'Green super rice' benefits Asian and African countries

The " Green Super Rice for the Resource-Deprived of Asia and Africa" project was launched in 2008 with the goal of breeding high-yielding rice varieties based on local resources and China's mature rice technology and then providing them to 15 Asian and African countries as well as four provinces in southwestern China.

These new rice varieties will go through demonstration tests in the afore-mentioned countries and regions. After one year, the project has now provided more than 150 varieties of hybrid rice combinations and over 50 varieties of conventional rice to the 15 target countries, raising rice output by 20 percent.

At the same time, three doctoral or post-doctoral students from these countries have also received training by participating in the project. It is said that 15 more graduate students from the target countries will visit China for a three-year training program.

The research group responsible for the project held their annual meeting in Wuhan between April 8 and 9. Organized by many domestic and foreign research institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Huazhong Agricultural University and supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this project is China's largest joint project in the field of agricultural research.

By People's Daily Online