By Jordan Powers
The University of Georgia will lead the new Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Peanut, a U.S. Department of State program that brings together U.S. and international scientists to make peanut farming more productive, profitable and safe.
The award is for up to five years, with an initial obligation of $9 million for the first year funded through a cooperative agreement with the State Department’s Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response.
“This new lab lets us put the best of U.S. peanut science to work with partners abroad, turning advances in genomics, breeding, technology, quality and safety into better, safer peanuts and stronger markets for farmers in America and around the world,” said Scott Jackson, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and Peanut Innovation Lab director.
From genome to market, closing a major global peanut productivity gap
The Peanut Innovation Lab will advance U.S. leadership in peanut research, training and market development to enhance global food security while delivering tangible benefits to American agriculture, industry and national security.
Peanut, or “groundnut” as it is called in many countries, is a $1+ billion U.S. farm gate value crop and a critical staple for global food security and nutrition. However, global yields average roughly 62% below U.S. levels and are constrained by disease and pest pressure, drought, poor seed and grain quality, and weak market linkages — particularly in developing countries where peanuts are a source of both food and income.
Source : uga.edu