http://spore.cta.int Spore N ° 13 6 A U G U S T 2 0 0 8 DoSSier ,8 Wild about fruits With a dash of inventiveness, indigenous fruits can work wonders. uField report from Zimbabwe FoCUS ,11 Agricultural training More pressing than ever in a changing world vieWpoiNT ,16 rediscovering traditional medicine By Maria do Céu Madureira iN BrieF ,3 pUBLiCATioNS ,12 BeTWeeN US ,15 Long ignored or spurned, the traditional knowledge of rural communities and indigenous peoples is now universally recognised. What is the best way of protecting and developing this resource and sharing its benefits? These issues, which have both an economic and an ethical dimension, have yet to be resolved. Last July, traditional knowledge pushed its way into the spot- light during the WTO debate in Geneva, Switzerland. A group of countries from the South led by Brazil and India demanded that the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) should include a requirement for all patent applications to reveal the source of the biological resources (for example plants) behind the invention and, in certain cases, an obligation to identify the traditional knowledge that generated it. Should such details not be supplied, a patent could be withdrawn if it emerged that the information was obtained in an irregular fashion, for example without the full prior consent of the communities and without a fair distribution of any benefits that might accrue. This demand was vigorously opposed by Argentina, Canada, Japan and the USA, amongst others. Two months earlier, in Bonn, Germany, the 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) had Traditional knowledge priceless treasures P ho to : S . A l J an ab i @ G TZ /G EO P ho to : S . A l J an ab i @ G TZ /G EO FroNT pAGe ArTiCLe taken a few cautious steps towards a traceability system for genetic resources. Traceability would be demonstrated by a certificate of origin issued when a patent was registered (for a new medicine or cosmetic product, for example) or a new plant product developed (a new variety). But it will be 2010, the date set for the next CBD con- ference, before even the most basic accord can at last be reached on this thorny issue. The benefits of biodiversity More than 15 years after the 1992 Earth Summit held in Rio, Brazil, and the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the question of sharing the benefits of biodiversity and the know- ledge associated with it continue to prove divisive. Developing countries, which are the principal custodians of the planet’s biologi- cal wealth, are determined to draw greater benefits from this treas- ure and are clashing with the countries of the North on the issue. These latter have been less blessed by Nature, but have the means to develop the resources, including biotechnologies that use plant and animal genes. To defend their rights in international arenas, 15 countries formed a Group of Like-Minded Megadiverse Coun- tries in 2002: mostly from tropical regions, they are home to 70% of the world’s biodiversity. Meanwhile, 43 Small Island Developing States (SIDS), rich in often unique plant and animal species, have joined forces to make their voices heard and protect their natural and intellectual heritage. The economic stakes run into millions of euros. Sales of one medicine alone, Vinblastine, which is used to treat leukaemia and is synthesised from the Madagascar periwinkle (Cataranthus roseus), earn about €65 million per year. The notion that natural resources will only be protected effec- tively if the community involved can benefit from it and in so doing improve its livelihood has begun to take hold in recent years. At the same time, the value of traditional knowledge, especially in relation to medicinal plants, is becoming more and more widely recognised. Out in the field, with support from environmental movements, local communities and indigenous peoples are becoming aware of the value of the wild and cultivated plants they have managed and protected for centuries, and the knowledge of which they are the custodians. Major corporations in the industrialised countries are now regularly accused of biopiracy for failing to give fair remunera- tion in exchange for the traditional knowledge that enabled them to develop new products. In May 2008, the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) and Swiss NGO the Berne Declaration went before the European Patent Office to contest two patents registered by German firm Schwabe. The complaint concerns a treatment for bronchitis, obtained from a variety of geranium (Pelargonium sidoides). This plant has been used since time immemorial by the South African community of Alice, in the Cape Province, and its leaders have asked the ACB to defend its rights. A delicate division Reaching an international agreement on the sharing of any benefits that might accrue from traditional knowledge is a long and delicate exercise. Negotiations involve a range of players with differing financial or moral interests (governments, pharmaceutical, agrifood, cosmetic or seed companies, rural, indigenous and scientific communities, NGOs). And they are also played out on several stages and in several international judicial arenas at the same time: the CBD, WTO, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and FAO for genetic resources linked to food and agriculture. An offshoot of the CBD, a group has been specially set up to discuss Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS). Its interminable and punctilious debates illustrate the difficulties involved in establishing international rules on this issue. In practical terms, the sharing of economic benefits produced for example from a medicine derived from traditional pharmacopoeia raises all sorts of questions. Who is the real custodian of knowledge about this plant: the healer or the community? Who is best suited to negotiating the contracts with foreign companies and collecting the proceeds: the groups themselves or the authorities of the countries where they live? In the latter case, how should the benefits be divided? Few countries have, as the CBD requires, introduced specific legislation covering benefit-sharing. ACP States that have done so include the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guyana, Kenya, Niue, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. For its part, the WIPO has, since 1997, had the task of studying the issue of providing official protection for the intellectual property rights (IPR) of the traditional knowledge held by local communities and indigenous peoples. Groups that are custodians of such knowledge need to be able to protect themselves against biopiracy, negotiate fair deals with firms or research centres and, on a more positive note, register patents for their own inventions. Existing IPRs, originally created by and for western countries, are not judicially adapted to the case of traditional knowledge. Groups and NGOs from both South and North are also opposed to the idea of using patents to protect knowledge which is an integral part of the culture and the very life of local communities. rules have not been adapted International rules regarding patents do not currently allow a local community to exercise a collective right over its knowledge or to oppose its improper use or illicit appropriation. A community will have more difficulty than an indigenous people, which has been recognised as such, in preventing its knowledge from being exploited for industrial or commercial ends without receiving fair recompense. In 2000, the African Union reacted by adopting a text, known as the African Model, which makes access to biological resources subject to authorisation and to “prior informed consent”. Transparency and equity distinguish biopiracy from bioprospection. In the absence of clear national and international rules on sharing, some companies and research centres have adopted their own codes of conduct. The University of Berkeley, in the USA, and the government of Samoa in the Pacific will take equal shares of any royalties from sales of a treatment against AIDS developed from the genes of a tree native to Samoa, the mamala (Homalanthus nutans). In 2010, when the international rules have been set in place and new countries have drawn up laws on benefit-sharing, the situation will be clearer for all. However, these good intentions will only become reality if local communities, especially those directly involved, are well informed of their rights. Conventions and laws can only provide a general framework and in the field, each case will require specific solutions. Their effectiveness and success will depend to a large degree on the determination of all parties concerned to reach a fair and equitable agreement. P ho to : A . A in g © IR D An inventory of plants in Ethiopia Spore 136 / August 20082 Spore 136 / August 2008 FroNT pAGe ArTiCLe iN B r ie F Trading places Ethiopia opened a commodity exchange in April, the first of its kind in Africa. The Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) trades in six commodities: coffee, sesame, haricot beans, teff (food grain), wheat and maize. It offers a marketplace where buyers and sellers can come together and be assured of quality, delivery and payment. The exchange includes a trading floor in Addis Ababa, six warehouse delivery locations and 20 electronic price tickers in major market towns. Cotton from Cameroon A field survey carried out in North Cameroon by agricultural research institute IRAD shows how cotton growers have reacted to plummeting prices. Twenty- seven percent who reduced the area given over to cotton saw their revenues decline by 16% between 2001 and 2007. The 42% who increased the amount of land sown with cotton suffered a 32% drop in income. The winners were the 9% who abandoned cotton (revenues up by 10%) and the 22% whose cultivation remained unchanged (+ 3%). Linked against AiDS After opening its first African bureau in Accra, Ghana in 2007, the Brazilian agricultural research institute EMBRAPA has joined forces with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) — part of Brazil’s Ministry of Health — to plan a research centre in Mozambique aimed at developing an AIDS vaccine for Africa. • Conservation and Sustainable Use of Agricultural Biodiversity: a Sourcebook Three volumes CIP/UPWARD, 2003 ISBN 971-614-021-5 Fax: +63 49 536-1662 cip-manila@cgiar.org • Pacific Genes & Life Patents: Pacific Indigenous Experiences & Analysis of the Commodification & Ownership of Life By A T P Mead & S Ratuva COE/UNU-IAS, 2007, 276 pp. Downloadable from: www.earthcall. org/en/publications/index.html. CBD www.cbd.int • Access and Benefit-Sharing in Practice: Trends in Partnerships Across Sectors By S Laird & R Wynberg CBD/UNEP, 2008, 142 pp. ISBN 92-9225-089-2 Downloadable from: www.cbd.int/abs CTA Knowledge for development Biodiversity section http://knowledge.cta.int/en • Plant Genetic Resources: Knowledge for Agricultural and Rural Development in ACP Countries By F O Anno-Nvako 2006. Downloadable from: http://knowledge.cta.int/en/ Dossiers/S-T-Issues-in-Perspective/ Biodiversity/Articles/Plant- genetic-resources-knowledge- for-agricultural-and-rural- development-in-ACP-countries GRAIN International NGO for genetic resources www.grain.org/front/ • Intellectual Property