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BULLETIN 1
FAO strengthens food security across Haiti and the Dominican Republic through emergency agriculture and regional agrifood system protection
FAO strengthens food security across Haiti and the Dominican Republic through emergency agriculture and regional agrifood system protection
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Figure: FAO high-level mission visits an FAO-supported pig farm in the Dominican Republic.
©FAO
FAO 26/01/2026
Port-au-Prince / Santo Domingo — A high-level Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) mission to Haiti and the Dominican Republic this week underscored a central reality for the Caribbean: food security is a shared regional challenge, requiring both life-saving, emergency agricultural action to respond to acute needs as well as cutting-edge prevention and preparedness systems to protect food supply chains.
Led by FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol, together with senior regional and emergency leadership, the mission advanced a coordinated approach— reinforcing agriculture as a frontline humanitarian response in Haiti, and biosecurity, disaster preparedness, and market stability in the Dominican Republic.
Amid Haiti's severe hunger crisis, where over 5.7 million people face high levels of acute food insecurity, much of the rural population continues to rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. Building on this, FAO’s Emergency Food Production approach enables highly vulnerable families to grow food within just 90 days, even amid a crisis. In 2025, FAO supported more than 140,000 people by distributing over 210 tonnes of seeds to 76,000 farmers, resulting in more than 7,500 tonnes of food produced across 4,300 hectares.
In the neighboring Dominican Republic, discussions focused on safeguarding agrifood systems from major shocks—including transboundary animal diseases, climate-related hazards, and supply chain disruptions—while reinforcing regional trade and market integration for the wider Caribbean. Over the past two years, FAO has strengthened food system defenses by certifying 25 pig farms, sharply reducing viral circulation, and raising biosecurity compliance from 35 percent to nearly 80 percent—enhancing pork export potential and foreign exchange earnings.
“Travelling to both countries, I am deeply convinced that agriculture is not just a lifeline in today's crises—it's the foundation for stability and food security. In Haiti, where families endure relentless shocks, farming remains the daily anchor sustaining households and the seedbed for rebuilding resilient livelihoods,” said Bechdol.
“In the Dominican Republic, robust biosecurity measures safeguard farmers, protect markets, and sustain vital regional trade. These parallel efforts demonstrate a powerful truth: strategic, sustained investment in agriculture—tailored to local realities—builds resilience, even across borders. We cannot afford to treat this as optional; the time to double down is now,” she added.
To build on these efforts, FAO is seeking $108 million to support 860,000 people in Haiti through emergency food production and livelihood protection. In the Dominican Republic, FAO is working with partners to mobilize additional resources to expand biosecurity coverage, strengthen livestock systems, and safeguard national and regional food supply chains.
“A scale up in funding and support is urgently required to allow FAO to save lives and dignity through delivering tangible results for farmers and communities,” said Rein Paulsen, the Director of FAO’s Office of Emergencies and Resilience.
Together, the two country engagements reflect FAO’s integrated regional approach: addressing urgent humanitarian needs while strengthening the systems that prevent future crises and secure food availability, leveraging strengths across FAO country offices.
See: https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-strengthens-food-security-across-haiti-and-the-dominican-republic-through-emergency-agriculture-and-regional-agrifood-system-protection/en
BULLETIN 2
KAMALA: The First Gene-edited Variety Ready for Cultivation in India
Led by FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol, together with senior regional and emergency leadership, the mission advanced a coordinated approach— reinforcing agriculture as a frontline humanitarian response in Haiti, and biosecurity, disaster preparedness, and market stability in the Dominican Republic.
Amid Haiti's severe hunger crisis, where over 5.7 million people face high levels of acute food insecurity, much of the rural population continues to rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. Building on this, FAO’s Emergency Food Production approach enables highly vulnerable families to grow food within just 90 days, even amid a crisis. In 2025, FAO supported more than 140,000 people by distributing over 210 tonnes of seeds to 76,000 farmers, resulting in more than 7,500 tonnes of food produced across 4,300 hectares.
In the neighboring Dominican Republic, discussions focused on safeguarding agrifood systems from major shocks—including transboundary animal diseases, climate-related hazards, and supply chain disruptions—while reinforcing regional trade and market integration for the wider Caribbean. Over the past two years, FAO has strengthened food system defenses by certifying 25 pig farms, sharply reducing viral circulation, and raising biosecurity compliance from 35 percent to nearly 80 percent—enhancing pork export potential and foreign exchange earnings.
