The Rockefeller Foundation

The Second General Meeting on Biotechnology, Breeding and Seed Systems for African Crops  

Kenya Agricultural Research Institute

Date: 24-27 January 2005

Venue: Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

Organizers: The Rockefeller Foundation and Kenya Agricultural Research Institute

During the period January 24-27, 2005, The Rockefeller Foundation, together with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, will hold the second general meeting of the Foundation program on “Biotechnology, Breeding, and Seed Systems for African Crops” in Nairobi, Kenya.  This meeting follows a similar one organized in Entebbe during November 2002, which involved participation of grantees in the Improved Crop Varieties Program with projects related to Africa. 

Objective. The meeting is aimed at informing Program collaborators and other stakeholders in crop genetic improvement and seed delivery systems, of the progress being made on research and development objectives for a range of important food crops for the African continent, including maize, cassava, beans, rice, sorghum, cowpea, banana, and several others. 

Purpose. The gathering will serve as a useful review of the current status and remaining challenges for the development and distribution of improved crop varieties in Africa.  It will give approximately 160 Rockefeller Foundation grantees an opportunity to report on the progress they have made toward improving African crops over the last two years.