Mirabilis expansa – Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

April 27, 2011April 27, 2011

Nibbles: Food production, Mauka

“A new initiative to help pastoralists and smallholder farmers cope with the twin pressures of drought and climate change.” Yes, but what is the initiative going to do?
Rhizowen gets mawkishly paternal about his mauka.

1. The COUSIN project aims to conserve (trans situ, no less) and use crop wild relatives in Europe.
2. That “use” part can be tough.
3. But that doesn’t stop the fine people at Aardaia. At least where aardaker (Lathyrus tuberosus) is concerned.
4. From alternative potatoes in the Netherlands to alternative beans in Indonesia. All in the cause of diversification.
5. No need to find an alternative to amaranth in the American SW. Not with devoted chefs on the job.
6. The Iraqi Seed Collective is taking seeds from American genebanks to that country’s diaspora in the US, and eventually back to Iraq itself. Maybe chefs will help.
7. Good thing there are genebank backups, eh?
Published on July 9, 2025