“Travelling to both countries, I am deeply convinced that agriculture is not just a lifeline in today's crises—it's the foundation for stability and food security. In Haiti, where families endure relentless shocks, farming remains the daily anchor sustaining households and the seedbed for rebuilding resilient livelihoods,” said Bechdol.
“In the Dominican Republic, robust biosecurity measures safeguard farmers, protect markets, and sustain vital regional trade. These parallel efforts demonstrate a powerful truth: strategic, sustained investment in agriculture—tailored to local realities—builds resilience, even across borders. We cannot afford to treat this as optional; the time to double down is now,” she added.
To build on these efforts, FAO is seeking $108 million to support 860,000 people in Haiti through emergency food production and livelihood protection. In the Dominican Republic, FAO is working with partners to mobilize additional resources to expand biosecurity coverage, strengthen livestock systems, and safeguard national and regional food supply chains.
“A scale up in funding and support is urgently required to allow FAO to save lives and dignity through delivering tangible results for farmers and communities,” said Rein Paulsen, the Director of FAO’s Office of Emergencies and Resilience.
Together, the two country engagements reflect FAO’s integrated regional approach: addressing urgent humanitarian needs while strengthening the systems that prevent future crises and secure food availability, leveraging strengths across FAO country offices.
See: https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-strengthens-food-security-across-haiti-and-the-dominican-republic-through-emergency-agriculture-and-regional-agrifood-system-protection/en
BULLETIN 2
KAMALA: The First Gene-edited Variety Ready for Cultivation in India
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ISAAA January 28, 2026
Researchers from ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research have discovered that a specific gene in rice, called CKX2, acts like a "brake" on grain production by breaking down growth hormones. To help the popular Indian rice variety Samba Mahsuri produce more yield, researchers found a way to fine-tune the CKX2 gene. The results are published as a preprint in BioRxiv.
Improving food security in Asia and Africa depends heavily on finding ways to grow more crops on the same amount of land. This led the researchers to use CRISPR gene editing to make precise, subtle changes in the function of the CKX2 gene.
Results showed that the gene-edited rice called KAMALA produced an average of 19% more grain than Samba Mahsuri. Furthermore, it matures earlier, allowing farmers to potentially clear their fields sooner for the next cropping season. To ensure reliable performance, KAMALA was tested across 18 different locations in India and documented favorable results for three years. Importantly, the grain quality remains the same as the original variety, even after cooking.
KAMALA is the first gene-edited rice variety officially registered for cultivation by Indian farmers, setting the path for improving other crop varieties using CRISPR for a more stable food supply.
Read the abstract in BioRxiv.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/ged/article/default.asp?ID=21678
Improving food security in Asia and Africa depends heavily on finding ways to grow more crops on the same amount of land. This led the researchers to use CRISPR gene editing to make precise, subtle changes in the function of the CKX2 gene.
Results showed that the gene-edited rice called KAMALA produced an average of 19% more grain than Samba Mahsuri. Furthermore, it matures earlier, allowing farmers to potentially clear their fields sooner for the next cropping season. To ensure reliable performance, KAMALA was tested across 18 different locations in India and documented favorable results for three years. Importantly, the grain quality remains the same as the original variety, even after cooking.
KAMALA is the first gene-edited rice variety officially registered for cultivation by Indian farmers, setting the path for improving other crop varieties using CRISPR for a more stable food supply.
Read the abstract in BioRxiv.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/ged/article/default.asp?ID=21678
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
Nitrate-induced NLP1 SUMOylation regulates nitrate signaling and root nodulation
Jing Liu, Zhenpeng Luo, Jiang Wang, Jieshun Lin, and Fang Xie
PNAS; January 23, 2026; 123 (4) e2518288123; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2518288123
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Figure: Medicargo truncata root nodulation
Significance
Legume nodulation enables biological nitrogen fixation but is strongly repressed by nitrate. NIN-like proteins (NLPs) mediate this nitrate response, yet how their activity is regulated remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that SUMOylation—a reversible posttranslational modification—is essential for the transcriptional activity and protein–protein interactions of MtNLP1 in Medicago truncatula, independently of its nitrate-induced nuclear localization. This modification is conserved in other NLPs, including Arabidopsis thaliana NLP7. Moreover, knockdown of SUMOylation-machinery components disrupts nodulation, suggesting that additional regulators in the symbiotic pathway also depend on SUMOylation. This work identifies SUMOylation as a conserved regulatory mechanism integrating nitrate signaling with root nodule symbiosis, with broad implications for improving plant nitrogen use efficiency.
