Article by: CropLife International

In 30 years, Vietnam has gone from producing less than one percent of the world’s coffee to producing 20 percent today. The country is now the world’s second largest coffee exporter, behind Brazil, and employs about 2.6 million people in the coffee-growing industry. With coffee now grown on half a million smallholder farms, the country attributes a large part of its dramatic reduction in poverty – from more than 60 percent in 1994 to less than 10 percent today – to the coffee boon. Continue reading…

Article by: CropLife International

Senthil Kumar, a biotechnologist at BASF’s research center in Bellathi, India, has a passion for tackling hunger and malnutrition. He explains his motivation for pursuing a career in plant science and encourages others to follow in his footsteps.

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By: CropLife International

We asked plant scientists from around the world what inspires them about their job. Here’s what a few of them had to say:

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Article by: CropLife International

Food and nutrition security, climate change and biodiversity loss are just a few of the major challenges facing the world today. And while farmers are on the front line to meet those challenges, plant scientists are working behind the scenes, in field trials and laboratories, to develop new tools that growers need to produce nutritious and plentiful crops under difficult conditions.

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Source: CropLife International Plant Science Post – October 2016

Although the majority of today’s commercialized biotech crops are developed by large private companies, there is an enormous amount of plant biotech research being done by public sector institutions worldwide. Much of this research is focused on local crops in Asia and Africa, which could have a significant impact on food and nutrition security, as well as improve community health and farmer livelihoods. We talked with CropLife International’s John McMurdy, Director of Emerging Markets & Development Partnerships to learn more about public sector research of biotech crops. Continue reading..

Source: CropLife International Plant Science Post – October 2016

For those interested in the role of plant science in international development, here are six Twitter handles you should have a grip on:

• @worldfoodprize: Recognizing achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. (Read about the 2016 World Food Prize laureates who created biofortified crops where critical nutrients are bred into staple crops.)
• @mark_lynas: Advocate for plant biotechnology who busts myths about GMOs.
• @farmingfirst: A global coalition calling on world leaders to increase agricultural output in a sustainable and socially responsible manner.
• @JulieBorlaug: Granddaughter to the Father of the Green Revolution Norman Borlaug advocates for innovation and technology to end hunger and poverty.
• @globalfarmernet: The Global Farmer Network are farmer’s voices in support of free trade and the freedom to choose technologies needed to sustainably maximize productivity and profitability.
• @kevinfolta: Land-grant scientist exploring ways to make better food with less input as well as effectively communicating science to the public.

Source: CropLife International Plant Science Post – October 2016

Source: CropLife International Plant Science Post – October 2016

For a small-scale farmer in the developing world, a healthy crop can be the difference between prosperity and poverty. Watch three farmers from India, Ghana and Honduras explain how their lives have transformed thanks to plant science knowledge and training.

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