Investment will also help create jobs
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
As the world’s population continues to grow, so does the need for food and the need to understand issues including climate changes.
Understanding the ways plants, livestock, fish and other species interact with one another has been largely left a mystery.
Various organizations including the Canadian government are investing $93 million into 11 genomics (DNA sequencing methods) projects.
The projects are funded under Genome Canada’s 2014 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Genomics and Feeding the Future.
"Our government is committed to moving ideas from the lab to the marketplace more quickly, strengthening Canada's economy while creating jobs for Canadians,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “Today's investment will harness Canada's strength in genomics research to provide a boost to our agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture industries in Saskatchewan and across Canada in order to compete and win in the global marketplace.”
Some of the projects include the University of Saskatchewan receiving $15.5 million to help other research teams develop vaccines against infectious diseases affecting cattle and develop lentil varieties that can succeed in Canadian growing conditions.
"The outstanding success of our researchers in this competition builds on our signature area of agriculture and demonstrates that the U of S is building significant capacity in areas where national and global food security solutions are required,” said Dr. Karen Chad, Vice-President of Research, University of Saskatchewan. “This new knowledge is critical to help address the projected doubling of world food demand by 2050.”
Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sectors make up more than 8% of Canada’s GDP and employed 2.1 million people as of 2011.