http://spore.cta.int Spore N ° 13 1 O C TO B E R 2 0 0 7 DOssiER ,8 Essential oils Distilling knowledge, re)discovering plants Field report from Haiti FOCUs ,11 Breadfruit Nutritious and healthy, but badly under-utilised viEwpOiNT ,16 An agricultural renaissance By Arlington Chesney iN BRiEF ,3 pUBLiCATiONs ,12 BETwEEN Us ,15 Family farming The future of the world After a long period of neglect and impoverishment caused by economic changes, small-scale farmers are at last back at the heart of the development debate. improving their livelihoods and their conditions for production is essential for countries in the south. It is an oft forgotten fact: 2.5 billion men and women — almost 40% of the world population — depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. In order to feed themselves and earn a living, they rely on the land, the sky and…the considerations accorded to them by governments and the international community. Sidelined in recent decades in favour of the agribusiness sector, these small-scale farmers are sinking deeper and deeper into poverty, especially in sub-Saharan Africa: they now account for three-quarters of the world’s poor. “Will the African farmer be simply wiped off the map?” ponders SOS Faim in its 2007 campaign. Militants are not the only ones sounding the alarm. “Only small-scale farmers can put an end to famine in Africa,” declares the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). The World Bank shares the same view. In its World Development Report 2008, which focuses on agriculture for the first time since 1982, it main- tains that promoting the growth of this sector is the most effective way to fight poverty. The future of family farming is well and truly back on centre stage. A common feature of these ventures is that they are family-run P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l P ho to : © T er re n ou rr ic iè re FRONT pAGE ARTiCLE and managed, with production mainly aimed at satisfying the needs of the household and ensuring the sustainability of the farm. Crops, generally diversified so as to limit risks, are mostly sold at local markets, though in certain cases, some may go for export. Family farms are often labelled as ‘traditional’, or even ‘archaic’, decried for being unable to increase productivity or to modernise. But such stereotypical descriptions fail to take into account the diversity of the farmers and their ability to adapt. The bulk of agricultural export commodities such as coffee, cocoa and cotton are produced by family farming systems. The expansion of rice, horticultural and fruit production shows that small-scale producers are perfectly capable of innovating and increasing output if they are given the means. In all ACP countries, family farms play a vital role in producing food and supplying the towns. They continue to be an important source of support for urban families facing difficulties. But in spite of this, donors and governments have in the past few decades remained steadfast in their belief that large-scale agro export farms, deemed to be ‘dynamic’ and ‘competitive’, represent the only real hope for mod- ernising agriculture. Agriculture reels from ‘adjustments’ In developing countries, the withdrawal of the State from agri- cultural training and support, coupled with the structural adjust- ments of the 1990s and the opening up of markets have combined to erode conditions for family farm production and have led to a deterioration in rural living condit ions. Compounding the prob- lem is trade liberalisation, which puts farmers from very differ- ent production backgrounds in competition with each other: intensive mechanised farming is 1,000 times more productive than manual rain-fed agricul- ture. The concentration of vari- ous food chains in the hands of major agrifood enterprises and changes in retail distribution systems (the proliferation of supermarkets, see Spore 110) are gradually chipping away at the position of small-scale farmers who, unlike other pro- ducers, receive no support from their governments. The population growth has led to a parallel expansion in land under cultivation, sometimes on marginal soils, and a reduc- tion of the acreage available for each farmer. In Côte d’Ivoire, for example, the proportion of land farmed rose from 8.5% to 23.5% of the total territory between 1961 and 1999. The priority given to ever growing numbers of urban consum- ers and the subsequent reliance on subsidised imported products have caused agricultural prices to tumble. As a result, farmers in many regions can no longer make a decent living and in certain areas cannot even produce enough food for their own households (Spore 128). In Africa, population growth, which has hovered close to 3% a year since 1960, is higher than that of agricultural output, which has remained at 2% throughout the same period. Rates of output per capita have fallen, exacerbating food insecurity and encourag- ing young people to join the exodus to the towns or to leave their country altogether. In southern Africa, AIDS is devastating rural labour forces and intensifying the decline. The labour reservoir In spite of this trend, the proportion of persons who depend on agriculture or related activities for their living remains extremely high and this sector plays a major role in the labour market. That is the conclusion of RuralStruc, a World Bank research programme on the consequences of liberalisation for rural development. In Senegal, for example, a highly urbanised country, of the 11 mil- lion inhabitants, 7 million — only a fraction lower than the number in 1960 — still rely mainly on rural activities for their livelihoods, in the absence of enough jobs in the towns. Each year, 120,000 young rural dwellers enter the labour market. If agriculture cannot offer them adequate revenues, they will join the ranks of the unem- ployed in Dakar or try at all costs to emigrate to Europe. “Restoring, consolidating and developing the labour reservoir that constitutes African agriculture is one of the imperatives of the next decade”, comments Bruno Losch of RuralStruc. There is thus also a social dimension to the challenge of main- taining and improving family farm output. Abandoning this sector could lead to “a massive and premature exodus of small farms that could overwhelm the capacities of many countries to cope”, warned Peter Hazell, of London’s Imperial College, in Spore 125. A final consideration is that these farmers are the only ones able to safeguard their countries’ natural resources, which are vital for everyone. They could turn this role to good advantage in the future, by using cultivation methods that preserve the environment and reduce CO2 emissions (Spore 130). A change in policy Modernising family farms and increasing productivity so as to make them competitive, while at the same time employing a substantial workforce for production, marketing and processing — that is the most pressing challenge. It can only be met by a radi- cal change in policy. Decision- makers need to wake up to the fact that family farming can be an engine of growth and that supporting this sector is a crucial first step. They need to offer assistance to the vast numbers of small-scale farm- ers so they can increase pro- duction and have better access to markets. It is vital that they revive agricultural research and extension, after a decade of neglect, that they encour- age the development of irriga- tion, make it easier to access inputs and credit, improve the road network, electrify villages and help rural communities to emerge from their isolation through the use of ICTs. Making local markets more accessible by improving trans- port for products and access to price information can quickly lead to an increase of income for producers. Another approach worth exploring is the develop- ment of high value-added niche products, which can have valuable regional outlets or be used to make biofuels. To achieve these results, ACP countries must be allowed to equip themselves with appropriate agricultural policies that are adapted to their context, and protect their agriculture from com- petition. That is the verdict of small-scale farmers’ organisations such as the Windward Islands Farmers’ Association (WINFA) or the Network of Farmers’ Organizations and Agricultural Producers in West Africa (ROPPA), which have put family farming at the top of their list of demands. These organisations deserve to be well sup- ported and widely consulted, as they are the best placed to ensure that their members’ needs and objectives are pushed to the fore once again, that they benefit from shared experiences and from the useful information they can make available. It is also important to give more space to women, whose dominant role in family farm- ing is often overlooked, and to the young, who hold our future in their hands. n Spore 131 / October 20072 Spore 131 / October 2007 FRONT pAGE ARTiCLE iN B R iE F pectin from lemons In South Africa, a pilot project is using enzymes to extract pectin from lemons and their zest. Pectin is a natural gelling agent used to reduce the quantity of sugar needed to make jam. The aim is to create an outlet for the tonnes of citrus fruit deemed unsuitable for export due to sub-standard quality — 40% of the citrus harvest on the Eastern Cape. At a later stage, the public-private consortium behind the initiative is planning to develop powdered pectin for the export market. Fighting livestock disease The Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) is a new initiative aimed at responding to the urgent need to address serious livestock diseases affecting the poor. The alliance, based in Edinburgh, UK, brings together researchers, research institutions, universities and pharmaceutical companies to produce new diagnostic tests, vaccines and pharmaceutical products, as well as improving ones already on the market. Two of the first GALVmed projects are being launched in Kenya. One hopes to develop a vaccine for Newcastle disease that is stable at high temperatures and available to small-scale backyard poultry farmers. The other aims to prevent East Coast Fever, which kills more than one million cattle a year, causing losses of over US$200 million (€148 million) in eastern and southern Africa. GALVmed Doherty Building Pentlands Science Park Bush Loan, Penicuik Edinburgh EH26 0PZ Scotland, UK Fax: +44 (0)131 445 6222 info@galvmed.org www.galvmed.org A weed that was once deemed to be of no use to farmers is trans- forming the lives of producers in Kenya’s Western region. Farmers are using the tree marigold, Titho- nia diversifolia, known to locals as Maua Maruru, to boost soil fertility. The prolific weed, which is rich in nitrogen and phosphorous, serves as a highly effective alternative to expensive artificial fertilisers. The concept was introduced to farmers by researchers from the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). Staff who studied the farms are showing producers how to cut the weed and leave it to rot on the soil. Accord- ing to Julias Adiwo, an ICRAF sen- ior research assistant, the quality of soils in most parts of the west- ern region has long been affected by over-exploitation. Most farmers own very little land and cannot afford to buy fertilisers. Although the weed grows naturally in most areas of the country, very few farmers had noticed the important role it plays in enriching their soils, he added. Elizabeth Ondiga, who has begun using the technique on her 0.8 ha plot, says she can now har- vest enough maize and beans to feed her family until the following season. “Prices of fertilisers are shooting up by the day,” she said. “The weed has proved a far better way to rejuvenate my farm.” New kids on the block The red goat of Maradi, in south- ern Niger, is making a new home for itself in the centre of Burkina Faso. When the Bazega rural devel- opment project first introduced this typically Sahelian animal, many livestock keepers were scep- tical that it would be able to toler- ate the humid climate and survive diseases such as pasteurellosis and trypanosomiasis. But the hardy red goat has settled in