(26 January 2011) In his annual letter, Bill Gates describes the importance of crop diversity for lifting people out of poverty. He cites an example of rice farmers he met in India, whose crops had been regularly destroyed by floods. Thanks to a new variety of rice, farmers in the region will now "grow enough extra rice to feed 30 million people". He refers to genebanks, where breeders go for the genetic diversity to create such new varieties, by using the analogy of a large public library with rooms full of books. To continue the analogy, the Trust, with the support of the Gates Foundation for its information and regeneration work, is working both to ensure that researchers can get to the books they need, and that when they have found them, they have not crumbled to dust.
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(9 January 2011) Two agricultural research scientists who worked on developing climate-resilient crops at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) received awards from Queen Elizabeth II.

Dr. Michael T. Jackson and Dr. John Sheehy were included in the Queen's 2012 New Year Honours list and awarded an OBE, which makes them Officers of the Order of the British Empire. They were cited for their contribution to "international food science and agricultural research and development."

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(6 December 2011) As policymakers head to Durban for another round of high-level sparring on emissions reduction, it is unlikely there will be much talk of yams or sorghum. Yet farmers face new and extreme climatic conditions, and must adapt their practices and crops. This needs a focus on the crops themselves, says the Trust's Executive Director in the Wall Street Journal.
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(2 December 2011) While global food production is still rising, yield increases are slowing noticeably. Yields of rice and wheat no longer keep up with population growth. Mismatched supply and demand trends means food price volatility and increasing hunger and food security are unavoidable. Research and investment in productivity are required.
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(29 November 2011) The Scientist and allAfrica report on the Trust's recent grant for sweet potato stored at CIP, highlighting its importance for global food security.
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(24 November 2011) The Trust has agreed to provide $1 million over 5 years, renewable in perpetuity, to the International Potato Center (CIP) for the conservation and availability of the sweet potato diversity held in its genebank. Sweet potato is a vitally important crop in many parts of the world - it is nutritious and grows in marginal conditions, requiring little labour and chemical fertilizers. Sweet potato is now the 17th crop to benefit from long-term, secure funding from the Trust's endowment.
Learn more about sweet potatoes from CIP

(21 November 2011) A new variant of a cassava disease is affecting large parts of East Africa, putting a crucial source of food and income at risk. Fortunately, there are now eight varieties which show some level of tolerance to the Cassava Brown Streak Disease which FAO experts warn is on the verge of becoming an epidemic. More funds are required, however, to ensure the varieties can be made available.
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Learn more about the cassava varieties from IITA

(16 November 2011) Paula Bramel has been appointed Assistant Executive Director of the Trust. Paula is currently the Deputy Director General at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture in Nigeria. There she is responsible for the leadership and management of the Institute's research agenda, which has some 100 scientists and 250 support staff located in 12 African countries. She has more than 30 years of experience as a researcher, including 11 years as a Tenured Associate Professor of Agronomy at Kansas State University as a sorghum breeder, and 6 years at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in India as Principal Scientist, Genetic Resources. Paula will bring a huge amount of scientific expertise and management experience to this newly created role, and we look forward to welcoming her to the Trust in 2012.

(14 November 2011) On the 10th anniversary of the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources, the FAO calls for the protection of traditional food crops and plant varieties worldwide from climate change. FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf called on countries to develop specific policies to conserve and make wider use of plant varieties for generations to come.
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(9 November 2011) A reminder that it is impossible to exaggerate the importance of our crops, and their diversity, which shape our lives and our world.
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