The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Eagle Genomics have recently announced a new cooperation framework agreement to address global challenges in food security, nutrition, and agriculture. The deal aims to bring together the expertise of ICRISAT in agriculture and Eagle Genomics in data science to tackle complex problems in these fields.
The partnership will focus on integrating the e[datascientist] platform, which uses network science and multilayer hypergraphs to provide data-driven insights into complex problems. ICRISAT will share its extensive on-the-ground experience in Asia and Africa with Eagle Genomics, drawing insights from its vast datasets to address issues related to climate resilience, plant nutrient density, and data-driven wellness and human health outcomes.
“Just as the digital revolution has brought new opportunities and improved our world, so can the Bio Revolution – towards which we are working with ICRISAT alongside other partners,” said Anthony Finbow.
The collaboration aims to improve the understanding of microbiome interactions and their role in enhancing resilience to climate change and nutrient absorption. In addition, the partnership will focus on increasing the nutrient density of crops to address food security and malnutrition in drought-prone dryland areas. Over two billion people in these regions in Asia, Africa, and beyond are particularly vulnerable to these issues.
“I am delighted that our collaboration with Eagle Genomics, and the strength they bring to our high-caliber partnerships, will advance our mission of reducing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition for the world’s poor,” said Dr. Hughes.
The partnership between ICRISAT and Eagle Genomics also aims to drive science-based targets for regenerative agriculture, contributing to safe and nutritious food for all through sustainable consumption and nature-positive production systems. In addition, the collaboration aims to provide meaningful nature-based metrics to enhance understanding of regenerative impact from a biological standpoint, focusing on One Health outcomes for humans, animals, and the environment.
Photo by George Bakos on Unsplash
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