Nibbles

February 14, 2008

Mound builders of Norte Chico

Transitioning to agriculture on Peruvian coast 5000 years ago.

February 14, 2008

An introduction to sorghum

Canada meets sorghum, impressed.

February 13, 2008

Knowledge management for agricultural innovation

How to get Bolivian farmers to do what’s good for them; a case study.

February 13, 2008February 13, 2008

Farmers and hunter gatherers in Africa

The human genetics of farming transition in Central Africa. Lots more here.

February 12, 2008February 12, 2008

Neolithic origins

The birth of Egyptian farming.

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