- Bioversity DG “jubilant” at Nagoya Protocol.
- A video plug for the biofortification conference.
- Native potatoes on foodie agenda.
- A date palm festival. In the US.
- The success of species introductions.
- Italian acorn cakes deconstructed. I’m told the people able to recognize these sweet acorns are few and old.
- Calling times on biological names. Whoa!
- Saving heirloom mielies.
- What the heck is happening with phosphorus anyway?
- Panamanian farmers don’t like to grow (some) native trees on their farms because of slow growth rates.
- Eating medieval weeds.
- Latest from Pavlovsk. I have no idea what’s going on anymore.
- Lactase persistence due to cold.
- Genetics says plague came from China.
Nibbles: Solanum nigrum, Blue tomato, Chickpea, COP10, Phosphates
- Leafy vegetable cures cancer! Well, nearly.
- Blue tomato seeds available. Well, nearly.
- Everything you ever wanted to know about chickpeas. Well, nearly.
- COP10 all over bar the shouting. Well, nearly.
- Phosphate supplies assured. Well, nearly.
MEPs to save bees
Bee pollination accounts for 76 per cent of food production and 84 per cent of plant species.
OK, I know it is Friday and I am tired, but what on earth does that sentence mean? Quite apart from the spurious accuracy of 76 1 and 84. I’m glad to know that MEPs back plans to combat decreasing bee numbers, as reported by The Parliament, and that “the European parliament’s agriculture and rural development committee voted through a resolution on the issue on Thursday”. Alas, the report tells me nothing about the resolution and how it will actually help bees and beekeepers, nor where I can find out more.
Nibbles: Ethics, Seeds, Coconut, Nordic genebank
- Ethical Considerations in Agro-biodiversity Research, Collecting, and Use. In case you were thinking of doing some.
- Seed control ceded?
- “Scores of women from the rural households brought in finest homemade recipes on coconut.” My kind of conference.
- “Unique plant bank threatened,” says Google Translate of Nordic genebanks. Thanks Britta.
Nibbles: Apple Diversity, Sorghum, Ugandan organics, Cows, CABI, Giant pumpkin, Nutrigenomics, SOTW2
- Apple diversity on display at Terra Madre.
- A drought-resistant sorghum for Karamoja. Read the script of a radio programme.
- CIAT advises Ugandan farmers: produce what you can sell, don’t sell what you can produce. Hmmmn.
- Local cow breeds and Protected Designation of Origin cheeses. There’s a conclusion here struggling to emerge, but I can’t recognize it. Help me.
- CABI pushes for crop diversification. Get in line!
- Where giant pumpkins come from.
- Nutritionists should get to grips with human diversity.
- 2nd State of the World’s PGRFA launched by FAO to much fanfare. And usual incorrect figures on genetic erosion. Oh I give up.