Concidentally, two articles appeared today highlighting how modern diets are impacting the health of people in both the industrialized and the developing world, and what can be done about it. From the BBC, a report on a diabetes conference, where delegates are suggesting that this disease threatens the survival of indigenous peoples the world over. Then, from FoodNavigator, an article on how a nutrition group is planning a campaign to promote the Mediterranean diet in the US.
Famous Five
A seminar organized by the Nairobi Stock Exchange suggested that “sorghum, cassava, soy beans, palm oil and Jathropha curcas, are the five crops that will run agri-business this century.” Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Trondheim Conferences on Biodiversity
A first announcement for the Fifth Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity, which will be held — in Trondheim! — from 29 October to 2 November 2007.
Sarawak’s success documenting traditional knowledge
A report on the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre details the centre’s efforts to record traditional knowledge of beneficial plants. A look at the species documented so far indicated that more than 35% do have some useful active ingredients.
China and biofuels
Not sure whether this is a good thing or not. On Friday, the Chinese government released a series of documents dealing with biofuels. According to Biopact, a blog, one paper says that “Through a series of measures, unused land in mountainous areas will be made available and utilized for planting biofuel feedstocks, mainly sweet sorghum, corn and sweet potato”.
On second thoughts, it is probably not a good thing.