Abstract
Nitrate serves both as an essential nutrient and a key signaling molecule that shapes plant growth. In legumes, high nitrate concentrations suppress symbiotic nitrogen fixation, a process mediated by MtNLP1 (NIN-like protein1). Although nitrate minimally affects NLP transcript levels, it strongly controls their nuclear localization. How posttranslational modifications regulate MtNLP1 function, however, has remained unclear. Here, we show that nitrate induces SUMOylation of MtNLP1 at lysine 589 and 795 and that this modification is essential for its biological activity. Loss of these SUMO sites compromises nitrate-mediated inhibition of nodulation and weakens MtNLP1 interactions with MtNIN and itself. Components of the SUMOylation machinery in Medicago truncatula physically interact and are essential for both nodulation and nitrate responsiveness, indicating broader roles for SUMOylation in symbiosis. A SUMO-deficient Arabidopsis thaliana AtNLP73KR mutant fails to complement the Atnlp7-1 phenotype, demonstrating that SUMOylation is a conserved regulatory mechanism among NLPs. Together, our findings reveal SUMOylation as a previously unrecognized layer of regulation that integrates nutrient signaling with root nodule symbiosis.
See: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2518288123
Nitrate serves both as an essential nutrient and a key signaling molecule that shapes plant growth. In legumes, high nitrate concentrations suppress symbiotic nitrogen fixation, a process mediated by MtNLP1 (NIN-like protein1). Although nitrate minimally affects NLP transcript levels, it strongly controls their nuclear localization. How posttranslational modifications regulate MtNLP1 function, however, has remained unclear. Here, we show that nitrate induces SUMOylation of MtNLP1 at lysine 589 and 795 and that this modification is essential for its biological activity. Loss of these SUMO sites compromises nitrate-mediated inhibition of nodulation and weakens MtNLP1 interactions with MtNIN and itself. Components of the SUMOylation machinery in Medicago truncatula physically interact and are essential for both nodulation and nitrate responsiveness, indicating broader roles for SUMOylation in symbiosis. A SUMO-deficient Arabidopsis thaliana AtNLP73KR mutant fails to complement the Atnlp7-1 phenotype, demonstrating that SUMOylation is a conserved regulatory mechanism among NLPs. Together, our findings reveal SUMOylation as a previously unrecognized layer of regulation that integrates nutrient signaling with root nodule symbiosis.
See: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2518288123
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Figure:
SUMOylation of MtNLP1 is essential for its function in nodulation and nitrate signaling. (A) Schematic of the MtNLP1 protein showing the RWP-RK and PB1 domains (blue) and predicted SUMOylation sites (K589, K795, and K855). (B and C) Nodule numbers on Mtnlp1-1 hairy roots expressing empty vector (EV), wild-type MtNLP1, or SUMO-deficient MtNLP1 variants at 2 wk postinoculation (wpi) with rhizobia under 10 mM KCl or KNO3 treatment. Letters denote significant differences between samples (Two-way ANOVA, Tukey's multiple comparisons test, P < 0.05). (D and E) Relative expression levels of MtNRT2.1 and MtNIR1 in Mtnlp1-1 roots expressing EV, MtNLP1, and SUMO-site mutants following 4 h of 10 mM KNO3 treatment. Plants were pregrown on FP medium for 7 d (n = 3, independent biological replicates, each with 6 to 10 plants). Error bars represent SD. (F and G) Dual-luciferase reporter assays examining transcriptional activation of MtNRT2.1 and MtNIR1 promoters by MtNLP1 or SUMO-deficient variants in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, with nitrate treatment. EV serves as a negative control. LUC activity is normalized to REN activity. n = 6. (H and I) Shoot fresh weight of wild-type (Col-0), Atnlp7-1, and complemented lines expressing AtNLP7 or AtNLP73KR in Atnlp7-1 grown on MGRL medium with 5 mM KNO3 for 14 d (H) or 21 d (I). Error bars indicate SD. In D-I, different letters denote significant differences (One-way ANOVA, Tukey's multiple comparisons test, P < 0.05). “n” represents the sample size.
