Research into the staple Asian diet of rice will be increased to
secure an adequate supply and provide better nutrition throughout
the world, international scientists pledged yesterday in Beijing.
President Jiang Zemin joined the 1,200 Chinese and foreign
agricultural scientists and officials at the opening of the
International Rice Congress yesterday, noting it is very important
that countries and world institutions meet to discuss issues
concerning the development of the rice industry.
Jiang said the world's agricultural industry is facing new
challenges and acknowledged that food safety remains a worldwide
problem.
A
considerable number of countries and regions have yet to resolve
their food problems and 790 million people still lack adequate
nutrition.
Jiang said international cooperative research on plant genome
sequencing for rice has progressed substantially.
A
team of Chinese scientists recently became the first group to
publish rice genome sequencing maps based on their own research.
The results are for the common good of humanity and should be used
to benefit the world's population.
Equal opportunity and equal access to the application of these
results should be guaranteed, especially for developing countries.
They should seize opportunities and actively participate in them to
promote the growth of their local economies and societies, Jiang
said.
The Chinese president urged developed countries to acquire a deep
understanding of the increasingly severe North-South disparity and
its impact on global stability and sustainable development.
Angeline Kamba, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of the
International Rice Research Institute, called for more investment
in rice research by developing countries.
Kamba said international assistance in the agriculture sectors of
developing countries had decreased in past decades.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization calculated
that the world assistance in agriculture in developing countries
stood at less than US$10 billion in 1994. In 1986 the figure was
US$19 billion.
Kamba said she hopes more assistance will help modern scientific
advances and ease hunger, malnutrition and poverty throughout the
world.
Xu
Kuangdi, president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said
China will continuously focus its energy on rice science and
technology innovation.
"We should combine regular technology with biotechnology and
radiation mutation technology to enhance innovation in breeding
materials and to breed new super rice varieties as well as new
varieties for food, feed and industry," Xu said in his keynote
speech to the conference.
Achievement
In
a separate development, genetically modified (GM) rice research in
China has been recognized internationally. In contrast with a
normal rice, which is prone to pests, a GM paddy looks greener and
more robust.
The fields are part of the Experimental Program on Genetically
Modified Paddies. The research project is dedicated to large-scale
GM cultivation, which is being conducted by the Fujian Provincial
Academy of Agricultural Sciences in East China's Fujian
Province.
According to Wang Feng, the program director, research results will
soon be applied to improving production methods to yield greater
economic returns.
(Xinhua News Agency September 17, 2002)
|