Indigenous knowledge systems

September 29, 2008September 29, 2008

Nibbles: Tamarind, Fire, Aquaculture

A single tree that is also a genebank? Holy tamarind.
Looking to kangaroo bones for evidence of Aboriginal terraforming.
African fish farming links. Via.

September 23, 2008September 23, 2008

Nibbles: New Agriculturist, Sheep, Jatropha, Carrots

All about potatoes.
Mutant sheep to attack Australia.
An Indian Jatropha genebank in the news. And a study to tell us where to collect more using some really cool software.
The ‘Purple Dragon’ carrots are coming up in a variety of colours but mostly not purple.

September 20, 2008

Nibbles: Moringa, Gardening

September 19, 2008

Virtue rewarded

“I have not done anything extraordinary; merely taken care of my land.”

September 18, 2008September 18, 2008

Nibbles: Tangled Bank, Uganda, Swaziland, Agroforestry, Aquaculture, Potato

Tangled Bank 114 is up at Science made Cool.
More young people should be involved in agriculture.
More rich people should be involved in agriculture.
More trees should be involved in agriculture.
Carp have been involved in agriculture for a long time. At least in Japan.
In depth look at potato numbers.

1. Why the modern food system prizes uniformity even though resilience depends on diversity. Spoiler alert: follow the money.
2. Historic crop varieties are finding renewed relevance as farmers contend with more volatile weather, emerging pests and changing markets. Let’s hope there’s money to conserve them.
3. India’s traditional wheat varieties contain diversity that could help breeders develop crops better able to withstand heat and drought. Let’s hope there’s money to conserve them.
4. India announces significant progress in conserving its wild rice genetic resources. Great that there was money to conserve them.
5. Community seed banks across Kenya are calling for formal recognition and sustained support, arguing that locally managed collections strengthen seed sovereignty, preserve traditional varieties and help farming communities adapt to climate change. Yes, but are they enough without national genebanks?
6. Researchers are racing to conserve wild coffee species whose genetic diversity may provide the resistance and resilience needed to secure tomorrow’s morning cup. Is the industry contributing, though ?
7. New history of the macadamia traces its remarkable journey from Australia’s native forests to a global crop, while underscoring why conserving the remaining wild populations is essential for the crop’s long-term future.
8. Researchers at the University of the South Pacific investigate how taro can withstand climate change, combining research with conservation to help protect one of the region’s most culturally and nutritionally important staple crops.
9. Chester Zoo collects seeds from highly threatened cacti, because why not?
Published on July 14, 2026