Rights in African Agriculture: Implications for Small Farmers By D Kuyek, 2002, 24 pp. Downloadable from : http://www.grain.org/briefings_ files/africa-ipr-2002-en.pdf ICTSD Biodiversity section of the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development http://ictsd.net/programmes/ip/ biodiversity/ People and Plants International International ethnoecology knowledge network http://peopleandplants.org WIPO www.wipo.int Scientists in the USA have completed a working draft of the maize genome, a key step on the path to developing better crop varieties with higher yields and greater resistance to pests and disease. The genome will be a key tool for researchers working to improve varieties of maize and other cereal crops, including rice, wheat and barley. Maize is only the second crop after rice to have its genome sequenced, and scientists will now be able to look for genetic similarities and differences between the crops. The US$29.5 million (€19 mil- lion) project took 3 years to complete. The draft covers about 95% of the maize genome. The remainder is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Information contained in the genetic blueprint is available to scientists worldwide via Gen- Bank, an online public DNA database. The genetic data is also available at www.maizesequence.org. In a region where conflicts between pastoralists and farmers are rife, two Sudanese communi- ties have found an unusual way to overcome their differences. Instead of fighting over scarce natural resources, herders and farmers in the village of Gereigikh in North Kordofan State have learned to coexist, using watermelons. “Our farmers discovered that whenever the (traditionally pas- toral) Kawahla tribe brought their livestock into the fields, the animal droppings helped improve pro- duction, so the members of the Gawamha (traditionally farmers) started planting watermelons to attract the livestock to the field”, says Ad-Dukhri Al-Sayed, a com- munity leader. “The situation has improved so much. Now everyone lives in peace.” Historically, tensions have simmered over grazing and water rights between nomads and farmers in this region, and climate change is set to exacerbate the situation. But the two groups in North Kordofan live comfortably because they have found a way to coexist. Faisal Eljack of SOS Sahel UK, an NGO working with the two tribes, explains: “The two communities in North Kordofan have developed a symbiotic relationship. They have relationships in the market place over the supply of manure and labour. They buy livestock from each other. These relationships have cemented over the years.” Increasingly, the pastoralists are staying longer in the village, and some members have married into the farming community. The herders supply the farmers with dairy products such as milk, butter and cheese, while the farmers supply them with agricultural produce. Genetic blueprint for maize Cover picture : Exchanges in Mali’s Dogon region during the Day of Biodiversity in June 2005 www.biodiversity-day.info/2005/ index_en.htm P ho to : O . B ar ri èr e © IR D peace-keeping watermelons Spore 136 / August 2008 Spore 136 / August 2008 3 iN B r ie F Better connections NARI is launching a network of 320 community-based resource centres in Papua New Guinea. The first, the Abau Resource Centre, opened in March 2008. The resource centres will introduce innovations, technologies and information to farmers so they can improve production and have better access to markets. Meanwhile, the community of Gaire, in the Central Province, has become the first operational rural site for the Pacific Rural Internet Connectivity System (RICS). The RICS aims to provide affordable high-speed Internet access and radio to remote communities. NARI Sir Alkan Tololo Research Centre PO Box 4415 Lae, Morobe Province Papua New Guinea Fax: +675 475 1450 narihq@nari.org.pg Dairy farmers unite Dairy farmers in the Southern region of Malawi have set up Bvumbwe Milk Bulking, a small company designed to increase their bargaining power. They made the move in order to sell to big companies, including Suncrest Creameries, which manufactures products such as cheese, ice cream and yoghurt. Farmers’ incomes have increased significantly as a result. Many have just one or two cows and were unable to market their milk by themselves. The cooperative, which now has 2,000 members and sells up to 5,000 l of milk each day, has bought its own equipment for testing milk before selling to dairy manufacturers. patchouli from Burundi Since its introduction to Burundi 5 years ago, patchouli — a tropical plant that produces an essential oil much used in the perfume industry — has adapted so well in the province of Cibitoke that the first batches are already being sold on the international market. The quality of patchouli from Burundi is excellent. Local firm Rugofarm groups together several thousand producers, providing them with technical assistance and guaranteeing the purchase of their entire output. Rugofarm SA 23-24 Avenue de France BP 1 801 Bujumbura Burundi Fax: +257 223 786 cohorobu@usan-bu.net Detecting kava quality The government of Vanuatu is working with the French research institution CIRAD to develop a quality control system to produce better kava. Early detection of a substance called kavalactone, using infrared technique (NIRS), can establish whether consumption of the drink is likely to cause a headache. “The most interesting kavalactone is called kavain”, said Vanuatu-based NIRS kava scientist Vincent Lebot. “We want to make sure that kavain content is high enough. In the wrong variety, it is low and this is what causes hangovers.” The new method will enable Vanuatu to have a more accurate idea of what it is exporting and help its farmers cultivate the right type of kava crop for exports. Kava, a popular social beverage in the Pacific islands, is extracted from the roots of Piper methysticum, a plant widely grown in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu. Contact: Vincent Lebot lebot@vanuatu.com.vu Green light for red oil A consortium from Singapore is set to launch a major initiative to cultivate oil palms in West Africa. A partnership between the trading company Olam, and Wilmar Inter- national, the world’s leading palm oil processor, has linked up with the SIFCA group from Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa’s premier palm oil pro- ducer. Together they are planning to invest at least US$200 million (€130 million) in oil palm plantations and processing plants, mainly in Côte d’Ivoire, making this country West Africa’s top supplier. The Asian consortium has plans to set up a similar opera- tion in Nigeria, where annual output is 800,000 t, ahead of that of Côte d’Ivoire (300,000 t). In Africa, palm oil consump- tion is rising annually, but output remains stagnant. The continent is therefore strongly dependent on imports from Indonesia and Malaysia which together account for more than 75% of global production. The import bill has climbed sharply as palm oil prices have more than doubled on world markets over the past 2 years, rising from US$500 (€413) per tonne at the beginning of 2006 to US$1,250 (€795) at the end of March 2008. The deficit is put at an annual 500,000 t for the Economic Com- munity of West African States (ECOWAS) as a whole. In Cen- tral Africa, even Cameroon, the region’s top producer, is having to import oil. This year, consump- tion is set to reach 250,000 t compared with an output of just 200,000 t. www.sifca.comPh ot o: © S yfi a In te rn at io na l About one thousand farmers growing jatropha in Choma and Kalomo, Southern Zambia, are benefiting from a market access initiative. DI Oils Zambia, which has contracted the farmers, has com- mitted 174,000 ha for planting of feedstock over the next 4 years. Another main programme is the Kachumu Community Devel- opment Networking Triangular Farming Block, a 15,000 ha Public -Private Partnership aimed at encouraging rural development in northern Zambia. Planting has begun and over 100 people are already employed in this initial stage. DI Oils Zambia provides seeds and technical advice and gua- rantees to purchase the harvest. The Zambian government has appointed the company as a mem- ber of the Task Force Committee on Renewable Energy to develop a biodiesel policy for the country. In Mali’s Koulikoro region, local firm Mali Biocarburant is produc- ing biodiesel from jatropha nuts grown in hedges planted around fields rather than on new planta- tions where they would compete with food crops such as millet. The Koulikoro producers’ coop- erative has a 20% holding in Mali Biocarburant, with the remainder of the capital owned by Dutch shareholders. This initiative produces rev- enue for farmers who plant and maintain the hedges and for women who harvest the nuts. A contract has also been signed with a Dutch company for the sale of carbon credits produced by these crops, with the proceeds to be reinvested in jatropha production. Twenty units are planned for Mali over the next 6 years, producing a monthly ouput of 1 million l of biodiesel. www.malibiocarburant.com/index. php?actie=regeleng The jatropha empire Spore 136 / August 2008 Spore 136 / August 2008 iN B r ie F engines for growth Over the next 4 years, 600 rural entreprises in Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal will be kitted out with a Multifunctional Platform (MFP) — a diesel motor mounted on a chassis to which various tools can be fitted (seedmills, shellers, battery chargers). This project, which aims to use low- cost mechanisation to help boost productivity and incomes for women farmers, is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is set to receive almost €12.3 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Laptops for learning Children in remote parts of the Solomon Islands are receiving laptops for distance learning. To date, 33 computers have been distributed through People First Network (PFNet)’s pilot sites at Bekabeka, Patukae and Batuna primary schools on Gatokae island. PFNet provides email service via Internet powered by solar panels. It is also an access point enabling farmers to obtain agricultural information and banking services. Contact : David Leeming People First Network leeming@pipolfastaem.gov.sb powerful portal Faso-dev, a development portal for Burkina Faso (civil society, agriculture, environment, ICTs) presents original local initiatives: the launch of a literacy centre by the women shea butter producers’ union, the spread of new technologies developed by ANVAR, a national agency promoting research results, web nights, international museum days, etc. The site, in French only, also publishes on-line job offers and requests for work as well as details of projects and contacts for development specialists. www.faso-dev.net protecting African biodiversity A new EU website offers extensive information on 741 protected areas in 50 African countries, with data on 280 mammals, 381 bird species, 930 amphibians and a wide range of climatic, environmental and socio-economic information. The site uses satellite technology to monitor ecosystems and is updated every 10 days. The aim is to provide decision-makers with a tool to assess the state of the protected areas and prioritise them according to biodiversity values and threats. www-tem.jrc.it/pa rebuilding livelihoods Dan Owiny, from Gulu District in northern Uganda, lost 255 cattle, 180 goats and 90 sheep to armed militia in the long conflict which devastated this part of the country. “We used to use the bulls for ploughing the gardens, but all were lost. Because of the war, we could not cultivate any farmland for years”, he said. For more than 20 years, farm- ers like Owiny were deprived of farming opportunities. They were unable to till their land due to fear of rebels and landmines planted in the villages. As peace returns to northern Uganda, a restocking programme is helping to rebuild the livelihoods of rural farmers who are gradu- ally moving back to their villages. The programme is funded by FAO, and implementing agencies includ- ing the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and Fida International are providing seeds, garden tools and livestock. What do you take when you leave home for another country? Anna Chikomo, 33, and Chipo Jari, 29, decided to carry seeds of their favourite vegetables when they fled the economic crisis in Zimba- bwe to settle in the rural town of Grahamstown, South Africa. Little did they know that those seeds would become the source of their income. The women have launched a flourishing market gardening ven- ture based on the Zimbabwean vegetable varieties, which have proved popular with the locals. Every Saturday, they hire transport to market, where they have estab- lished a good customer base. “We carried the seeds of Tsunga (Indian kale or Brassica juncea) and Covo (Brassica napus) because they are easy to grow”, Chikomo said. “When we started we only wanted to grow enough for our consump- tion, but our hosts liked the veg- etables and so we increased the production. Now we sell them at the market. We make €100 each week.” Both vegetable varieties are fast growing. Seeds germinate within 5 days of sowing and the women harvest within 4 weeks of transplanting. Tsunga is particu- larly versatile. “We eat the leaves as vegetables; we shred them before cooking and serve them as side dishes with potatoes or sadza” (thick maize porridge or pap), said Jari. The plant also yields seed oil, and its crushed seed is used to make mustard. Tsunga can be fed to animals as forage and has a number of medicinal uses. It pro- duces its own seeds and many local people have now also started grow- ing it. Prof. Rob Streliz, an expert in agriculture and environmental studies at Rhodes University, also grows Tsunga in his garden. He says vegetables like this and Covo are useful since they provide the body with minerals and vitamins. But for the two immigrants, who have been well accepted by the local community, the vegetables provide even more — a decent live- lihood and hope for the future in their new home. P ho to : © J . G an da ri Migrating seeds Owiny’s family recently received two goats. As well as distribut- ing goats, the agencies are giving oxen to farmers’ groups so they can cultivate larger plots of land. “My goat is already giving me milk. I have two young ones. I will look after them well and get more. I also have 10 acres of millet”, said Jane Achiro. “We want returnees to be self-sustaining”, said Thomas Ameny, a Farmers’ Field School Assistant with the FAO Lira Field Office. “We give out female goats because we want them to multiply and improve lives. We are working with the farm- ers to rebuild farming systems here.” P hoto: © A . N abw ow e Spore 136 / August 2008 Spore 136 / August 2008 5 iN B r ie F organised organics The Rainman Landcare Foundation teaches ecologically sound agricultural production methods and effective management and use of Africa’s scarce water resources. It supports the organisation of organic farmers into groups in southern and eastern Africa, helps them to develop markets, and assists in the establishment of independent organic certification agencies. It also encourages young people to become organic farmers. Rainman Landcare Foundation PO Box 2349 Hillcrest 3650 South Africa aurebach@iafrica.com www.rainman.co.za Help for potato farmers The Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) has spent Kshs40 million (€398,000) to revive a cold storage plant and seed multiplication facility in Molo, Kenya. Established in 1985 with the help of the Dutch government, the original plant collapsed in 1995 due to mismanagement. The revival aims to address the continual lack of certified seeds for farmers growing Irish potatoes, which suffer from low yields caused by poor quality seeds prone to bacterial wilt. The ADC expects to produce an annual 50,000 t, which would cover current demand. According to Managing Director William Kirwa, the project will later expand to include flowers and trees. ADC Potato Seed Project PO Box 366 Molo, Kenya Mapping trees Communities in arid parts of Kenya are learning to map acacia and sandalwood trees so that everybody now knows their boundaries. NGO Disaster Response Focus has helped rural dwellers use remote-sensing tools to chart their trees. The project, operating in dryland areas of Isiolo, Kajiado, Makueni, Mandera, Marsabit, Moyale, Narok,Tana River and Wajir, is also helping producers learn management of Arabic gums and resins and has set up plants to sort and clean acacia gum. Due to improved quality and better market linkage, producers are now exporting their products to major companies in Europe and the Middle East. In spite of a sandalwood ban in Kenya, local communities are allowed to collect limited amounts and are being taught how to husband and harvest the trees in a sustainable manner. The return of the octopus In Mauritius, EPCO, an environ- mental NGO, has for the past few months been restoring the habitat of octopus in the lagoon in the south-east of the island, which has been destroyed by tourist development and natural disas- ters. The project, funded by the United Nations Development Pro- gramme (UNDP), aims to increase production of this mollusc, which is very popular locally where it is know as ourite. To encourage octopus to return to the lagoon, EPCO has created artificial reefs by recy- cling old concrete electric pylons left lying around. These hollow structures are cut into lengths of 25 to 30 cm. The chunks are plugged with concrete at one end before being placed in the lagoon where they are easily assimilated into the local environment. The octopus live in them safe from predators and fishers can handle the structures just like lobster pots. The structures are too heavy to be carried away by the cur- rent, but fishers use ropes to lift and empty them of their contents before cleaning them and putting them back in place. Octopus have started return- ing to the lagoon and to the market stalls. Local fishers are extremely pleased to see them back, as are consumers on the island, who enjoy eating ourite by the kilo. P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l Nourishing land In Madingou, south-west of the capital of Congo, about 40 young people with AIDS, who are mem- bers of ACS — a national organisa- tion for people with the virus — have created their own jobs in agricul- ture. ACS has persuaded land owners in Madingou to lease the association 2 ha until 2009. “We then bought cassava cuttings for 100,000 FCFA (€152), 100 kg of peas for 20,000 FCFA (€30) and a 50 kg sack of maize for 40,000 FCFA (€60)”, explains Éric Foula, Secretary General of ACS which has been given an FCFA 1 mil- lion (€1524) grant by the national council against AIDS. Mostly poor and without any training in agriculture, the young people are relying on the experience of farmers in the region. These latter have shown the youngsters how to work the fields, disinfect the soil to eliminate pests and plant or sow cassava, peas and maize. Their output is sold at markets in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. As well as securing revenues for the young AIDS sufferers, the initiative aims to tackle the isolation which many of them suffer on the labour market. The agriculture sector was deliberately chosen as a way of supplying the sick youngsters with healthy food, since a good diet strengthens the body’s defences against the virus. “We must eat organic food and have a balanced diet, with good food constantly available”, observes Éric Foula. ACS BP 2459 Brazzaville Congo renap_congobzv@yahoo.fr www.renapc.org Banana dollars in Africa After Latin America, Chiquita Brands International has set its sights on Africa for banana culti- vation. The move by the American company is part of a strategy aimed at bring- ing it closer to Europe and benefiting from accords under which the EU guarantees ACP coun- tries duty-free access for their bananas. Latin American countries cur- rently pay €176/t in duty for bananas exported to the EU. Vast plantations, employing thousands of workers, will be established in Angola as part of a joint initiative with ESCOM, a member of the Grupo Espirito Santo, and in Mozam- bique, where an alliance has been formed with Matanuska Africa Limitada. Chiquita’s new African policy will profit from the rela- tively low labour costs in these two countries, both undergoing reconstruction after years of conflict which devastated their agriculture. Source: www.earthtimes.org P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l In Mauritius, old pylons cut into chunks form artificial reefs to shelter octopus. Spore 136 / August 20086 Spore 136 / August 2008 iN B r ie F Africa’s carbon cycle CarboAfrica, an EU project, brings together European and African researchers to examine the current state of the carbon cycle in sub-Saharan Africa, and how it is changing. It seeks to improve knowledge about greenhouse gas emissions and absorption rates on the continent, with a view to drawing up more accurate climate change scenarios for the future. www.carboafrica.net exploring the savanna PRASAC, a research institute for the Central African savanna region and part of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), has launched a new website where you will find contacts for researchers in the region as well as numerous articles, studies and technical dossiers on cultivation and production systems, food technologies and livestock rearing in the savanna area. www.prasac-cemac.org Web feeds NewsforDev provides extensive up-to-date information, in French and English, for agricultural development practitioners in ACP countries. Using a base of around 600 carefully chosen web feeds, CTA’s super-portal offers general news as well as items by theme (agriculture, biofuels, climate change, trade, HIV/AIDS). You can receive newsletters, by email or on-line, create your own personal news page and share sources and information with other users. www.newsfordev.org/index.html Sugar: from brown to white The Mauritius sugar growers union, SDS, has signed a contract with Europe’s largest sugar company, German group Südzucker, to supply an annual 400,000 t of white sugar between 2009 and 2015. Two factories will be built in Mauritius to refine the sugar, which will be sold in Europe. The deal marks an important move by Mauritius — which until now produced only brown sugar — to adapt to the reform of the EU sugar sector. Cage farming nets big profits Threatened by dwindling stocks of fish in Uganda’s Lake Victoria, producers are turning to cage farming as a source of food and revenue. The world’s largest tropi- cal lake has been severely affected by pollution, over-fishing and algae growth. “This is threatening livelihoods of communities who depend on fish for survival,” said Abudallah Napuru, Hatchery Man- ager at Source of the Nile (SON) Fish Farm, which is introducing farmers to the benefits of aqua- culture. “Fish farming is the best insurance against unreliable and ever-diminishing fish resources.” Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and silver fish (Rastrineobola argenteus) are the preferred spe- cies. Farmers learn how to use cages and rear a large number of fish in such small space. The enclo- sures are cheap and easy to main- tain, since wastes are washed away and float-feeding systems ensure minimal losses. They also protect farmed fish against aggressors. “Cage farming cuts off predators like Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and catfish (Clarias gariepinus),” said Godfrey Magezi, a researcher at the National Fisheries Resource Research Institute. Other advan- tages include higher rates of egg fertilisation and rapid harvesting techniques. The SON farm sells 320 t of fish per year, much of it processed locally and exported as fillets to Europe and Asia. The cage farm- ing boom offers a less expensive source of protein to local commu- nities. Fred Kawuma, a trader in Jinja town, said “I can buy three fish grown in cages for 500 Ugan- dan shillings (UGX) each (€0.19) while one fish of the same size caught in the lake costs UGX1,500 (€0.56).” More productive cotton An improved technique for culti- vating cotton has proved effective in halting the degeneration of bio- mass and increased soil degrada- tion which cause an alarming drop in yields. Tested for several years in Cameroon by Sodecoton, as well as in Burkina Faso and Madagascar, this approach combines crop rota- tion, direct sowing and stategies to prevent erosion. The method consists of alter- nating cotton and cereal crops on the same plot from one year to the next. Cereals are grown together with a cover plant, which is sown later, with the residue left on the soil. Yields have increased by 30% for cotton and by 10% for cereals. Farmers using this technique have to make certain changes in the way they work their land. First and foremost, they have to stop using common grazing and cease tilling the soil. But the effort is worth it, especially in the current climate, with the cost of fertiliser soaring as a result of price hikes in oil, while those of cotton are in a state of decline. SODECOTON BP 302 Garoua Cameroon sodecoton@sodecoton.cm White gold to yellow gold Faced with problems in Benin’s cotton sector, one of the leading producer organisations urged its members to diversify and select at least one other crop aside from cotton to develop as an alternative. Message received! In 2005, UCP, a producers’ organisation in Zogbod- omè in the county of Zou, chose soya because of the openings that existed locally through the Fludor oil factory. Initially cultivated in two dis- tricts, soya is now being grown in eight. For the 2006-07 season, UCP supplied farmers with 3.5 t of seed, enough to sow about 300 ha and produce more than 350 t of grain. Small-scale soya processing initiatives are springing up in the county. One medium-scale unit is producing edible oil, biscuits and oilseed cake. Hundreds of women are making cheese from soya milk. This successful diversification is the result of a determined and concerted effort by local producers. UCP evaluated the requirements of the oil factory before asking for support from Benin’s national institute of agronomic research. They obtained seeds adapted to the agroeco- logical conditions of the county and the needs of the oil manufacturer. Then, building on their experience as cotton producers, farmers set up committees, which subsequently became village soya producers’ groups (GVPS). Seed producers also set to work in the area. The task of extending soya cultivation was undertaken with support from all, including produc- ers, politicians, city council officials and technical services. Farmers group together to sell their grain in bulk to Fludor. They have reached a deal so that they are paid within 10 days of delivery and the factory arranges transport within a 15 km radius. Contact: Lionel Guezodje President of UCP at Zogbodomè guezolionel@yahoo P ho to : © T er re N ou rr ic iè re P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l Spore 136 / August 2008 Spore 136 / August 2008  DoSSier Betha Monde learned to crack mongongo nuts (Schinziophyton rautanenii) in Zambia’s Sesheke Dis- trict at the age of seven. As well as making cooking oil, she has long expe- rience in turning the mkuya or pulp from the fruit into a tasty porridge. More recently, she has been surprised to discover that she can make a liv- ing from the plentiful wild mongongo fruits. When prices for maize plum- meted last year, she earned €290 per quarter, enough to cover the house- hold expenses and buy two cows and two goats. Betha is one of a growing band of suppliers to local company Kalahari Natural Oils, which makes skin and hair products. Mongongo fruits have long been an important food in southern Africa, but only now are these trees providing a source of revenue. Nearly 90% of the harvesters are women. A host of indigenous fruits in ACP countries have potential as food and cash crops. Though familiar to local communities, many of them are little known outside their region and are frequently overlooked by researchers, policymakers and development organi- sations. In Africa alone, where most edible native fruits are wild, one assessment lists more than 1,000 dif- ferent species from 85 botanical fami- lies. Some of the fruit-bearing plants are carefully tended, but few have been selected to bring out their best qualities. Native fruits can play a crucial role in combating food insecurity, especially the so-called hidden hunger caused by micronutrient vitamin and mineral deficiencies. In the Pacific, the Island Food Community of Pohnpei encourages mothers of vitamin A-deficient children to feed them local fruits high in carotenoids, including Karat and Daiwang bananas. Health benefits aside, indigenous fruits have a number of other advantages. They require little or no capital outlay or external input, are perfectly adapted to local conditions, and often have medicinal properties. From Senegal to South Africa, the grey-green fruits of the Kigelia (Kigelia africana) have a long history of consumption and topical application and are now being investigated for development in the natural skincare sector. Tests confirm the fruit has significant anti-inflammatory properties. Such natural treasures also serve as effective risk buffers against climate change. “It is extremely important to come back to some of the so-called forgotten and underutilised plants, because many of them can withstand droughts or floods much better than commercial crops”, said International Centre for Underutilised Crops (ICUC) Director Dr Hannah Jaenicke. In Zambia, the Tonga people of the Gwembe Valley have revived the practice of gathering wild fruits to cushion them against food insecurity caused by persistent drought. Fruity future Dozens of tropical fruits are suitable for small-scale process- ing into jams, conserves, juices and dried fruits. These can be sold at local markets, community shops and supermarkets. Some, such as the baobab and the marula (Sclerocarya birrea), are widely used in their native regions and are beginning to become known further afield. Others are only familiar in local circles, and in some cases their very existence is threatened. Often, fruits are abandoned because of the connotations they have with poverty. indigenous fruits Wild about fruits Greater use of indigenous fruits could do much to combat malnutrition, boost food security and contribute to income diversification. in many ACp countries, these treasures remain largely untapped. But some enterprising communities are working to share their fruits with a wider audience. P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l Wild fruit farms Communities in Kenya are farming wild fruit plants, fencing off areas where indigenous plants grow. A thriving local market coupled with strong demand from urban centres is driving demand for fruits including yeheb (Cordeauxia edulis), baobab (Adansonia digitata), ruqoo (Cacina alivifamis), kei apple (Dovyalis caffra), kansaa (Carissa macrocarpa) and cactus. Such is their popularity that many are now available in supermarkets. Both farmers and nomads have demarcated land containing native fruit plants, though this can also be a source of conflict. Many rural dwellers tend the wild fruit farms like any other cultivated crop, weeding and clearing spaces between trees and bushes. Harvesting is often carried out by women and the fruits sold to middlemen, then transported to local markets and major towns. Some communities trade with each other, using the barter system to acquire fruits not found in their areas. Farmers and nomads have formed cooperatives, with common storage areas where fruits are washed, or in some cases crushed and dried like maize flour. Lack of small-scale processing facilities hampers further development, and some producers are calling for a wild fruit authority to oversee and promote the sector. P ho to s: © A . K ha lif Spore 136 / August 20088 Spore 136 / August 2008 DoSSier Some have been neglected because exotic species have been promoted in their place or because they were difficult to proc- ess, though new technologies have produced answers to some of these problems. In many ACP regions, indigenous fruits are traded at local and regional level. The Ndjanssang tree (Ricinodendron heudelotii) is one of the most economically important indigenous fruit species of West Africa, accounting for a significant proportion of Cameroon border trade in non-timber forest products. In the Caribbean, several companies are marketing tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and carambola (Averrhoa carambola) sauces alongside their range of hot pepper products. exotic openings Growing demand for semi-prepared foods and value-added preparations offers scope for ACP producers. Export potential is also fuelled by a boom in ethnic and exotic foods. A trend for ‘superfruits’ — a term coined to describe any fruit with a high antioxi- dant content or other beneficial nutrients — is fast catching on among ‘foodie’ con- sumers in Europe, Japan and the USA, keen for novel tastes with which to titillate their tired palates. French flavours firm Aromatech has developed a range of super- fruit flavours that include açaï (Euterpe oleracea), acerola, goji berry and mangosteen. Global company Treatt launched a tama- rind flavour earlier this year. But obstacles strew the paths of ACP producers seeking to tap lucrative export markets. “Regulatory hurdles can prevent African natural products from realising their full economic potential and optimum returns to rural producers”, said Lucy Welford of PhytoTrade Africa, the southern African Natural Products Trade Association (see Box). In spite of the difficulties, there are some commercial success stories. In the forests of Tambacounda, Senegal, nine