Research efforts to tackle global food security has received a major boost in Sask.

On March 22, the Saskatchewan government had announced that through the Innovation and Science Fund, Innovation Saskatchewan will be providing $800,000 for state-of-the-art equipment in a new Roots of Food Security research facility at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S).

The new facility supports the University’s Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) Program, which is led by Leon Kochian, an internationally recognized plant scientist.

Kochian is a faculty member in plant and soil science at the U of S College of Agriculture and BioResources, and is also the associate director of the Global Institute for Food Security.

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The CERC program embraces a multi-disciplinary approach involving researchers in plant physiology, molecular biology and genomics, engineering, physics and computer science fields.

The total cost for the new facility is $2 million, and additional funds will be provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation ($800,000), the U of S ($9,000) and $391,000 in in-kind contributions of cutting-edge technology from vendors.

“Saskatchewan has a proud legacy of groundbreaking research, discovery and leadership in plant science, and innovation,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Tina Beaudry-Mellor said.  “This investment will help us push the boundaries of science even further, and will provide knowledge that will make a valuable contribution to global food security.”

Research done at the facility will focus on designing and breeding better crops with healthier, more active and more efficient root systems that can grow successfully in less fertile soils, with a goal to position the province as a national driver for agricultural change and food security issues that Canada faces.

“This combined federal-provincial investment supports fundamental research that is pivotal to keeping Saskatchewan and Canada at the forefront of agricultural innovation to meet the food challenges facing the world,” U of S Vice-President Research Karen Chad said.  “We have both the top talent through our CERC to make this happen, but now also the unique tools to conduct cutting-edge root systems research that will improve crop yields and help feed a hungry world.”