Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog
Agrobiodiversity is crops, livestock, foodways, microbes, pollinators, wild relatives …
It completely escaped our notice that a project called Vital Signs was launched a few months ago in Africa with a $10 million, 3-year grant from the Gates Foundation. The grantees are Conservation International, The Earth Institute and South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, and the idea is as follows: The Vital Signs …
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 …
Our friends at the Global Facilitation Unit for Underutilized Plants have informed us that CTA has helped them set up an e-forum to follow up the recommendations of the recent conference in Arusha. Do join in!
This just in from Hannah Jaenicke, Director of the International Centre for Underutilized Crops (ICUC): Over 200 delegates from 55 countries gathered in Arusha, Tanzania 3-7 March 2008 for an International Symposium on “Underutilized plant species for food, nutrition, income and sustainable development”. The Symposium was co-convened under the umbrella of the International Society for …
Continue reading “Recommendations of the Underutilized Plants Symposium”
We don’t usually reproduce press releases here, but this is a good cause. Hundreds of little-known indigenous plant species support the lives of the rural poor. These plants often have medicinal properties, provide nutrients to women and children, and are used for building materials, fodder and a multitude of other uses. Called neglected or “underutilized,” …
Continue reading “Underutilized plants finally get an airing”