Linking Biotechnology and Agricultural Biodiversity Resources in Holistic Strategy in West Africa

Modern economic activities are heavily dependent on using diversity of biological resources. Africa has a wealth of biodiversity resources which, with the appropriate application of biotechnological tools for conservation and use, can serve as sources of wealth creation. Proper harnessing of the linkages between biotechnology and the diversity of biological resources is required to meet challenges of food security, health, poverty and wealth creation in West African countries. The paper explores some of the key applications of biotechnology for conservation of agricultural biodiversity resources, and considers the potential threat of biotechnology to diversity of genetic resources. It also explores complex issues that inform current policy debates. It concludes that Government support is required for theconservation and breeding of farmers’ varieties, or landraces by public breeding programmes, and the design of private and public mechanisms to ensure that the pursuit of biotechnology does not compromise the diversity in biological resources. It would be strategic for West African countries to establish and explore beneficial linkages between the subregional genetic resources conservation initiative and biotechnology programmes. Some pertinent questions are raised on how to best manage the strategic interplay between biotechnology and diversity in agricultural biodiversity resources. The provision of adequate information is highlighted to inform decisions and choices based on the real valueand potential risks of biotechnology

Seed constraint to cultivation and productivity of African indigenous leaf vegetables

Non-availability of improved seeds constitutes a major constraint to the cultivation and productivity of the indigenous leaf vegetables (ILVs) of Africa. Research on African ILVs has focused mainly on the ethnobotany, collection, preservation, and the assessment of food value and chemical composition ofthe ILVs. No serious breeding and seed production research has been done on the ILVs. This paper examines some factors underlying the lack of interest in the production of ILVs seeds, the problem associated with local seed processing and the way to organize a seed production programme for theILVs

Sustainable use of termite activity in agro-ecosystems with reference to earthworms. A review

International audienceAbstractSustainable agriculture and agro-ecology justify the need to study and understand the role played by ecological processes, and soil biodiversity in particular, in agro-ecosystem functioning. A large number of studies have focused on earthworms in temperate and humid tropical ecosystems and have demonstrated their importance for improving soil biological, physical, and chemical properties in agro-ecosystems. Their “success” is so essential that earthworms are widely considered key species and relevant indicators of soil health in temperate ecosystems. In arid and sub-arid ecosystems, the role of “soil engineer” is usually attributed to termites, and especially fungus-growing termites in Africa and Asia. However, despite this recognition, significant effort is spent eradicating them in plantations because of their pest status. In this review, we discuss the status of termites (“pests” vs. “soil engineers”) and question whether termites play similar roles to earthworms in arid- and sub-arid agroecosystems, with a focus on their influence on nutrient cycling and water dynamics. We argue that the dream of controlling natural interactions and ridding plantations of termites remains a costly legacy of the green revolution. We review the agricultural practices that have been used to reduce termite damage in plantations by restoring refuges to predators or by reorienting termite foraging activity towards organic amendments. Then, we show that the stimulation of termite activity can be used to improve key ecological functions in agro-ecosystems, such as increasing water availability to plants or producing fertility hot-spots. Finally, we suggest that more research on how termites can be used for improving ecosystem services, as is actually done with earthworms in temperate and humid tropical countries, could lead to a paradigm shift in our understanding of the impact of termites in tropical agro-ecosytems