Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

September 13, 2009

Norman Borlaug R.I.P.

Agriculture pioneer Norman Borlaug, father of the Green Revolution, dies at 95.

September 12, 2009

CIAT recently announced that the first vehicle entirely powered by biofuel made from cassava roots is out and about in Colombia. That’s just as well, because that may be all that the crop will be good for in the future.

September 11, 2009September 11, 2009

Andy talks about models

Listen to our friend, colleague and occasional contributor Andy Jarvis talk about his quest to document the predicted effect of climate change on the world’s top 50 crops. Via.

September 11, 2009September 10, 2009

Time to chew

Time magazine must be on an agrobiodiversity high. First, yerba mate. Now, qat.

September 11, 2009September 5, 2009

Happy Ethiopian New Year!

To all our Ethiopian readers: Enqutatesh! Melakam Addis Amet!

Fresh Nibbles

Why the modern food system prizes uniformity even though resilience depends on diversity. Spoiler alert: follow the money.
Historic crop varieties are finding renewed relevance as farmers contend with more volatile weather, emerging pests and changing markets. Let’s hope there’s money to conserve them.
India’s traditional wheat varieties contain diversity that could help breeders develop crops better able to withstand heat and drought. Let’s hope there’s money to conserve them.
India announces significant progress in conserving its wild rice genetic resources. Great that there was money to conserve them.
Community seed banks across Kenya are calling for formal recognition and sustained support, arguing that locally managed collections strengthen seed sovereignty, preserve traditional varieties and help farming communities adapt to climate change. Yes, but are they enough without national genebanks?
Researchers are racing to conserve wild coffee species whose genetic diversity may provide the resistance and resilience needed to secure tomorrow’s morning cup. Is the industry contributing, though ?
New history of the macadamia traces its remarkable journey from Australia’s native forests to a global crop, while underscoring why conserving the remaining wild populations is essential for the crop’s long-term future.
Researchers at the University of the South Pacific investigate how taro can withstand climate change, combining research with conservation to help protect one of the region’s most culturally and nutritionally important staple crops.
Chester Zoo collects seeds from highly threatened cacti, because why not?

Published on July 14, 2026

Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

Posts

Norman Borlaug R.I.P.

Good and bad cassava news

Andy talks about models

Time to chew

Happy Ethiopian New Year!