Back to current edition

How can farming and farmers adapt to the unpredictable effects of climate change? And is there any point in trying to plan for an unknown future? This month has seen uncontrollable fires destroy millions of hectares of vegetation on the USA western seaboard, reports of thinning Arctic ice and longer polar summers, and fears of drought to come in southern Africa. No one can be sure of the extent to which humans are contributing to these and other phenomena but we should perhaps be fearful of our power to destroy natural ecosystems and our powerlessness to prevent the consequences. And the weakest in society are, of course, the most vulnerable as Patrick Luganda points out in his Perspective.

Protecting the planet's biodiversity has long been recognised as an essential strategy for ensuring a store of genetic potential against an unpredictable future. On the whole we take a narrow, land-based, above-ground view of biodiversity but how many of us think of the soil beneath our feet, one gram of which can contain millions of organisms and thousands of different species? Our focus in this edition of New Agriculturist is on alternative uses for traditional crops, for which biodiversity, both above and below ground, will always be essential. From new food products to biofuels, and making useful products out of waste - all are designed to be practical and profitable and reduce the detrimental impact on the environment. And where do GM crops now stand in the biodiversity debate as the results of the three year trials in the UK are finally revealed? See Developments for a GM update and News. Our Points of View cover another contentious subject - subsidies.

We hope that you find much to interest you in this edition of New Agriculturist and our thanks to readers who email to tell us that they do.

Points of view Subsidies Focus on Alternative uses for traditional crops Successfully seeking alternative uses for sorghum From sheep to shop Baobab is branching out... Adding value to onion waste Fuelling the future In Print AIDS in the Twenty-First Century: Disease and Globalization Agricultural Biodiversity of Smallholder Farms in East Africa Ending Hunger in our Lifetime Plan B: Rescuing a Planet under Stress and a Civilisation in Trouble Stolen Fruit: The Tropical Commodities Disaster World Resources 2002 to 2004 Decisions for the Earth: Balance, Voice and Power The Coconut Odyssey: The Bounteous Possibilities of the Tree of Life The Names of Ankole Cows Egg Marketing: A guide for the production and sale of eggs Cactus (Opuntia spp.) as forage Perspective Are subsistence farmers coping with climate change? By Patrick Luganda, chairman of the Network of Climate Journalists in the Greater Horn of Africa

News 'Master plan' for Ethiopia's livestock Water management essential for agricultural development US$6m project for Afghan farmers Cash boost for crop research Conservation farming success in Zambia High yields - good news for GM supporters... ...but some bad news for Monsanto? Supply supermarkets to survive - African farmers warned Drought warnings in South Africa Poverty on the map in Kenya Food policy is key to reducing hunger AGORA: opening up access to agricultural information An insight into pastoral lives Developments Transplanting a safety net against drought GM crops - the case continues Cage fattening of tilapia... or chickens? Pyrethrum - from ancient discovery to advanced agriculture Country Profile Niger

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 onWRENmediaservices, simply click on the logo below.

Editorial team:
Michael Pickstock, Susanna Thorp, Patrick Harvey, Sarah Reynolds, Clemmie Perowne 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.