New agri-science partnership promises major benefits for UK agriculture
The UK agricultural community stands to gain major R & D benefits from a new Brazilian LABEX partnership which saw its first South American scientist start work at Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire in January.
The initiative, facilitated by the Warwickshire-based International Agri- Technology Centre Ltd (IATC), "provides a unique means of developing collaborative research programmes on a national scale that will benefit British and Brazilian farmers," says sustainable agriculture specialist Dr David Dent.
"The IATC is committed to developing opportunities for UK agri-food science organisations through its activities in target countries, including Brazil, and it has worked tenaciously for some four years, hosting successful inward and outward missions for academics, government officials and companies to cement this deal," says Dr Dent, former Managing Director of CABI BioScience.
Brazilian scientist Dr Alexandre Amaral joined Rothamsted last month and an official launch of the LabEx project takes place in London on March 31, with distinguished guests from Brazil and the UK in attendance.
Philippa David, Director of IATC, explained that one of the side benefits of this work was "the creation of a positive environment to engender scientific and commercial partnerships".
She said that the agreement and establishment of the valuable Brazilian LabEx programme in the UK exemplified the IATC’s determined approach and added that the work would benefit UK agriculture by expanding opportunities to share good practice, particularly in areas such as bioenergy, where the Brazilians lead the world.
The exchange programme is being conducted in partnership with the Brazilian National Agricultural Research Institute (EMBRAPA) and follows on from similar international partnerships in France and the USA.
Welcoming the new partnership, a spokesman for Rothamsted Research said: "In addition to the selected scientists developing their area of expertise, they will also act to strengthen and widen the scientific and technological co- operation between EMBRAPA and UK scientists."
He added: "This UK arm of Europe’s LabEx programme will also develop programmes of collaboration with other groups in Britain and track studies in areas considered as major challenges, such as climate change."
On this basis, it is expected that the collaboration will expand to other UK institutes and the IATC is committed to assisting in this process to ensure the maximum benefits of this relationship for UK agriculture.
