News brief
Cracking new colours for an 'egg'cellent priceCracking new colours for an 'egg'cellent price
Coloured free-range eggs, from a rare beed of hens which originated in Chile, are proving popular with consumers at a leading UK supermarket chain. Eggs with natural shells in blue, green and pink are claimed to be superior to normal brown eggs as the shells are thicker and, according to the Gloucester farmer who owns 3,000 Old Cotswold Legbar hens, the texture is better. The breed is derived from a few Chilean Araucano hens, an indigenous species (see 00-1 Focus On Poultry) otherwise known as the 'blue-egged fowl of Chile', which were imported in the 1920s. As the Chilean cock was eaten during its voyage to Britain, the hens were mated with a Gold-pencilled Hamburgh cock. Subsequent matings produced this particular variety which are now laying eggs of many colours and are attracting a higher than usual price in selected stores.
Making strides against Striga
A biopesticide developed by Canadian scientists may help African farmers
to 
reclaim
agricultural land which has been invaded by the parasitic weed Striga,
or witchweed. Field trials in Mali, led by the Biopesticide Research Laboratory,
have demonstrated that Striga can be wiped out and crop yields doubled
by using a naturally occurring fungal pathogen, Fusarium. Crop
losses caused by Striga can be as high as 70% but researchers have discovered
that the Fusarium pathogen attacks Striga seeds as well as the plant.
Means of producing the biopesticide locally and at low cost have also
been developed to provide village women with a cottage-style industry
to ferment and prepare dried Fusarium inoculant, which is stuck to seeds
using wet arabic gum. The inoculant is then activated by rain after the
seed is planted and provides protection to the roots of the cereal crop.
Threat from the wild
 |
| credit: PDIC |
Farmed pigs in Europe are at risk from endemic infection in wild animals, according to a new report from the International Office of Epizootics (OIE) in Paris. Classical Swine Fever (CSF) continues to be a very significant and widespread problem in wild pigs which are common in Eastern Europe, where there is currently a major expansion in pig production. Since 1998 swine fever outbreaks have been reported in Germany, France, Italy, Moldavia, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. More recently, pigs in Croatia and Luxemburg have also been affected. In Germany and Italy, the epidemiological data suggest that there is cross transmission of the virus between domestic pigs and wild boar. However, the Dutch CSF epidemic in 1997 is believed to have originated from an infected vehicle from Germany. Control cost over US 2 billion dollars. "There are 1 million wild pigs in the EU and, with increasing numbers," says Dr Mike Meredith of the UK's Pig Disease Information Centre, "persistent infection of wild pigs completely undermines the EU's policy of eradication for swine fever."
The recent spread of Brucellosis amongst free-roaming domestic pigs in
Europe seems to indicate that a wild reservoir is the source of this infection.
Brucellois has been identified in wild boar in France and Italy as well
as in brown hares in Austria, France, the Czech Republic and Switzerland.
(From reports
published by PDIC http://www.pighealth.com
or email: pdic@btinternet.com)
Over US$3 million dollars is to be spent on research on diseases that affect both animals and humans, such as the Nipah virus, which spread from pigs to people in Malaysia in 1999. These infections not only pose serious threats to both agriculture and human health but the US administration fears that bioterrorists could exploit pathogens emerging from livestock.
Challenge of globalization to be focus of UK development policy
UK International Development Secretary Clare Short has unveiled plans for a new white paper, which will place the challenge of globalization as the focus of development policy. Speaking on the 26th January 2000, the Secretary of State argued that development policy needs to keep up with the rapid pace of globalization and with world trade which are now beginning to shape social, environmental and economic fortunes in all countries. Rather than being overwhelmed by the power of world markets, developing countries can reap the benefits, but only if they receive help from the international community.
Since 1997, when the Department for International Development (DFID)
was created and published its first white paper, "Eliminating Poverty
- A Challenge for the 21st Century", all DFID programmes have been refocused
on meeting internationally agreed poverty eradication targets - including
the goal of halving the proportion of people in absolute poverty by the
year 2015. The second white paper will build on this work, while placing
the management of globalization at its core. Its likely themes are: equitable
management of the benefits of globalization; reforming the international
trading system to increase the trading opportunities of poorer countries;
protecting the global environmental and supporting sustainable livelihoods
for poorer people; and harnessing of new technology to meet developmental
needs.
Email: enquiry@dfid.gov.uk
Code of Practice for Zimbabwe horticulture
With horticultural exports the second largest foreign exchange earner
for Zimbabwe a new exporters Code of Practice has been launched to demonstrate
producers' commitment to quality, hygeine and traceability. The Code will
also cover labour and employment, 
chemical
usage and safety, and environonmental impact. In 10 years (1986/7-1996/7)
horticulture export volumes increased nine-fold while earnings rose from
US$ 6 to US$ 103 million. Exports to UK, the major importer, are anticipated
to be worth US$ 200m this season. Abundant sunshine, sufficient rain,
dry winters, and deep fertile soils provide cropping opportunity year
round: a wide range of vegetables, fruit and cut flowers are produced
with good quality evidenced by colour and taste. The Code of Practice
will be monitored and producers accredited by The Horticultural Promotion
Council of Zimbabwe, a producer-led body with the remit to create, and
sustain an environment for the maintenance and expansion of horticulture.
