ISHS has just announced the First International Symposium on Jackfruit and other Moraceae to take place in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, from August 31 to  September 2, 2012. Further information can be obtained from Prof. Mohammad Abdur Rahim, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Department of Horticulture, Mymensingh, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh. Phone +880 9162714 , Fax +880 9155810, E-mail: email hidden; JavaScript is required

Yacon roots on sale in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia (Photo courtesy: Choo Kwong Yan, March 2012)

The pictured yacon roots (Smallanthus sonchifolius) were recently seen by our colleague Mr Choo Kwong Yan on sale in various outlets of locally grown vegetables in the Cameron Highlands in Peninsular Malaysia. By all accounts yacon is a new crop in Malaysia, unheard of until recently, and we have yet to identify the grower, and from where s/he has received the original planting material of this vegetatively propagated crop.

Most of the dry matter of yacon roots consists of oligo-fructose, and the information on display next to the roots fairly accurately describes its beneficial effects on gut heath, as revealed in a number of recent studies. Originally from the Andes, but largely unknown there and absent from Andean markets until the early years of this century, yacon has rebounded from oblivion and scientific neglect after its introduction to Japan in 1983, where yacon’s  chemical composition and hypoglycemic effects have been discovered.

In addition to perceived nutritional benefits, it is the crunchy and succulent texture of yacon that may have endeared it to Asian users. Within 15 years, yacon spread from Japan to China, Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan. The sighting of yacon in Malaysia suggests that the dispersal of this crop in Asia is in full swing and has now reached the Cameron highlands which –at an altitude of over 1200 masl- offer climatic conditions similar to those in the crop’s native range.

Yacon planting material is largely dispersed through informal seed systems. Unless there is proof to the contrary, we are rather confident to suspect that introductions across borders have likely been at odds with international best practices for germplasm movement, and with post-CBD thinking about national ownership and control of genetic resources. However, without the yacon development that has taken place in Asia, it is hard to see how the crop would have regained so much popularity in Peru in the last 10 years. Attribute discovery in Japan, although initially resented by Peruvian news media, eventually stimulated investment in research and value chains in Peru itself, and many farmer communities derive new income from an ancient crop plant they hardly used any longer before the current yacon boom. Thus the complex but real “access and benefit sharing” implicit in many informal crop disersals  in the past is still at work, a fact conveniently overlooked in the debates about “biopiracy”.

The case of yacon also quite nicely illustrates that minor crops are no exception to the interdependency of nations with regard to crop genetic resources, suggesting the inclusion of such species in multi-lateral access schemes. There is a large number of lesser known crops that have hugely benefited local populations by dispersal outside their native range and spill-over back into native areas in terms of new varieties or product technologies.

The Chinese name for yacon now in use in Malaysia can be translated as “Snow lotus fruit”. Prices in the Cameron highlands vary between 7 and 20 Ringgit per kg (US$ 2-7). Such a high price could suggest that demand outstrips supply, a situation commonly found in slowly propagating species in an emerging market.

Interestingly, the pictured roots show cracks as in market displays in the Andes. The roots are quite brittle, and easily break upon extraction from the soil. This limits shelf life and is a supply constraint that needs to be addressed in yacon improvement. Unfortunately, yacon very rarely sets seeds, and current varieties are most likely ancient Andean farmer cultivars.

Chepangs are an indigenous ethnic group living in central and southern Nepal. Amongst other agricultural systems they practice shifting cultivation and live in the proximity of forests, depending upon it for food and other livelihood needs.

This publication brings together the traditional knowledge of the Chepang people regarding the wild edible and neglected plant species. Similarly, the proximate nutrient analysis of these plant species could be of great importance to demonstrate the value addition feasibility of these species. Description, uses, distribution and availability of wild edible plants gathered by this community is a first step towards the understanding and appreciation of the value of these neglected and underutilised forest resources.

Click here  to downlaod Chepang Food Culture

Dr Danny Hunter from Bioversity International alerted us to the opportunity for interested graduating students to enrol in Australia’s Charles Sturt University postgraduate programme. The Charles Sturt University is keen to crank up its numbers of international students and global reach of its courses. Danny is looking forward to engaging potential Asian candidates in the Masters of Sustainable Agriculture programme. This MSA programme is eligible for the AusAID Development Scholarship whereby courses on agriculture and rural development are priority sectors for a number of Asian countries included in this list of eligible countries. The scholarship covers both Master and PhD courses. The closing date also varies for different countries, with the earliest being the 30^th of April 2012.

Interested postgraduate students can contact Danny directly at email hidden; JavaScript is required for further details, or click on the links below to find out more:
Master of Sustainable Agriculture programme
Doctor of Sustainable Agriculture programme
PhD Science programme

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in close collaboration with Khon Kaen University, Thailand, and National Research Council Thailand (NRCT), is pleased to announce the convening of a Regional Symposium on “Promoting underutilised food resources for better nutrition” to be held in Khon Kaen, Thailand, 21-23 May 2012. The Symposium will present case studies presenting the wealth of knowledge in indigenous communities in diverse ecosystems, the richness of their food resources, the strengths of the local traditional food systems, and the circumstances of the nutrition transition in indigenous communities. It will present evidence on local and traditional food systems and central role to public health improvement, and required policies at local, national and international levels for protection of food environments to ensure food security and nutritional quality. Documentation of local/traditional knowledge of use of diversity in developing strategies to cope with specific situations and recommendations made available on how to enhance good practices through their blending with scientific findings. The Symposium will help to identify policy options to promote greater use of local food diversity addressed and recommended at national and international level; and proposals for concrete short and medium term measures for actions needed to support conservation and sustainable use of indigenous and traditional foods to improve nutrition. This event will serve as the basis for future dialogue, debate and information exchange and facilitate wider support for an international movement committed to the implementation of effective, sustainable and long-term food-based solutions to hunger and malnutrition. As part of preparatory work for symposium, papers to be presented at the Symposium and be part of a publication on “Indigenous and Traditional food systems of Asia and the Pacific” are now being solicited.

THEMES:

• “Wild” indigenous plants and animal origin collected from uncultivated land and forest (e.g. leafy plants, roots, berries, small rodents, and insects) and from aquatic environments (e.g. indigenous small fish, frogs and snails).
• Semi-domesticated indigenous plants and animals, for example gardening of indigenous plant species and culture of indigenous fish species in rice fields in Asia.
• Traditional cooking/preparation and preservation methods: a wide range of household level, small-scale cooking and processing methods applied to improve food properties such as fermentation, soaking, drying, smoking in particular of indigenous foods for enhancing nutritional value.
• Identification of new partnerships and areas of collaboration, particularly in the direction of advocacy, policy and public awareness, research and funding to support food systems that preserve and sustain diverse traditional food cultures in Asia

DEADLINES AND REQUIREMENTS:

Send all submissions in Microsoft Word format. FULL PAPER (including abstract, key words, conclusions, diagrams, references) up to 8 page paper. Please provide your name, affiliation, full mailing address, telephone / fax number and e-mail address. All submissions will be peer reviewed and edited by members of the Organizing Committee. Accepted papers will be published BEFORE THE CONFERENCE (both print and electronic format), that will be copyrighted and widely disseminated.

SUBMISSION OF FULL PAPERS DEADLINE: 1 April, 2012

CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS: email hidden; JavaScript is required; email hidden; JavaScript is required;