Nibbles – Page 435 – Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

December 19, 2007

Defining basmati

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

December 18, 2007

Hamming it up

Jamon iberico finally gets a visa.

December 18, 2007December 18, 2007

Genetic Resources Action International examines A Green Revolution for Africa

GRAIN briefs the world on AGRA; Kofi talking to Bill.

December 16, 2007

Biblical transportation makes a comeback

~~Asses~~ Donkeys and mules stillÂ big in Gaza.

December 14, 2007December 14, 2007

Apples and pears exemplify sex

Vegan sexuality? The image explained. Magritte amused.

1. A North Macedonian professor’s 15-year rescue mission for landraces and crops surviving only in remote villages. Why bother? Stay tuned…
2. Ancient grapevines in Tigray represent a unique genetic lineage with potential value for breeding varieties adapted to dryland conditions.
3. Hawai’i Public Radio checks in on Maui’s coconut genebank. Useful to breed varieties adapted to really wet conditions, presumably.
4. The Cayman Islands are also hoarding coconuts, along with lots of tasty fruits.
5. A USD 400,000 boost from Taiwan for the Eswatini national genebank. Indigenous vegetables get much-needed love.
6. A regional survey of 25 orphan crops across 13 Latin American countries finds quinoa and amaranth well-catalogued, but characterization budgets are the real bottleneck. Collecting and conserving in genebanks is great, but not enough.
7. South Korea puts 330,000 seed accessions under “double lock”, hedging against both climate change and war. Conserving in one place is not enough.
8. FAO warns that nearly a third of the world can’t afford the USD 4.28 a day that a healthy diet costs — nearly three billion people, and rising. That’s why we need al the above, I guess.
Published on July 28, 2026