Nibbles

January 11, 2008

New book on bananas

Banana book sees light of day-o; Harry Belafonte unavailable for comment.

January 9, 2008January 9, 2008

Malawi’s windmill entrepreneur

Blow me. From the Lubin Files, a feel(very)good story of the Malawian who built a windmill.

January 7, 2008January 7, 2008

Engineered sorghum more nutritious

Pioneer Hi-Bred engineers more nutritious sorghum: Africa unavailable for comment.

January 5, 2008January 5, 2008

Most beehives in a single tree

Bee tree boasts 575 hives, seeks World Heritage Site status.

December 19, 2007

Defining basmati

So what is basmati anyway? Indian boffins all too available for comment.

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