- More on #IBC18 from AoB. Web 2.0 as it should be.
- EurActive.com with massive dossier on sustainable intensification in Europe. Not much diversification there, though, except for intercropping.
- Boffins look for wild macadamias with thinner shells for wimpy consumers. Well, not just that.
- The ancient Maya mixed up their turtles.
- Grass skirts latest GMO fear.
CGRFA draws to a close
I dunno. You got your FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which is right now winding up here in Rome for the 13th time (CGRFA 13). Then of course you got your International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which met a few months ago in Bali for the fourth time. Then you got your WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC), whose 19th session is meeting in Geneva about now too. Then you got your Convention on Biological Diversity with its Nagoya Protocol and whatnot. Maybe others too. I just hope somebody out there is in charge of keeping all this stuff straight. Don’t you?
Nibbles: AnGR, Fruit trees, IBC18, Tree pollination, Solomon Islands and climate change, Octopus diversity, Seed saving
- Livestock diversity in the hands of FAO. No comment.
- Let them eat fruit!
- AoB breaks down International Botanical Congress 18 for us.
- Species-poor tree plantations could be good for conservation of rare tree found in remnant forest patches in Chile because they encourage pollinators to move on. Agriculture, on other hand, is bad because it lures generalist pollinators into staying. Nature, don’t you just love it?
- Climate-proofing the Solomon Islands to include “the isolation of crop species tolerant of high salinity, high rainfall, and drought.” Strewth.
- Marine diversity. (Only kidding.)
- Good advice on home seed saving from Suzanne Ashworth. She wrote the (a?) book.
Using data to inform nutrition security policy
You only have a few more weeks to get your abstract in for the “International Scientific Symposium on Food & Nutrition Security Information: From valid measurement to effective decision-making” early next year. I like the sound of it. Here are the three topic areas:
1. Measuring and analyzing food and nutrition security to improve the availability and quality of information for decision making — advances made since the 2002 International Scientific Symposium.
2. Impact evaluation — understanding what works in humanitarian and development contexts to improve food and nutrition insecurity.
3. Food and nutrition security information — from evidence to policy impact.
Plenty of opportunities for agricultural biodiversity to make an appearance. I hope.
Nibbles: CGRFA13, Kuroiler chicken, CGIAR, God, Mozambique
- Three days down, one to go in Rome.
- Indian hybrid chickens set to take over Uganda.
- Latest from CGIAR restructuring: the 6 research programmes agreed thus far. So how you like our latest toy?
- 60-tonne God of Rain unearthed; drought continues.
- Mozambique Raises Production of Staple Foods by 22% a Year. Amazing. How? And for how long?