Articles in the August 10, 2012 Issue of Crop Biotech Update

NEWS

Global
FAO: World Rice Production to Increase 
FAO, Bioversity Int'l Call for Sustainable Diet and Food Diversity 
Improved Lentil Varieties Boost Production in South Asia and Africa 
MSU Leads Global Food Security Effort 

Africa
Limited Knowldege and Understanding Slowing Down Biotech in Africa, says Kenyan Minister 
Genome Sequencing Could Boost African Banana Production 
CIMMYT Expands SIMLESA Program in Africa 
Biofortification Program Reduces Vitamin A Deficiency in Uganda 
Biotech Has No Health and Environmental Hazards, Says Expert 
Virus-resistant Cassava Trials Show Good Results 
Witch Weed Resistant Seeds Introduced in Tanzania 

Americas
WFP Laureate Advocate for Ag Technologies to Combat Drought 
Scientists Create Low-Lignin Plants for Biofuel Production 
US Researchers Release National Low Carbon Fuel Standard 
Arcadia Biosciences Tie up with Indian Company to Develop LSL Tomatoes 
Epigenetics Vital in Disease Resistance 

Asia and the Pacific
Filipino Farmers Briefed on Bt Eggplant and Advantage of Biotech Crops 
Science Communication and Media Workshop in China 
Bayer CropScience to Set up Australian Breeding Center for Wheat and Oilseeds 
ICRISAT Project Increases Sorghum Yields in India 
Rice Scientists Give Update on C4 Rice Project 
Vietnamese Agri Experts: Give Biotech Crops a Go ASAP 

Europe
Biotech Standing Report of Portugal Released 
Ireland Announces 2013 Bioenergy Scheme for Willow and Miscanthus 

Research
Molecular Basis of Long-distance Transport of Defense Compounds in Seeds 
Scientists Assess Transgene Flow of GM Tomato and Its Effect on Feeding Behavior of Bumblebees 
Effect of Bt Maize on the Dev't and Reproduction of an Insect Predator 

Announcements
41st European Society for New Methods in Agricultural Research Conference 
BIO KOREA 2012 Conference 

Document Reminders
Country Biotech Facts and Trends 

MSU Leads Global Food Security Effort

Michigan State University will take the lead in creating a network of fellows to build up agricultural scientists in Africa and Asia. The new Borlaug Higher Education Agricultural Research and Development program, named after Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug, is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development's Bureau for Food Security. The program will support long-term training of agricultural researchers at the master's- and doctoral-degree levels.

The five initial countries -  Ghana, Uganda, Mali, Mozambique and Bangladesh, have similar priorities: increase agricultural productivity; reduce trade and transportation barriers; develop sound market-based principles for agriculture; accelerate rural growth and development; and improve nutrition.

"MSU has 50-plus years of engagement in Africa, and we're currently managing several M.S. and Ph.D. training programs whose objectives and program design are similar to those of this initiative," said Eric Crawford, professor of agricultural, food and resource economics. "MSU faculty is well versed in planning, designing and managing training and human capacity-building programs, especially in plant breeding, food science and food security, which are key areas of Feed the Future."

View Michigan State University's press release at  http://news.msu.edu/story/msu-to-lead-new-global-food-security-effort/


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This article is part of the Crop Biotech Update, a weekly summary of world developments in agri-biotech for developing countries, produced by the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, International Service for the Aquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications SEAsiaCenter (ISAAA)

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