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The breathtaking generosity of the public in response to the Asian tsunami has been matched by governments digging deeper for funds to support international development worldwide. Both rise to the challenge of the UN's call for more development aid. In News we also report that China has overtaken the US as a consumer of wheat, rice and meat, that Malaysia aims to become a major producer of locally grown bio-products, and developments with Avian flu, which will require regional collaboration to contain.

That nations cannot expect to act alone to meet challenges in the future is also reflected in "State of the World in 2005: Redefining global security", reviewed in In print. And Focus on features eight contrasting facets of biotechnology, including GM-enhanced nutrition, gene splicing for reducing piggery wastes, Bt maize, and the use of molecular markers.

Seed priming in Bangladesh, refinements in the use of zero-tillage in India, and the success of radio soap-operas to spread agricultural information in Vietnam all flag development successes in Asia, while a report on Kenya's new sugar strategy indicates an opportunity for the industry to regain its global competitiveness.

Time and again, the fight against poverty is prejudiced by the issue highlighted by a leading African nutritionist when she said, "A major challenge for sub-Saharan Africa is lack of political will and commitment." Her comments and those of other leading lights in the field of food and nutrition security, are in Points of View. As always, your points of view are greatly valued; please email us with your comments and opinions.

Points of view Role of Information Tools in Food and Nutrition Security Focus on Biotechnology Can GM-enhanced nutrition wait? Marked for speed An open future for biotech? Gene splicing improves pork farm waste The quest for drought tolerance Biosafety: managing biotechnology risks A clean pair of genes An important milestone for Bt maize In Print State of the World 2005: Redefining global security Faces of Africa Livestock biodiversity: Genetic resources for the farming of the future Outgrowing the Earth: The food security challenge in an age of falling water tables and rising temperatures The Equitable Forest: Diversity, community, and resource management Donkeys, people and development Training across cultures: A handbook for trainers and facilitators working around the world Interventions in smallholder agriculture: Implications for extension in Zimbabwe Wild edible fungi: A global overview of their use and importance to people Soil organic matter in sustainable agriculture Perspective The challenges facing agricultural extension - and a new opportunity By Gershon Feder Rural Development Research Manager, Development Research Group, World Bank

News Salt-tolerant rice varieties for tsunami-affected areas UN report calls for more development aid... ...whilst World Bank calls for trade reforms Donors dig 25% deeper for funds Cocoa come-back for Nigeria? World first for indigenous rights Fears of new epidemic as avian flu recurs in Asia BSE in goats not a major concern FMD vaccine for Kenya The threat of bluetongue to the UK Chinese consumption rockets IR-maize to be released in Kenya Bioproducts for Malaysia Guide to a better world? Developments Preparing South Asia for prime time Zero tillage comes of age on the Indo-Gangetic Plains Agriculture comes clean with soap Refining the Kenyan sugar industry Virtuous spirulina Country Profile Indonesia Picture feature Farming in Poland

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