Nibbles: Maize history, Maize in Tanzania, WorldVeg feature, Pigeonpea speed breeding, Valuing nature in food, GIAHS, Ancient Egyptian brewing redux

  1. The history of maize — according to Pioneer.
  2. The importance of maize — according to Dr Mujuni Sospeter Kabululu, Curator, National Plant Genetic Resources Centre—Tanzania.
  3. The future of vegetables — according to WorldVeg.
  4. The future of pigeonpea — according to ICRISAT.
  5. How should we value nature in our food systems? By true cost accounting — according to TABLE.
  6. A good way to value nature in our food systems is through recognizing Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems — according to FAO.
  7. How strong was ancient Egyptian beer? Not very — according to ethnoarcheobotanists. But it’s still worth trying to reproduce it — according to me. Seneb!

Nibbles: Nourishing investments, Genebank RoI, Seed science double, Ecuador genebank, Ethiopian genebank, MSSRF genebank, CG genebanks, Botanic gardens, SwissAid saves seeds, Brazil conservation, Indian diner, Kenyan food, Saladino on citrus, Lost apple, Seed Savers, Hybrids, Germplasm crime

Nibbles: Tree seeds, Tepary beans, USDA trials, Seed Savers Exchange, China genebank, Nepal indigenous crops, Giant yams, Brogdale, Old apples, AI taxonomy, FEED database, IPBES Nexus report, Business & biodiversity

  1. Collecting tree seeds properly and respectfully is not easy.
  2. No word on how easy it is to collect tepary beans respectfully.
  3. Helping the USDA with their germplasm evaluations, on the other hand, is a breeze. Any tepary beans?
  4. Seed Savers Exchange makes conserving seeds look easy. Spoiler alert: it isn’t.
  5. It seems to be very easy to open new national genebanks in China.
  6. Farming is easier in Nepal with indigenous crops.
  7. Giant yams don’t look very easy to grow, but that’s not stopping some dedicated Indian women.
  8. It’s pretty easy — and fun — to visit the United Kingdom’s National Fruit Collection.
  9. Someone mention apples? Loammi Baldwin knew a thing or two about them.
  10. It’s going to get easier to identify plants. It says here.
  11. If you’re looking for interventions or policies to shift diets towards being healthier and more sustainable, your job just got a little easier.
  12. Likewise if you think the crises of biodiversity loss, water and food insecurity, health risks and climate change should be tackled together.
  13. Yes, even if you’re a business trying to manage your biodiversity risk you have a right to have it easier. Start by being respectful when climbing trees?

Brainfood: CC & livelihoods, Landscape approaches, Seed system metrics, Grain traders, Cultivar adoption, WTP for African rice, Restoration networks

Brainfood: Diverse ecologists, Wild vs cultivated, Ecosystem services, Indigenous people, Mixtures, On-farm trees, Monitoring protected areas, Social media & protected areas, Wild harvesting, Land sparing vs sharing, Agroecology & plant health, Wild vs cultivated