well, amply jus- tifying the decision to introduce it into the area in a bid to improve the incomes of women and young people. The goat’s fertility and abil- ity to reproduce at an early age have surprised livestock keep- ers. Females as young as 10 to 12 months can produce offspring and regularly produce two or three kids. Even when a mother is suck- ling her young, a herder can still collect close to a litre of milk each day, compared with a scant quar- ter of a litre in the case of the local ‘mossi’ goat. At 3 months, the red goat is worth FCFA17,500 (€27), double the price of an 8-month-old local breed. The red goat’s soft fine coat is much sought after in the luxury leather goods sector to make shoes, bags and clothes. However, wider-scale develop- ment of this breed is held back by the fact that few herders in this area milk their goats thoroughly, since the milk is only really con- sumed by children. If the udder is not entirely emptied of its milk, mastitis (inflamation of the mam- mary glands) can ensue. Project managers have started to train farmers in good milking practices. This will lead to more healthy goats, producing high quality milk that can be made into cheese, yoghurt and other products. Direction provinciale des ressources animales du Bazèga BP 122 Kombissiri Burkina Faso Cahiers / Agriculture • The economic nature of family farms: Present lessons from old debates By M Petit Volume 15, no. 6, November- December 2006 Full text in French only; summary available in English www.john-libbey-eurotext.fr/fr/ revues/agro_biotech/agr/sommaire. md?cle_parution=1466&&type= text.html Éditions John Libbey Eurotext 127, avenue de la République 92120 Montrouge France Communication from the EC • Advancing African agriculture: Proposal for continental and regional level cooperation on agricultural development in Africa http://eur-lex.europa.eu/ LexUriServ/site/en/com/2007/ com2007_0440en01.pdf IFPRI • The Future of Small Farms for Poverty Reduction and Growth By A Dorward, P Hazell, C Poulton & S. Wiggins 2020 Discussion Paper no. 42, 2007 www.ifpri.org/2020/dp/vp42.asp IIED • The Future of Family Farms in West Africa: What can we learn from long-term data? By M Mortimore Dossier no. 119, 2003 ISBN 978-1-84369-486-1 www.iied.org/pubs/pdf/full/ 9294IIED.pdf IIED 3 Endsleigh Street London WC1H 0DD, UK Fax: +44 (0) 20 7388 2826. info@iied.org www.iied.org/pubs KIT • Farmers’ organizations and agricultural innovation Case studies from Benin, Rwanda and Tanzania By W Heemskerk & B Wennink ISBN 90-6832 -68-4 €25 Downloadable from: www.kit.nl/smartsite.shtml?ch=FAB &id=8332&ItemID=1965&RecordTitle =Bulletin%20374%20-%20Farmers Royal Tropical Institute Mauritskade 63 1092 AD Amsterdam The Netherlands Fax: +31 20 66 84 579 Publishers@kit.nl World Bank • World Development Report 2008 Agriculture for Development To appear in October 2007 RuralStruc Program http://go.worldbank.org/ BLQ1N39PP0 P ho to : © O rg an ic fa rm er P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l The tree marigold boosts soil fertility in Kenya. The red goat of Maradi (Niger) has surprised livestock keepers in Burkina Faso. weeds to the rescue Spore 131 / October 2007 Spore 131 / October 2007 3 iN B R iE F Furniture from bamboo In the village of Taievu, Fiji, 14 unemployed young men have learned how to design and make furniture from bamboo. The initiative is the brainchild of Fijian businessman Usaia Korodrau who approached the Indonesian embassy for help. After seeing the strength and quality of Fiji’s bamboo for themselves, Indonesian officials agreed to hold a training course, teaching the youths to make trays, sofas, beds, chairs, tables and lampshades. The Bitukao Enterprise programme, which ran from November 2006 to April 2007 with support from the Secretariat for the Pacific Community (SPC) and Fiji’s Ministry of Forests, taught the youths a mixture of local and Indonesian designs. Two of the young men, Joeli Raviakara, 24, and Sanaila Tuku- tukuivalu, 35, have now won a scholarship for a year’s further training in Indonesia. On their return, the pair will lead the Bitu- kao Enterprise production team. The furniture products will initially be aimed at local and tourist mar- kets. When more young people have completed training, there are plans to investigate the export market, said Mr Korodrau. Budding environmentalists In Benin, nearly 400 pupils from eight schools in the municipalities of Dassa-Zoumé and Glazoué recently took part in the second final of an unusual inter-school competition. Organised by CPN-les Papillons, a local environmental NGO, and supported by CTA, the contest encouraged children to “plead for the protection of the environment” before an audience of around one thousand people. Helped by their teachers, the youngsters had earlier produced manuals on biodiversity, natural ecosystems, environmental deg- radation and ways of protecting the planet. A jury examined the manuals and listened to the young advocates, who were each given a maximum of 20 min to present their case. There was warm praise for all the entries and each school received hoes, water- ing cans, refuse bins or other useful prizes. The youngest contest- ants also received plants. On two Wednes- days each month, as part of the same project, stu- dents from three institutes present a radio broadcast called ‘Nature and Us’. Translated into local languages Idaa- sha and Maxi, the pro- gramme reaches several hundred thousand list eners, say organisers. It deals with various topics including bush fires, desertification, recycling of plastic bags, compost making, deforestation and reforestation, ecotourism and the environment. CPN les Papillons Camaté-Shakaloké BP 16 , Sokponta, Benin cpnlespapillons@yahoo.fr www.oduland.com/cpn.htm Jewellery from trees In the town of Dondo, in Mozam- bique’s Sofala Province, members of a small wood-turners’ coopera- tive have learned to turn a pre- cious local resource into a high-fashion product. With support from the International Trade Cen- tre (ITC) and ideas from designer and social entrepreneur Allan Schwarz, they craft high-quality bracelets that are making a splash at the high end of the fashion accessories market. Their design shows bold architectural forms that are selling well, featuring on catwalks and in glossy magazines. The move marks a turnaround for this poor rural community. Many were deskilled by years of civil war and previously trying with lit- tle success to earn a living mak- ing low-quality wood products for a tourism market that no longer existed. Founded by Schwarz, the Sofala Initiative, an alliance between a private company based at the Mez- imbite Forest Centre, the Dondo woodcraft cooperative and the n’Hatanga community, has shown the forest community how to make the most of its wide variety of trop- ical trees, whose timber is durable and decorative, with rich colours ranging from deep burgundy to ebony. A replanting programme ensures that the wooden jewellery trade will be helping forest com- munities for generations to come. P ho to : © S P C- B am bo o cr af ti ng A drawing by Samson Dadjo, a member of the team that reached the final in an inter- school contest in Benin with the theme of protecting the environment (original drawing in black and white) ACp groups win biodiversity prize In Kenya, the Shompole Community Trust has won a top prize for conserving vast grasslands and savannah as part of a profit- making ecotourism venture for the local Masai people. The trust was one of five community groups from tropical regions to win the UN-backed Equator Prize for their initiatives to alleviate poverty and conserve local biodiversity. Also named in the awards was the village of Andavadoaka in Madagascar, honoured for managing an octopus fishery so that it can provide sustainable long- term benefits. Each winning group will receive US$30,000 (€21,750). Organic standard for East Africa East Africa leads the continent in exports of certified organic products. The sector has received a further boost with the development of an East African Organic Standard (EAOS), launched in April 2007. EAOS is expected to enable economies of scale in training materials and certification, and create a unified negotiating position that should help organic farmers win access to export markets. But the potential of the new body to spur African organic exports could be seriously compromised by a move from the UK’s largest organic licensing body. The Soil Association, which certifies more than 70% of retail organic produce in the UK, is considering withdrawing its endorsement of products imported by plane. It argues that air freight is responsible for 11% of carbon emissions and therefore at odds with organic principles. A decision is expected in November. Boosts for beekeepers Beekeeping is booming in Zambia. The Zambia Agribusiness Technical Assistance Centre (ZATAC) recently trained honey farmers in Mwinilunga District to produce certified organic honey for export to the international market. Meanwhile, in Solwezi, Kansanshi Mining Limited has brought in experts to train rural dwellers in beekeeping. One of the initiatives to emerge is Mutanda Honey, which buys comb honey from local farmers before processing and selling it to retail outlets. About 10,000 beekeepers in North-Western Province currently have 500,000 hives producing up to 1,000 t of honey and 100 t of beeswax annually, according to the Centre for International Forestry Research. Spore 131 / October 2007 Spore 131 / October 2007 iN B R iE F wilt-resistant coffee The Coffee Research Institute (CORI) in Uganda has developed coffee trees that are resistant to the coffee wilt disease. “The institute is trying out a wilt- resistant Arabica coffee popularly known as Tuza. It is already doing very well in Bushenyi, Rukungiri and Ibanda Districts,” said a CORI official. He explained that samples from the seeds have been tested and the results are promising. “Plans are under way to take it to other districts, but it has to be done systematically to avoid mixing it with Robusta.” CORI PO Box 185 Kituza, Mukono Uganda Fax: 256-41-321070 cori@africaonline.co.ug www.naro.go.ug/research_institutes/ CORI.htm Source: New Vision Restoring rice production A project to rehabilitate rice production has transformed Madagascar’s Mandrare Basin from one of the country’s poorest regions, where famine was rife, into a rice exporting area. The Mandrare project, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), restored irrigation systems, roads and other infrastructures and introduced more intensive farming methods. It also set up a network of microcredit institutions. The area now exports up to 25,000 t of rice per year. A second phase has helped farmers to produce an annual 200 t of cabbage, tomatoes, onions, garlic and carrots, as well as 4.5 t of corn and cassava seeds and more than 8 t of rice seeds. The initiative has encouraged local farmers to form producers’ associations to market their crops. Hope against cassava virus Over the past 5 years, the cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) has spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The virus destroys the root while the leaves appear to be healthy, so farmers do not realise that their crop has been ruined until harvest time. Scientists from the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Tanzania suspect the virus is spread by people carrying infected cassava cuttings across Africa. They have now developed new varieties of cassava through cross-breeding, and trials have shown that these can successfully tolerate the virus. To speed up the spread of these varieties, the IITA is training farmers in a new method to increase the number of cuttings obtained from each plant. IITA-Tanzania ARI-Mikocheni (MARI), Plot 24B Sam Nujoma Road PO Box 6226 Dar-es-Salaam Tanzania Fax: +255 22 2775021 e.kanju@cgiar.org Granny power for development In ACP countries, older women are generally respected and lis- tened to by their families and communities. However, until now, development officials have tended to focus on younger women to be partners in their projects. This