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Endalkachew Wolde-meskel, country coordinator for Ethiopia, represented N2Africa and presented a keynote address under the topic “Sustainable intensification of grain legumes production with smallholders in Africa through nitrogen fixation: highlights from the N2Africa project” at the biennial meeting of ICLGG 2017 in Hungary last September. In his speech, he emphasized the genetic and symbiotic diversity of rhizboial germplasms/isolates from African soils and their potential to improve nitrogen fixation, and reported the achievements of the project in getting the inoculant technology out at scale using the Private Public Partnership (PPP) approaches and the benefits to smallholder farmers (Abstract). |
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The meeting brought together scientists working on research aspects of legume biology, using genetic and genomic tools, with those working on applied aspects and breeding of crop and pasture species. The scientific program was structured around plenary talks from the world’s leading legume scientists, and covered various topics including Legume genome structures and evolution; Growth, form, symbiosis and N2-fixation; Biotic and abiotic stress; Seed biology, Legume mega-projects and Legumes in the real world. Attended by 124 participants form 26 different countries, the conference aimed to creating opportunities to establish new partnerships among the academic, biotech, applied and commercial agriculture communities that will have positive effects on the future of the legume industry internationally.
Thanks to Endalkachew for increasing the international exposure of N2Africa!