villages are harvesting baobab with support from local NGO Wula Nafaa. The fruits are sold at 25% above the local price to Italy-based firm Baobab Fruit Company Senegal for markets in Europe and the USA. Safou (Dacryodes edulis), common in Central and West Africa where it provides a staple food for 3-4 months of the year, is now exported from Cameroon to France and Belgium, with an annual 105 t leaving the country. Commercial partnerships developed with global com- panies have created oppor- tunities for breaking into European markets for natu- ral products. In northern Namibia, the 4,800 mem- bers of the Eudafano Wom- en’s Cooperative (EWC) have formed links with The Body Shop to sell marula products. Members har- vest fruit from wild marula trees and deliver kernels and seeds to EWC’s own processing factory. Marula oil is used in cosmetics and skincare products while juice is produced for the local market. The jelly melon or African horned cucumber (Cucumis metuliferus) is gaining ground in international markets. Kenya is now export- ing it to Europe, alongside established favourites such as mangoes and pineapples. The mobola plum (Parinari curatellifolia), an evergreen tree common in parts of tropi- cal Africa, is currently being investigated for its potential in the hair care sector. The seeds are a rich source of oil which forms a protective film over hair fibre. Filling the knowledge gaps Since most indigenous fruit trees in the developing world have never been cultivated on-farm, knowledge is lacking about production, propagation and processing methods. Some efforts are now being made to fill those gaps. Together with local and regional partners, researchers at ICUC are studying underutilised fruits in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. Using information tools in local languages and training courses for farmers and extension officers, the team is helping to spread the word about the benefits. In the Caribbean, support from Taiwan is helping pro- ducers in St Kitts and Nevis to Masau fruit (above), jack fruit and passion fruit: fruits for all tastes A novel approach One of the most challenging sanitary and phytosanitary requirements facing ACP producers is the EU Novel Foods Regulation (NFR), which severely restricts imports of produce not widely consumed in Europe prior to 1997. Foods identified as novel are subject to a complex process and compliance is beyond the means of most rural enterprises. Many of the products that come under this category are potentially lucrative niche products, which, while new to European palates, have been consumed in their place of origin for centuries. Various initiatives are trying to help small-scale producers meet these stringent requirements. In 2005, a long campaign waged by the Centre for the Development of Enterprise helped members of the Pacific Island Noni Association win the right to export their products to Europe. Support from PhytoTrade Africa resulted in victory in May 2008 for producers who wanted to export pulp from baobab fruit to Europe. A 2007 report by the UK’s Natural Resources Institute says baobab has the potential to be a billion dollar industry for Africa, employing more than 2.5 million households. The lost fruits of Africa Africa’s neglected fruits offer massive potential for combating malnutrition and boosting environmental stability and rural development, says a recent report from the US National Research Council. The study urges science institutes, policymakers and NGOs to use modern horticultural knowledge and research to develop these crops. Species introduced from Asia and the Americas, such as bananas, pineapples and papayas, dominate today’s fruit production in Africa. Many imported species received the support of colonial powers who wanted familiar profitable crops. These have gradually displaced the traditional species that had fed Africans for thousands of years. The report highlights 24 fruits that hold special promise. Lost Crops Of Africa Vol. 3, downloadable as PDF file from: www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_ id=11879 P ho to : © J . G an da ri P ho to : © S yfi a In te rn at io na l P ho to : © J . G an da ri P ho to : © J . G an da ri Spore 136 / August 2008 Spore 136 / August 2008  DoSSier propagate short, early-bearing trees from the indigenous taun or ton (Pometia pinnata). NARI agronomist Mathew Poienou said the fruit had the potential to become a lucrative export earner if domesticated and commercialised. A CTA-supported international symposium on underutilised plant species (UUPS) held in Tanzania in March 2008 outlined initiatives to study, conserve and utilise neglected fruit and vegetable plants. Solid scientific research should underpin the introduction of UUPS products onto the market so as to ensure sustainability, participants agreed. It is essential to develop species without undermining agrobiodiversity and proper harvesting is paramount. Experts stress the importance of building on local knowledge. “There is also considerable scope for applying modern methods such as tissue culture and biotechnology to address problems such as unavailability of planting material of desirable cultivars”, said Dr Jaenicke. For marketing, there is a need to start building a strong local value chain before moving on to outlets further afield. A key challenge is to avert the risk of successful ventures being taken over by larger companies and bypassing the poor. And while control systems and quality standards are essential for export markets, they are important for those closer to home too — local consumers also have the right to receive top quality products. develop local fruits and establish an agro-processing facility for value-added products. The Franco-Ethiopian cooperation project Home Gardens has launched a system of Geographical Indications (GI), with a view to patenting home-grown products and preserving biodiversity. Native fruits earmarked for GI development include the Asosa mango, a cactus from Tigray and citrus from the North Shewa Mountains. In Papua New Guinea, scientists at the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) are working to clone and Wonder Dondo has been surrounded by tall green masau trees for as long as he can remember and, just like his father before him, he makes a living by trading the fruit that they bear. “I regard masau as my cash crop”, said Dondo, who lives in northern Zimbabwe’s Dande Valley. “Although it’s a seasonal fruit, l earn more income from it compared to maize and rapoko (finger millet Eleusine coracana) which l grow for subsistence.” This area, close to the Mozambique border, is renowned for its indigenous masau (Ziziphus mauritiana) trees. “They grow naturally here. We have eaten masau fruit all our lives”, said villager Thomas Chimukoko. “The seeds are very strong and drought-resistant, so they spring up when the rains fall.” Although it is common, the masau tree is highly valued in this hot, dry region. Besides the fruit, it provides good shelter and its leaves are eaten by goats and other browsers. “When the seeds spring up near homes, we fence around it using thorny tree branches or wire so that domestic animals do not destroy the tender seedlings”, said Peter Chipiso a vil- lage head in the Kamutsenzere area. Large tracts of the masau forests are communal, but most families also own land where the fruit trees grow. “We discourage one another from cutting the masau fruit tree for poles because we all know that the fruit is our source of income from June to November each year”, explained Chipiso. This village head also discourages trad- ers and villagers from using crude methods of harvesting, such as shaking the branches and throwing objects to dislodge the fruits, since damaged trees do not produce well the follow- ing season. “If they cut the trees, l ban them from harvesting the fruit and report them to the chief”, he said. For short distances, the fruit is carried in sacks, tins and buckets to roadside stalls or markets. Lorries and public transport are used to transport the fruit to urban areas. “Our customers like the fruit and are prepared to pay for it, especially when it is fresh”, said Judith Foya, one of the women selling the fruit on the Mt Darwin to Mukumbura road. Masau fetches €20 per 50-kg bag in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. Some villagers in the Dande district also use it to barter, exchanging fruit for maize, chicken, clothes and goats. The masau fruit, also found in neigh- bouring Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, is wine coloured and wizened, with a sweet and slightly sour taste. The shape and texture are reminiscent of dried plums. Masau are chewy, and you need to use your teeth to tear the flesh off the seed. The fruit is rich in vitamin C and beta carotene. “Whilst we eat it fresh, we can also dry it for use later or make it into bread and Masau jam”, explained Forbes Shiri, a village head in Muzarabani. Local communities use the fruit as a base for distilling an alcoholic beverage called kachasu. In traditional medicine, masau is used to treat a variety of ailments including colds and flu. In spite of the many uses and benefits of this versatile local fruit, much more could be done to tap its huge potential. “The national production of masau in Zimbabwe is estimated at 200,000 t per year”, said Hendrex Phiri, a researcher into African fruits. “Unfortunately, most of this undergoes post-harvest losses, with over 60% of it having to be discarded. Other problems are poor marketing and inad- equate harvest and processing techniques, as well as lack of strategic product development for value-addition to fruits. It is a shame that local producers do not get more support to develop this very promising sector.” Jonathan Gandari P ho to : © J . G an da ri • Gardens of Oceania By V Lebot & A Walter Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, 2007. 