approach is starting to change. A recent FAO seminar highlighted the key role played by grandmothers, dynamic women who in many countries of the South are often barely in their forties. An international NGO, ‘The Grandmother Project’, is working together with a number of commu- nity organisations in West Africa. In Senegal, the older women discuss female genital mutilation with the younger ones. In Mauritania, they are promoting good nutritional practices in the shanty towns. By combining tra- ditional knowl- edge with an open approach to more mod- ern ideas, these young grandmothers can contrib- ute significantly to the success of projects for maternal and child health. Our elders, a resource for the future? In Spore 102, we observed that “in most ACP countries the proportion of old people will grow for decades yet, despite HIV/AIDS and other ills.” But much remains to be done, especially in agriculture, to ensure that they have access to adequate services for credit, train- ing and obtaining equipment. Contact: Judi Aubel The Grandmother Project (GMP) Via Aventina 30 00153 Rome Italy grandmotherproject@hotmail.com www.grandmotherproject.org/index. html Healthy groundnuts sell better The most feared enemy of groundnut producers in tropical regions is aflatoxin, a substance produced by the Aspergillus flavus fungus. It poses a serious threat to consumer health as well as to the revenues of farmers, who cannot sell their produce on international markets if the groundnuts are infected. In order to obtain high- quality groundnuts, farmers need to take precautions against con- tamination both in the field and at every stage of production — track- ing aflatoxin “from the farm to the fork”. The European New tools for groundnut aflatoxin control in Sahel Africa project has revealed that water stress occurring towards the end of the crop cycle encour- ages the development of aflatox- ins. It therefore advises producers to use short-cycle varieties that produce small seeds, which have been shown to have greater resist- ance. After harvest, granaries and warehouses must also be treated to limit the spread of infection. Varieties with resistance to aflatoxin are currently being made available in West Africa. In Sen- egal, CIRAD and the main Sen- egalese producers’ organisation ASPRODEB are seeking to build a quality groundnut sector by linking producer associations with private sector organisations. Contacts: daniele.clavel@cirad.fr alain.mayeux@cirad.fr Unité de recherche « Agrobiodiversité des plantes de savane » CIRAD Avenue Agropolis - TA 70 / 01 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5 France Fishing for shares Some 5,000 professional fish- ers from Mauritius (2,000 in Mauri- tius and 3,000 in Rodrigues) have all received 300 free shares worth 10 rupees (€0.23) each from the Fishermen Investment Trust (FIT). Created to help poor coastal fisher folk, the FIT has a capital of nearly €1.5 million made available by the government of Mauritius. Its activi- ties include fishing, the processing of fisheries products, the purchase of fishing boats and equipment, the provision of loans to fishers, job creation and a range of other benefits for fisher folk. Part of the capital is also used to fund training at the Mauritius fisheries school. The FIT is modelled on the Sugar Investment Trust which will also be investing in profitable fish- eries activities and marine farming projects. The profits will be rein- vested in aquaculture and in the harvesting and processing of sea cucumbers. Thanks to the FIT, fisher folk have priority in enlisting in these new projects. For a profession whose members are used to rely- ing on no one but themselves and the sea for a living, that is quite a revolution. P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l P ho to : © T er re n ou rr ic iè re Precious allies in health projects Spore 131 / October 2007 Spore 131 / October 2007 5 iN B R iE F Photo: © Syfi a International Bacteria boosts gum In arid regions of Africa, the production of gum arabic from the Acacia senegal is an important source of revenue, but output varies widely from one year to another depending on rainfall. In field trials on adult trees in Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal, researchers have shown that productivity of the acacias increases by 25% if they are injected with rhizobia at the onset of the rainy season. These soil bacteria stimulate the growth of trees, strengthen their resistance to variations in rainfall and improve gum production. The project is funded by the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECARD). Contact: didier.lesueur@cirad.fr Unité de recherche ‘Fonctionnement et pilotage des écosystèmes de plantations’ CIRAD TA B-80/D Campus international de Baillarguet 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5 France Fax: +33 4 67 59 37 33 Top quality coffee genes Scientists have identified the genes that affect flavour in coffee beans, paving the way for higher quality coffee and potentially widening the added value sector of the coffee market. The team, from CIRAD in France and Brazil’s Agricultural Institute of Paraná, says it has pinpointed the genes responsible for sucrose accumulation in coffee beans. Sucrose is thought to play a vital role in the taste of coffee by releasing flavour and aroma during roasting. The next challenge is to find ways of improving sucrose content in beans to ensure better quality and higher earnings for producers. Tips on-line Howtopedia is a collaborative library for practical knowledge and simple technologies. Developed along the lines of Wikipedia, it enables visitors to exchange links and tips in a range of fields, including agriculture and energy. With just a few clicks, you can find out more about uses of shea butter and how to grow mushrooms on water hyacinths. Still in its infancy, the on-line library awaits your comments and suggestions. www.howtopedia.org/intro.php?L=en All about animal health The WAHID Interface provides access to all data held within the new World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) launched by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Here you will find information on veterinary staff, laboratories and vaccines, as well as reports and maps presenting the animal health situation, livestock diseases and unusual epidemiological outbreaks in member countries. You can search by country, by group of countries or by disease, as well as find out about efforts to tackle disease and compare the animal health situation of two countries. www.oie.int/wahid Rearing rabbits Rabbit rearing has the potential to improve the diets and income of many African households as well as soil fertility. Rabbits mature quickly and reproduce rapidly. In good conditions, a single doe can produce 60 kittens in a year. They can be fed garden and kitchen waste, take up little space and are quiet, making them suitable for urban and suburban environments. They produce high-quality meat and useful manure. In the Caribbean, a number of ini- tiatives have aimed to promote rab- bit production among smallholders. The USAID Farmer to Farmer Pro- gram sent volunteers to Haiti to teach local producers how to raise rabbits. Production has reportedly increased in Cap Haitien and Port- au-Prince due to demand from tourist restaurants. In April 2007, FAO supported a 4-H project in Rose Hill, Jamaica. In Barbados, the Small Grants Programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF-SGP) launched a Sustain- able Organic Farming and Rabbit Rearing Project in July with a gift of rabbits to a primary school. In Trinidad, efforts are under way to establish contacts between retail- ers and suppliers, and to set up a rabbit meat processing plant. One factor holding back fur- ther expansion is the so-called Easter Bunny syndrome. “Some people think of rabbits more as pets, too cute to eat, like the Easter Bunny. Even some of the farmers who raise them can’t bear to slaugh- ter them,” said Ansari Hosein, at the St Augus- tine campus of the University of the West Indies, which recently carried out a study on rabbit production. In Papua New Guinea, meanwhile, farmers and consum- ers alike have embraced rabbit production. Since 15 domestic rabbits were intro- duced in 1993, numbers have climbed to 2,500 and the animals have adapted well to local condi- tions. Research by the National Agricultural Research Institute has revealed that performance is greatly improved if diets are supple- mented with local high-energy crops. Weight gain was poor when rab- bits were fed on green leaf mate- rial alone. The ani- mals thrived when fed with a low-cost supplement of cassava, banana, sweet potato, sugarcane or coconut. warm welcome for solar invention Kenyan John Maina, inventor of a solar dryer for fruits and vegeta- bles, has been awarded the Energy Globe Award for the ‘earth’ cate- gory. More than 700 projects from 96 countries competed with pro- posals for clean and sustainable energy uses. Prizes, which were awarded in April, were given for each of five categories: earth, air, water, fire and youth. Since 2002, 30 of these dry- ers have been used to add value to harvests, increasing the rev- enues of nearly a thousand farm- ers linked to the Sustainable Community Development Services (SCODE), where John Maina is the coordinator. Some 30 craftsmen have learned how to build the dry- ers using wood and simple sheets of plastic. The invention is proving particularly useful in Kenya, where 30 to 40% of fruits and vegetables are lost for lack of affordable post- harvest conservation techniques. Solar energy, which is free and widely available, saves using fuel wood, which is increasingly hard to find in the Rift Valley region. Meanwhile, Congolese inven- tor Mr Tsengue-Tsengue, head of Challenge Futura, a company that makes agrifood equipment, has developed a solar dryer which he says gives constant power and can be regulated. When there is no sun, the drier can use hot water to power it instead. A partnership has been signed with French company Atlas which is studying “a simpli- fied version so that even illiterate people can use it easily,” explains the inventor. The device won the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPPO) prize as well as an award from the Swiss solar energy asso- ciation SWISSOLAR. Both prizes were presented at the 35th Inter- national Exhibition of Inventions, New Techniques and Products, held in Geneva in April 2007. SCODE PO Box 13177 Nakuru Kenya Fax: +254 51 2211941 scode@africaonline.co.ke www.energyglobe.info/geg/frontend/ view.php Contact: Challenge Futura M Tsengué-Tsengué BP 5696, Brazzaville Republic of the Congo challengefutura@yahoo.fr A pair of low-cost dryers in Kenya and Congo P ho to : © S CO D E Ph ot o: © C ha lle ng e Fu tu ra Spore 131 / October 20076 Spore 131 / October 2007 iN B R iE F Cutting computer costs An organisation called Ndiyo (Swahili for ‘yes’), based in Cam- bridge, UK, has developed a device that allows several people to use one computer at the same time. “We don’t want to have cut-down computers for poor people,” said Dr Quentin Stafford-Fraser, the computer scientist behind the invention. “We want them to have what we have, so we need to find a better way to do it.” The device exploits a little-used feature in operating systems that permits several users to work separately on the same computer, each with their own screen and keyboard. A standard PC running Linux, the open-source operating system, can be shared by up to 10 persons. “We can make computing more affordable by sharing it,” explains Dr Stafford-Fraser. Internet cafés based on Ndiyo’s technology have already been set up in South Africa. Mobile phones are used to link the shared PCs to the Internet. Ndiyo Ltd PO Box 224 Cambridge CB3 9ZN UK yes@ndiyo.org www.ndiyo.org Teak in vitro Teak is a timber much in vogue, and as a result the demand for high quality plants is high. To meet the challenge, CIRAD has developed a system for industrially cloning teak plants, which overcomes two major stumbling blocks: the low rate of seed germination in plantations and the