Danforth Center’s “Conversations” Series Continues

From Uganda to the U.S. Heartland: a Look at Global Food Security Panel to include Ugandan Minister of Agriculture and Chancellor of University of Missouri

St. Louis (I-Newswire) October 15, 2012 - The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center will host its quarterly “Conversations” Series sponsored by Boeing on Thursday, October 25, 2012 from 5:15 – 7:00 p.m. at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 N. Warson Road. The program will feature the Honorable Zerubabel Mjumbi Nyiira, Ph.D., Ugandan State Minister for Agriculture and the Member of Parliament for Buruuili County, Masindi District and Brady J. Deaton, Ph.D., Chancellor of the University of Missouri.

The discussion will focus on safe and effective ways to improve crops for developing areas of the world. In addition, the conversation will highlight how collaborations and partnerships are critical to global agricultural efforts.

The distinguished panel will explore the stresses caused by an expanding population and limited agriculture resources and the effect on global food security. The speakers will provide insights on innovative and sustainable methods to boost food production by reducing losses to pathogens and increasing yield.

To join us for an enlightening discussion moderated by Dr. Jim Davis, Professor Emeritus from Washington University, reserve your spot today! Reservations are required but complimentary; seating is limited. To attend, please phone: 314-587-1070 or email: conversations@danforthcenter.org or reserve online.

About the Speakers

The Honorable Zerubabel Mjumbi Nyiira, Ph.D. Ugandan State Minister for Agriculture and the Member of Parliament for Buruuili County, Masindi District,
His other professional roles have included Executive Director of the National Foundation for Research and Development and advisor/consultant to the United Nations in the area of Science and Economy. Minister Nyiira has been has played a key supportive role in the partnership between the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) in Uganda and the Danforth Center which is working to improve cassava production, a key staple crop in the region.

Brady J. Deaton, Ph.D., Chancellor of the University of Missouri,
In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Deaton Chairman of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD), a presidentially-appointed advisory council to USAID, whose primary role is to advise on agriculture, rural development and nutrition issues related to global food insecurity. BIFAD is focused on Africa and other developing areas of the world. Dr. Deaton has worked with African Institutional Development Programs in Kenya and Zambia and made a keynote presentation at the Ministerial Conference on Higher Education in Agriculture (CHEA) in November 2012 in Kampala, Uganda. He also participated in a USAID Workshop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in February 2012.

Chancellor Deaton joined the University in 1989 as professor and chair in the Agricultural Economics Department and as Social Science Unit leader. He was appointed chief of staff in the Office of the Chancellor in 1993 and became deputy chancellor in 1997. In 1998, Dr. Deaton was appointed interim provost. His duties were expanded in 2001 when he also became the executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. In October 2004, Deaton was named chancellor and currently holds leadership roles in many university, community and national organizations, including the Danforth Center where he serves as a member of the Board of Trustees.

About The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research at the Danforth Center will feed the hungry and improve human health, preserve and renew the environment, and enhance the St. Louis region and Missouri as a world center for plant science. The Center’s work is funded through competitive grants and contract revenue from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Howard G. Buffett Foundation.

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center invites you to visit its new website, www.danforthcenter.org, featuring interactive information on the Center scientists, news, education outreach and “Roots & Shoots” blog help keep visitors up to date with Center’s current operations and areas of research. Follow us on Twitter at @DanforthCenter.


###