Research Projects to Secure Agriculture in Developing Countries
February 22, 2008| |
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) unveiled 12 new projects, worth US$ 14 million, that will tackle some of the common pests, diseases and environmental conditions that devastate agriculture in the developing world. The research projects will look at how important crops, like rice, maize, coconut and banana, respond at the molecular level to hostile factors like pathogen attacks and inclement conditions. The projects are part of BBSRC and DFID’s flagship initiative- Sustainable Agriculture Research for International Development (SARID).
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development and Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, Gareth Thomas, said "Investing in science and research is essential to provide poor farmers with the seeds, knowledge and tools they need to make a better life for themselves. This research, bringing together UK, African and Asian scientists, has the potential to revolutionize farming in the developing world and reduce global poverty. The UK is delighted to support this initiative."
Projects include reducing arsenic levels in rice, fighting root-knot nematodes, development of drought tolerant millet varieties, and biological control of the African armyworm.
For information on the projects visit http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/media/briefings/080221_sarid.pdf The press release is available at http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/media/releases/2008/080221_sarid.html
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