Nibbles – Page 500 – Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

Agave paper

There’s a paper out on the diversity of Agave in Mexico, the source of tequila.

Insect diet

A Kenyan researcher tries to get people to eat more insects.

May 30, 2007May 30, 2007

Buzzing wake up call

Jennifer Dotson’s letter to the Washington Post about bee declines refers to “forgotten soldiers of the food supply”. I like that.

May 28, 2007May 28, 2007

Position of the American Dietetic Association

Position of the American Dietetic Association: We can conserve natural resources and support sustainability.

May 28, 2007March 4, 2026

Monsanto buys up seed producers

Monsanto proudly announces the formation of a group to buy up seed companies.

1. Kurdistan inaugurates a new genebank in Sulaymaniyah, which Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani calls one of Kurdistan and Iraq’s most important national projects.
2. Ghana complements its national collection at Bunso. The new facility further north will improve drying, processing and conservation, while giving northern farmers and breeders closer access to crop diversity.
3. Three decades of African bean research partnerships and networking have helped turn a staple crop into a vehicle for improved nutrition, livelihoods and climate resilience.
4. In the Philippines, eight promising purple-yam accessions combine yield, sensory quality and market appeal, with Villasis 2 producing up to 60 tonnes per hectare in trials. Does it need a network next?
5. However, executive director of Seed Savers Exchange Mike Bollinger’s call in Food Tank’s to carry seed diversity forward extends stewardship beyond formal institutions: Indigenous communities, farmers, gardeners and seed libraries all have a role in keeping crop diversity alive and used.
Published on August 27, 2026