Fonio – Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

February 17, 2010February 17, 2010

Nibbles: Cassava, fonio, apples, Salicornia, aurochs, seeds

Nagib Nassar challenges the wisdom of GM cassava. Cultivate indigenous and wild varieties of the crop!
Or fonio (Digitaria exilis). New paper on its diversity.
And for dessert? Wild apple diversity?
Need salad? How about Salicornia then?
Nice aurochs steak to go with the salad?
Not too soon to start planning a future harvest, if you’re in Ireland and want seeds.

1. “Our traditional crops are not just food. They are life. They are our ancestors’ legacy and our children’s inheritance.”
2. “Banana diversity is not only a scientific or agricultural asset — it is the sector’s insurance for the future.”
3. “Through my parents, I learned that agriculture doesn’t just feed people, it also makes the world more beautiful.”
4. “Genebank work depends on accumulated knowledge. If that knowledge isn’t transferred, you don’t just lose experience, you introduce risk.”
5. “Conserving and using Africa’s plant genetic resources is not a luxury. It is a necessity for resilient agrifood systems in a changing climate.”
Published on February 13, 2026