- “Global agricultural production … on track to satisfy estimated long term demand.” That’s the good news. Food prices to rise by around 40%.
- “Israel plows new ground in exotic crops.” Ho hum.
- US regains global dominance in mint … but at what price?
- Greek walnut trees way out on a limb.
Nibbles: Grasscutters, Geographical indicators, GMO bananas, UK farming
- Neleshi Grasscutter and Farmers Association (NAGRAFA). Grasscutters are not members.
- The value of geographical indicators. So, where is that grasscutter from?
- Capsicum genes engineered into banana might protect against Xanthomonas wilt in the future, if safe. No need for management then, which works now.
- Interesting arguments for keeping Britain GM-free: profits and aesthetics of biodiverse agriculture.
Nibbles: Allium, Desertification and livestock, Striga, Emmer, Hawaii, Almond, Seeds at FAO, Cassava in central Africa, Seed sculpture, Biofortification, Millets, Lunatrick pea
- Botany Photo of the Day is an onion wild relative! Pretty.
- More on that livestock-can-help-reduce-desertification thing, this time from Scientific American.
- Breeding Striga-resistant sorghum. Whatever it takes to protect local beer, boffin-dudes!
- Emmer wheat reviewed to bits.
- No passport data for your barley? Fear not.
- Rachel Laudan ably defends Hawaiian food.
- Origins of almond traced to Iran. Not for the first time.
- Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture: A Commons Perspective. Presentation from our friends at FAO.
- Presentation on the untapped potential of cassava in the Great Lakes region of Africa. One of many from CIAT lately. Check out their stuff on beans too.
- The Seed Cathedral of Shanghai. Thanks to those public awareness wizards at Kew.
- Big shindig on biofortification. Be there, or be malnourished.
- Times of India bangs the drum for nutritious millets.
- Yet more loveliness from serious amateur pea breeder Rebsie Fairholm.
Nibbles: Sunberry, CGIAR, Climate change, Ecosystem services, Sorghum beer, Turkeys, Ireland
- Sunberry. Taste-free! Toxin-loaded?
- CGIAR needs to do more “crop genetic improvement” for greater impact. Yeah, right.
- Heavy hitters to brief US Congress on Climate Change and Agriculture, June 16.
- Management more important than agricultural biodiversity in delivering ecosystem services? Say it isn’t so!
- Sorghum beer a big hit with England soccer fans.
- Turkeys domesticated for their feathers? This I gotta see.
- (Irish) public understanding of biodiversity.
Nibbles: Hemp, Wheat, Wheat, Conservation, Liberia, Carnival, Climate change, Satoyama, Leafy greens
- The National Cannabis Collection in Hungary. Undated. Popped up. What can I tell you?
- CIMMYT’s wheat atlas. Still in beta. What can I tell you?
- And here’s a primer on spring vs winter wheat.
- Director of European Crop Protection Association equates biodiversity with wildlife. Well, he would, wouldn’t he?
- Liberian President Sirleaf: “Agricultural growth is more effective in reducing poverty than any effort in any other sector.” h/t NtP.
- New edition of Scientia pro Publica blog carnival.
- Our friend Ehsan’s Seeds for Needs project launches in Papua New Guinea, beating climate change to the punch.
- The Satoyama Initiative has a website. And RSS feed.
- “…traditional food crops … are an important source of community resilience in Zimbabwe—including resilience to climate change and economic turbulence.”