Cuba Debates Biofortified Crops

Cuba Debates Biofortified CropsHavana, Jun 8 .-  Biofortified crops was the focus of discussion on Wednesday at the 5th International Rice Conference and the 1st Symposium on Grains, with participants from 13 nations. Working sessions on soil and nutrition and a talk by Eyra Torres of the Panamanian Office of the World Food Program were two of the features of the second day of these events.

Telce A. Gonzalez, director of the Grain Research Institute in Cuba, highlighted the importance of food production amid a complicated international situation and highly volatile prices.

Cuba invests over one billion USD annually to buy rice and other grains for human consumption and animal feed.

The 250 delegates to the conference, including 80 from other countries, debated a wide range of issues related to grain production and cultivation and ways to achieve better agricultural and industrial yields.

A workshop on pesticide and sessions on genetic improvement, comprehensive pest management and technology for small-scale production were also part of the program of the conference and symposium, which end Friday.

Representatives of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the WFP in Cuba, Marcio Porto and Sonsoles Ruedas, respectively, gave master lectures on Monday. (Prensa Latina)