The Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI - originally named the Global Rust Initiative) was founded in response to recommendations of a committee of international experts who met to consider a response to the threat the global food supply posed by the Ug99 strain of wheat rust. The BGRI was renamed the Borlaug Global Rust initiative in honor of

Green Revolution The Green Revolution, or the Third Agricultural Revolution, was a period during which technology transfer initiatives resulted in a significant increase in crop yields. These changes in agriculture initially emerged in Developed country , devel ...

pioneer and

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...

Laureate Dr.

Norman Borlaug Norman Ernest Borlaug (; March 25, 1914September 12, 2009) was an American agronomist who led initiatives worldwide that contributed to the extensive increases in agricultural production termed the Green Revolution. Borlaug was awarded multiple ...

who worked to establish and lead the Global Rust Initiative. The BGRI has the overarching objective of systematically reducing the world’s vulnerability to

stem Stem or STEM most commonly refers to: * Plant stem, a structural axis of a vascular plant * Stem group * Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics Stem or STEM can also refer to: Language and writing * Word stem, part of a word respon ...

yellow Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In t ...

, and

leaf A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the plant stem, stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leav ...

rusts of wheat and advocating/facilitating the evolution of a sustainable international system to contain the threat of wheat rusts and continue the enhancements in productivity required to withstand future global threats to wheat. The organization focuses on addressing global challenges to wheat security through a collaborative network of researchers, policymakers, and agricultural practitioners. Its key objectives include: * Threat Reduction: Mitigating global vulnerabilities to wheat diseases. * Productivity Increases: Improving wheat yields and resilience to global threats. * International Collaboration: Establishing sustainable partnerships to combat wheat-related challenges. * Farmer Engagement: Working directly with agricultural communities to promote wheat security. * Capacity Building – Training the next generation of scientists and professionals in wheat research and food security.

Executive committee

*Chair: Jeanie Borlaug Laube

Permanent Members

* Ronnie Coffman,

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

, Vice Chairman of BGRI *Bram Govaerts, Director General,

CIMMYT The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (known – even in English – by its Spanish acronym CIMMYT for ''Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo'') is a non-profit research-for-development organization that develops ...

, *Himanshu Pathak, Director General,

Indian Council of Agricultural Research The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous body responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India. It reports to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture. Th ...

, *Aly Abousabaa Director General, ICARDA *Rémi Nono Womdim, Deputy Director, Plant Production and Protection Division,

FAO The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; . (FAO) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition ...

Rotating Members

* John Manners, Director,

CSIRO The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency that is responsible for scientific research and its commercial and industrial applications. CSIRO works with leading organisations arou ...

Agriculture * David Wall, Acting Director Research, Development and Technology,

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC; sometimes Ag-Canada; )''Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food (). is the Structure of the Can ...

* Huajin Tang, VP for International Collaboration, China Academy of Agricultural Sciences * Lene Lange, Director of Research,

Aalborg University Aalborg University (AAU) is an international public university with campuses in Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1974, the university awards bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and PhD degrees in a wide variety of subje ...

, Denmark * Fentahun Mengistu, Director General, Ethiopian Institute for Agricultural Research * Abd El Moneam El Banna, President, Egyptian Agricultural Research Center * Eskander Zand, Deputy Minister and Head, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iran * Eliud Kireger, Director General, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization * Masum Burak, Director General of the General Directorate of Agricultural Research, Turkey * Iftikhar Ahmad, Chairman, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council * Jose Costa, Deputy Administrator, Crop Production and Protection,

USDA-ARS The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the principal in-house research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). ARS is one of four agencies in USDA's Research, Education and Economics mission area. ARS is charged with ext ...

* Alvaro Roel, President, INIA, Uruguay

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web , last=Dahm , first=Madeline , title=Let there be food to eat , website=

, date=2020-12-09 , url=http://www.cimmyt.org/news/let-there-be-food-to-eat/ , access-date=2020-12-11

External links

Borlaug Global Rust Initiative website
Wheat diseases Phytopathology Agronomy Plant breeding Genetic engineering and agriculture