Markets

August 5, 2026August 5, 2026

The flour of Kenyan agrobiodiversity marketing

Here’s the latest in my continuing series of posts on interesting approaches to marketing agricultural biodiversity here in Kenya.

I was pleasantly surprised by this product, which seems to add finger millet and cassava to your basic maize flour for making ugali. A nice way to add taste and nutrients. And support some minor crops.

And this line of porridges is quite impressive, in the range — and presentation — of both their composition and consumer targeting.

August 3, 2026August 3, 2026

Kenyan tradition, served fast

I want to put up another quick post on the theme of innovative marketing of so-called “opportunity crops” in Kenyan supermarkets. Yesterday it was nicely packaged frozen amaranth leaves that struck me. Today it’s pre-cooked single portions of traditional dishes. No need to refrigerate. Just heat. And eat.

August 2, 2026August 2, 2026

Frozen amaranth and warm memories

Coming across this new (at least for me) frozen amaranth product in a Nairobi supermarket yesterday…

…reminded me that the Amaranth Institute Symposium 2026 is coming up soon.

It really is amazing the progress in the marketing and consumption of traditional vegetables that Kenyans have made in the 30 years since I made my infinitesimal contribution.

July 14, 2026July 14, 2026

Nibbles: Apple-banana paradox, Genebanks, Indian wheat, Indian wild rice, Kenya community seed banks, Wild coffee, Macadamia history, Taro research, Cacti

Why the modern food system prizes uniformity even though resilience depends on diversity. Spoiler alert: follow the money.
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.
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.
India announces significant progress in conserving its wild rice genetic resources. Great that there was money to conserve them.
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?
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 ?
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.
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.
Chester Zoo collects seeds from highly threatened cacti, because why not?

July 6, 2026July 6, 2026

Brainfood: Easter Island coffee, Sword bean, Sweetpotato names, Colombian potatoes, Nut grass, Market access, Pollinators, Seed microorganisms

An insular in situ Coffea arabica resource from Rapa Nui (Easter Island): SSR uniformity and biochemical evaluation of material consistent with the Typica lineage. Coffee growing on remote Rapa Nui appears to represent a remarkably uniform population closely related to the historic Typica lineage. Not diverse doesn’t necessarily mean not interesting.
Farmer knowledge, management practices, and seed morphological diversity of sword bean (Canavalia gladiata) in Côte d’Ivoire. Growers recognize, manage and maintain morphological variation in sword bean, a legume that could be more utilized.
Consistency of farmer-named sweet potato cultivars and their physicochemical and color differentiation within a production region. While local naming systems are generally meaningful, they don’t always map perfectly onto measurable physicochemical and colour traits.
Harnessing the Genetic Diversity of the Colombian Central Collection of Potatoes to Dissect Pigmentation Genomics in Andigenum Landraces. Colombia’s collection helps explain colourful potatoes.
Novel food ingredients from Cyperus rotundus: an ancient famine food and the world’s most pernicious weed comes back to the table. One of the world’s most notorious weeds may also be an overlooked food crop, and a potential source of novel food ingredients. An opportunity weed?
Market remoteness and the production–diet association in smallholder food systems: Evidence from rural Nepal. Growing a diverse range of crops does not always translate into a more diverse diet. In Nepal, the relationship depends strongly on market access, highlighting the importance of infrastructure alongside agricultural diversification. Ok, forget the nut grass then, at least far from markets.
Pollinators support the nutrition and income of vulnerable communities. Pollinator diversity makes important contributions to both dietary quality and household incomes among vulnerable communities.
Seed ageing increases the influence of native microorganisms on germination. As seeds deteriorate, their naturally associated microorganisms play an increasingly important role in determining whether they successfully germinate. Of course microorganism diversity had to get a look-in too.