Tag Archives: banana

Biofortified GM bananas

James Dale is a scientist at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT, Australia). His lab has developed a genetically modified (GM, genetically engineered) banana (Musa × paradisiaca) rich in ‘pro-vitamin A’. Here’s the QUT report. This is the ‘super banana’ … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, food, horticulture, knowledge transfer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Special bananas: Africa’s answer to Golden Rice?

Oluwabusayo Sotunde (writing as Busayo in Ventures Africa) tells us about a ‘special banana’ (Musa × paradisiaca) rich in alpha-carotene and beta-carotene. After eating those carotenes, the body converts them to Vitamin A. So they’re ‘provitamins’. This new genetically modified … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, horticulture, human health, knowledge transfer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

What is biodiverse food?

Ann Tutwiler of Bioversity International tells us why in the 21st century, we need biodiverse food. And she tells us what that could mean. Ms Tutwiler doesn’t mince her words, saying that a need for dramatically increased food production is … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, food, horticulture, knowledge transfer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

GMO breakthroughs and fakethroughs

It can be difficult to know who to believe about genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The scientific peer review system is no guarantee of truth, nor are the news media, nor are blogs like this one. Jonathan Latham of the US-based … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Green Rush to carve up Africa

‘There is a gold rush happening in Ethiopia, but it’s not a hunt for the yellow metal. It’s a quest for the green gold of fertile farmland.’ So says Richard Schiffman at Farmland Grab. ‘A nation more associated with periodic … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, knowledge transfer, money and trade | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Seeking sustainable crops

Elisabeth Braw at the Guardian tells us about the search for sustainable crops. She says that we in the rich world focus too much on a tiny number of staple food species. But ‘at one time during the past 10,000 … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments