New Year can be an opportunity - spur, even - for new initiatives. But fresh starts must take account of unfinished business, and there are many seemingly intractable issues in the world that prejudice progress in attaining widespread agricultural development and sustainable rural livelihoods. Conflict and violence continue to be headline news, as do continuing poverty and hunger, but the link between conflict and hunger is seldom recognised and addressed. In this first issue of 2002, Philippe Guiton of World Vision gives his Perspective on the role of conflict in perpetuating hunger.

Spices loom large in the cuisine of Christmas but, despite a seasonal surge in sales, many producers of spices are struggling to maintain incomes from products that were once worth more than their weight in gold. Focus on illustrates both the potential for spice production, new uses for spices and exports, and the problems caused by overproduction and poor quality. New biology continues to divide opinions on the future of plant breeding (see Developments-To Bt or not to Bt) whilst China, a country without doubts or inhibitions about genetic modification, could become dominant in GMOs in its bid for greater self-sufficiency in agriculture (see Country Profile).

China is also a major concern to many, who view China's rapid and robust and agricultural development as putting the environment at risk both regionally and globally. Chinese policymakers will take comfort from The Skeptical Environmentalist (see In Print) in which the author questions what he terms the Litany of environmental pessimism. Time will judge his critique as sound or sanguine.

Africa remains a continent of contrasts; while Kenya overtakes Israel as the major exporter of flowers to Europe, (News-Where have all the flowers gone?), and farmers' organisations in southern Africa federate to lend more leverage to their lobbying (News - Forging farmer power), several African countries continue to be threatened by famine, not least Zimbabwe with its once buoyant agricultural industry in near terminal decline. We can but hope that there is more good news than bad in 2002.

Please let us know if you experience any problems with accessing New Agriculturist. Please also suggest topics that you would like to see covered in future editions and send us your suggestions for making New Agriculturist even easier to use.

Points of view Agro-biodiversity Focus on Spices Quality - an added value A cracked industry? Organic spices fuel the peace in Guatemala A little cinnamon with your coffee? Vanilla viruses Paprika producers prospering in Zimbabwe Vietnam: staking a "King's" share Preserving the living and the dead In Print The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World Modifying Africa: How biotechnology can benefit the poor and hungry, a case study from Kenya Perspectives on Pastoral Development: A case book from Kenya Uganda: An Oxfam country profile Africa's Quest for Economic Development: Uganda's experience Land Tenure and Natural Resource Management: A comparative study of agrarian communities in Asia and Africa Controlling Newcastle Disease in Village Chickens: A field manual Unnatural Disasters Handbook for the Field Assessment of Land Degradation Conservation Agriculture: Case studies from Latin America and Africa Information Revolutions: How information and communication management is changing the lives of rural people

Perspective Breaking the circle of poverty and conflict By Philippe Guiton News Falling grain harvests and worldwide food shortages Revised Pesticide Code stumbles on TRIPS The long and the short and the tall Forging 'farmer power' Coffee - less for more? Improving milk yields with better fodder Caterpillars affect coconuts in the Cook Islands Vegetable trail to Taiwan Drought toxicity Where have all the flowers gone? Too hot to set seed Tapping in to new technologies Resisting cowpea stunt Wasting syndrome of pigs Evacuating a nation - Tuvalu admits defeat Developments STREAM - a new conduit for aquaculture AIDS, Africa and agriculture Good breeding requires participation To Bt or not to Bt…. Nuts about the future Country Profile China

To access an earlier edition of New Agriculturist visit the back issue page. Here we provide access to all articles in previous editions of New Agriculturist. The latest information on courses and conferences is contained in the current edition only.

Alternatively if you are looking for an article on a specific subject, you can also search the site.

To suggest a subject for a future edition of the New Agriculturist, or to offer material to us, please use our suggestions page.

Interacting with New Agriculturist

You are free to print copies of the articles contained within the New Agriculturist and distribute them to those who do not have internet access. Articles may also be used in other publications on the condition that New Agriculturist is credited as the source of the material, and a sample is sent to WRENmedia. For all other uses please ask permission of the authors.

Photographs are from the photo library of WRENmedia unless otherwise stated and may only be duplicated with express permission. Please contact Susanna Thorp for further information.

Organizations and companies wishing to display services in New Agriculturist and to be linked with this site should contact Patrick Harvey.

For information on WRENmedia services, simply click on the logo below.

Editorial team:
Michael Pickstock, Susanna Thorp, Patrick Harvey, Sarah Reynolds and Mike Davison.

Webmaster:
Patrick Harvey

The authors of the New Agriculturist do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in the New Agriculturist, nor do they accept responsibility for errors or omissions or their consequences. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of WRENmedia.