Rome, Italy
March 20, 2009
Source:
http://km.fao.org/gipb/images/pdf_files/CallLettersIntentionDurableResistance2009.pdf
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The international community,
national governments, and the farming sectors have begun to work
out how they should address climate change concerns. In the case
of FAO, its governing bodies have called for climate change
adaptability and mitigation to be given a high priority in its
future work. At the level of the whole of FAO, reports have been
prepared or are under preparation to describe what should be the
framework for responding to climate change concerns.
Over the past five years, FAO has been involved actively in the
development of GIPB - the Global Partnership Initiative for
Plant Breeding Capacity Building (http://km.fao.org/gipb/),
which is an internationally facilitated platform dedicated to
enhancing the capacity of developing countries to improve crops
for food security and sustainable development through better
plant breeding and delivery systems. With GIPB, it should be
possible to promote a framework for capacity building in
sustainable use of crop genetic resources to help countries face
challenges such as the ones expected with intensification of
climatic and environmental challenges.
Special concerns have been raised by GIPB stakeholders on the
potential impact of climate change on plant diseases of
strategic significance to food security in the developing world.
New and more severe diseases of wheat, rice and other cereals
may arise during the next decades with catastrophic
consequences, specially to poor countries. Impacts on
geographical distribution of diseases and crop loss due to
changes in the physiology of host-pathogen interaction as well
as changes in the type, amount and relative importance of
diseases are some of the expected threats, as the predicted
climatic changes come true.
Given the rate of global warming, it is worth furthering our
capacity to respond as well as understand the links between
climate change and disease. Special attention must be given to
the fact that host resistance may be overcome more rapidly due
to accelerated pathogen evolution, which can be expected under
high CO2, enhanced radiation and other environmental challenges.
Better use of genetic diversity through pre-breeding and
breeding for disease resistance, in association with improved
production systems are being highlighted as the best ways to
tackle the huge challenge of widening the genetic and
adaptability base of cropping systems, especially in developing
countries.
This GIPB Award Scheme was developed to stimulate organization
and analysis of expanded up-to-date information on the state of
knowledge on breeding for durable resistance to diseases
threatening crop production in the developing world.
Alternatives like multilines should be considered. All
interested parties are hereby invited to submit Letters of
Intention, which are going to be considered for award in the
first semester of 2009.
The following terms and conditions will apply:
Priorities for support under this Awards Scheme:
Grants will be awarded to the best Letters of Intention for
development of expanded up-to-date information on pre-breeding
and breeding for durable resistance to a selected group of crops
of high significance to food security in developing countries.
The purpose of these studies is to support efforts directed to
climate change adaptability and mitigation through enhanced and
sustainable use of genetic variability.
Key elements to be considered in the preparation of Letters of
Intention are:
Crop species
Crop species of interest under this Award Scheme are
wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and soybean (Glycine max L.).
Only one specie must be considered per Letter of Intention.
The same applicant may submit more than one Letter of
Intention.
State-of-the-art of knowledge on breeding for durable
resistance to diseases of substantial risk to the crop
Minimum elements to be considered in the proposed study
are:
1. Introduction, 2. worldwide disease threats with high
impact to food security (current and potential), 2. general
approaches to breeding resistance to these diseases, 3.
relevance of vertical resistance approaches, 4. relevance of
horizontal, durable resistance, 5. the way forward
Deliverables
Comprehensive coverage study and analysis with pictures,
tables, case studies, etc. A final document of 30 to 50
pages is expected, using single-spaced lines, Arial font,
size 12.
Proposals content and format
Proposals should be presented as Letters of Intention (maximum
3-pages length, single spaced, Arial font, size 12) indicating
the specie to be studied and outlining the authors’ state of
knowledge and proposed approach to produce a study that covers
at least the elements indicated above. An updated full CV of the
proponent must accompany the Letter of Intention.
Eligibility of grantees
Any individual or group of individuals working in recognized
governmental, public, non-governmental and/or private
institutions and civil society bodies are eligible to apply.
Size and duration of grant
All work must be completed no later than 31st August 2009. The
approved proposals will be paid US$4,000 upon delivery and
approval of the work by the GIPB Secretariat.
Intellectual Property Rights
The GIPB and FAO will have full rights to use the information
generated through this award scheme for the purpose of
supporting efforts to empower countries and breeding programs to
fight plant diseases of strategic significance to food security
in the developing world.
Evaluation Criteria
Reviewers shall take into account the following factors when
evaluating the Letters of Intention:
(a) Substantiated
information that indicate the applicant’s knowledge of the
indicated pathogens and of the state-of-the-art of genetic
resources, pre-breeding and breeding work on disease
resistance for the specie to be targeted by the study;
(b) Substantiated information that indicate the applicant’s
knowledge and view on the potential of durable disease
resistance approaches and strategies;
(c) Qualifications of the applicant to conduct the proposed
project, as indicated by the general content of the Letter
of Intention and the full CV.
The Process
Submission of applications:
All Letters of Intention must be made in English and sent
electronically (either scanned or in PDF
format with signature) to:
gipb.awards@fao.org.
or by hard copy or fax to:
The Global Partnership
Initiative for Plant Breeding Capacity Building - GIPB
Plant Production and Protection Division - AGPC
FAO Office C-784/778
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00153 Rome
Italy Fax: +39 06
57056347
Only applications accompanied by a
full CV of the applicant, in English, will be considered.
Deadline for submission of applications:
All applications must be received by 30th April 2009.
Review of applications
All applications will be reviewed by the GIPB Secretariat, that
may enter into correspondence with the applicant in order seek
any necessary clarification. Applications may also be reviewed
by external reviewers.
Notification of grant award
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application
by the end of May 2009. Successful applicants will be sent a
Grant Agreement for signature.
Disbursement of the grant
Disbursement of funds will be made upon satisfactory completion
of the work.
Source:
http://km.fao.org/gipb/images/pdf_files/CallLettersIntentionDurableResistance2009.pdf
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