Getting to grips with ABS

Plant scientist need to have a voice in the policies and practices that are developed internationally. We urge plant scientist to become familiar with the issues in their country and internationally and contribute to the development of effective approaches at all levels. We need to be proactive in developing a code of practice for plant scientists that provides leadership to policy and law makers in governments globally.

“The issues” in question are those concerning access to digital sequence information in particular, and it seems the Global Plant Council have set up a working group “to raise awareness on obligations to respect access and benefit-sharing [ABS] rights under the Convention on Biodiversity, the FAO Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources, and the Nagoya Protocols on Access and Benefit Sharing.”

Do contact them if you’re interested in finding out more.

Brainfood: Pollinator decline, Diet diversity, Collectors, CBD indicators, Herbaria, Fusarium wilt, Genomic breeding, Niche markets, Study design, American CWR, Domestication limits

Nibbles: Chickpea, Rice, Potato, Open seeds, Ipomoea, Cider apples, Functional foods, Colombian seeds, Meaty diets, Coffee ritual

  1. Chickpea breeding in the news, if you can believe it.
  2. Somehow rice breeding in the news is easier to believe.
  3. Or potato breeding, for that matter.
  4. The case for public ownership of seed. Now, that would be news.
  5. I doubt that changing the sweet potato’s scientific name will ever be news.
  6. Michigan’s cider lovers round up their favourite apples.
  7. Visualization on how to make functional foods sustainable.
  8. A Colombian (seed) exchange.
  9. People have always eaten meat. Sure, but so what?
  10. Anyone for coffee?

Nibbles: Macron magic, UK Strategic Priorities Fund, Macadamia, Tepary, Nordic spuds, Diversification, Carolina rice, Couscous, Wild tobacco, Yeast diversity, Da 5 Foods

  1. France pushes for agricultural development. Money to follow mouth?
  2. Meanwhile, Britain puts its money into its own food systems.
  3. The macadamia is not diverse enough. Who’d have thought it.
  4. Couscous gets protected. Phew, ’cause it’s right on the verge of extinction, isn’t it.
  5. I hope tepary beans don’t become the next macadamia.
  6. Reviving old potatoes the Nordic way.
  7. Malaysia told to look beyond oil palm. To tepary and macadamia, maybe?
  8. Speaking of diversification, how about Laotian rice in Appalachia?
  9. Chasing the wild tobacco. See what I did there?
  10. Yeast has been domesticated by bakers into two genetic groups: industrial and artisanal sourdough.
  11. A history of the world in entirely the wrong 5 foods.