high level of heterogeneity of trees that grow from them. Several million plants grown in vitro have already been produced at very low cost. Contacts: olivier.monteuuis@cirad.fr jean-michel.sers@cirad.fr Fair fish Small-scale fishers in Senegal have received their first ecolabel from the Swiss association Fair Fish. This certification sets fair conditions and a fixed minimum price for fishers and their families while at the same time seeking to conserve fish stocks. The label guarantees that fisheries enterprises respect traceability standards and use capture methods which minimise suffering to fish. At present, the fish is sold exclusively in Switzerland. Contact: Malick Ndiaye Senegal Coordination Cité Sonees, Villa n° 1 Guédiawaye Dakar Senegal Fax: +221 871 47 55 marmindiaye2005@yahoo.fr www.fair-fish.ch/english Mangroves clear pollution Researchers from the EU-funded Pumpsea project have launched a water purification system in a tourist area of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which uses mangroves to treat effluents from a hotel. The technique cuts faecal coliform bacteria in the water by almost 90%. Certain types of mangrove can filter nutrients, poisons and other contaminants found in wastewater, and could become valuable allies in the fight against pollution in subtropical coastal waters. The researchers have mapped most of the mangrove zones of Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania, and identified areas where this inexpensive and completely natural technique could be applied. www.pumpsea.icat.fc.ul.pt/main.php The living encyclopedia Ten of the world’s most important natural history museum and botanical libraries have joined forces to launch an ambitious project: digitalising all the publications and documents on biodiversity in their possession with a view to making them accessible to all on the Web. Nearly 1.5 million pages are already available for consultation on the website of the Biodiversity Heritage Library. It will take about 10 years to create the 300 million digital pages planned for the site, which will also offer videos, photographs and maps. www.biodiversitylibrary.org/About. aspx iCTs help fishers sell catch Small-scale fishermen in Sen- egal are using mobile phones to market their products and to log their departures and estimated times of return, so that rescue services can be alerted if there is a problem. The Innovative Internet and Wireless E-services for Strengthening the Livelihoods of Senegalese Fishermen project is run by MANOBI, a private telecommunications company, in partnership with three local fishing unions, several other companies and international organisations. The scheme uses short messaging system (SMS) and Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) technologies. Fishers can also use their cell phones to access up-to- date weather reports and market price information. The project has already pro- duced good results. Fishers report increased incomes as a result of access to market data. One fish- ing union was able to send help to rescue an eight-man crew that had failed to return on time. The service also enables fishers to improve the quality of their products. By alert- ing potential buyers as soon as they land their catch, they can sell their fish while it is still very fresh. Typically, up to 30% of the catch of small-scale fishers is wasted while they wait to find a buyer. Whether they are shopping or eating out at a restaurant, environ- mentally aware South Africans can quickly find out if the fish offered to them comes from a threatened species. By keying in the name of the fish via SMS to a mobile phone number, they receive a colour- coded response from the FishMS service. Green means you can buy the fish; orange means the fish is legal, but stocks are threatened; red means selling the fish is ille- gal in South Africa. The service is offered by the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative with the support of the South African government and the Green Trust. www.manobi.net www.panda.org.za/article.php?id=498 P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l The Ndiyo system enables several people to use the same computer at once. Bottled coconut water A simple new process for pre- serving coconut water could ena- ble ACP small-scale entrepreneurs to tap into the growing market for this time-honoured tropical drink. The cold preservation technique was developed and evaluated in Jamaica by scientists from the University of the West Indies, the Coconut Industries Board and the Jamaican Scientific Research Council, with support from FAO. FAO has now published a free train- ing guide, which clearly explains the process. Once exposed to air and warm temperatures, the quality of coco- nut water quickly deteriorates. “The cold preservation process requires little investment and skills, and it offers small entrepreneurs a chance to enter the market of bot- tling coconut water of good qual- ity,” said Rosa Rolle of FAO’s Rural Infrastructure and Agro-industries Division. The commercial production of canned coconut water involves sterilising the product using high temperature and short-time pasteurisation, a process that destroys some of the nutrients in coconut water and almost all its delicate flavour. The new process, which involves filtration, bottling and rigorous temperature control, protects the natural flavour of coconut water. It allows farmers to produce bottled coconut water that stays fresh from 10 days to 3 weeks. The cold preservation tech- nology is not protected by patent and can be used by anybody. Good Practice for the Small-Scale Production of Bottled Coconut Water AGS Registry FAO Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00153- Rome, Italy Fax: +39 (0)6 5705 4960 AGS-Registry@fao.org P ho to : © N di yo Spore 131 / October 2007 Spore 131 / October 2007 7 DOssiER Aromatic plants Essential oils for all The consumer craze for fragrances and aromas shows no sign of letting up — the market for essential oils continues to grow. Beyond the advantages they represent for the export sector, these plant extracts are also useful for ACp countries that want to protect the health of their inhabitants and harvests. A number of ACp research efforts are under way to identify the most promising plants. Detergent infused with citrus essence, citronella candles that repel mosquitoes, eucalyptus-based treatments to alleviate respiratory problems and — wait for it — socks impregnated with essential oils. Nature is a strong selling point right now and the agrifood, chemical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries are constantly on the lookout for natural substances that are just as effective as synthetic products but are also beneficial to health and the environment. The trend helps explain the massive upsurge in interest in essential oils (EOs), volatile fragrant substances produced by wild or cultivated plants. The most common method of extraction is steam distillation (see box) or, in the case of citrus fruits, cold pressing of the zest. EOs are not to be confused with the fatty oils extracted from oleaginous plants such as shea or jojoba. The price of these precious oils depends on the parts and quan- tities of plants used, as well as on the difficulty of harvesting them, a process mainly done by hand. One of the most costly EOs is Neroli oil, extracted from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium), grown in many ACP countries. A tiny 2 ml bottle sells for around €13 on the Internet while the essence extracted from the skin of the fruits is between 10 and 15 times less expensive. New clients According to the report Indian Oil Industry 2005, glo- bal output of EOs and citrus essences hovers between 100,000 and 110,000 t. Some 55% of production is accounted for by the South, led by Brazil, China, India and Indonesia, which are also major consum- ers. The international aroma and perfume mar- ket (worth US$6.3 billion in 2006, according to BCC Research) is expected to grow by an annual 4.5% in the coming years. The EU, Japan and USA are traditionally the big- gest importers of EOs, but demand from Asian countries, especially South Korea and China, is growing rapidly. The boom in aromatherapy, a treatment involving the absorption, massage or inhalation of often organic EOs, is helping to create niche markets for high value-added products. ACP countries are well placed to profit from these trends. Their climate, the richness of their flora and plentiful supply of labour are clear advantages when it comes to growing and harvesting aromatic plants. Some countries have a virtual monopoly on plants with unique proper- ties: Amyris balsamifera or West Indian sandalwood in Haiti, muhuhu (Brachylaena hutchinsii) in Kenya and Tanza- nia, buchu (Agathosma betulina) in South Africa, to mention those that are most widely marketed. The Caribbean has a long tradition of EO production. Despite strong competition, Gre- nada remains the world’s second largest exporter of The art of extraction Some 4,000 plant species contain aromatic essences, but only a few hundred of them have sufficient concentrations to allow extraction of essential oils. Steam distillation in a still is the most common extraction method. The parts of the plant — flowers, leaves, fruit peel or roots — are placed in a tank through which steam is passed. This causes the aromatic cells to rupture, releasing the molecules of essential oils. The blend of steam and oil then passes through a condenser — a coil that has been cooled down in a vat of cold water. When the liquid (hydrolat) emerges, the oil floats to the surface and can be harvested. The final quantity and quality of the product depend on careful monitoring of the temperature and pressure inside the still, and to an even greater extent on the quality of the plants used, which must be picked at the right moment. The quantity of EO harvested varies significantly from one plant to another, and this affects price. To obtain 1 kg of pure essence, you need to distil 1,000 kg of orange blossom and 600 kg of rose geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), but only 6 to 7 kg of cloves (Syzygium aromaticum). A more delicate process, extraction by solvent involves chemicals and is mainly used to capture the perfume of the most fragile flowers such as jasmine. Cold pressing is exclusively used to extract essences from the zest of citrus fruit (orange, lemon, bergamot or other). The equipment needed is inexpensive. You simply peel the fruit before pressing and centrifuging the skin to harvest the essence. The zest of 100 kg of citrus fruit produces between 500 and 850 g of essence. Spore 131 / October 20078 Spore 131 / October 2007 DOssiER nutmeg oil (Myristica fragrans) after Indonesia. Haiti is the world’s leading producer of amyris oil (Amyris balsamifera) and the second biggest producer of vetiver — see our field report — and produces citrus essences for liqueurs. Jamaica is known for its EO made from the leaves and berries of the pimento (Pimenta dioica and P. racemosa), while Dominica produces significant quantities of bay essence (Laurus nobilis). The search for new aromatic plants to develop in the region may help in the push for agricultural diversi- fication and job creation. In the Pacific region, the Centre for the Development of Enter- prise (CDE) is encouraging farmers to start producing EOs to help them penetrate the world market by offering quality products which, it says, are in growing demand. Two species of sandalwood have traditionally been an important source of revenue for the region: Santalum austrocaledonicum in Vanuatu and S. yasi in Fiji and Tonga. Three medicinal plants have been identified as holding out significant promise for the local EO industry: a variety of basil (Ocimum gratissimum), a type of mint (Plectranthus amboinicus) and a tree (Pandanus tectorius). Despite the rich diversity of its flora, sub-Saharan Africa still only plays a marginal role in the EO market. Notable exceptions are South Africa, which has a sizeable output of different oils (eucalyp- tus, geranium, camomile, lavender), Côte