- The Guardian has a leader on the potato. Please let this year end soon. And thanks, Danny.
- Lucy Appleby RIP.
- Inner city farming in the UK.
- Gary Nabhan on where apples came from, and where they’re going. And more. Thanks again, Danny!
- Tracking bees’ response to climate change by satellite.
- Mars thinks cacao biodiversity is important. No news from Earth.
- The “keyhole gardens” of Lesotho.
Cities have no agrobiodiversity, it seems
UNEP and UN-Habitat announced today the publication of “case studies from around the world on cities, ecosystems and biodiversity.” I’ve had a quick look at a number of the summaries of studies on individual cities, including that on Rome, but unfortunately could find little evidence that agricultural biodiversity was even considered. That is a pity. Lots of agriculture goes on in cities, even cities in industrialized countries, in small homegardens and on terraces, in allotments and along roadside verges. 1 The people involved are dedicated and knowledgeable. Often, they grow old, rare varieties and otherwise unusual species. Why not enlist them into the more general biodiversity conservation effort?
Nibbles: Global Food, Aid, Nettles, Women, Aquaculture, Education
- Remember those photos of global families’ food? The creators answer questions.
- Speaking of funding, an analysis of aid for agriculture published January 2008.
- CABI blogger pushes Nettle Awareness Week. Quite right too.
- “The men don’t know how to sell, they’ll give up the potatoes for next to nothing.“
- Vietnamese pangassius farmers up in arms. Yeah I never heard of it either, but I’ll be looking for it in the market out of solidarity .
- How to involve children in gardening.
Talking about neglected crops
AGFAX Radio was at the recent Arusha meeting on neglected crops and has a whole bunch of interviews online (with transcripts):
- National treasures
- International viewpoints
- Nutritional benefits
- Social aspects
- Why Tanzania is ahead
- Mighty baobab
- From weed to cash crop: Amaranth
- Improving the varieties
- The farmer’s view
- The market for underutilized vegetables
Don’t forget the follow-up e-conference is still on.
Nibbles: Indo-Europeans, Ecosystems, Urban ag, Aquaculture, Pigs, Rice
- More on The Horse, the Wheel and Language. Giddyup!
- More species means more productivity. At least in the Patagonian steppe.
- Bogota urban agriculture to embrace native species.
- Ohio farmers to rear Amazonian fish. Amazonian farmers unavailable for comment.
- I wonder if Turkish pigs are genetically interesting.
- Ifugau rice terraces being abandoned by “world’s best rice farmers.” Ok that’s weird, because they’re also supposed to solve the rice shortage problem. Gosh, this is probably worth more than just a nibble.