The Economist is promoting entomophagy, but I have my doubts. Yes, insects are nutritious. Yes other food is expensive. And maybe eating insects “is common in some 113 countries”. But the fact of the matter is that in other countries, I doubt that it is going to happen any time soon, no matter how good it might be for us, for the planet, for everything. I’ve eaten my share of insects; fried locusts are a favourite. And Luigi likes the odd mopane worm. We’re both entirely happy with decapod crustaceans too. But it is my considered view that outside of those 113 countries, insects are going to continue to be a hard sell.
Nibbles: Statement, Words, Training, Policy, Auberato, Coconut, GIS, Pacific nutrition, Honey
- Convention on Biological Diversity’s head “Highlights Risks of Agricultural Biodiversity Loss.”
- Cowpooling. Guess what it means.
- Training opportunity: A global view of livestock biodiversity and conservation.
- FAO policy brief on sustainable development and agrobiodiversity. Thanks, Eve.
- The wonders of solanaceous grafting. Thanks, Jules.
- Build a better nutcracker. And then analyze all that data.
- Mapping cyclone damage to crops in Myanmar.
- Quantifying Micronesian diets. Thanks, Lois.
- Things picking up for US bees? Meanwhile, in China, they’re trying breeding.
Nibbles: Tangled Bank
- Tangled Bank 109 — a biology blog carnival — is up at Greg Laden’s Blog. There’s livestock!
Nibbles: Fungi, Cacao, Animal husbandry, China, Africa, Maize, Genebank
- Diverse strains + diverse substrates = diverse shiitake.
- Chocolate is from Mars. Jeremy comments: “A disease called witches”??? BBC Science reporting strikes again. Get the USDA’s version.
- Eldis on a roll this morning: Livestock and climate change in Africa, sustainability of Chinese agriculture, beyond magic bullets in African agriculture.
- EurekAlert! tries to catch up: Mexican landraces.
- Quality assured potato genebank.
Nibbles: Homegardens, Rice, Fish, Climate change, Value chains, Fuel costs, Urban drift
- Uganda: “Many youth are no longer idle. They grow vegetables and sell them.”
- Iran: “Rice is becoming a luxury for many of the poor, just like meat and chicken.”
- California: “In nearly every scenario we explored, biodiversity suffers...”
- Australia: “the Australian Fish Names Standard AS SSA 5300 which prescribes standard fish names approved for use in Australia.”
- Pretty much anywhere: “linking small-scale producers to modern markets.”
- Dept. of Silver Linings: “Fuel Costs May Force Some Kids To Walk.” Via.
- Tibet: “I’ve lived here long enough.” Via.