d’Ivoire (citrus essence) and Madagascar, a major producer of EOs extracted from ylang- ylang and cloves. Other countries, including Ghana, Malawi and Nigeria, have recently joined their ranks. In 2004, PAHE, the pan-African network for aromatic plants and essential oils, launched a campaign to encourage African countries to draw up SME development strategies for the production of essential and edible oils. The initiative was aimed at creating jobs and increasing earnings from traditional knowledge and non-timber forest products. South Africa has successfully created various support programmes for small-scale farmers producing EOs. In the Northern Cape, the country’s Department of Science and Technology is encouraging the cultivation and distillation of geranium as a way of creating jobs and reducing poverty. A demanding market EOs belong to a group of products which, accord- ing to the CDE, have the advantage of requiring little investment and simple, tested technologies that are easy to use and install in rural settings. They can make a significant contribution to boosting revenues for rural communities, take up little space and can easily be des- patched by plane at reasonable cost. Production methods have to meet exacting quality standards to ensure that plants have adequate levels of active ingredients. Those that fail to do so command lower prices. Since EOs are complex substances, they require regular laboratory testing if they are to qualify for export. One important step is to determine their chemotype (see box) — their precise biochemical structure, which is strongly influenced by the ecological area in which a plant is harvested. As Spore observed back in 2000 (Spore 86), “It is a rewarding, but exacting market to conquer, and one where quality counts.” The EU imposes rigorous standards. The REACH system, which since 2006 has ensured control of 30,000 chemical substances, also applies to essential oils. It requires manufacturers to dem- onstrate that their products are not harmful in any way, a process that is beyond the means of most ACP SMEs, unless they have assistance. Adding to their dif- ficulties is the fact that small-scale producers must also take account of specific market con- straints, which may change dramatically from one year to the next due to competition. Producers need to be well informed of market trends, build up contacts with potential clients and make sure they hold onto those clients by sup- plying adequate quan- tities of EOs regularly. Even though producers in the South now have more direct access to the markets of industrialised countries — mainly due to the Internet — these markets remain distant, sporadic and exclusively based on raw materials. It is hard to find export markets for plant-based products, unless they are part of a long tradition such as Bay Rum in the Caribbean, a blend of EOs, including one extracted from Pimenta racemosa. This has long been used in Europe as an eau de Cologne or hair lotion. Most recent studies on EOs focus on the commercial oppor- tunities that local and regional markets offer ACP countries. One example is a small-scale enterprise in Ghana which is seeking to tap the markets of neighbouring countries with an anti-mosquito lotion based on citronella EO (Cymbopogon nardus). Research all round EOs can be extremely useful in their country of origin where their antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties may help protect humans, livestock, crops and harvests. In Papua New Guinea, pharmacies sell waria waria oil distilled from Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa, whose antiseptic properties are similar to those of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia). A number of research initiatives are under way in ACP countries to study the properties of EOs extracted from local flora, based on Tropical essential oils are selling well in European pharmacies. Location is the essence An essential oil can contain dozens or even hundreds of components, which lend it its particular taste or fragrance. A gas chromatography laboratory test is needed to determine the percentage of each constituent. Two EOs extracted from plants belonging to the same botanical species can have the same components, but in very different proportions, depending on the place where the plant was harvested. The amount of sun and the type of soil on which the plant grew both play an important role. That explains differences in price and the fact that plants from some regions are more sought after than those from others. The active ingredients and their concentration vary widely between varieties. For example, there are several hundred varieties of eucalyptus, but only a dozen of them produce an EO, obtained by distillation of the leaves. The oil from E. globulus, cultivated in Malawi and South Africa amongst other places, is rich in eucalyptol. It is prized for its beneficial effect on the respiratory tract. Essence of E. citriodora or lemon eucalyptus, which grows mainly in Madagascar, has a calming effect due to its high content of citronellal, and is also used in the perfume trade. P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l Spore 131 / October 2007 Spore 131 / October 2007  DOssiER traditional knowledge. In South Africa, branches of Lippia javanica have long been used to repel insects. The EO from this shrub has been found to be effective in warding off Aedes aegypti mosqui- toes, which are vectors of yellow fever. When added to candles, the EO repels 98% of these mosquitoes, compared with 40% using citronella. In Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo and Kenya, tests are being conducted to establish the capacity of various plants to repel malaria-carrying mosquitoes. In Cameroon, several universities are working together to study the efficacy of EOs extracted from local plants to act as biopesticides. Some are looking at the potential of EOs to combat weevils and lesser grain borers, pests which cause serious damage to maize stocks. Others are comparing the ability of various citrus essences to fight Phaeoramularia angolensis, a fungal pathogen that causes spotting on citrus fruit and leaves, and hampers culti- vation in many parts of Central Africa. At the heart of the network, the University of Ngaoundéré is focusing on the domestication of plants as sources of EOs and the dissemination of this information further afield. In Burkina Faso, a team from the agricultural research insti- tute INERA has demonstrated the efficacy of EOs extracted from Cymbopogon citratus, C. giganteus, Lippia multiflora and Ocimum basilicum against rice seed fungi. In Madagascar, the antibiotic properties of EO of Cinnamosma fragrans, one of the country’s many traditional medicinal plants, have caught the attention of researchers from the national rural development research institute FOFIFA and CIRAD, who see it as a potential substitute to the anti- biotics used on shrimp farms. The success currently being enjoyed by EOs is fuelling a con- stant search for new plants with potentially beneficial ingredients. This can sometimes lead to over-harvesting of wild plant popula- tions, especially in forests. Cultivation is the best option, as a way of avoiding serious damage to biodiversity while encouraging the crea- tion of jobs and income for small-scale producers and distillers. Photographic credits: © C Jewell, © R Bosch, © F and K Starr, © www.geranium-bourbon.com, © Syfia International Pierre Léger has forged a cast iron reputa- tion in his field. Frager/Agri Supply, the factory he owns in southern Haiti’s Plaine des Cayes, supplies almost 70% of the world market in vetiver essential oil. “I export more than 80 t per year”, says the 59-year-old agronomist, as he points to an array of samples on display in a corner of his sizeable office in Port-au-Prince. Becoming and remaining the world leader in the vetiver market is no mean feat, especially in a country as volatile as Haiti. The secret of Mr Léger’s success can be summed up in a few words: always provide clients — mainly drawn from the European perfume industry — with top quality products, and always respect delivery deadlines. This businessman from the Caribbean’s poorest country readily acknowledges that the 25,000 or so farmers who supply the vetiver roots are the real pillar of the industry. “Frager/Agri Supply belongs to the community of the South,” he asserts. “The farmers play a direct role in its management; they monitor performance and sometimes tell me which decisions I should take.” For Mr Léger, the country’s glaring lack of infrastructure remains the main obstacle to the development of the essential oils industry in Haiti. “The appalling state of the roads, combined with draconian electricity rationing and a lack of ports and airports have led a number of producers to abandon this sector,” he laments. The head of the world’s biggest vetiver fac- tory is actively involved in community activi- ties. Translating that commitment into training for the young, he offers study grants at Haitian and foreign universities. He recently donated 25 ha of land to the government for the con- struction of a university campus in the region. Since 2000, this towering entrepreneur — he is almost 2 m tall — has broadened his horizons: he regularly travels the world to share his expertise and help countries beset by poverty like his own native Haiti to set up essential oil production facilities. It all began when the International Trade Centre (ITC) sent him on a mission in Africa’s Great Lakes region to evaluate the potential of these countries to produce EOs. “At the time, essential oils were little known in Rwanda and Burundi,” recalls Mr. Léger, who is firmly convinced that South-South cooperation is the most effective way of fight- ing poverty. Now both Burundi and Rwanda are on the point of becoming producers of quality essential oils, he says. “Plantations of patchouli have been introduced there,” he says. “They have carried out trials and obtained the best quality patchouli oil in the world.” Since then, his advice has been sought from all corners of the globe — from Asia, South America and Africa. But his responsibilities as company director in Haiti do not allow him to satisfy all the requests. He did, however, launch a partnership with Brazil last year. After 34 years in essential oil production, Mr. Léger believes the time has come to hand over the reins to the next generation. “My father introduced me to this sector when I was very young and I have done the same with my son and daughter. The world perfumery indus- try has shown no hesitation in accepting them,” says the agronomist. He himself took over the business from his father Frank in 1984, after studying in The Netherlands. The essence of the art, so to say. Jean Pharès Jérôme [FIELD REPORT] The scent of success ////////////////////////////////Haiti CHBA Caribbean Herbal Business Association www.caribbeanherbs.org Essential Oils Database www.ics.trieste.it/EssentialOils European Parliament REACH system www.chemsec.org/documents/ Implications_of_REACH.pdf FAO • Herbs, spices and essential oils: post-harvest operations in developing countries (2005) By M Douglas, J Heyes & B Smallfield www.fao.org/inpho/content/ documents/vlibrary/ad420e/ AD420E00.htm IFEAT International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades www.ifeat.org JEOR Journal of Essential Oil Research www.perfumerflavorist. com/jeor Phytomania www.phytomania.com Practical Action • Essential Oils: Small-Scale Production http://practicalaction.org/ practicalanswers/product_info. php?products_id=90 P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l In Haiti, Pierre Léger owns the world’s biggest factory for producing vetiver. Spore 131 / October 200710 Spore 131 / October 2007 FOCUs Photo: K. H ackshaw © CTA P ho to : A W al te r © IR D Among the cargo of Captain William Bligh’s Bounty, during its ill-fated voyage from Tahiti in 1787, was a consignment of 1,015 pot- ted breadfruit plants. Though most of the breadfruit was lost in the mutiny that followed, subsequent trips by the infamous captain