The Lubin Files

Is biodiversity important to you?

The BBC recently published an article discussing the accuracy of estimating extinction of species on the planet.  The article examines a currently used model for estimating rates of extinction and some scientists do not believe the model is accurate.  Too many variables come into play to really determine how fast species are disappearing from our planet.  We also do not know exactly how many species exist on the planet. There is consensus that we seem to care more about "charasmatic species" rather than focussing our attention on the microorganisms and smaller species that may be disappearing each day.  Learn more by reading the article here.

"Farming First" is working toward many similar goals as FAO!!!

Unlike FAO, Farming First is not an organization, but a coalition.  It is supported by 131 different organizations who all hope to further sustainable agricultural development worldwide.  Farming First was developed in response to the global challenges posed at the 2009 United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-17).

Together, this coalition highlights the importance of improving farmers’ livelihoods and agriculture’s potential contribution to global issues such as food security, climate change, and biodiversity. It also aims to build synergies amongst its supporters in promoting Farming First’s mission.

On their website, you can learn more about the six principles of their action plan: Safeguarding natural resources, Sharing knowledge, Building local access and capacity, Protecting harvests, Enabling access to markets, and Prioritising research imperatives.  Go to their Case Studies page for an interactive map that leads to links about what Farming First is doing worldwide.

Special issue of Nature on Biodiversity

The journal Nature has published a special issue on Biodiversity to mark 2010, the international year of biodiversity.  It includes opinion pieces and news features.

The David Lubin Memorial Library subscribes to both the print and electronic versions of Nature.

Article on the importance of biodiversity

Retired FAO Staff Member James Kanu's latest article was published in the March 2010 issue of African Prospects.

The article discusses the state of biodiversity today and the need for conservation and stewardship of crop varieties.

Here is the citation:

Kanu, James. "Safeguarding endangered crops: what are the issues involved in biodiversity?"  African Prospects, March 2010: 27-29.

Geographical indications guide

A few days ago, a library user requested access to a FAO document on geographical indications.  One catch: the title of the document was unknown.

In the end, we discovered that the item in question was "Linking people, places and products: a guide for promoting quality linked to geographical origin and sustainable Geographical Indications."  It was jointly produced in 2009 by FAO and SINER-GI.

The publication came from a program on origin-linked quality launched by FAO in 2007.  The program's goal is to contribute to rural development by assisting member countries and stakeholders in the implementation of origin-based quality schemes, at institutional and producer level that are tailored to individual economic, social and cultural contexts.

Our friends at Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog provide an in-depth description of geographical indications, aka "appellations of origin" here.

Year of biodiversity launched

The United Nations has declared 2010 the international year of biodiversity. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has called on all to protect the earth's life forms, not only stopping the loss of biodiversity but also by restoring damaged ecological infrastructure.  A high-profile meeting on this topic will be held at UNESCO in Paris later this month.

Survey related to plant genetic resources and intellectual property rights

The author featured in our last post, Muriel Lightbourne, also wrote

"Survey on the concurrent implementation of the FAO Treaty on plant genetic resources and of intellectual property rights." Intellectual Property Quarterly, 2:1 (2006), 131-148.

This article reports on the results of two questionnaires sent to 121 people and institutions, including academics, NGOs, professional bodies in the fields of plant breeding and legal protection of seeds, national and international agricultural organizations, and major seed companies.  The questions (some on defining intellectual property rights violations, others on research exemptions and other topics) themselves as well as the responses are interesting.

To obtain this article, please contact us at fao-library-reference [at] fao.org.

Intellectual property rights and plant genetic resources

A library patron recently requested Muriel Lightbourne's 2005 article, "The FAO Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources: Do All Roads Lead to Rome?" (Journal of International Business and Law, vol. 2, 2005, 15-24.)  The article examines the impact of intellectual property rights on the implementation of the treaty on plant genetic resources.  Some say that the treaty constitutes a direct challenge to private property.

(The treaty was updated in 2009, and that version is available in full-text online.)

To obtain this article, please contact us at fao-library-reference [at] fao.org.

Orchard losses 'threaten species'

Apart from the variety of fruit species in traditional orchards they also offer homes to many insects and birds. The National Trust in Britain and Natural England are launching a campaign to reverse the continuing loss of these unique environments. Perhaps damson cobbler will become a standard dish in English pubs.

Animal Biodiversity and Emerging Diseases Prediction and Prevention

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences devoted a whole issue to the relation between Biodiversity and Emerging Diseases.

Almost 400 pages are dedicated to themes like the impact of global factors on wildlife population, the extinction of species by disease outbreaks, the degradation of the ecosystems, the illegal wildlife trade, the zoonosis factors in tropical areas, the evolution of pathogens and many others.

“Two interactive configurations must be taken into account: on one hand, worldwide growth of human populations and, on the other hand, biodiversity, a great part of which is the source of past, present, and probably future diseases” (from the Introduction to the issue).

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences is provided to FAO staff via Library subscription.