The Crops for the Future Research Centre (CFFRC) is expected to receive a funding of nearly RM113 million (US$40 million) over seven years from the government to carry out research on a whole range of under-utilised crops.
Wow. Well done Crops for the Future. And well done Malaysia.
I am a senoir lecturer of the department of Agribusiness Management of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the sbaragamuwa Universty of Sri Lanka. I have received a reserch grant (about US S150) to do a reserch on few underutilized crops in Sri Lanka. Could I know what are the imporant crops I should select and what are the aspects I sould include in the research to make it more useful for my country as well as the whole world. I expect a quick responce.
Thank you
Thank you for your comment. I will take the liberty of forwarding your comment to colleagues who are directly involved with orphan crops and Crops for the Future. I cannot, of course, guarantee that their response will be as rapid as mine.
I am Fekadu Gadissa from Ethiopia, currently engaged in assessing genetic diversity of one of the most under-utilized, indigenous tuber crop of the country called Ethiopian potato (Plectranthus edulis) to generate useful information for breeding and conservation. I need a financial or logistic support to conduct molecular work. Please would you mind sending me a piece of information on how and where to get the support.
Thanks!!!
Fekadu: I am a bit concerned over the name `Ethiopian’ potato. An internet search shows that most references to `Ethiopian potato’ go on to describe recipes with Solanum tuberosum. I see nothing wrong with the original name: `Galla potato’. This gives far more information about its origin, as, for example, do the names of the related Hausa potato (not to be renamed `Nigerian; potato and the Hopi maize in the US). And as the Galla were not restricted to Ethiopia, then a single country cannot change the name (Kenya can rename Lake Rudolph to L. Turkana as the lake is within Kenya; the several countries around Lake Victoria cannot escape the name, as no country has a right to change it).
Hello Dear David,
Yea! You are correct. The name Ethiopian potato has several vernacular names like Wolaita dinich, Oromo Dinich, Gamo dinich etc which goes inline with the several nations and nationalities in the country. As you mentione, the name ‘Gala’ or ‘Gala dinich’ is also to refer to Oromo dinich. What is important here is that Plectranthus edulis is indigenous to Ethiopia according to limited sources and it has been used for centuries as staple food source for the majority of the nations and nationalities.
I am Desta Fekadu from Ethiopia, currently engaged in variety development of one of the most under-utilized, indigenous root crop of the country called Anchote (Coccinia abyssinica). I need a financial or logistic support to conduct further research to make this crop the most utilizable food, feed and medicinal plant. Please would you mind sending me a piece of information on how and where to get the support.
Thanks!