Michael thinks Luigi has an overwrought imagination brought on by spending too much time watching cheesy movies:
CFFRC will add much research and training capacity to address and overcome production and use constraints of “underutilised crops”. Wouldn’t we all wish other governments would be as generous as Malaysia’s and, rather than just paying lip service, effectively support the diversification of agriculture through greater crop diversity? CFFRC and CFF are separate legal entities, but will closely coordinate their work. CFF has indeed a seat on CFFRC’s Board. CFF will continue to focus on its role as an information platform and international facilitator, but will be locally strengthened through the brain power and opportunities of a research center that is the largest of its kind (dedicated exclusively to “crops for the future”). Note that CFFRC will work under CFF’s direction and within its mandate, but it is a company under Malaysian law. CFFRC was officially launched this week by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, and if you are patient for another day or so and give us some breathing space after an exhausting Symposium we will properly report on the CFF website on recent developments.
Amen to that, congratulations to all concerned, and very best wishes for the future!