Food, farms and forgotten crops

    | January 13, 2014

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    A hearty welcome to issue #274 of Farm Radio Weekly, which brings you stories about nutrition in Uganda, land rights in Cameroon, and renewed interest in traditional crops in Kenya.

    Farmers in western Uganda are preparing to harvest their first yields of a new variety of maize which is designed to increase the protein in their diets. The crop has the potential to bring farmers full granaries, bellies and pockets.

    With more land being bought up by national and international companies in Cameroon, impoverished and marginalized people in rural parts of the country are mobilizing to protect the land they farm.

    When drought hit East Africa in 2010, many farmers found their cash crops unable to survive the harsh conditions. But some discovered that plants they had forgotten about were able to provide food for their families. Now, a new research institute is looking at ways to develop the potential of these traditional, “orphaned” crops for the future.

    With the increase in armed conflicts and internal strife across the continent, Farm Radio Weekly highlights a resource which helps journalists evaluate and protect their security in dangerous areas. Read more in the Resource section.

    We wish you a happy and prosperous week,

    -the Farm Radio Weekly team