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In this month'sNew Agriculturist...

While Avian influenza continues to haunt the headlines around the world, and governments prepare for a pandemic that would hit humans and poultry alike, a less publicised calamity facing African consumers dependent on fish for their protein is the almost freefall decline of fisheries in and around the continent. In New Agriculturist, we Focus On the causes of this catastrophic decline and the challenges for the future, including development of aquaculture. A hidden tragedy of fishing communities is that they have the highest incidence of HIV-AIDS; however, the country with the second highest infection with the disease is Botswana, a tragedy for a nation, which our Country profile describes as having achieved exemplary development since independence. Foot and Mouth Disease has been confirmed in Brazil, and a new form of scrapie, the ovine form of BSE, has been discovered by Norwegian research, jeopardising EU plans to eradicate the disease.

More positively, several research reports in News describe findings that should help with disease control in cocoa, wheat, barley and rice, and a new centre for research and training in bananas will be a boost for this, the world's fourth most important food crop. Education and training are the subject of Points of View, reflecting how new approaches using electronic means, such as the Internet, could provide e-training for disciplines such as veterinary medicine and animal health, where universities are struggling to provide adequate education via traditional courses.

As always, there is good news to balance the dire but it is how we use our research findings that is the final test. In Perspective, a leading African researcher and agricultural advisor to NEPAD puts his view that the priority is to communicate existing research results - what we know already - rather than constantly look for new research fields to conquer. Finally, our Picture Feature transports us to the annual Pushkar camel fair in Rajasthan, where the Raika camel-breeding tribe come to trade their animals in the dusty November heat.

We hope you enjoy the diversity of information presented in this edition. If you have any comments, including ideas for future editions, please email us. And, if you have a few minutes and you have yet to respond, your feedback from the questionnaire would be greatly appreciated.

Points of view Education and training for the African animal health sector Focus on Fisheries in Africa Crisis, what crisis? Fisheries management - a new approach needed Fish farming in Africa dead or alive? Like fish out of water: the impact of climate change on fisheries Cutting waste by managing money Fish, lovely fish...who will buy? Wasting away: tackling HIV/AIDS in fishing communities New opportunities? Aquaculture for developing urban African markets In print Maize and Grace: Africa's encounter with a New World Crop 1500-2000 Starter packs: a strategy to fight hunger in developing countries? The World Trade Organization: A very short introduction The monster at our door: The global threat of avian flu Tears of the tree: The story of rubber - a modern marvel The politics of decentralization: Forests, power and people Slash-and- Burn Agriculture: The search for alternatives Innovations in rural extension: Case studies from Bangladesh Conservation Agriculture: A manual for farmers and extension workers in Africa Dryland husbandry for sustainable development in the southern rangelands of Kenya Perspective Research for results By Faustin Mwape Agricultural Advisor, NEPAD Secretariat

News Malawi 's next harvest at risk Under threat in Brazil: beef exports... ...and new data on deforestation of Amazonian rainforests Rice seedling blight: bacteria to blame Related threats to cocoa Organic congress call Centre for protecting banana diversity Drought resistant and early maturing pigeonpea for Africa's arid areas New approach to 'common pool' fisheries Fungal boost for barley Scrapie threat to European flocks Partnerships offer market access Developments Post-Chernobyl recovery in Ukraine's farming communities A less shattering discovery Island of sustainability Sudan, securing its future in sugar Country profile Botswana Picture feature Pushkar camel fair

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