Innovation Critical in Fight to Save Food

Innovation Critical in Fight to Save Food PR Newswire BRUSSELS, September 20, 2012 BRUSSELS, September 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Study finds innovation key driver of European agricultural productivity, competitiveness Against a backdrop of food-price spikes and calls for action on global food security, an assessment of the economic importance of a key class of crop protection chemicals has confirmed the value of hi-tech solutions for sustainable productive agriculture and underlined the essential contribution of research and development. [i] [ii] [iii]The Nomisma -led study establishes that without triazoles , major European cereal crops would be critically vulnerable to septoria, the most economically damaging pathogen of European wheat, a devastating fungal infection that can inflict [iv]yield losses of up to 40% . "If Europe is to remain competitive, we must invest to protect our harvests. Research and development is costly and time-consuming, but failure to equip farmers with the right tools for the job will have serious implications on productivity," said Friedhelm Schmider, Director General of the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA). Europe is currently a net exporter of wheat, producing 21% of the global harvest; triazoles support this level of productivity, enabling a competitive European yield of 5.3 t/ha versus a global average of 2.9 t/ha. "This study underlines the vital contribution of triazoles and the critical importance of innovation.