Heifer International Partnering With Iowa State University On Hunger Relief
by July 9, 2013 2:09 pm 86 views
Little Rock-based Heifer International is partnering with Iowa State University to explore projects to use science to address world hunger and poverty.
The collaboration is the first agreement from the Iowa State’s Global Food Security Consortium, one of the recently announced ISU Presidential Initiatives for Interdisciplinary Research. The initiatives pull together researchers from ISU, other institutions, national labs and industry to tackle agricultural, health and hunger issues.
“Our goal is to build on our research strengths and on Heifer International’s long history of successful development work to get our faculty and students engaged in interdisciplinary approaches that provide sufficient food and nutrition,” said Max Rothschild, a Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences and professor of animal science.
Rothschild and Manjit Misra lead the Global Food Security Consortium.
“Innovative advances in climate-resilient crop and livestock science and the ability to transfer technology to those who need it most are at the heart of addressing hunger and poverty,” said Misra, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, Dean’s Chair for Distinction on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Seed Science Center.
According to some estimates, the world’s population is expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050.
“Through the partnership, we’ll continue to find new ways to deliver on a well-researched, impactful agricultural development model. That is our own challenge because the global situation demands it,” said Rienzzie Kern, senior director of program operations at Heifer International.
ISU’s Global Food Security Consortium will bring an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and innovative approach to world hunger and poverty through focused research in five major areas:
- Germplasm and seed systems;
- Climate-resilient healthy crops;
- Climate-resilient healthy animals;
- Post-harvest and utilization; and
- Policies, regulations and trade.
The consortium joins other internationally focused programs in ISU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, including the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, which works in Uganda. ISU also partners with the Global Resources Systems major, which trains students to participate in international agricultural development and research.