326 pp. ISBN 1-86320-470-9 • Fruits journal Special edition 2008 on Underutilized Fruits CIRAD / EDP Sciences www.fruits-journal.org/ content/view/226/43/lang,en Food Plants International Non-profit organisation covering 18,000 edible plant species, with many downloadable publications on food plants www.foodplantsinternational. com Global Facilitation Unit for Underutilized Species Via dei Tre Denari 472/a 00057 Maccarese Rome, Italy Fax: +39 06 61979661 www.underutilized-species. org ICUC International Centre for Underutilised Crops c/o International Water Management Institute (IWMI) PO Box 2075 Colombo, Sri Lanka Fax: +94-11-2786854 www.icuc-iwmi.org PhytoTrade Africa PO Box BE 385 Belvedere Harare, Zimbabwe Fax: +263 4 740 476 www.phytotradeafrica.com Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Disseminates information on the estimated 7,000 useful plants of tropical Africa with support from CTA www.prota.org rich pickings ///////////////////////////////////////////Zimbabwe [FIELD REPORT] Spore 136 / August 200810 Spore 136 / August 2008 FoCUS The burden weighing on farmers in the South is becoming increasingly hard to bear. Over the past half century, the number of producers providing food for their compatriots has dwindled with each passing year. Before, in Africa, 20 farmers fed one city dweller between them; today, there are just two and sometimes only one to do the same task. That is mission impossible given cur- rent agricultural conditions. In order to feed their growing popula- tions, most ACP countries therefore rely heavily on imports. But the current rise in food prices makes the situation untenable. How can farmers increase their output with the speed required and on the scale that is needed? Massive financial support to buy seed and fertiliser is not enough to help producers undertake structural reforms and significantly increase productivity. There can be no sustainable improvement unless farmers acquire a solid foundation. Badly neglected in recent years, professional training is now more important than ever. Training for all The evolution of local and regional societies and of the global economy and environment is forcing a rethink of train- ing methods and their objectives. For a long time, agricultural extension agents were there to teach farmers improved production techniques. After national training structures were disman- tled, the NGOs and producer organisations stepped in to fill the gap. The training they offer has a practical slant, but is often lim- ited due to lack of resources. Today, experts including those from the international network Agricultural and Rural Training (FAR) agree on a number of points. The first is the need to put in place mass professional training programmes aimed at all farmers in a given country, if results are to be swift and far-reaching. Second, if villagers are to be persuaded to stay where they are rather than leave for the towns, it is important to view rural life as a whole, and not just focus on agricultural production. Last, farmers must learn how to press for their rights and take part in the devel- opment of policies that affect them. Adapting education It all begins at school. More and more young, rural dwellers, both boys and girls, now have access to it as part of the Millen- nium Development Goal Education for all. But the programmes tailored to urban-based youngsters do not provide young people living in rural areas with the knowledge that they will need in later life. Yet basic education is recognised as playing an important role in development, especially for girls. At a conference on education for rural Caribbean communities, held in St Lucia in 2006, it was widely acknowledged that there needs to be a complete overhaul of the educational system, which was developed for the elite and ignores the needs of young rural people. Generally, only a tiny proportion of young rural dwellers pursue their studies once they have left primary school. The others are left by the wayside, and can only learn from their elders. Such know- ledge sharing is certainly essential, but it will no longer be enough to enable them to make progress. With few prospects on the horizon, they are tempted to move to the towns or even abroad. In Mozam- bique, the Education and Training on Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools (JFFLS) programme has trained 7,000 AIDS orphans in an effort to stop them from leaving their communities. These young people have not just acquired farming skills and knowledge; they have also developed the capacity to understand their problems and ensure that their rights are respected. A job and a way of life The prime objective of today’s professional training is to develop agricultural ventures that are viable and sustainable rather than trying simply to increase the yield of a single crop, as in the past. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) believes there must be a radical change in training methods: focusing first and foremost on fieldwork and farmers’ knowledge and stimulating innovation. But it is also crucial to bear in mind that agriculture is a way of life and that it is important to take the whole range of needs of rural people into account, as well as the long- term conservation of their environment. Pro- ducers must know how to analyse situations, diagnose problems, plan their activities and manage their farms. To achieve such results, experts from FAR and FAO’s Education for Rural People (ERP) programme stress the need to create national strategies involving the ministries of Education, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Health. Unfortunately, the political will needed to do this has been sadly lacking in recent years. The training strategy should however be part of a wider framework tailored to answer the needs of the country. In order to produce results, it should go hand in hand with services to farmers such as organising markets, secur- ing supplies of inputs, maintaining infrastructure and ensuring land tenure. That means making resources available, at least the 10% of the national budget that African States agreed to devote to agricul- ture in 2006, a goal which remains a long way off. Nor will it do any good to come up with a single training model and apply it in a blanket fashion to all countries. Each national programme must be adapted to specific requirements, based on the needs of producers. Such initiatives are still few and far between: exceptions include the World Bank-funded PASAOP pro- gramme in Mali, the RENCAR project in Chad and the Education and Training Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development in South Africa. Agricultural training An imperative need As with any profession, farmers need access to basic training, all the more so as the current food crisis forces them to make rapid structural changes. P ho to : T . T ou ré © IR D Photo: © Syfi a International Spore 136 / August 2008 Spore 136 / August 2008 11 p U B L iC A T io N S Lightening the load As millions of rural house- holds know only too well, the effects of HIV/AIDS go way beyond the impact on physical health. Victims are subject to isolation within the community as they struggle to keep their farms and other activities going, despite the ravages of the dis- ease. Family members also suffer, as the burden of extra work takes its toll, adding to the emotional trauma. Support from neighbours and agricultural officers, who in other circumstances might have helped bridge the gap, is often inadequate as they too are over- whelmed by increasing demands on their limited resources. There are, however, a number of ways in which farming prac- tices can be adapted to mitigate the effects of HIV/AIDS. Aimed at agricultural extension officers, NGOs and development work- ers from international organisa- tions, this manual, part of the Agrodok series, explores practi- cal methods for alleviating the difficulties. Strategies examined include switching from labour- intensive, high-input activities such as coffee and dairy farm- ing to low-input sectors such as agroforestry, conservation till- age and poultry keeping. The guide highlights the importance of nutritious food, including fruit and vegetables, for HIV/AIDS suf- ferers and recommends growing medicinal plants to treat some of the symptoms of the disease. The need for knowledge emerges as a major theme, whether it be in relation to the illness itself or in coping with its effects. Two other popular titles have been revised and updated in the Agrodok series: The Home Gar- den in the Tropics and Small-Scale Freshwater Fish Farming. Both offer practical help and come with plenty of clear illustrations to guide readers. Mitigating the Effects of HIV/AIDS in Small-Scale Farming By A Lengkeek, M Koster & M Salm Agrodok n°45 Agromisa/CTA, 2008. 76 pp. ISBN 978-90-8573-090-3 (Agromisa) / 978-92-9081-383-5 (CTA) CTA number 1438 5 credit points The Home Garden in the Tropics By E Verheij & H Waaijenberg Agrodok n°9 Agromisa/CTA, 2008. 90 pp. ISBN 978-90-8573-087-3 (Agromisa) / 978-92-9081-380-4 (CTA) CTA number 1435 5 credit points Small-Scale Freshwater Fish Farming By E Carballo, A van Eer, T van Schie & A Hilbrands Agrodok n°15 Agromisa/CTA, 2008. 90 pp. ISBN 978-90-8573-077-4 (Agromisa) / 978-92-9081-364-4 (CTA) CTA number 1441 5 credit points Supporting small forest enterprises Small and Medium Forest Enterprises (SMFEs) account for up to 90% of forest activity in the South and can be effective vehicles for reducing poverty, especially when they work together with associations. But they often struggle with transport, communication and marketing difficulties, as well as a heavy burden of taxes and regulations. This report, based on studies in Guyana, South Africa and Uganda, reviews the growing consensus on best practice in small enterprise support, both within and outside the forest sector. It describes how a framework known as ‘market system development’ unites attempts to strengthen enterprise associations, facilitate better provision of financial and business development services, and improve the business environment. Supporting small forest enterprises: A cross-sectoral review of best practice By D Maqueen IIED, 2008. 62 pp. ISBN 978-1-84369-684-1 GBP10 • €12.65 Downloadable as PDF file from: www.iied.org/pubs/pdfs/13548IIED.pdf Earthprint Ltd. PO Box 119 Stevenage Hertfordshire SG1 4TP UK Fax: +44 1438 748 844 customerservices@earthprint.com www.earthprint.com reinventing agriculture The final report for the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) explores how agriculture can be reinvented to feed the world’s expanding population against a backdrop of major challenges, especially climate change and the mounting food crisis. Contributors include almost 400 specialists as well as governments of wealthy and developing nations and representatives from civil society and the private sector. A conclusion to emerge is that industrial, large-scale agriculture is unsustainable, mainly because of its dependence on cheap oil, its negative effects on ecosystems and growing water scarcity. IAASTD final report 2008 Downloadable as PDF file from: www.agassessment.org planting tropical trees Tropical trees continue to disap- pear ten times faster than they are replaced. This trend poses a serious threat to many rural communities. Whether in forests, savannahs, farmland or woodlands, tropical trees are a valuable natural resource. They maintain and improve soil fertility, offer protec- tion from sun, wind and heavy rain, and provide useful products, includ- ing fruit, timber and medicines. Information is still lacking about most local species, the majority of which have yet to be domesticated. Seeds are not always readily available. This, the fifth and final volume in the series Tropical Trees: Propa- gation and Planting Manuals, offers practical, illustrated guidelines on how to grow and care for tropical trees on any scale. It includes sec- tions on how to select the most suitable trees for a particular set- ting or purpose, how to identify the best young trees and transport them safely to the planting site, when and how to plant trees and how to protect them from pests and diseases. Sources of further information as well as checklists and record sheets are provided in a handy wire-bound format so that pages can easily be photo- copied for use in the field. Other recent titles in the series include Preparing to Plant Tropical Trees and Raising Seedlings of Tropical Trees. Planting and Establishment of Tropical Trees By P de Groot & D Upton Commonwealth Secretariat, 2008. 