US agricultural assistance to the vulnerable

The US Bureau of International Information Programs has been producing “a series of articles on U.S. food aid and agricultural assistance for vulnerable populations around the world.” The fifth is just out, and this is how it starts:

Scientists from the United States and other nations want to create another “green revolution,” particularly in Africa, that would help poor countries better meet their own food needs and the demands of export markets.

Within governmental, university and private-sector partnerships, researchers are working on new agricultural technologies that can help poor countries end food scarcity and malnutrition.

The article then goes on to list various examples of US scientists working with national agricultural research programmes around the world and CGIAR centres to develop such innovations as “improved crop varieties, more effective fertilizers, new livestock vaccines and new food-processing techniques.”

Which is fine. But why not even a passing mention of the National Plant Germplasm System? At over 450,000 accessions, the genebanks of the NPGS are second only to those of the CGIAR in the amount of agrobiodiversity they conserve. That’s a lot of raw materials for innovation.

A tale of two apple collections

I’ve already nibbled today’s piece in the Guardian about the UK’s National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, a “typical British story of managerial confusion and government ineptitude,” ((Be sure to read the comments, one of which links to other sources of information on the situation at Brogdale.)) but I couldn’t resist pointing out the contrast with the US apple collection at Geneva in New York, about which I also blogged recently. It does seem like they order these things better across the pond.

Coincidentally, there was also an article today about the diversity of American apples. Here it is in numbers: 2,500 named varieties grown in the country, 100 commercially, 15 accounting for 90% of the harvest.

The dizzying array today might have shocked early Americans. Just a half-dozen wild crab apple varieties awaited British colonists arriving in America in the 17th century. Thousands of hillside orchards soon were planted with the progeny of favored European varieties… like Maiden Blush, Western Beauty, Chenango Strawberry, Roxbury Russet and Westfield Seek No Further.

“There were some real jewels among them with great flavors, rich with juices and unusual aromas,” said Tom Burford, an author, lecturer, orchard and nursery consultant from Lynchburg, Va. Burford has been dubbed “Professor Apple” for his extensive work rediscovering antique varieties previously believed extinct.

Is there a British “Professor Apple” out there who will save Brogdale? Or maybe the situation is not as bad as the Guardian piece made out? If you know, drop us a line.