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As this edition of New Agriculturist goes online, leaders of the Group of Eight will meet at Gleneagles in Scotland. High on the summit agenda will be Africa and climate change, the priorities being pushed by the UK's Prime Minister, Tony Blair, as he takes up the year-long G8 presidency. The UK, supported largely by other G8 leaders - with the likely exception of the US - is keen to make a declaration accepting the science of global warming and to recognise that immediate action against climate change is needed including greater progress in cutting emissions. It is reported that some progress has been made in the preliminary discussions, with the US conceding the need for action. However, the final outcome on agreeing the science (highlighted in our Focus on Climate change) may not be as positive as some would have hoped.

Africa has also dominated the headlines in the run up to the summit, and agreement on debt relief has been hailed as a major breakthrough in assisting poor countries. But debt relief, and the much sought after increases in aid, will not be sufficient unless markets can be stimulated and countries experience economic growth (see News). Our Points of View highlights some of the difficulties faced by the poor in accessing markets, whilst News brief reports on the impact on trade for developing countries with the proposed cut in EU sugar subsidies.

Avian flu remains a concern in Asia (News) and in Developments we highlight the need for collaborative research and control for all major zoonotic diseases, as well as reporting on scientific progress being made against insect pesticide-resistance and the spread of cocoa disease. Further marvels of the Mekong are portrayed in Developments and also in the Picture feature, whilst the importance of agricultural exports are presented in our Country profile of Chile and in our Perspective provided from Kenya.

As always, we hope that we have reported on issues that are relevant to you and we welcome your comments or suggestions on this or future editions.

Points of view Making markets work for the poor Focus on Climate change Forecasting the weather: making sense of chaos GLAM'ming it up for crop forecasting Home truths about global warming About FACE on CO2 Through the looking glass Climate change: China's capacity to cope Reading the weather where it is Timely insurance against famine In print Collapse: How societies choose to fail or survive Vital signs 2005: The trends that are shaping our future Animal welfare: Limping towards Eden Technical guidelines for the management of field and in vitro germplasm collections Participatory livestock research: A guide The African food crisis: Lessons from the Asian Green Revolution The pesticide detox: Towards a more sustainable agriculture Supply chain and liberalisation of the milk industry in Uganda A farmers' jury: The future of smallholder agriculture in Zimbabwe Managing agrodiversity the traditional way: Lessons from West Africa in sustainable use of biodiversity and related natural resources Perspective Rising to Europe's standards on Good Agricultural Practice By Dr Wilson Songa Managing Director of the Horticultural Crops Development Authority, Kenya

News Subsidies for sugar begin to dissolve Cutting and burning in Brazil and Siberia Wild potatoes stop the rot Foot and mouth in China WHO caution or concern over avian flu? Cotesia for control of diamondback moth Biofuel turns a corner? Plant-derived vaccine for SARS Study highlights economic growth for poverty reduction Prize-winning soap for a cleaner environment Shifting sands of climate change DFID's priority setting appeal Conventional maize that resists GM pollen Developments Preventing the next plague Mekong garden goes with the flow Protecting the world's chocolate Washing away insecticide resistance Country profile Chile Picture feature Livelihoods of the Mekong Delta

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