142 pp. ISBN 978-0-85092-708-5 GBP23 • €30 Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX., UK Fax: +44 (0)20 78399081 publications@commonwealth.int www.thecommonwealth.org/ publications Spore 136 / August 200812 Spore 136 / August 2008 p U B L iC A T io N S The milk of business Milk can be processed to pro- long shelf life or turned into a variety of foods, including cheese, yoghurt, butter and ice cream. This guide, the fourth in the CTA series Opportunities in Food Processing, looks at the potential for small-scale producers in the dairy sector and discusses some of the technologies available. It offers clear detailed advice on how to prepare a range of products, with information about the equipment needed and how to use and maintain it. The book takes the reader through the entire chain, from setting up a processing unit to establishing quality assurance and managing business operations. Examples and ideas are provided by successful dairy producers in ACP countries. Particular attention is paid to finding and developing suitable markets, including urban outlets for non-traditional dairy products such as flavoured milks, fruit yoghurts and hard cheeses. Throughout the guide, there is strong emphasis on the need for strict hygiene, since milk products can easily transmit food-poisoning bacteria to consumers. A checklist and blank page for note-taking ends each chapter. Appendices provide information on the science of milk processing, basic rules for safe dairy process- ing, suggestions for further read- ing and institutions that offer support. Setting up and Running a Small- Scale Dairy Processing Business Edited by B Axtell & P J Fellows CTA, 2008. 188 pp. ISBN 978-92-9081-377-4 CTA number 1434 20 credit points Threats and opportunities Much has been written recently about China’s growing presence in Africa, and Spore has already reviewed other books on this topic (see Spore 132). This collection of essays, many of them written by scholars from China and develop- ing countries, seeks to put the China-Africa relationship into perspective. China’s involvement in Africa has three main thrusts: direct invest- ment, aid and trade. In each dimen- sion, China’s engagement is dwarfed by those of the USA and European countries and is often smaller than those of other Asian economies. The book analyses China’s expansion in Africa, as well as other parts of the South, including Latin America, and examines the economic, social and environmental impact. Some of the contributions concede that China’s engagement in Africa may pose threats, and that caution needs to be exercised. But the general con- sensus is that the new partnership presents many opportunities for African development. China’s New Role in Africa and the South; A search for a new perspective Edited by D Crace-Guerrero & F Manji Famahu, 2008. 258 pp. ISBN 978-1-906387-26-6 GBP16.95 • €21.50 Famahu Books 51 Cornmarket Street Oxford OX1 3HA, UK Fax: + 44 1865 727909 www.fahamu.org An under-valued resource Wastewater is increasingly used in irrigation for urban and peri- urban agriculture, and even in dis- tant rural areas downstream from cities. It drives significant eco- nomic activity and supports a great many livelihoods, particu- larly those of small-scale farmers. But the use of wastewater in farming can also pose serious threats to human health and the environment. The challenge is to identify practical, affordable safe- guards that do not compromise the economic benefits to small- holders or reduce the important role wastewater plays in contrib- uting to household food security and supplying low-cost produce to growing cities in countries of the South. By examining the uses of wastewater in a number of coun- tries, including Ghana, Kenya and Senegal, the authors seek to highlight the pros and cons of the resource and ways of improving its management. Results from the case studies shed light on pros- pects for devising workable solu- tions that could be applied in other settings. Wastewater Use in Irrigated Agriculture: Confronting the Livelihood and Environmental Realities Edited by C Scott, N Faruqui & L Raschid-Sally CABI, 2008. 208 pp. ISBN 978-1-845-934-514 €50 CABI Nosworthy Way Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 8DE UK Fax: +44 1491 829292 orders@cabi.org www.cabi-publishing.org Crops without endosulfan The insecticide endosulfan is one of the most hazardous agricultural pesticides anywhere in the world. This field guide provides information for small-scale farmers on how to grow crops without using endosulfan or other chemical pesticides. It is part of the easy- to-read series of manuals on non- chemical pest management in the tropics produced by PAN Germany. Previous titles in the collection include six crop-specific guides, all of them available free online. How to Grow Crops without Endosulfan Downloadable as PDF file from: www.pan-germany.org/download/field_ guide_without_endosulfan.pdf Pesticide Action Network Germany Nernstweg 32 22767 Hamburg, Germany Fax: +49 (0) 40 - 390 75 20 info@pan-germany.org From field to market Efficient food transport systems are essential if agriculture is to succeed as a commercial sector. A survey of the agrifood transport sector in 17 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, including several ACP States, examines some of the hurdles facing smallholder farmers, and puts forward policy and programme approaches likely to have a significant impact in the areas where help is most needed. Rural transport of food products in Latin America and the Caribbean By J A Catalano, L F De León & D Rodríguez FAO, 2008. 146 pp. ISBN 978-92-5-105220-4 US$30 • €20 For Earthprint’s address, see page 12 protecting agrobiodiversity Protected areas play a key role is sustaining biological and cultural diversity. But there is a need for more detailed examination of the kind of benefits these mechanisms provide. This volume, the first in a series, documents the advantages of using protected areas to preserve agrobiodiversity, via a number of case studies, including the Borana conserved landscape in Ethiopia. Protected Landscapes and Agrobiodiversity Values Edited by T Amend, J Brown, A Kothari, A Phillips & S Stolton IUCN, 2008. 140 pp. ISBN 978-3-92506448-7 US$30 • €20 For Earthprint’s address, see page 12 Downloadable as PDF file from: http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/ agrobiodiv.pdf Ph ot o: O . B ar ri èr e © IR D Spore 136 / August 2008 Spore 136 / August 2008 13 p U B L iC A T io N S Natural enemies More and more farmers in ACP countries are reaping the benefits of biological control, using natural enemies to keep pests and weeds at bay as an effective and environ- mentally sound alternative to costly and harmful chemical products. The approach is not neces- sarily difficult, but it does require careful selection and management of the right natural predators to destroy the undesired plant or insect, without damaging the bal- ance of the ecosystem. This well-illustrated book offers a useful introduction to the con- cept of biological control before exploring two major applications: the permanent control of invasive insects and plants in landscapes and the temporary suppression of both native and exotic pests in farms, tree plantations, and green- houses. Written by leading interna- tional experts in the field, it should serve as a helpful reference for anyone interested in a more natu- ral approach to pest management. Control of Pests and Weeds by Natural Enemies: An Introduction to Biological Control By T Center, R Van Driesche & M Hoddle Blackwell, 2008. 484 pp. ISBN 978-1-4051-4571-8 €49 Wiley-Blackwell Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA Boschstr. 12 69469 Weinheim, Germany Fax: +49/6201/606-223 theuberger@wiley.com The value of partnerships Traders tend to get a bad press from producers in many ACP coun- tries. Farmers accuse them of exploitation and wrongly believe that if they could only get rid of the middlemen, their profits would improve. This collection of stories, produced in a writeshop that involved producers and traders themselves, sets out to contest the standard image of traders. The book looks at the vital role played by traders in the value chain and claims that, with appropriate trad- ing partners, farmers are better off than they would be without them. A selection of case studies, including transporting livestock in Kenya, selling yams at Kumasi Central Market in Ghana, exporting Tanzanian coffee to European mar- kets and exporting tomatoes from Burkina Faso to Ghana, helps high- light the various stages in the value chain and the challenges encoun- tered by those responsible. Special attention is paid to the significant and often underestimated difficul- ties faced by traders themselves. They struggle with little working capital and poor payment rates; inadequate transport infrastructure results in long, arduous trips that often translate into heavy losses. Examining issues that affect both traders and producers, such as weak institutional arrange- ments and high transport and handling costs, the book rein- forces the message that the two groups would do well to join forces rather than squabbling. Actors in the chain who work well together and trust each other can become partners and engage in dialogue with governments to create bet- ter policies on key issues such as taxation, research support and infrastructure. Trading Up: Building cooperation between farmers and traders in Africa Edited by L Peppelenbos & P Mundy KIT/IIRR, 2008. 289 pp. ISBN 978-90-6832-699-4 €25 KIT Publishers PO Box 95001 1090 HA Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.kit.nl/publishers publishers@kit.nl Fax: +31 20 568 8286 Downloadable as PDF file from: www.kit.nl/smartsite.shtml?&id=SINGLE PUBLICATION&ItemID=2501 innovative technology If developing countries are to prosper in the global economy, greater investment and use of sci- ence, technology and innovation (STI) is imperative. That was the main message from a Global Forum convened by the World Bank in February 2007 to discuss strate- gies, programmes and policies for boosting STI in countries of the South. The forum was organised around case studies of STI capac- ity building initiatives, focusing on a number of themes: how to reduce poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals, adding value to natural resource exports, upgrading technology, the role of research and development and gender. This book, devised as a fol- low-up to the forum, captures the lessons from some of the STI expe- riences presented at the meet- ing. One case study looks at how STI can help pineapple growers in Ghana. Another examines the shortage of university faculties in Africa. Though there is detailed discussion of STI as a concept, there is also plenty of concrete illustration of how this approach can deliver clean water to rural vil- lages, improve incomes for small- holder producers and help local industries compete in an increas- ingly difficult open marketplace. Science, Technology and Innovation: Capacity Building for Sustainable Growth and Poverty Reduction Edited by M Ehst & A Watkins World Bank, 2008. 