Brussels, 15/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - One of the first projects of June's action plan on food price volatility (see EUROPE 10405) saw the light of day on Thursday 15 September, with the launch of the international research initiative on wheat improvement.
The conference marking the start of the wheat initiative brought together more than 120 bosses of 43 organisations and research centres from 23 different countries. By pooling their skills and their research, the members of the initiative will speed up the genetic selection of wheat, the world's largest cereal crop and the main staple food for 1.2 billion people, so that production can be increased and varieties developed that best suit local conditions, particularly in developing countries.
Agricultural research is crucial to addressing the challenge of food security in the world. French Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire would like this G20 initiative to “pave the way for further international research initiatives which will help global food security”. (LC/transl.rt)