Feed the Future and USAID is soliciting feedback from the research community about opportunities to accelerate progress in breeding programs for important crops such as peanut, common beans, cassava, and banana. Advancement may take advantage of opportunities offered by genomics tools and other cutting-edge technologies that could be applied to accelerating breeding.
“Through Feed the Future, USAID makes substantial investments in research for improvement of crops that are critical for global food security and nutrition,” said Nora Lapitan, the Research Division Chief for the Bureau for Food Security. “Crops such as peanuts, common beans, cassava, and banana (Roots, Tubers, Banana; RTBs) are critical sources of nutrition for undernourished populations in developing countries. Their continued, consistent availability will rely, in part, on high quality germplasm available to farmers.”
The agency is requesting input from the research community at https://agrilinks.org/events/genetic-gains-food-security. This consultation starts today (Jan. 12) and goes through Jan. 20.