New project to capitalise on resilient food crops

LONDON: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was to announce a new science initiative to bring together work on developing climate-resilient crops as his government hosted a Global Food Security Summit in London yesterday.

The summit, a j oint i nitiative between Britain, Somalia, the UAE, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was due to be attended by representatives from more than 20 countries.

“We must take action to address the underlying, and often unseen, causes of global food insecurity,” Mr Sunak said.

“From the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine, to the effect of major natural disasters on food production ... alongside our partners, the UK is playing a leading role in finding solutions to some of the greatest global challenges of our time.”

Britain said the new virtual science hub would be led CGIAR, a global research partnership which unites international organisations working on food security, and would link UK scientists with research initiatives to develop crops that can withstand the impacts of climate change and are more disease resistant.

The British government will also publish details of a new international development policy document, or White Paper, on food insecurity setting out plans to work in partnership with countries to tackle extreme poverty and climate change rather than just providing aid money.

Priorities will include mobilising international finance and harnessing innovation, Britain’s Foreign Office said.

Britain also said it was providing up to £100 million (4.3 billion baht) in humanitarian funding to countries worst hit by food insecurity including Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Afghanistan, and to countries impacted by climate-related cyclones and drought like Malawi.