Several American universities are participating in a project funded by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation to promote agricultural research in Africa. Researchers from Texas A&M University, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Missouri will partner with the International Center for Wheat and Maize Improvement and Educational Concerns for Hunger.
The research will be based at the Ukulima Farm Research Center in South Africa. The research will focus on methods to increases food production while conserving natural resources. Howard G. Buffett states that “our goal was to create a real-world field space at a sufficient scale where scientists and farmers can work together to fight hunger in Africa.” Buffet stated that all over sub-Saharan Africa he has seen degraded soil, inefficient market systems, and underdeveloped agricultural support systems, which he says results in 239 million Africans in hunger. “It is my hope that this collaboration will improve agricultural production across the African continent, particularly for Africa’s poorest farmers,” Buffett said.
