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BULLETIN 1
Rural futures in focus: Papua New Guinea
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IFAD 16 December 2025
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is blessed with natural resources and a young, dynamic and strikingly diverse population, speaking over 800 languages. Yet its agricultural potential remains untapped. We caught up with Reehana Raza, IFAD’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, to learn more after her recent visit to the island country. During her time in PNG, she saw the impact of the IFAD-supported Market for Village Farmers (MVF) project.
What are the unique challenges that rural people face in PNG?
I visited village farmers in one of the seven provinces the MVF project covers. The challenges these families face aren't just minor bumps in the road – they're fundamental hurdles to durable economic growth.
A little over 39 per cent of the country lives below the poverty line. That's nearly four out of every 10 people. In the areas where IFAD works, families also struggle with low literacy rates and high levels of malnutrition. It's tough to get ahead when you’re worried about your next meal and can't easily access education.
Most farming families rely on traditional, semi-subsistence agriculture. They grow just enough to feed their family, which means they don't have much extra to sell. This keeps incomes low and makes them incredibly vulnerable to bad weather or disease.
Even if they do grow extra, getting it to a local market across PNG's mountainous, densely forested landscape is a huge problem. Poor infrastructure means that produce often spoils before it can be sold. That lost time and ruined produce directly translates into lost money for farmers.
See https://www.ifad.org/en/w/opinions/rural-futures-in-focus-papua-new-guinea
BULLETIN 2
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is blessed with natural resources and a young, dynamic and strikingly diverse population, speaking over 800 languages. Yet its agricultural potential remains untapped. We caught up with Reehana Raza, IFAD’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, to learn more after her recent visit to the island country. During her time in PNG, she saw the impact of the IFAD-supported Market for Village Farmers (MVF) project.
What are the unique challenges that rural people face in PNG?
I visited village farmers in one of the seven provinces the MVF project covers. The challenges these families face aren't just minor bumps in the road – they're fundamental hurdles to durable economic growth.
A little over 39 per cent of the country lives below the poverty line. That's nearly four out of every 10 people. In the areas where IFAD works, families also struggle with low literacy rates and high levels of malnutrition. It's tough to get ahead when you’re worried about your next meal and can't easily access education.
Most farming families rely on traditional, semi-subsistence agriculture. They grow just enough to feed their family, which means they don't have much extra to sell. This keeps incomes low and makes them incredibly vulnerable to bad weather or disease.
Even if they do grow extra, getting it to a local market across PNG's mountainous, densely forested landscape is a huge problem. Poor infrastructure means that produce often spoils before it can be sold. That lost time and ruined produce directly translates into lost money for farmers.
See https://www.ifad.org/en/w/opinions/rural-futures-in-focus-papua-new-guinea
BULLETIN 2
World Meet on Biotechnology and Plant Biology in 2025
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The World Meet on Biotechnology and Plant Biology (WMBIOTECH2025) is scheduled to take place from November 4–6, 2025, in Rome, Italy. This prestigious international conference is designed to serve as a global platform for scientists, researchers, academics, and industry leaders to exchange knowledge and showcase the latest innovations in the fields of biotechnology and plant biology.
WMBIOTECH2025 will feature a comprehensive agenda including keynote lectures from renowned experts, panel discussions, technical sessions, poster presentations, and interactive workshops.
The conference will cover a wide range of topics such as CRISPR and gene editing, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), synthetic biology, plant-based vaccines, sustainable agriculture technologies, and the role of biotechnology in addressing climate change and global food security. It will also provide a space for young researchers and students to present their work and network with experienced professionals. Additionally, industry exhibitions and partner networking events will offer opportunities for collaborations and business development.
Market Analysis
The global plant biotechnology market, driven by demand for sustainable agriculture and food security, is projected to grow significantly, reaching USD 76.79 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 8.2% from 2025 to 2030.
The global plant biotechnology market, driven by demand for sustainable agriculture and food security, is projected to grow significantly, reaching USD 76.79 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 8.2% from 2025 to 2030.
WMBIOTECH2025 offers a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and collaborate on a global scale.
