This week in the B4FA Week in Review, you’ll find fascinating articles on disease-resistant plantlets, wheat rust, a new trial of GM plants at Rothamsted Research and so much more.
The B4FA Media Fellows have written excellent articles and produced broadcast stories about a recent meeting on podborer resistant cowpea, the loss of two million cocoa trees to disease in Ghana, five countries joining forces to tackle cassava diseases and much more.
Don’t miss our latest Viewpoint essay by Africano Kangire on the plight of coffee farmers in Uganda.
Also, watch and listen to nine B4FA Media Fellows who share their experience of participating with B4FA over the past two years. More videos to come!
Please note that the B4FA Week in Review will now be a biweekly edition. The next issue will be sent on 13 May.
If you have any questions/comments about our ‘Week in Review’ or would like to share articles, please contact Molly Hurley-Depret at molly@b4fa.org.
Biosciences and Plant Genetics
SciDev.net
Wheat rust: The fungal disease that threatens to destroy the world crop
The Independent
Trait by trait, plant scientists swiftly weed out bad seeds through marker-assisted breeding
Washington Post
Points to Consider: Alleged Decline in GM Crop Plantings Misses Forest for Trees
The Innovation Files
Genetic study tackles mystery of slow plant domestications
Phys.org
Drought-induced ATCBF4 improve transgenic maize
Crop Biotech Update, ISAAA
Release of first peanut genome sequences to aid plant breeders
Online Athens
Trial of GM plants to help fight heart disease given go-ahead
(More information: GM Camelina field Trial: Public information)
The Guardian; Rothamsted Research
Ghana
VIDEO: Lord Paul Boateng Urges African Leaders to invest in Agric
ViaSat, by B4FA Media Fellow Noah Nash
West African Countries Urged To Indigenise Biotechnology Law
Modern Ghana, by B4FA Media Fellow Mark Boye
Graphic Online, by B4FA Media Fellow Charles Benoni Okine
Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea Project Meeting in Accra
Scientists plot to defeat cowpea pests
Eighteen million farmers chose biotech crops
Biotechnology crucial to the pursuit of global food security
GNA, by B4FA Media Fellow Audrey Dekalu
Food Security: Ghanaian minister urges Africa to embrace biotechnology
NAN, by B4FA Media Fellow Magdalene Offiong Ukuedojor
Opinion: Anti-GM protesters are misdirecting energy
Ghana Web
Nigeria
Special Coverage of AATF PBR Cowpea Review Meeting, Accra, Ghana
AfricaSTI, by B4FA Mentors and Fellows Abah Anthony John, Alex Abutu, Ifeanyi Nwoko
FAO, FG collaborate for improved seed production (see p 42)
Vanguard, by B4FA Media Fellow Salimat Garba
Ghana losses 2 million Cocoa trees to diseases
AfricaSTI, by B4FA Fellow John Abah Anthony
Biosafety law key to agricultural advancement
‘More budgetary provision should be made to agriculture’
Daily Trust, by B4FA Media Fellow Ojoma Akor
Benue farmers to accept modified crops if…
Daily Trust, by B4FA Media Fellow Hope Abah
GM cowpea nears commercialisation in West Africa
AfricaSTI, by B4FA Media Mentor Alex Abutu
DG tasks African scientists on GMOs
Nigerian Pilot, by B4FA Media Fellow Kenneth Azahan
IITA lauds success of ‘Agripreneur’ programme
NAN, by B4FA Media Fellow Kate Obande
Seed firm welcomes scientific breakthrough in cowpea cultivation
NAN, by B4FA Media Fellows Magdalene Offiong Ukuedojor and Ifeanyi Nwoko
USAID earmarks N162bn for cowpea research
NAN / AllAfrica.com, by B4FA Media Fellow Magdalene Offiong Ukuedojor and Ifeanyi Nwoko
Tanzania
Zanzibar farmers look forward to better future
Tanzania Daily News, by B4FA Media Fellow Rosemary Mirondo
Increasing efficiency in Zanzibar’s agriculture
Radio script by B4FA Media Fellow Josephat Mwanzi
Sparse Investment Limits Farming
Five Countries Join Forces to Tackle Cassava Diseases
East African Business Week, by B4FA Media Fellow Leonard Magomba
Uganda
Food, the agricultural challenge of our time
The Monitor, by B4FA Media Fellow Michael J. Ssali
AUDIO: Youth empowered by project to improve food security and increase income
UBC, by B4FA Media Fellow Sarah Natoolo
Lwanyaga ssente azikola mu kutunda malagala: ‘Sizoni emu nkola ezisoba mu bukadde 10’
The story Is about a farmer (Vincent Lwanyaga) who specialised in multiplying improved KSP potatoes to sell to farmers and NGOs.
Bukkede, by B4FA Media Fellow Edward Sserinya
AUDIO: Uganda’s Institute develops new maize to fight malnutrition
UBC, by B4FA Media Fellow Sarah Mawerere
VIDEO: New Maize Disease Outbreak
By B4FA Media Fellow Henry Lutaaya