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In two weeks from the time of writing, the Fifth Session of the WTO Ministerial Conference will be taking place in Cancún, Mexico. Groups of countries have been jockeying for position with hope - at least temporarily - banishing doubts about what actually may be achieved. The July Ministerial draft was, on its own admission, 'skeletal' reflecting 'the reality of our present situation'. The draft is peppered with brackets that discreetly disguise areas of contention and uncertainty. Is this a deliberate tactic to lessen still further the opportunities for weaker, understaffed negotiating teams from developing countries to be heard and their demands met? Doha raised hopes that developing countries would get a fairer deal from global trade rules, especially for agriculture. Let Cancún not crush those hopes.

It is easy to overlook that while the giants in agricultural trade fight, there are little people everywhere who may get bruised. Global trade rules matter to the poor as Mills Soko explains in our Perspective. Trade rules that affect the potential for exports have a knock on effect on domestic markets. In this edition of New Agriculturist we feature both global and local issues and present a special focus on urban farming, a growing trend that, like global agricultural trade rules, affects us all.

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Points of view Food aid Focus on Urban agriculture Facing the urban tide Leaving out the livestock? Planned to perfection Health or hazard? The old ones are the best In Print Don't worry - It's safe to eat: The true story of GM food, BSE and Foot and Mouth Women and land in Africa: Culture, religion and realising women's rights Integrated Natural Resource Management: Linking productivity, the environment and development Environment and urbanization: Rural-urban transformations The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: Reconciling trade in biotechnology with environment and development Animal health: Best practices from FARM-Africa's PDP in Kenya Outcome mapping: Building learning and reflection into development programmes WTO Agreement on Agriculture: The implementation experience Oil palm: Management for large and sustainable yields Handling and preservation of fruits and vegetables by combined methods for rural areas Perspective Do agricultural trade rules matter to the poor? By Mills Soko, University of Warwick, UK

News Agriculture - consensus in Cancun? Bumper wheat harvest in Afghanistan Flood damages in Pakistan US fish industry trawls for further legal victory 'GMOs pose no immediate risk' New GM cotton variety on sale... ...and on trial in Burkina Faso New FMD test for cattle Unlocking livestock genome sequence could open doors Temperate fruit for Ugandan highlands $2m for copperbelt farmers in Zambia 'Input shortage threatens food security in Zimbabwe' Turkmenistan water project criticised by environmentalists Global think tank for world food needs Developments The 'FHIA' good factor for Ugandan bananas Foot and mouth disease in Zimbabwe Sweet smell of vanilla Stolen harvests in Bolivia Country Profile Vanuatu

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