Nibbles

May 13, 2008May 13, 2008

Nibbles: Drugs, Cotton, Localsource, Bees, Sunflowers

Insights into Dutch cannabis breeding. Dude unavailable for comment.
Cotton diversity link-fest.
Head of World Food Programme on buying locally.
US bee health: not good. Via.
Australian sunflowers to improve US varieties; Luigi more confused than ever.

May 12, 2008May 12, 2008

Nibbles: NUS, Value-added, Values, Genebank, IPR

New Agriculturist focuses on neglected species.
Chocolate, wine… Fellow could have himself a pretty good weekend in Vegas with that lot.
Irish evaluate biodiversity, apparently ignore agriculture.
Sasa schemes to save Scottish landraces.
The Indian Seed and Patent Acts dissected.

May 9, 2008May 11, 2008

Nibbles: reindeer

Reindeer vary in domesticability, have been independently domesticated a couple of times. Santa Claus unavailable for comment.

May 8, 2008May 9, 2008

Nibbles: Ancient grains, ex situ, onions, organic, marine resources

Lots of new products feature ancient grains; King Tut unavailable for comment.
How genebanks work. Both Jeremy and Luigi available for comment and editing services.
Crackdown on onion smuggling.
Alleged myths about organic farming.
First Americans ate seaweed.

May 6, 2008May 6, 2008

Nibbles: Insects, EMBRAPA, Prices, Cuba, Supermarkets

Climate change threatens tropical insects and their pollination services.
Brazil rises in world genebank rankings.
Food price crisis advice summarized.
Cuba “sustainable” agriculture at crossroads.
Supermarkets bad for small farmers?

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