种田农民

As you may or may not be aware, the CGIAR system (including such
institutions as CIMMYT and IRRI, largely responsible for the Green
Revolutions in wheat and rice) has been traditionally funded in
part by the US Agency for International
Development.   The USAID has
provided a large portion of the operating funds for the CGIAR
centers, but this funding is now under threat due to severe cuts in
the overall USAID agriculture program, including funds for core
CGIAR activities like the training of developing world breeders and
biotechnologists, DNA marker assisted crop improvement, discovery
research and varietal testing.  In addition, no
USAID funds for Biotechnology in 2008 were dedicated to the CGIAR
centers, an oversight that will bring many successful projects to a
halt.   

Many of us who are striving to make some contributions to
developing world agricultural research and development are shocked
by these proposed changes, especially in this time when world food
production is in such a precarious and volatile
state.  We are planning to educate the pertinent
members of the US Congress and advocate for them to reverse these
changes.  We ask you to assist us by reading and
signing the letter at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cgair_support/.  This should not require more than five minutes of your time, and
could save the lives and improve the livelihoods of millions of the
poorest of the poor over the coming decades.  If
you do sign, it would be great if you would write your title (e.g.,
Professor) and institution in the comment box.

By the way, there is a contribution request after someone signs
this petition, but choosing not to donate does not affect having
one’s signature recorded.

Thank you.

Sincerely,