Arcadia and AATF to Develop Hardy Rice Varieties for Africa

California-based Arcadia Biosciences and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) announced an agreement in which Arcadia will perform technology development activities for nitrogen use efficient (NUE) and salt-tolerant African rice. Under the agreement, Arcadia will perform plant transformation, greenhouse trials and field trials in the United States, and will work alongside AATF-contracted researchers in Africa to facilitate a rapid technology transfer process. Earlier this year, Arcadia provided a compensation-free technology license to AATF for the development of improved rice varieties, which the foundation will offer to smallholder African farmers royalty-free.

Arcadia and AATF, a not-for-profit organization “focused on the access and delivery of new agricultural technologies for African smallholder farmers”, believe that availability of NUE and salinity-tolerant rice can help alleviate agricultural pressures on African farmers and can minimize the Continent’s dependency on food imports.

Read the press release at http://www.arcadiabio.com/pr_0032.php