The New York Times picked up the Bees in Peril story and amplified it considerably. More interesting still, over at Resilience Science Garry Peterson points out that maybe the decline in pollinators is linked to the fact that introduced European bees have displaced natural populations to such an extent, and that the bees are now more genetically uniform. Sounds like he could be right.
Big banana boosts incomes
From Malaysia, news that a new banana variety called Pisang Sekaki has improved the lot of growers on Sebatik Island. Pisang Sekaki means “one-foot” banana and was apparently developed especially for the banana cracker market. The new variety has also increased job opportunities at the nearby cracker-producing factory.
Longhorns registered
A surprisingly detailed – for this kind of thing – article in the News-Journal describes efforts to preserve the breed of cattle known as the Texas Longhorn. This apparently developed from cattle introduced from Spain to what is now Mexico around 1500. It was the mainstay of the Texan cattle industry until railroads replaced the traditional cattle drive (much seen in John Wayne movies) at the end of the 19th century. Their long horns meant you could fit fewer of them into the cattle-trucks. It has since been much altered by cross-breeding, and, predictably, this loss of “purity” has upset some people, while no doubt leaving others to mutter “So what?”, probably under their breath. Anyway, there’s a registry, and a DNA database is underway. Lots more interesting detail in the article.
Money for Musa
Of course it is rude to poke fun at other people’s names, but who can resist when the European Union’s €2.11 million aid package for bananas in Belize is received by Said Musa, that country’s aptly named Prime Minister? The aid will help banana growers in Belize to develop integrated pest management strategies against nematode worms and will deliver tissue-culture plants and the capacity to grow them, making plantations healthier and less in need of sprays. Half the budget is earmarked for projects designed to boost rural incomes and improve community services. All in all, despite the focus on Musa, a package that should be good for biodiversity.
Improved agriculture in the Sahel
The Drylands Coordination Group recently launched a new web page that offers an entry point into a whole swathe of ways in which agriculture in the Sahel can be improved. Diversification is prominent among them, and the Group says the page will be updated regularly. You can subscribe, by email, but there does not seem to be a RSS feed.