delivered plants to the Caribbean. Breadfruit was domesticated in the Pacific long before Captain Bligh ever sailed there, and has nourished islanders for more than 3,000 years. Aside from the Pacific and the Caribbean, the breadfruit tree also grows in some coastal regions of Africa, especially Mozambique and Guinea. But this species, Artocarpus altilis Fosb, is not to be confused with African breadfruit (Treculia africana) — a totally different plant — or jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) which looks similar. A multipurpose tree, breadfruit provides food, timber, medicine and natural insecticides, and is an integral part of home gardens for many ACP communities. Though grown in almost 90 countries, bread- fruit is still an under-utilised crop, with often untapped potential for improving nutrition and increasing incomes. There is also con- siderable scope to improve the quality of the cultivated varieties and to develop processing to make more value-added products. At the CTA-supported First International Symposium on Bread- fruit Research and Development, in April 2007, Aleki Sisifa, Director of the Land Resources Division at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, observed that breadfruit is under- utilised because it is given low priority by governments and research institutes. processing and preservation The symposium, held in Nadi, Fiji, explored progress in bread- fruit research, conservation of genetic resources and food product development. A number of speakers stressed the importance of this crop as a healthy local food source, especially in the Pacific, where a growing tendency to consume imported processed foods is hav- ing an impact on health as well as the economy. Breadfruit is rich in energy, vitamins A, B (thiamine, riboflavin and niacin) and C, phos- phorus and iron. It can be used to prepare a vast array of dishes, including appetisers, salads, soups, stews, casseroles, breads and desserts. Like banana and plantain, it may be eaten ripe as a fruit or under-ripe as a vegetable. Nutritionists and researchers interested in extending the reach of breadfruit say there is good potential for developing innova- tive food processing techniques, using traditional methods as a springboard. Fermentation offers one interesting possibility, adapt- ing techniques used to make dishes such as masi ulu — fermented breadfruit biscuits from Samoa. On a recent visit to Pohnpei, food scientist Dr Richard Beyer demonstrated how breadfruit can be ground, extruded and dropped in hot oil to puff up like ‘cheese balls’, making a tasty local snack. Breadfruit chips — slices fried in oil — are made commercially in Trinidad and Barbados. Still in Barbados, flour made from the dried fruit is sometimes partly substituted for wheat flour in bread-making. Breadfruit flour is much richer than wheat flour in lysine and other essential amino acids. In Jamaica, the flour is boiled, sweetened, and eaten as porridge for breakfast. Surplus or damaged breadfruit can be used as livestock feed. In the Pacific, efforts are under way to encourage smallholders to use the fruit as the basis for a balanced swine feed. Tons of breadfruit unfit for human consumption go to waste each year while pig feed is imported. In some ACP countries, notably Fiji and Samoa, breadfruit is becoming an export commodity. Sangeeta Prasad, from Food Processors (Fiji) Ltd, says the company can barely keep pace with the growing demand from Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In Dominica and Trinidad, breadfruit is canned for shipment to London, New York and New Zealand. Other techniques developed to improve conservation methods for export include freezing and vacuum-sealing. Some Jamaican exporters partly roast the whole fruits to coagulate the latex, let them cool, and then ship them by sea to New York and Europe. Overseas openings According to Fiji Breadfruit Industry Development Project Coordinator Andrew McGregor, breadfruit has a large market potential with communities of Pacific islanders living in New Zealand, but better post-harvesting and presentation are needed. Breadfruit continues to respire even after harvesting, causing pack- ing cartons to soften and collapse. Importers also require fruit to be graded by size and better packaged. Other efforts are focusing on improving the quality of the fruit itself. At Fiji’s Ministry of Agricul- ture, the Research Division is developing ways of raising seedlings through different propagation techniques like marcotting (air lay- ering), root cuttings and root suckers. Officers from the ministry are working closely with exporters to control pests. Meanwhile, on the Pacific island of Niutao, work is under way to make a sought- after dwarf variety available to growers in other parts of the region. Negotiations with the islanders has resulted in an agreement to mass produce the tree — popular because of the ease with which it can be managed and harvested — for distribution to smallholders on other islands. In Vanuatu, breadfruit is eaten roasted over the embers. Breadfruit Pacific Islands Food Leaflets CTA-SPC, 2006. 72 pp. ISBN 978-982-00-0165-7 CTA number 1357 20 credit points Breadfruit Ripe for new markets Breadfruit’s high nutritional content makes it an inexpensive, healthy alternative to imported foods. But in spite of its many attributes, this versatile fruit continues to be under-utilised. More support with production and processing techniques could help put this time-honoured staple back on the menu. Spore 131 / October 2007 Spore 131 / October 2007 11 p U B L iC A T iO N s sugar as fuel… but what next? This documentary looks at the potential offered by bio- fuels to sugar producers in Brazil, France and Mauritius. In this lat- ter country, sugarcane is threatened by the end of the EU Sugar Protocol, which is expected to lead to a drop in prices of around 40%. Producing etha- nol is one way of protecting the sugarcane sector and the jobs of the people who work in it, while at the same time reducing energy costs. The 52-minute film explains how and why large agricultural enterprises such as those in Brazil are entering this new market. The second part of the docu- mentary looks at the likely impact on the planet of the biofuels expected to at least partially replace petroleum. It raises the issue of the potential damage caused by their production, if this is done at the expense of food crops, especially in develop- ing countries. Hence the recommendation by many experts to wait for the sec- ond generation of biofuels based on forestry or agri- cultural waste such as straw. Researchers interviewed on the film warn that it is an illusion to think that the Earth can feed its 9 billion inhabitants and also sup- ply them with energy. Cutting con- sumption of petroleum remains the number one priority. Sugar and Flowers in our cars By J-M Rodrigo DVD ADEME/FARM/AFD/CTA/CIRAD, 2006 CTA number 1385 20 credit points Mapping memories Published in 12 languages, this CD ROM offers a selec- tion of articles presented at the conference in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2005 on Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS). These techniques enable marginalised communities to plot their territory on maps, ranging from simple sketches to 3D mod- els. Traditional knowledge mapped in this way is a useful decision- making tool and facilitates commu- nication between groups and with governments. The CD ROM presents a range of experiences from various loca- tions. It shows how a community in Fiji has used PGIS to safeguard its cultural heritage, while in Ghana it has helped solve land rights prob- lems. In Namibia, meanwhile, peo- ple have used the technology to promote community management of natural resources. Wherever it is used, PGIS can help local commu- nities to establish their rights and make sure they are acknowledged by third parties. The CD ROM also contains numerous references as well as some short video clips dem- onstrating practical exercises. Mapping for Change: Practice, technologies and communication Participatory Learning and Action no. 54 CD ROM IIED/CTA, 2007 CTA number 1384 10 credit points Mapping MDGs An on-line atlas from the World Bank offers a visualisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). You can open maps which illustrate key indicators for each of the eight MDGs, showing performances in any given area. The atlas also provides a wide range of data for over 200 of the world’s economies, including many ACP countries. On-line Atlas of The Millennium Development Goals http://devdata.worldbank.org/atlas-mdg intellectual property This guide presents a series of best practices for intellectual property management in the context of agricultural innovation and health. It is available on-line and in hard copy, and is free to readers from low and middle-income countries. Handbook of Best Practices in Health and Agricultural Innovation Edited by A Bennett et al. MIHR-PIPRA 2007. 2000 pp. ISBN 978-1-4243-2026-4/2027-1 US$220 • €162 MIHR Oxford Centre for Innovation Mill Street Oxford, OX2 0JX UK Fax: +44 1865 726 965 info@mihr.org www.mihr.org Downloadable as PDF file from: www.iphandbook.org/download.html Kenya’s poverty map This unusual atlas makes a link between regional ecosystems and poverty in Kenya. Nature’s Benefits in Kenya overlays georeferenced statistical information on population and household expenditures with spatial data on ecosystems and their services, such as water availability, wood supply and wildlife populations to yield a picture of how land, people, and prosperity are related in Kenya. Nature’s Benefits in Kenya By S Adams et al. World Resources Institute (WRI) 2007. 164 pp. ISBN 978-1-56973-642-5 US$30 • €22 WRI 10 G Street NE Suite 800 Washington DC 20002 USA Fax: +1 202 729 7610 www.wri.org Downloadable as PDF file from: http://pdf.wri.org/kenya_atlas_fulltext_ 150.pdf More practical tips With improved manage- ment in poultry keeping, the survival rates of chicks can be increased from three out of ten to eight. Any sweet potato variety can be dried to make chips, which can then be made into flour. Five new titles from CTA’s Practical Guides series aimed at small-scale produc- ers in eastern Africa, offer a host of such useful nuggets of informa- tion. All of the 8-page leaflets are clearly illustrated and simple to follow, with a good set of addresses for further information. Improved Practices in Rearing Indigenous Chickens CTA number 1379 Making High-Quality Cassava Flour CTA number 1380 Making Sweet Potato Chips and Flour CTA number 1381 Enriched Compost for Higher Yields CTA number 1382 Preserving Green Leafy Vegetables and Fruits CTA number 1383 CTA, 2007. 8 pp. ISSN 1873-8192 1 credit point for each guide Spore 131 / October 200712 Spore 131 / October 2007 p U B L iC A T iO N s Don’t be put off by the title. The new Dictionary and Introduction to Global Environmental Governance is an interesting read and a useful tool for anyone involved in this important but increasingly com- plex sector. The introductory essay explores the reasons why the inter- national community is having prob- lems in making headway on global environmental issues. The diction- ary explains some of the terms that can act as a stumbling block during negotiations. One of the dif- ficulties, it emerges, is that not everyone speaks the same lan- guage. Or rather, not everyone involved in preparing and report- ing on some of the many confer- ences on the subject uses the same definition for terms that are widely employed. Jargon and acronyms abound in the field of Global Environmental Governance (itself an acronym, GEG). As the authors point out: “If you had to say the phrase, ‘Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for the Preparation of the Conference of Parties of the Rotterdam Convention for the Application of the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade’, at an interval short of every few years, you would certainly opt for its acronym PICCINC.” With explanations for more than 5,000 terms, acronyms and organisations, this book should unlock the often impenetrable ter- minology and prove helpful to any- one interested in environmental or sustainability issues. Dictionary and Introduction to Global Environmental Governance By R Meganck & R E Saunier Earthscan, 2007. 