科技报道20 改良种子可帮助非洲粮食自给自足.docx

科技报道20改良种子可帮助非洲粮食自给自足ImprovedSeedsCou1.dHe1.pAfricaFeedItse1.fp1.aystopmutemaxvo1.ume00:00-05:25repeatByChristopherJones-Cruise2015/4/261.argegovernmenta1.organizationscontro1.1.edtheproductionofseedsinAfricaformanyyears.Ownersofsma1.1.farmshadtobuytheirseedsfromtheseagencies.Butnowthereisanefforttomakeseedsfromothersupp1.iersavai1.ab1.etoAfricanfarmers.Thenew,improvedseedsmightsomedayhe1.pAfricafeeditse1.f.EdwardMabayagrewupinZimbabwe.Thereweretenchi1.dreninhisfami1.y.Hisfatherwasaconstructionworker.Hismotherfarmedtheir1.and.Hesaysthesma1.1.farmwasverysuccessfu1.becausehismotheruseddifferentkindsofseeds.HesaysitwasatimewhenmanynewkindsofseedswerecomingintoZimbabwe.Hesaidsomefarmersbegantousethemandincreasedtheircropproduction.Mr.Mabayasaidhisparentsusedthemoneyearnedfromthosecropstosenda1.1.theirchi1.drentoschoo1.Farmerspurchasingseedfromanagro-dea1.erout1.et.(Photocredit:MarketMattersInc.)Mr.MabayaisnowaresearcheratCorne1.1.UniversityinNewYork.Heisworkingonaprojectthathehopeswi1.1.giveothersma1.1.farmersthesamechancehisparentshad.He1.eadsTheAfricanSeedAccessIndex(TASAI)zwhichresearchesAfrica'sseedindustry.Theorganizationwas1.aunchedinMarch.ItisajointeffortofCorne1.1.University,anon-profitgroupca1.1.edMarketMatters,Inc.andtheU.S.DepartmentofAgricu1.ture.TASAIhopestoprovideimprovedseedstoownersofsma1.1.farms.Mr.MabayasaysAfrica,sseedindustryiscomp1.exandcanbeinefficient.HesaysTASAIwi1.1.trytoidentifyareasoftheindustrythatcanbeimproved.Someprivateseeddeve1.opersareoperatinginAfricabutnotmany.Andtheyhavenotworkedtodeve1.opnewseeds.MostfarmersinAfricausethesameseedstheyhavebeenp1.antingformanyyears,un1.ikefarmersintheWesternwor1.d.Theseedshavenotbeenimprovedtoresistdiseaseorto1.eratedrought.GeorgeBigirwaworksattheA1.1.ianceforaGreenRevo1.utioninAfricaorAGRA.HesaystherearenotenoughimprovedseedsinAfricatosupp1.ythemi1.1.ionsoffarmerswhoneedthem.“IrememberwhenbeforeAGRAcamein,insomecountries1.ikeBurkinaFasoz1.ikeMa1.i,evenGhana,therewerenoseedcompanies.At1.easttodayyouhaveanaverageofaboutsixtoeightseedcompaniesinp1.ace.However;1.ookingattheamountofseedeachcompanyproduces,thatissti1.1.very1.itt1.e."Hesaysimprovedseedscanhe1.psma1.1.farmersincreasetheirproductionbysixtimes.Mr.Mabayasaysthisdifferencecanbeenoughtohe1.pfarmerswhoarenowgrowingjustenoughfoodtofeedtheirfami1.ies.Hesaysinsteadtheycou1.dgrowcropstose1.1.,aswe1.1.Hesaysthatcou1.dhe1.pthemescapepoverty.Mr.Mabayasaysthereissti1.1.muchworktobedonetofu1.1.ydeve1.opAfrica,Sseedindustry.ButhesaysifseedcompaniesandfarmersinAfricacontinuetousethesameagricu1.tura1.techno1.ogytherestofthewor1.duses,Africawi1.1.somedaybeab1.etofeeditse1.f.I,mMarshaJames.Hi1.aryHeu1.erreportedthisstoryfromNairobi.ChristopherJones-CruisewroteitforVOA1.earningEng1.ish.CatyWeaverwastheeditor.WordsinThisStoryaccess-n.beingab1.etouseorgetsomethinginefficient-adj.notcapab1.eofproducingdesiredresu1.tswithoutwastingmateria1.s,timeorenergy;notefficientto1.erate-v.toa1.1.ow(somethingthatisbadorunp1.easant)toexist,happenorbedoneDofarmersinyourcountryuseimprovedseeds?Wewanttohearfromyou.Writeyourthoughtsinthecommentssection.