FAO’s online Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) has just concluded its discussion on “Strengthening Food Security by Empowering Farmers to Contribute to Seed Biodiversity.” A proceedings and summary are available. There were about a dozen contributions. All very well informed, but nothing that was said struck me as particularly novel, including what I contributed. But I’m just be a jaded old curmudgeon. See what you think.
Diversity, diversity everywhere
Food-based strategies are essential to tackle malnutrition and help vulnerable populations cope with environmental change. Genetic modification, crop diversification and soil management can improve access to vital micronutrients.
More research is needed to identify nutritious crop varieties and analyse indigenous and wild species for their nutritional content. In particular, maintaining genetic diversity within home gardens and local agroecosystems can help improve nutrition.
Music to our ears, of course, but the tune goes back to 2002. Odd — and slightly disappointing — that SciDev.Net could find nothing more up to date on this subject for their recent nutrition blitz. Anyway, good to have the agrobiodiversity song played, however old.
Another piece in the SciDev.Net feature looks at the human genetics dimension of the problem. We’ve talked about that here before. You don’t just need to understand how micronutrient content, say, varies among crops and crop varieties, but, as if that wasn’t enough, also how people vary in their ability to make use of these compounds.
CIAT genebank gets great new image(s)
There’s a great set of photos of the CIAT Genetic Resources Programme up at Flickr. It does pay to have a photographer who knows what he’s doing.
Equator Prize — don’t forget
We nibbled it a couple of weeks ago, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded. Nominations for the Equator Prize close on 28 February, so if you want to be considered, get going. For the record, agricultural biodiversity can win!
Mapping agrobiodiversity research
Would you like to know where the CGIAR has agrobiodiversity projects in Africa? Ok, then, check out the new beta of the Ongoing Research website. The map on the website, unlike the screenshot below, is interactive. Via.
