Shifting cultivation is generally reckoned to be not such a good idea. Eldis, the information service, has details of a report that says it can be OK, at least in the eastern Himalayas and under the right circumstances. Unfortunately the report itself seems to be behind a paywall, so I’ve been unable to read it. But I wonder, can shifting cultivation really support growing populations?
Grasshopper stew
Apparently, harvesting grasshoppers mechanically to eat and sell them is not only good for your nutrition and income, it can also save on pesticide use. Another benefit of micro-livestock. Or is it mini? Whichever, pests are agrobiodiversity too!
Searching for plant breeding news
I’ve blogged before about FAO’s Plant Breeding News service, a collaboration with Cornell University. It’s a great source of information, but it hasn’t been possible to search the archive. Until now:
We have just installed a Google custom search function in the PBN-L archives webpage. The link appears at the top of the main page. In order to see your search words highlighted in the retrieved documents, click on the “cached” link at the end of the result you are interested in, after the search results appear.
An excellent idea.
Mapping agrobiodiversity for change
A 13-minute reportage on the Mapping for Change Conference which took place in Nairobi, Kenya on September 7-10, 2005. The reportage features interviews with participatory GIS and 3D mapping practitioners from around the globe and summarizes the process and outcomes of the event.Â
Farmer field schools in Burkina Faso
Farmer field schools are growing in popularity, as a way for farmers and technocrats alike to learn what works and why in real life. From The Rodale Institute, one of the foremost organic organizations in the United States, comes a lengthy feature article about how things operate in Burkina Faso. Relentlessly upbeat, it gives the low-down on the individual farmers who make farmer field schools such a success. An excellent read.