410 pp. ISBN 978-1-84407-425-9 GBP55 • €82 Earthscan 8-12 Camden High Street London NW1 0JH UK Fax: +44 20 7387 8998 earthinfo@earthscan.co.uk www.earthscan.co.uk A costly error Each year, almost 7 million t of fish bycatch — the part of a catch that inadvertently ends up in the nets — are taken by fishing vessels. Most of it is either discarded at sea or used for human or animal con- sumption. Shrimp trawling is gen- erally regarded as one of the least selective fishing methods, and has a serious impact on populations of sea turtles, sharks, coral and other marine species. A number of ACP countries are working towards the develop- ment of bycatch reduction mecha- nisms. In Nigeria, a device called the fisheye has been effective in reducing catches of juvenile fish, while Mozambique recently made trawl efficiency devices manda- tory on shrimp trawlers. Research is continuing in other countries, including Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago. This guide is the product of a worldwide FAO project to minimise wastage and damage to species taken indiscriminately. It offers technical information and con- struction details for many devices that have been proved to reduce bycatch in tropical shrimp-trawl fisheries. Full of clear illustrations, it explains how to select, install and maintain the devices. Guide to Bycatch Reduction in Tropical Shrimp-Trawl Fisheries By S Eayrs FAO, 2007. 120 pp. ISBN 978-92-5-105674-5 US$55 • €40 FAO is now distributing its publications through Earthprint, at the following address: Earthprint Ltd. PO Box 119 Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 4TP, England Tel.: +44 1438 748 111 Fax: +44 1438 748 844 fao@earthprint.co.uk customerservices@earthprint.com www.earthprint.com/fao Baobab stories With its distinctive tall trunk and short stubby branches, the baobab is also known as the ‘upside-down tree’. Whether or not upside down is right side up for this tree, it can survive quite well lying on its side, so long as one or two roots are in contact with the soil. In this delight- ful book about the Adansonia fam- ily, biologist Ellen Drake weaves stories about the baobab, from Botswana, Kenya and Madagascar and adds a generous sprinkling of botanical facts and figures. The addition of tips for propa- gating baobab seedlings and reci- pes using baobab fruit and leaves combine to make this a fascinating read. A Book of Baobabs By E Drake Aardvark Press 2007. 90 pp. ISBN 0-9584785-4-6 R115 • €12 Aardvark Press Publishing Ltd PO Box 37571 7978 Valyland Cape Town South Africa www.aardvarkpress.co.za Endogenous development Endogenous development is a process based on local strategies, knowledge, institutions and resources. In the words of this handbook, “it implies working with people instead of working for them”. The book and accompanying CD-ROM present the field experiences of partner organisations working with Compas, an international network that supports initiatives for endogenous development. Well illustrated, the package offers case studies from numerous developing countries where local communities are shaping their own development. Endogenous development in practice with CD-ROM Compas, 2007. 68 pp. ISBN 978-90-77347-12-6 Compas PO Box 64, 3830 AB Leusden The Netherlands Fax: +31 (0)33 4940791 www.compasnet.org Organic advice The Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA) is a UK-based organisation offering information on organic agriculture appropriate for small and medium-scale farmers in developing countries. It has developed more than 60 simple booklets and information sheets on a range of organic issues from composting and weed control to multipurpose trees and green manures. All of them can be downloaded free of charge from the website, and some are available as hard copies. HDRA also operates a free enquiry service, answering specific questions on organic farming from farmers and community organisations worldwide. Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA) Ryton Organic Gardens Coventry CV8 3LG, UK Fax: +44 2476 639 229 enquiry@hdra.org.uk www.gardenorganic.org.uk Evaluating iCT policies This new on-line report looks at the state of ICT policies at national and global levels, with a particular emphasis on the impact on people living in developing countries. It studies the ICT policies of several major organisations and offers a special section on how to measure progress. The report also homes in on national ICT policies through 22 country reports, many of them ACP States. The Global Information Society Watch 2007 Report Downloadable as PDF file from: www.globaliswatch.org Unravelling green-speak Spore 131 / October 2007 Spore 131 / October 2007 13 p U B L iC A T iO N s The Convention on Biological Diversity recognises “the vital importance that women play in the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.” This book explores how women can make a particular contribution. The authors examine the issue from a general standpoint — acknowledg- ing that both women and men have roles, rights and responsibilities in ensuring the sustainable use of biodiversity resources. They also provide plenty of examples to sup- port their argument. There are chapters on a number of ACP expe- riences, including biodiversity management in the wetlands of Kampala in Uganda, the role of women and biodiversity in foster- ing sustainable development in Cameroon, and strategies and con- straints in the Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Biodiversity and Gender for Sustainable Development Perspectives By R Endley & R W’O Okot-Uma Commonwealth Publishing, 2007. 256 pp. ISBN 978-1-901127-30-0 US$48.75 • €36 The Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX UK Fax: +44 (0)20 7930 0827 http://publications.thecommonwealth.org A short-sighted policy The idea that exotic livestock breeds perform better than local breeds is still widely accepted in many developing countries, where policies frequently favour their dis- tribution among farmers. Such strategies put traditional knowl- edge and livestock diversity, both already threatened, at even greater risk. Domestic animal diversity is being lost at an alarming rate as the desire for short-term profits takes precedence over the long-term value of preserving local breeds developed through centuries of local knowledge-based selection. By presenting a range of well documented case studies, including from ACP countries, this book ques- tions such policies. Through the experiences of livestock keepers, it shows how farmers raising exotic livestock breeds become increas- ingly dependent on costly external inputs, such as manufactured feed and vaccinations. It also shows that by replacing local breeds with exotic ones, livestock keepers lose a valuable risk-mitigating asset, which can be sold to generate extra income in times of hardship. People and animals. Traditional livestock keepers: guardians of domestic animal diversity Edited by R Cardellino & K-A Tempelman FAO, 2007. 132 pp. ISBN 978-92-5-105684-4 US$45 • €36 For Earthprint’s address, see page 13 standing up to the giants For some time now, corporate giants have dominated the food production and retailing industries in industrialised countries. To a large extent, they dictate what farmers grow, how they present their produce and where they sell it. Now the same changes are taking place in many developing countries, affecting millions of small-scale producers. Using case studies from 18 countries taking part in the DFID Regoverning Markets pro- gramme, this book looks at some of the challenges facing farmers struggling to keep up with the wave of new demands made by food manufacturers and retailers. Among ACP countries featured in the study are Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia. The book explores the impact of the modernisation of food sup- ply chains on the people whose livelihood depends on food pro- duction. It offers some solutions to living with this inexorable proc- ess, showing small-scale farmers that there is strength in numbers if they can group together. It also provides advice on best practices for small-scale producers seeking to be part of supermarket supply chains, and identifies some of the main obstacles which need to be removed. Regoverning Markets: A place for small-scale producers in modern agrifood chains? Edited by A Fearne, D Ray & B Vorley Gower/International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), 2007. 248 pp. ISBN 978-0-566-08730-1 GBP55 • €82 Gower Publishing Gower House Croft Road Aldershot Hampshire GU11 3HR UK Fax: +44 (0)1252 344405 info@gowerpub.com www.gowerpub.com Flowers from Fiji Floriculture is a growing sector for small-scale producers in Fiji and this useful manual will help readers find out more about its potential and how to get started. Packed with information and illus- trations, the guide offers clear concrete advice on growing anthu- riums, orchids, gingers and helico- nias, from selecting a site right through to post-harvest handling. Small-holder Flower Production in Fiji A Pictorial Handbook South Sea Orchids, 2007. 38 pp. South Sea Orchids Ltd (SSO) PO Box 570, Lautoka, Fiji Fax: +679 662 2283 sso@is.com.fj Biotech glossary The increasingly important field of biotechnology is not always easy to understand for those outside the sector. The FAO glossary of terms and acronyms commonly used in biotechnology for food and agriculture is now available on CD- ROM (Arabic, English, French and Spanish). A user-friendly search facility allows easy cross reference between the four languages. Multilingual Glossary of Biotechnology for Food and Agriculture (CD-ROM) FAO, 2007. US$25• €18.50 For Earthprint’s address, see page 13 More on-line African journals CrossRef, a non-profit organisation seeking to improve access to published scholarship through collaborative technologies, is extending its reach to include hundreds of journals from Africa. The organisation, whose linking service enables researchers to click on a reference in a journal and access the cited article, has reached agreement with the National Inquiry Services Centre (NISC) and African Journals OnLine (AJOL). NISC is registering its entire list of South African- based academic journals and bibliographic databases. AJOL, a fast-growing, independent journal aggregator, will contribute links to articles from more than 260 multi-disciplinary journals from 21 African countries. Crossref Publishers International Linking Association 40 Salem Street Lynnfield, MA 01940, USA Fax: +1 781 295 0077 info@crossref.org. www.crossref.org Understanding illegal logging Though gaining wider recognition as a major global problem, illegal logging remains poorly researched and understood. There are still few reliable figures on the extent of this phenomenon and many regard the issue as a simple problem of law enforcement. This book sets out to explore the many aspects of illegal logging, including its causes and implications for rural livelihoods. It also makes policy recommendations in the hope of reaching solutions to combat this widespread but complex scourge. Law Enforcement, Livelihoods and the Timber Trade Edited by L Tacconi Earthscan, 2007. 