Identifying Research Gaps for Novel and
Ancient Crops:

Investing in New Opportunities in Plant Efficiency

October 23, 2017  |  Tri-Societies Annual Meeting

EVENT OVERVIEW

FFAR recognizes that that in order to more effectively address water scarcity, it is important to leverage resources to drive innovation science resulting from collaborative thinking to accelerate research that improving plant efficiency. At this time, FFAR in the process of assessing the research gaps and determining where our resources may be effectively leveraged.  FFAR is seeking to fund transferrable research that can break new ground in water scarcity, specifically in plant efficiency and fund innovative science to ask the right questions, convene the best and brightest minds to answer those questions, and see research through to successful implementation. 

The objective of this convening event is to discuss potential research gaps for making novel and ancient crops, which can be drought-tolerant and adaptive to harsh environments, more widely available and competitive in domestic and international markets, as well as develop better farm practices.

Please join the conversation with FFAR on this important topic to help us address the most significant research gaps and white spaces in this area. 

THE CHALLENGE

Water shortage is continually a limiting factor in crop production, which in turn imposes a negative impact on the food security of the world. There is a predicted increasing gap between food supply and demand over the next 50 years. A strong need for development of cultivars in this timeframe exists in order to mitigate this projected yield discrepancy as resources such as water become a limiting factor in agricultural production. Achieving a sustainable yield increase in agricultural productivity is critical and to achieve this, there must be an increase in productivity without further increased pressure on agricultural inputs such as land and water. An added obstacle is changing weather patterns and climate which poses a serious threat to our food security. 

In view of this, developing staple crops with improved drought tolerance emerges as a sustainable solution toward improving crop productivity in a scenario of climate change.  Having a greater understanding of the genetic architecture that undergirds drought tolerance mechanisms is “urgently required.” It is imperative that funding is provided that supports integrated studies that investigate the complex mechanisms can bridge the gap existing in our current knowledge about drought stress tolerance in plants 

FFAR is poised to provide the support and public private partnerships to support that interdisciplinary cooperation. At this time, FFAR in the process of assessing the research gaps and determining where our resources may be effectively leveraged.  FFAR is seeking to fund transferrable research that can break new ground in water scarcity, specifically in plant efficiency and fund innovative science to ask the right questions, convene the best and brightest minds to answer those questions, and see research through to successful implementation. 

EVENT DETAILS

This is a half-day event during the ASA, CSSA, & SSSA (Tri-Societies) International Annual Meetings in Tampa, Florida. 

Monday, October 23, 2017
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tampa Convention Center, Room 38

Register Now!