It is hoped that the current political and economic uncertainty, including
the slump in value of the Zimbabwe dollar, does not prejudice this dramatic
growth from which the country is benefitting.
Biogas expansion in Nepal
Domestic production of biogas to provide cooking and lighting for rural
households has been shown to be economically feasible in Nepal. As a fuel
substitute for wood, agricultural residues, animal dung and kerosene,
biogas offers the potential to reduce deforestation, leave crop and animal
wastes for soil fertility and avoid the need to buy oil. 
The
Biogas Support Programme, started in 1991 with funds from the Netherlands
and now in its third phase, appears to have helped resolve practical and
economic difficulties that can make adoption of the technology impractical.
A standard quality certified household plant, adapted from the Chinese
dome model, has been made available with the availability of consumer
subsidies (approx. 35% of cost), and the availability of loans from several
banks in Nepal to cover the balance. The market for plants has also been
opened up with 38 private companies able to supply in place of a sole
state-owned supplier. 20,000 units were installed in the first two phases
of the BSP with a target to have 100,000 installed by 2002/3.
A
new booklet for providing guidance on 'Energy for the rural poor'
has been published by the Department for International Development (DFID).
It highlights the limitations to productive employment and income generation
as a result of the substantial amount of time and income that is spent
on energy by the rural poor and to the benefits to households, community
facilities, agricultural and other local industries that would benefit
from improved energy provision. Ways of improving access to energy are
considered at three levels: energy for survival; alternatives to traditional
fuels (see 
The
nymph stage of the pest, is particularly, damaging to citrus plants. Sap
is sucked from leaves and the copious sooty mould that follows infestation
reduces photosynthetic activity resulting in leaf drop, reduced fruit
set and poor quality fruit. Current methods of chemical control for Citrus
black fly are recognised as undesirable so the Ministry of Agriculture,
with assistance from CAB International, is introducing two parasitoid
wasps, Encarsia perplexa and Amitus hesperidum, from USA.
Given the country's recent successes in biological control of other pests,
such as Hibiscus mealybug and froghopper of sugarcane, it is hoped that
these imported natural enemies, with improved cultural practices, will
provide the long term answer to this problem.
In
tropical regions domesticated ruminants can starve when apparently surrounded
by verdant grass and shrub growth. Unfortunately, native tropical pasture
grasses mature rapidly and offer grazing animals material of low nutrient
content (nitrogen) and digestibility (high fibre). As a result, growth
rate is slow or animals may even lose weight. Wild ruminants, however,
have mechanisms for thriving in the same conditions: they have developed
rumen bacteria that both aid the digestion of high fibre forage and can
detoxify the chemicals present in many tropical leguminous shrubs and
trees, which they browse without ill effects. CSIRO scientists in Australia
are examining whether the microbial organisms, developed by animals such
as duiker, giraffe and kudu, to deal with toxins found in the nitrogen-rich
leaves of leguminous trees can be introduced to domestic ruminants. If
so, this would modify the rumen fermentation mechanism of domestic ruminants
to their digestive benefit and would unlock the full potential of animal
growth rate on native tropical pastures.
property
rights (IP) are set to change the long cherished tradition that varieties
are exchanged freely among farmers and countries. It was on the basis
of this ready access and free exchange that the Green Revolution developed
so rapidly. William Padolina, a deputy director general of IRRI, anticipates
more restricted access and possibly greater cost with companies and countries
applying patent and PVP rights. "Most countries are putting in place PVP
and other patent laws that meet the minimum requirements of the WTO's
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement",
he has said. "These new laws, which aim to protect the genetic resources
of each country, will definitely affect the way research is conducted
and germplasm is exchanged. Eventually this will also affect how rice
is grown, processed and sold".
Indigenous vegetables are important for subsistence and for income generation,
particularly among the poor, who cannot afford more costly food, and among
women, who often have key roles in production, processing and marketing
(about 90% of the retailers are women). The survey, involving over 1000
interviews, was a collaborative effort involving Dschang University of
Agriculture, Institut de la recherche agronomique (IRA), IITA, Makerere
University and Kawanda Agriculture Research Institute. It is concluded
that more publicity is needed to raise awareness of these largely underdeveloped
crops and to increase research efforts into their improvement and use.
Particular needs are postharvest, including appropriate processing to
overcome shortages during the dry season, and development of suitable
management practices for the highly perishable leafy vegetables.