See https://inscitechsummits.com/2025/biotechnology
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
Genomic approaches to build de novo elite breeding gene pools from locally adapted landraces
Safiétou Tooli Fall, Alexander Kena, Brian R. Rice, Ghislain Kanfany, Cyril Diatta, Ndjido A. Kane, Allan K. Fritz & Geoffrey P. Morris
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; January 7 2026; vol. 139; article 28
Safiétou Tooli Fall, Alexander Kena, Brian R. Rice, Ghislain Kanfany, Cyril Diatta, Ndjido A. Kane, Allan K. Fritz & Geoffrey P. Morris
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; January 7 2026; vol. 139; article 28
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Abstract
Many nascent breeding programs aim to achieve genetic gain by crossing locally-elite germplasm, but a lack of systematic approaches to develop elite gene pools from locally adapted varieties hinders their progress. Motivated by the observation of undesirable transgressive segregation in presumed elite crosses in Senegalese cereal breeding programs, we designed approaches for de novo development of elite gene pools from locally adapted landrace-derived germplasm. We first define two types of “elite” germplasm: iso-elite, phenotypically similar and genetically homogeneous for locally adapted traits (“attained traits”); versus allo-elite, phenotypically similar, but genetically heterogeneous for attained traits. Next, we defined two genomic approaches for de novo inference of elite gene pools: population-based genotypic inference (PGI) and QTL-based genotypic inference (QGI), and compared to a family-based phenotypic inference (FPI) approach. Using simulations that trace the evolution from locally adapted landraces to elite breeding lines, we evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies in nascent forward breeding programs. QGI accurately and cost-effectively identifies both iso- and allo-elite pairs, regardless of the underlying trait architecture, while PGI is less sensitive when trait architecture is oligogenic. Over ten cycles of phenotypic recurrent selection, programs based on iso-elite crosses consistently outperformed those based on allo-elite crosses for genetic gain. The findings highlight the value of trait genetic architecture knowledge for elite gene pool development and provide a practical roadmap for elite germplasm development in modernizing breeding programs.
See https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00122-025-05124-2
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Figure: From Genomic approaches to build de novo elite breeding gene pools from locally adapted landraces.
Undesirable transgressive segregation for an attained trait in progeny from presumed elite-by-elite crosses substantially reduces the number of candidates for selection. Phenotypic distribution of flowering time in progeny from presumed elite-by-elite crosses in millet (A; F5 progeny) and sorghum (B; F7 progeny) breeding programs in Senegal. For pearl millet, Souna 3 was crossed with Thialack 2 to improve panicle length while maintaining earliness and high yield. For sorghum, Nguinthe was crossed with Grinkan to improve panicle size while maintaining lateness. Flowering time is an attained trait in these programs, since the parents (triangles) are within the acceptable range of phenotypes (black dotted lines) according to the breeding product profiles. For both crops, substantial transgressive segregation was observed, with few progeny within the acceptable range (blue shading in A and B), and most progeny falling outside (red shading in A and B). Accordingly, the percentage progeny of discarded (red in C and D) versus selected (blue in C and D) progeny was high, with only 33 and 28% of the progeny for pearl millet and sorghum, respectively, selected as acceptable with respect to flowering time
Undesirable transgressive segregation for an attained trait in progeny from presumed elite-by-elite crosses substantially reduces the number of candidates for selection. Phenotypic distribution of flowering time in progeny from presumed elite-by-elite crosses in millet (A; F5 progeny) and sorghum (B; F7 progeny) breeding programs in Senegal. For pearl millet, Souna 3 was crossed with Thialack 2 to improve panicle length while maintaining earliness and high yield. For sorghum, Nguinthe was crossed with Grinkan to improve panicle size while maintaining lateness. Flowering time is an attained trait in these programs, since the parents (triangles) are within the acceptable range of phenotypes (black dotted lines) according to the breeding product profiles. For both crops, substantial transgressive segregation was observed, with few progeny within the acceptable range (blue shading in A and B), and most progeny falling outside (red shading in A and B). Accordingly, the percentage progeny of discarded (red in C and D) versus selected (blue in C and D) progeny was high, with only 33 and 28% of the progeny for pearl millet and sorghum, respectively, selected as acceptable with respect to flowering time
