Farmers perspective to be heard at Borlaug Global Rust Initiative technical workshop in Biejing CHINA

GS Mann to represent Indian Wheat Farmers at BGRI World Conference in Beijing China

SIRSA NEWS ( www.SirsaNews.com )

30 August, 2012

Pictures and Videos: Amar Singh Jyani, GS Mann

Farmers perspective to be heard at Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) workshop

At the BGRI 2012 Technical Workshop in Beijing, a panel of wheat farmers from around the world will talk about the relative importance of wheat, production constraints, their awareness of wheat diseases, decisions they make about disease management, and some of the successes they have had using rust resistant varieties of wheat newly introduced by the BGRI. Ms. Makada Mohammed from Ethiopia, Mr. Ammar Martini from Syria, Mr. Huang Mingshui from China and Mr. Gurjeet Mann from Sirsa, India will share their experiences and answer questions. Session moderator Amor Yahyaoui CIMMYT-Mexico will also premiere "Challenged by Rust," a new farmer video from the BGRI.

The main objective of BGRI is to systematically reduce the world’s vulnerability to Wheat Rusts (Yellow, Brown and Black Rusts-In Hindi Peela Ratua, Bhuraa Ratua and Kala Ratua) and to advocate and facilitate the evolution of a sustainable international system to contain the threat posed by Rust. BGRI is a focused resource for scientists and policymakers about the rusts of Wheat.

Gurjeet Mann will represent India from the farmer’s perspective, while wheat experts and scientists from Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) New Delhi, Directorate of Wheat Research (DWR) Karnal, Wheat Breeders from PAU Ludhiana and Hyderabad shall highlight the scientific perspective at the conference.

Ms Aman Mann (D/o Gurjeet Mann), a young budding Biotechnologist has also been offered to attend the early graduates interaction program with scientists and leading biotechnologists from Cornell University USA, College of Agriculture China and other delegates. She was chosen during one of the several visits of the scientists to Mann Farms while they were here to monitor the wheat crop in Sirsa. She will also accompany the participating delegates from India.

The BGRI workshop will be held from September 1–4 in Beijing, China following the International Cereal Rust and Powdery Mildew Conference that will take place at the same venue.

Resources to understand the Seminar:

Details about GS Mann on the official website:

http://www.globalrust.org/traction/permalink/newsroom663

The full workshop program is available online:

http://www.globalrust.org/traction/permalink/about343: BGRI 2012 Workshop http://www.globalrust.org/traction/permalink/blog303 Pictures and details of Ludhiana Visit, Gurjeet Mann, Mr Jagjeet Hara renowned farmer, Dr Khem Singh Gill famous former VC of PAU and PAU scientists.

About BGRI: (Bourlaug Global Rust Initiative) is a project by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in association with Cornell University USA.

About CIMMYT : The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (commonly called by its Spanish acronym CIMMYT for Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo) is a non-profit research and training institution dedicated to both the development of improved varieties of wheat and maize, and introducing improved agricultural practices to farmers. It is located in Mexico

About Dr. Norman E Borlaug (Fondly called father of green revolution)

Norman Ernest Borlaug (March 25, 1914 – September 12, 2009) was an American agronomist, humanitarian, and Nobel laureate who has been called "the father of the Green Revolution". Borlaug was one of six people to have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour.

During the mid-20th century, Borlaug led the introduction of these high-yielding varieties combined with modern agricultural production techniques to Mexico, Pakistan, and India. As a result, Mexico became a net exporter of wheat by 1963. Between 1965 and 1970, wheat yields nearly doubled in Pakistan and India, greatly improving the food security in those nations. These collective increases in yield have been labelled the Green Revolution, and Borlaug is often credited with saving over a billion people worldwide from starvation. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 in recognition of his contributions to world peace through increasing food supply.

Borlaug received his Ph.D. in plant pathology and genetics from the University of Minnesota in 1942. He took up an agricultural research position in Mexico, where he developed semi-dwarf, high-yield, disease-resistant wheat varieties.