UK Initiative to Address Agric Productivity in Asia, Africa

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Department for International Development in the United Kingdom announced 12 new projects as part of their flagship initiative on Sustainable Agriculture Research for International Development. The initiative hopes to harness the country’s bioscience research base to address the challenges of agriculture and food security in developing countries.

"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,” said Gareth Thomas, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development and Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Scientists from the UK, Africa, and Asia will study a variety of crops such as maize, coconut, rice and banana at a molecular level to address problems related to pests and diseases as well as weather conditions.

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