Indigenous knowledge systems

May 25, 2011May 25, 2011

Feria del Elote

Untitled, a photo by CIMMYT on Flickr.

From CIMMYT’s Flickr feed:

Carts selling tacos made with maize tortillas (traditional Mexican flatbreads) in Jala, Nayarit, on the Pacific coast of Mexico, during the town’s annual two-week Feria del Elote, or maize ear festival. Tortillas are a staple food in Mexico, and are commonly filled to make tacos. For more about maize in Jala, see CIMMYT’s August 2007 e-news story “Pride and pragmatism sustain a giant Mexican maize,” available online.

Photo credit: Eloise Phipps/CIMMYT.

May 25, 2011

Nibbles: Maori, Göbekli Tepe, Spinacia, Herbarium

Ancient Maoris traded kiwi feathers. What’s that you say? Kiwis are not agrobiodiversity? Says who?
Did organized religion come before agriculture? It’s a toss-up, frankly.
Looking for wild spinach. Ah, to be in the field again!
How to use a plant press. With video goodness. Ah, to be in the field again! Ok, settle down now, back to the grind.

May 21, 2011May 21, 2011

Nibbles: Climate change, Guinea pigs, Eels, Seed

Community local knowledge confirms scientific findings on climate change. (Or vice versa?)
A CIAT video on “the potential of particular forage crops for improving guinea pig production, improving rural nutrition and incomes, and empowering women” in DRC.
Sustainable eel label. Like that’ll help. h/t The Tracing Paper.
The small scale farmer who is also Director of Communications and Public Affairs for AGRA runs into a seed shortage. So she plants an unsuitable maize variety and hopes for the best.

May 17, 2011May 17, 2011

The Pahiyas festival

CHR_9998, a photo by IRRI Images on Flickr.

“Pahiyas is a Filipino term that means precious offering and predates the Spanish colonial period of the country by several centuries. This celebration was originally an animistic ritual practiced by the pre-Christian Filipinos to honor their rice god, Ampo’t Paray, and to ask for bountiful harvests in the coming year.”

May 17, 2011May 17, 2011

Nibbles, Menu edition: Garlic, Potatoes, Meat, Tomatoes, Ramps, Bananas, Chocolate, Coffee, Pepper breeding, Local cattle in RSA

Chicago, Chicago, it’s an edible town. Major urban centre named for edible wild species shock.
Drought-resistant potatoes! At least 1000 genes involved.
Test-tube burgers? ¹
Wild tomatoes and climate change. A meeting round-up from our chums at CIAT.
The appeal of fair trade bananas. A good read.
Technical Guidelines on the Safe Movement of Cacao Germplasm updated.
Coffee, please. A cup of your finest specialty variety.
Caribbean pepper breeders getting hot under the collar.
Gotta love the way Farm Radio Weekly not only has great stories about agrobiodiversity, but also handy background notes.

Well, that was fun.