Almost before they have had time to unpack their suitcases from the World Summit in Johannesburg, it seems that European politicians are unpacking their commitments to fairer trade and improved market access. Squabbles over reform of the Common Agricultural Policy are nothing new and we all understand that there is more to the manoevring than meets the eye. But one wonders how farmers in developing countries feel when they hear that EU farmers can look forward to subsidies continuing, in some form or another, probably until 2013. We look back on the Summit in our Perspective and News (Putting the Summit into perspective) a section in which you will find many interesting innovations and developments in agricultural research and practice.

As the planting season starts in southern Africa, farmers - with no security of subsidies - must be hoping for a better season than last year. Lack of power for land preparation is a perennial problem, exacerbated by the continuing presence of tsetse which debilitates draught animals. The fly brings disease and death to tens of thousands of humans and millions of livestock every year, and threatens over 60 million people in 37 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In the light of new initiatives to tackle this problem, we present Points of View on Tsetse control - the next 100 years.

One crop grown widely in EU countries, in the pre-accession countries to the EU as well as in the rest of the world, is potatoes, the subject we Focus On this month. Potato farmers in the UK are lifting this season's crop knowing that the costs of production have exceeded the price their harvest will fetch. All the more reason for farmers elsewhere to make the most of this increasingly marketable and yet delicate, disease-prone crop.

The books In Print cover globally significant issues and locally effective solutions, a blend mirrored elsewhere in New Agriculturist. For two examples of the latter see our Picture Feature and When the world turns upside down (Developments). And if you feel strongly about any issue raised in New Agriculturist, please contact us, as did one reader whose response is also featured in Developments Vietnam coffee industry - learning from the past!

Please let us know if you experience any problems with accessing New Agriculturist. Please also suggest topics that you would like to see covered in future editions and send us your suggestions for making New Agriculturist even easier to use.

Points of view A testing time for tsetse eradication? Focus on Potatoes Massing weapons of destruction Top of the plant for tip-top seed Blight-resistant potatoes head east Potash rules for potatoes - OK? Reaching the full potential of sweet potatoes in East Africa Eat up - it's good for you! In Print Agri-Culture: Reconnecting People, Land and Nature African Renaissance: Roadmaps to the challenge of globalization Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution and Profit Prajateerpu: A citizen's jury/scenario workshop on food and farming futures for Andhra Pradesh, India Utilizing different aquatic resources for livelihoods in Asia A Guide to IPM in French Bean Production - With emphasis on Kenya Africa Environment Outlook Company-community forestry partnerships Defensive Publishing: A strategy for maintaining intellectual property as public goods Livestock keeping in urban areas The State of Food and Agriculture 2002 Bringing the food economy home Picture Feature Enterprise makes the most of luck!

Perspective On the other side of the Summit By Daniel Sikazwe News Wiping out witchweed Putting the Summit into perspective Silk industry cocooned by cash Mimicking beetles to collect fog PAAT united Leather collection Making IPR work better for developing countries Good business rewarded Pot luck Warning signals Milk from discerning cows Resistance warning Fuss-free fumigation Developments Vietnamese goat's cheese - an award-winning production When the world turns upside down People power Vietnam coffee industry - learning from the past! Country Profile Swaziland

To access an earlier edition of New Agriculturist visit the back issue page. Here we provide access to all articles in previous editions of New Agriculturist. The latest information on courses and conferences is contained in the current edition only.

Alternatively if you are looking for an article on a specific subject, you can also search the site.

To suggest a subject for a future edition of the New Agriculturist, or to offer material to us, please use our suggestions page.

Interacting with New Agriculturist

You are free to print copies of the articles contained within the New Agriculturist and distribute them to those who do not have internet access. Articles may also be used in other publications on the condition that New Agriculturist is credited as the source of the material, and a sample is sent to WRENmedia. For all other uses please ask permission of the authors.

Photographs are from the photo library of WRENmedia unless otherwise stated and may only be duplicated with express permission. Please contact Susanna Thorp for further information.

Organizations and companies wishing to display services in New Agriculturist and to be linked with this site should contact Patrick Harvey.

For information on WRENmedia services, simply click on the logo below.

Editorial team:
Michael Pickstock, Susanna Thorp, Patrick Harvey, Sarah Reynolds and Mike Davison.

Webmaster:
Patrick Harvey

The authors of the New Agriculturist do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in the New Agriculturist, nor do they accept responsibility for errors or omissions or their consequences. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of WRENmedia.