288 pp. ISBN 9781844073481 GBP35.96 • €54 For Earthscan’s address, see page 13 women and biodiversity Spore 131 / October 20071 Spore 131 / October 2007 B E T w E E N U s How to obtain publications CTA publications mentioned in Spore are marked by the green leaf symbol, and these are available free-of-charge to subscribers to CTA’s Publications Distribution Service (PDS). Other readers can buy these titles from CTA’s commercial distributor. Only agricultural and rural development organisations and individuals resident in ACP countries can apply for PDS subscriptions. Each PDS subscriber is assigned a certain number of credit points annually for purchasing publications on CTA’s list. The list of CTA publications can be consulted on CTA’s electronic catalogue: www.cta.int All other publications, indicated by a square, are available from the publishers listed, or through commercial booksellers. Commercial distributor SMI (Distribution Services) Ltd PO Box 119 Stevenage Hertfordshire SG1 4TP United Kingdom Fax: + 44 1438 748844 Email: CTA@earthprint.co.uk Website: www.earthprint.com Reader services Write to Spore CTA — Spore redaction PO Box 380 6700 AJ Wageningen The Netherlands Fax: +31 317 460067 Email: spore@cta.int Subscribe to Spore Subscriptions for the printed version are: • free to organisations and individuals in ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) and EU countries: CTA Spore subscriptions PO Box 173 6700 AJ Wageningen The Netherlands or spore@cta.int • for other individuals and organisations: €36 annually (6 issues) from commercial distributor (see below) Subscribe to Spore Ennouncement Subscribe to the free Spore email summary (90 Kb) at: http://spore.cta.int or send a blank email to join-spore-en@lists.cta.int For text-only: join-spore-text-en@lists.cta.int See Spore on a screen • Web distribution: spore.cta.int • Satellite distribution: capture Spore ’n More broadcasts on the Afristar channels of the First Voice International’s multimedia programmes. Further information available from: spore@cta.int Reproduce Spore • Articles in Spore can be freely reproduced for non-commercial use, if credited as coming from Spore. Please send a copy to the editors. • Reproduction for commercial use requires prior permission. Learning thro ugh bees Sigi Howes, head of the Centre for Conservation Educa tion in South Africa, enjoyed the recent f eature on beekeepin g (Spore 128), which, she says, she found “both interesting and pert inent, as South Afric a has a shortage of be ekeepers and honey .” She now hopes to d raw from the article to stimulate more inter est in beekeeping in her own area. The centr e that she directs of fers environmental educ ation to young peop le and has some hives on t he premises, mainly for educational purpose s. Ms Howes would like to develop beekeeping further. “Together w ith a local business, The H oney Bee Foundatio n, we have for some time been thinking about how to make more people i nterested in keeping bees and marketing hive products through w orking with schools.” But s he observes, “to dat e, we have not been succe ssful.” Spore readers with ideas on how to help Ms Howes achieve h er goals should writ e to her at postmaster@ cce.wcape.school.za Nostalgia Oumar Sow is an ad viser on livestock re aring for a sustainable rur al development prog ramme run by an Austrian N GO (EWA/PADER) in Louga, northern Sen egal. The article on s chool farms (Spore 127) br ought back memorie s for him of his early y ears at primary scho ol. “At the time I was learning the first letters of th e French alphabet and I used to watch the older p upils, after their eve ning lessons, rush out be hind the classrooms to water their carrots, cabbages, turnips an d aubergines... We like d going with them b ecause they sometimes let u s taste the vegetable s they had grown, which w ere delicious. We us ed to go and get fertiliser (strictly organic) for them, fetching manure in w heelbarrows and sac ks from our families’ fi elds and barns.” “In this way, the aut horities sought to us e the education system to make a link betw een school and later life ,” continues Oumar Sow. “The fact that I am n ow a vet and involve d in rural developmen t i s partly due to the s trong impression that this training made on m e. I would have liked to see this system bec ome more widespread, fo r development is firs t and foremost about prod ucing food so as to b e self-sufficient.” Many of you already share infor- mation gleaned from Spore and pass your copies on to other read- ers — at work, in the village, in reading groups or within organisa- tions. We are delighted to hear it, but we want to go one step further. With your help, we want to ensure that Spore is read by anyone who is likely to find it useful. For this reason, you will find two questionnaires inside this issue. We are asking you to renew your sub- scription and update your contact details. And we are also offering you the chance to help someone else take out a subscription. The orange form is for those of you who are already sub- scribed to Spore. Please complete it, taking great care to follow the instructions at the top of the page. This will help us to update your details and to better tailor our services to your needs. Do you know anyone who has never read Spore? If so, you can offer the green form to an organisation or individual in an ACP country working in the field of agricultural and rural development — whether it be in research, the agro-food sector, trade, knowledge sharing or agricultural training. We will give priority to organi- sations — including women’s and youth groups — as well as to agri- cultural training centres and the libraries of teaching institutes. please note: as we have a lim- ited budget we CANNOT accept individual subscription requests from students or farmers. Use the envelope supplied to return the form by post, and don’t forget to add a stamp! If you have access to the Internet, there is no need to post the form. Simply go to http://spore-subs. cta.int, type in the access code on the back of the orange form and fill out the form, submitting it on- line only. please note: requests by post or by Internet must reach us before 31 May 2008. If we do not hear from you by this date, we will be forced to cancel your subscription. In early June 2008, we will draw three requests at random from the on-line forms. The win- ners will be able to participate in a conference of their choice, on an agricultural or rural development topic, with expenses paid by CTA. So get to work! Thank you for your cooperation. Renew your subscription, help someone else subscribe too! Spore 131 / October 2007 Spore 131 / October 2007 15 viEwpOiNT Spore is the bi-monthly magazine of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). CTA operates under the Cotonou Agreement between the countries of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group and the European Union and is financed by the EU. © CTA 2007 — ISSN 1011-0054 Publisher: CTA • Postbus 380 • 6700 AJ Wageningen, Pays-Bas • Tél: +31 317 467 100 • Fax: +31 317 460 067 • Email: cta@cta.int • Website: www.cta.int Editorial staff: Executive editor: Marie-Agnès Leplaideur • Editor of French version: Denise Williams • Syfia International, 20 rue du Carré-du-Roi, 34000 Montpellier, France • Editor of English version: Clare Pedrick • Via dello Spagna 18, 06049 Spoleto (PG), Italy • Editor of Portuguese version: António Vieira • Rua Nuno Gonçalves nº 10 — Mercês, 2635 — 438 Rio de Mouro, Portuggal • Contributors to this edition included: N Ackbarally, J Bodichon, C Carroy, J-P Jérôme, F Le Meur, D Manley, N Mutumweno, E Nanzala, J-V Ngoubangoyi, S Ouattara, E de Solère Stintzy, A Taitt, with the editorial support of CTA. • Layout and design: Intactile DESIGN, France • Printer: Publicep, France The best way to understand the term ‘New Agriculture’ is to take a closer look at ‘Old Agriculture’. Until very recently, agriculture was seen as a farm activity, based on primary commodities for both local and export markets. ‘Old Agriculture’ was dominated by the traditional export commodities sugar, bananas and rice, which enjoyed preferential treatment in the EU for access and price. After the Uruguay Round negotiations, it became clear that these preferences would eventually disappear. The result has been the partial or total demise of such industries, with substantial loss of jobs at farm and — in the case of rice and sugar — factory levels in the Caribbean region. It was apparent that Old Agriculture was dying. However, it still impacted significantly on the social structure of countries and the preservation of their fragile ecosystems, critical for maintaining the pristine environment necessary for tourism, a most important activity especially in the island countries. The bigger picture A different approach was needed if agriculture in the Carib- bean was to be revitalised. This new concept soon became known as ‘New Agriculture’. Given the dynamism of the international environment, it will continue to evolve. But for the time being, New Agriculture has certain key characteristics. It encompasses the entire agro-product chain, from the production of inputs, includ- ing machinery, to the sale of final products, whether fresh or proc- essed. It also places emphasis on niche markets and value added products and is responsive to changing dietary practices for safe, nutritious and easily utilisable foods. New Agriculture includes non- food items, such as nutraceuticals, biofuels, herbal products and handicrafts. It is driven by technology, especially biotechnology and informatics, and is a business and hence market-driven sector rather than one that is led by production. It requires a different set of extension, educational and research skills and programmes and is organically linked to other economic sectors, including tourism, education, health, transport, trade and finances. The success of New Agriculture will partly depend on govern- ment responsibility and responsiveness. Most importantly there must be total involvement of all stakeholders. For example, in St Lucia, where a hotel chain was looking for supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables, representatives from the hotel, the Ministry of Agriculture, local farmers, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) met and developed a programme of activities and targets. As a result, the hotel received a reliable and timely supply of products and the farmers earned increased income. There have been similar experiences in Jamaica and Nevis, and IICA is planning to introduce programmes in at least two other Caribbean countries. working together There are plenty of other examples of New Agriculture in action. One is the introduction of greenhouse technology to pro- duce quality vegetables for national markets. Another is Haiti’s Prohuerta programme, inspired by Argentina, producing commodi- ties to improve diets. In Guyana, the Trilakes Community is produc- ing organic pineapples for processing and export to the European market. Of course, there are hurdles. People have to be convinced of the need to dialogue with each other and agree on common objec- tives. All partners must have a long-term commitment and be determined to weather any storms that arise. At first, it may not be easy to convince small-scale farmers to try the new approach. But with the right encouragement and assurance that the inputs, technical support and markets are available, they will soon start participating, and once they are successful, we will see a multiplier effect. If farmers do not try New Agriculture, they are unlikely to be able to make a living from farming. At that point, they will have to move to other productive sectors, either in the rural or urban areas. If they shift to the latter, the result will be an added burden for national authorities seeking to provide appropriate social, civil and perhaps even penal facilities. n arlington.chesney@iica.int Rural development An agricultural renaissance in much of the Caribbean, traditional agriculture, based on sugar, rice and bananas, is in its death throes. But that does not mean there is no future for the region’s rural sector. One solution being actively pursued is New Agriculture. Dr Chesney, who helped shape the new approach, explains how it works. Dr Arlington Chesney has been involved in agricultural development for more than three decades, first in his native Guyana and later in the wider Caribbean region, where he was a top official at the Inter-American Institute of Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). On 1st October, he took over as Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI). The opinions expressed in viewpoint are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of CTA. It was apparent that ‘Old Agriculture’ was dying. Spore 131 / October 200716