, as it is worthless“. Riiiiiight.
- Banana genome to be discussed.
- Uganda’s National Genebank online.
- GM crops to free third-world women from the drudgery of weeding! h/t reviews The Fruit Hunters (a book).
Chorsu Bazaar in pictures
If you’re interested in Central Asian biodiversity and its products you might enjoy some recent photographs of mine from Tashkent’s central fruit and veg market. And if you recognize something interesting, and know its local name, do please leave a comment.
Nibbles: LEISA, climate change in the US and India, Cocoa
- ILEIA celebrated 25 years with a conference yesterday. Reports to appear on the blog. h/t Danny
- Summary of the big ag bash in Copenhagen.
- US fruits and vegetables most at risk from climate change, says USDA.
- Wine and corn (maize) too!
- Perhaps they could learn from Indian farmers?
- Cocoa price highest for 32 years. Good news for cocoa farmers? I doubt it.
Turkey making the most of its agrobiodiversity
I’m off for a few weeks’ holiday soon, but I couldn’t go without some reflections on my recent trip to Uzbekistan, via Turkey. I’ll post some photos from the main market in Tashkent later, but in the meantime, here’s a very rapid agrobiodiversity trifecta from a day’s transit in Istanbul.
First, I haven’t been in Turkey for a while, and I don’t remember vişne, or sour cherry, juice been available so readily commercially in cartons a few years back, along with more common staples like orange and apple juice. It’s delicious. Has anyone seen it in Europe?
Secondly, I was intrigued and impressed by the marketing work being done on the hazelnut. Turkish Airlines doesn’t give out peanuts with its drinks. It gives out attractive packets of dry hazelnuts. Again, very tasty, and a nice way of promoting local agrobiodiversity.
And finally, good to see salep, a traditional drink made from ground up orchid bulbs, on sale at the airport, and indeed featured in the in-flight magazine. Great to warm up after a morning wandering around Istanbul in a rainstorm.
Nibbles: Forests, Climate change, Campaign, Water chestnuts, Research, Fruit
- “Countries can clear massive amounts of forest and still claim that deforestation had not occurred“. Wha?
- Biodiverse agriculture to meet climate challenge. Really?
- Diversity for Life campaign launches, but Official Site links to wrong Offical Site. This is where it should go.
- Water chestnuts. Fascinating.
- No sign of agricultural biodiversity in agricultural research masterplan.
- Vital Christmas supplies of Crataegus mexicana — aka Tejocote — no longer illegal in the US. h/t Rachel.