Saving the World

PUBLISHED: 4 MAY 2017 | VOLUME: 3 | ARTICLE NUMBER: 17069 editorial Saving the world

A long and almost uncrossable distance separates fundamental plant research carried out predominantly in rich countries, and the production of better crops in the fields of poor farmers from developing regions. A unique network of international organizations involved in global agriculture helps bridge that chasm.

It all started in a broken down and semi- They were created around the post-war processing in Vietnam, high-yielding finger abandoned research field station in Mexico in hope that international cooperation could millet in Kenya, and many more. All of which 1943. Faced with waves of devastating wheat prevent war and decrease the historical translates into fewer poor and malnourished stem rust disease, the rural country started a tendency of mankind to destroy itself by every people, and increased future potential programme of agricultural cooperation with means possible. Multinational, but based in unlocked with now-healthy children without its richer neighbour, the USA, financed by a the countries where their work is needed stunted growth or vitamin deficiency, staying small grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. most, and close to the centre of origin of the longer in school. Why aren’t these uplifing This collaboration brought to Mexico a young crops and the wild relatives. At the vanguard stories front page news on daily newspapers? plant pathologist from Iowa, by the name of of international scientific research, but able to At Nature Plants we’re trying to play a Norman Borlaug. understand the needs of local small farmers. part in disseminating applied crop science During his twenty years in Mexico, he was Financed by rich countries to help mostly successes. In April we published a study seen in the fields practically every morning, poor farmers and make them self-sufficient. about rational breeding in rice; the seeds talking with local farmers about their needs With the education of international students, from the created lines have been deposited and devising innovative wheat breeding researchers and technicians as a priority, to at IRRI and are available to any scientist1. programmes to solve the current problems. spread the knowledge in a virtuous cycle. Last month’s issue also contained a new He wrote that agriculture was not an “idyllic There are now fiteen of these centres. technology to control flowering time in rice state of harmony between humankind and The CIP in Peru focuses on potato and sweet with practical applications in various cereals2, nature”, but a “struggle between the forces of potato. CIAT in Colombia is about tropical as well as a Comment on agrobiodiversity natural biodiversity and the need to produce agriculture and grain legumes such as beans. and sustainability co-written by a CIAT food”. His international team of students, The ICARDA had to move from Syria to researcher3. This month we have more rice researchers and technicians brought the Lebanon — an unfortunate reminder that research about the role of the GW5 grain size scientific knowledge of crop breeding to international cooperation cannot always locus, important for yield (article no. 17043). the local farmers who needed it the most, stop wars — and specializes in dry region We also have an elegant study about because a good harvest was the key to agriculture with crops like chickpea and how to use the grass Setaria viridis as a their survival. lentil; while the ICRISAT in India works in small-genome C4 model for maize, to Borlaug’s novel strategies quickly started semi-arid crop improvement and focuses on accelerate gene discovery in the crop (article to produce results: stem rust resistance, locally important crops such as millet and nos 17054 and 17060). The global significance higher yields with adequate use of nitrogen sorghum. CIFOR in Indonesia targets forests, of rice, maize and wheat is in no doubt, fertilizer, photoperiod insensitivity, broader and AfricaRice’s name is self-explanatory. together they feed half of humanity. climate range, and lodging-resistant semi- Bioversity International in Italy works to In the teeth of the double threats of dwarfs. The new seeds were distributed safeguard plant biodiversity and, between population growth and climate change, widely. Yields and national wheat production other missions, maintains the world’s largest the work of the CGIAR and its fifeen exploded. Soon Mexico was self-sufficient banana germplasm collection. Collaborations specialized centres is more essential now for wheat production. This success was the between the organizations are encouraged to than ever. International collaborations spark that started the green revolution, which build multidisciplinary transversal projects and increased partnerships between would expand to new countries and other such as the broad ‘Roots, Tubers and Banana’ government, public institutions, private staple crops like rice and maize. In 1970, research programme. companies, and philanthropic organizations, Borlaug received the Nobel Peace Prize for These 15 independent and non-profit were desperately needed to fuel the green his work on food security through improved centres are grouped under the Consultative revolution. They are still needed today agriculture and the creation of better crops. Group on International Agricultural Research and tomorrow will bridge the gap between To cement this success, the US–Mexico (CGIAR), founded in 1971. The three goals breakthroughs in laboratories, including pilot cooperation programme for wheat was of this organization are simple to write GMO and edited crops, and farmers’ reorganized into an international non-profit but difficult to attain: to reduce poverty, to fields in countries where hunger, poverty organization called CIMMYT (International improve food security, and to improve natural and subsistence farming are the norm. Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre). resources. Individually and collectively they As Borlaug wrote, “Fundamentally, the Another based in the Philippines was have produced countless impressive stories issue is whether small-scale farmers of the created to focus on rice research (IRRI, of education and technology dissemination: developing world also have a right to share the International Rice Research Institute) biofortified beans to fight anaemia in the benefits of biotechnology.” ❐ and was instrumental in transferring the Rwandan women, orange sweet potato wheat accomplishments to rice. These were against vitamin A deficiency in sub-Saharan References new types of crop-specific international Africa, disease control strategies with banana 1. Zeng, D. et al. Nat. Plants 3, 17031 (2017). 2. Okada, R., Nemoto, Y., Endo-Higashi, N. & Izawa, T. Nat. Plants organization, started in the midst of the UN farmers worldwide, improved coffee supply 3, 17039 (2017). and its food security arm the FAO. chain in Colombia, sustainable cassava 3. Zimmerer, K. S. & de Haan, S. Nat. Plants 3, 17047 (2017).