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British GM crop scientists win $10m grant from Gates | British GM crop scientists win $10m grant from Gates |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A team of British plant scientists has won a $10m (£6.4m) grant from the Gates Foundation to develop GM cereal crops. | A team of British plant scientists has won a $10m (£6.4m) grant from the Gates Foundation to develop GM cereal crops. |
It is one of the largest single investments into GM in the UK and will be used to cultivate corn, wheat and rice that need little or no fertiliser. | It is one of the largest single investments into GM in the UK and will be used to cultivate corn, wheat and rice that need little or no fertiliser. |
It comes at a time when bio-tech researchers are trying to allay public fears over genetic modification. | It comes at a time when bio-tech researchers are trying to allay public fears over genetic modification. |
The work at the John Innes Centre in Norwich is hoped to benefit African farmers who cannot afford fertiliser. | The work at the John Innes Centre in Norwich is hoped to benefit African farmers who cannot afford fertiliser. |
Agricultural fertiliser is important for crop production across the globe. | |
But the many of the poorest farmers cannot afford fertiliser - and it is responsible for large greenhouse gas emissions. | |
The John Innes Centre is trying to engineer cereal crops that could get nitrogen from the air - as peas and beans do - rather than needing chemical ammonia spread on fields. | The John Innes Centre is trying to engineer cereal crops that could get nitrogen from the air - as peas and beans do - rather than needing chemical ammonia spread on fields. |
If successful, it is hoped the project could revolutionise agriculture and, in particular, help struggling maize farmers in sub-Saharan Africa - something the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is keen to do. | |
'Major problems' | |
Professor Giles Oldroyd from the John Innes Centre, who is leading the team, said the project was vital for poorer producers and could have a "huge impact" on global agriculture. | |
"We believe if we can get nitron fixing cereals we can deliver much higher yields to farmers in Africa and allow them to grow enough food for themselves." | |
However, opponents of GM crops say results will not be achieved for decades at best, and global food shortages could be addressed now through improving distribution and cutting waste. | |
Pete Riley, campaign director of the group GM Freeze, said there was a realisation by many farmers across the world that "GM is failing to deliver". | |
"If you look in America, yields haven't increased by any significant amount and often go down," he said. | |
He added: "Now we're seeing real, major problems for farmers in terms of weeds that are resistant to the herbicides which GM crops have been modified to tolerate." | |
See more on this story on BBC One's Countryfile at 20:00 BST on Sunday 15 July | See more on this story on BBC One's Countryfile at 20:00 BST on Sunday 15 July |