£7M to solve poverty in developing world

from the Farmers Guardian

By William Surman

LEADING British plant researchers have been awarded £7 million to improve agricultural productivity in the developing world in a bid to cut widespread poverty.

Twelve research projects will tackle threats such as pests, disease and harsh climates that devastate agricultural yields across the developing world every year.

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Department for International Development (DFID) are funding the projects as part of their four year flagship initiative - Sustainable Agriculture Research for International Development (SARID).

DFID minister 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.”

The research brings together UK, African and Asian scientists in an attempt to revolutionise farming in the developing world through bioscience advances.

Professor Brian Kerry heads a project aimed at reducing the damage caused by root-knot nematodes – a microscopic worm that feeds on plant roots. It is estimated that the nematode worm causes yield losses of £50 billion each year and climate change is expected to compound the problem.

“Along with our Kenyan colleagues we are harnessing a natural soil fungus to destroy the worms’ eggs and reduce the damage to crops,” said Prof Kerry.

Another project aims to improve the genetic tolerance to drought of pearl millet – which provides food security to over £500 million people in Africa and Asia.

Professor Julie Scholes leads a further project to develop crops that are resistant to witchweed.

“Witchweed attacks all staple crops of Africa and currently infests over 70 million hectares at a cost of £4 billion a year,” said Prof Scholes, adding that her research has already identified several varieties of rice that are resistant to witchweed and could be used to develop resistant crops in Africa.

DFID chief scientific advisor, Sir Gordon Conway, said:“We are very committed to the role of science to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals and find a sustainable industry in the developing world.”

DFID has allocated £200m over five years to fund its Strategy for Research on Sustainable Agriculture which was launched in March 2006. Support to SARID falls under this strategy.