Icrisat in pacts for legumes, cereals

The International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) is working with Senegalese Institute for Agricultural Research and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development to address the challenge of food insecurity. The research programmes will help about 70 crore people living on less than $2 a day in the dry land areas of the world. The three institutes have taken stock of the research programmes at the Partnership Day held at Dakar (Senegal) early this week. “We are committed to strengthen and stimulate our partnerships in West and Central Africa. We are working to address food security and poverty alleviation through public-private initiatives,” William Dar Director-General of Icrisat, said here in a statement. Icrisat is leading two global research partnerships – the CGIAR Research Programs on Grain Legumes and on Dry land Cereals – to help improve food and nutrition in dry land areas. “National and regional organisations like ISRA will play significant role in ensuring that research results benefit the smallholder farmers,” Dar said.