240 pp ISBN 0-8213-7380-3 US$30 • €20 World Bank Publications 1818 H Street, NW Mail Stop: U 11/1104 Washington, DC 20433, USA Fax: +1 202 614 1237 www.worldbank.org/publications Land and water By 2025, most countries of the South are expected to face some degree of water scarcity, a problem that will be exacerbated in almost all cases by land degradation. The link between these two key resources is explored here. Examples of case studies, where communities have succeeded in reversing soil and water degradation, offer solutions for the future. Aspects covered include hydrology, soil science, development studies and political science. The result is an interesting and ultimately optimistic analysis of how sustainable water use and food production can be achieved. Conserving Land, Protecting Water Edited by D Bossio & K Geheb CABI, 2008. 320 pp. ISBN 978-1-845-93-387-6 €120 For CABI’s address, see page 13 Safe animal production This volume includes all texts adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission on animal production up to 2007. It covers meat hygiene, processed meat and poultry products, residues of veterinary drugs in foods and food additives and animal feeds. Other titles published or due for release in the Codex Alimentarius series this year include guides on food labelling, milk and milk products, organically produced food, waters, fresh fruits and vegetables and vegetable proteins. Animal Food Production FAO, 2008. 148 pp. ISBN 978-92-5-105838-1 US$22 • €14 For Earthprint’s address, see page 12 High standards Food markets of the USA and Canada are making growing use of voluntary standards and certification schemes. This guide examines the scope for producers who want to tap these markets and offers guidance for compliance. It concentrates on tropical fruits, coffee and cocoa due to the economic significance of these sectors in many developing countries and their high market potential in North America. Value-adding standards in the North American food market. Trade opportunities in certified products for developing countries By A Byers, D Giovannucci & P Liu FAO, 2008. 86 pp. ISBN 978-92-5-105926-5 US$18 • €12 For Earthprint’s address, see page 12 Spore 136 / August 20081 Spore 136 / August 2008 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. From 26 to 31 October 2008, CTA is organising an international seminar in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on the “Implications of global climate change for sustainable agricultural production systems in AC countries”. The aim is to increase awareness among politi- cal decision-makers and rural com- munities about the impact of climate change on agriculture and rural development. The seminar also seeks to assess the informa- tion and communication needs of these latter so as to build appropri- ate strategies to respond to the cli- mate challenge. The social and environmental consequences of climate varia- tion gravely compromise the live- lihoods of more than 70% of the population of ACP countries, who depend on the agriculture sector. It is more pressing than ever to put in place natural resource manage- ment strategies that ensure the sustainable use of soils and water, limit biodiversity erosion and deal with urgent issues such as grow- ing demand for renewable energy. However, effective action must be based on sound information and reliable communication. The CTA seminar is being organised with these goals in mind. Between 150 and 200 par- ticipants from a wide range of countries and backgrounds (six ACP regions, national institutions of EU countries, regional and international organisations) are expected in Ouagadougou, all of them concerned by climate change and its interaction with agricul- tural production systems and the environment. A forthcoming special issue of Spore will be dedicated to cli- mate change and its main impact on agriculture, livestock, forests and marine and coastal systems in ACP countries. Here you will find often poignant first-hand accounts from farmers, herders and fishers grappling with these sometimes extreme phenomena, as well as opinions from researchers on potential adaptation techniques. To find out more, visit the seminar website: http://ctaseminar2008.cta.int/ Climate change: action! A better understanding of how CTA’s products and services are used and what the needs on the ground really are. Those were two of the key aims of the recent review exercise conducted throughout the ACP regions. Over a 2-month span, between May and June, staff were deployed on visits to more than 200 institutions and beneficiaries in Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Samoa, South Africa, Uganda and Trinidad and Tobago to discuss CTA’s products and activities. The trips aimed to achieve better visi- bility for the Centre and its work, assess the impact and outreach of eight CTA projects, products and services and identify new opportu- nities for cooperation. The mis- sions marked the culmination of several months of planning and preparation by the Centre, along- side the UK-based consulting firm ITAD and local consultants in each of the 10 countries. The visits were well received. Many beneficiaries were pleased to see that CTA cared enough to come and meet them. The Centre in turn thanks all its partners — past, present and future — who took the time to meet with its representatives and contribute to the success of the exercise. An online electronic survey into the impact of CTA’s work took place in July. CTA is working with ITAD to collate the data so as to draw up recommendations for future actions. Be sure to look out for these in future issues of Spore. reaching out P ho to : © C TA A working visit to Uganda Spore 136 / August 2008 Spore 136 / August 2008 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 2008 — ISSN 1011-0054 Publisher: CTA • Postbus 380 • 6700 AJ Wageningen, Pays-Bas • Tel: +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, Portugal • Contributors to this edition included: N Ackbarally, S Banda, J Bodichon, M Chimwala, J Gandari, A Khalif, A Labey, F Le Meur, D Manley, B Merlot, N Mutumweno, A Nabwowe, E Nanzala, J-V Ngoubangoyi, D Nshimirimana, J Othieno, E de Solère Stintzy and D Tabureguci, with the editorial support of Chantal Guiot and CTA. Layout and design: Intactile DESIGN, France • Printer: Pure Impression, France Ethnopharmacology is the science that studies the active principles of traditional pharmacopoeia, especially medicinal plants. Since it is impossible to systematically evaluate the chemical properties of the 500,000 or so plants that exist in the world, local knowledge enables us to concentrate scientific research on certain medicinal plants, focusing the selection on the most promising species. Since 1993, in a joint initiative with Sao Tomé and Príncipe’s Ministry of Health, recognised traditional practitioners have been sharing their knowledge with a team of pharmacists and biologists. This partnership has enabled us to enrich our scientific knowledge of certain medicinal plants. The aim was to give scientific validation to traditional medicinal practices, confirming their efficacy and opening up avenues for the development of new drugs suited to local socio-economic conditions. More then 300 plant species used in local traditional medicine have so far been identified and studied. A selection was then made of the plants likely to prove most useful. The ethnopharmacological data was made available to the ministries of Health and Agriculture to help draw up a national health policy and generate wealth through the use of these local medicinal plants. This initiative also aims to help conserve local knowledge about the use of medicinal plants. There is a growing risk that this knowledge will be lost since a good number of elderly healers have no descendants interested in carrying on the tradition. For example, Sum Pontes, a traditional healer widely respected in Sao Tomé, has supplied information that has enabled researchers to deepen their understanding of Thithonia diversifolia. This plant, which originated in the American continent, had already been studied in some depth as an anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic treatment. However, Sum Pontes uses it to treat malaria “because it is very bitter”. This therapeutic use has now been registered, for the first time anywhere in the world. The active principle responsible for the anti-malarial properties (Tagitinine C), which is of enormous potential interest, has therefore now been scientifically established and the wisdom of this elderly healer recognised. Examples such as this demonstrate the importance of ethnopharmacological data and of their publication, in this case in a book titled Estudo tnofarmacológico de Plantas Medicinais de S. Tomé e Príncipe, which documents the findings of a team of traditional healers working together with young researchers. Cultural and biological diversity Biodiversity guarantees the availability of a wide range of active compounds that are essential for the development of new drugs. The humid tropical forests are the world’s richest regions in terms of biodiversity, but they are also the most threatened. Ethnobotanists can help conserve these resources by identifying the threatened species and sharing the information at the local and national level. Conservation does not require ambitious or grandiose projects. It can start with support and encouragement for households to grow a few priority species in their backyards or on a common plot of land. ethical issues The past two decades have seen a growing interest on the part of researchers, international organisations, governments and NGOs in protecting intellectual property rights and sharing knowledge and benefits. But it has proved difficult to create adequate cross-border and cross-cultural agreements. Legal systems are complex and sometimes inadequate. There is therefore a need to consolidate agreements for knowledge- sharing by supplementing them, at each stage, with more specific accords that are adapted to specific cultural contexts, so that local capacities are rewarded and the people involved receive fair recompense. In the case of Sao Tomé and Príncipe, all the results were first presented to the government. Three local healers, Sum Pontes, Sum Gino and Sum Costa, who supplied the knowledge that is behind the study, are cited as co-authors of the book that was subsequently published. All sales from the book, as well as other advantages that could derive from more studies in the future, will go to these three men and will help to improve their living and working conditions. The way forward is through mutual recognition of each other’s role, availability and a sound code of ethics. Mutual recognition, availability and a sound code of ethics ethnopharmacology rediscovering traditional medicine ethnopharmacology and ethnobotany are fundamental tools for the use and conservation of biological and cultural resources. These resources are crucial for the future of medical and pharmaceutical science and for the well-being of communities who are custodians of the knowledge. Maria do Céu Madureira, professor at the Egas Moniz Higher Institute for Health Science in Portugal, has been studying the medicinal plants of Sao Tomé and Príncipe for 15 years. Her aim is to conserve knowledge of traditional medicine while opening up prospects to develop new treatments. The opinions expressed in viewpoint are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of CTA. Spore 136 / August 200816