Province of Saskatchewan, PotashCorp commit $50 million to Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan

Public-private partnership to advance science and policy for global food
and nutrition security

SASKATOON, Dec. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - The Province of Saskatchewan, the University of Saskatchewan, and Potash
Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) today formally launched
the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) to develop
Saskatchewan-led solutions to feed a growing world population.

With initial commitments of up to CDN $35 million from PotashCorp and
CDN $15 million from the province over the next seven years, the
institute will apply Saskatchewan’s unique resources, innovation and
expertise to address the increasing global demand for safe, reliable
food.

“The plan for growth positions Saskatchewan as a global leader in food
security and innovation by 2020,” Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall
said. ”Advancing Saskatchewan’s agricultural advantage allows us to
significantly increase the global food supply – our moral obligation as
a good global citizen – while building the next economy, an innovation
economy, here at home.”

PotashCorp’s investment represents the largest donation in the company’s
history and reflects its deep commitment to food security. The donation
is one of the largest corporate donations for university research in
Canada.

“Food security remains our biggest challenge as populations increase and
diets change, putting immense strain on food production,” said Bill
Doyle, President and CEO of PotashCorp. “We need to help farmers around
the world produce more food, ensure it’s safe and nutritious, and get
it efficiently to those who need it. As the world’s largest producer of
crop nutrients, supporting food production is a mandate for our company
and we believe this institute can play an important role in improving
global food security.”

The institute will be based at the University of Saskatchewan, a world-renowned centre of excellence in agriculture and food-system
related research.

“Over the past century, the University of Saskatchewan has led
far-sighted research and innovation to help grow a province and feed a
growing nation. Now, through this innovative partnership and its bold
vision, we will build on our strengths and provide new research
solutions across the food supply system to help feed a growing world,”
said Dr. Ilene Busch-Vishniac, President, University of Saskatchewan.
“This collaborative institute will create unique opportunities for
cutting-edge science and policy research that will attract top faculty
and students and put Saskatchewan on the global map for food security
research.”

The institute will build on Saskatchewan’s existing strength in crop
production systems through new investments in technological, economic,
nutritional and environmental improvements to the food supply system at
home and around the world. It will take a strategic approach to the
food supply system – for example, breeding for higher yield, improved
nutrition and better processing traits, looking at how soil quality
affects the nutritional value of crops, and adapting prairie zone
crops to available soil and water.

With today’s complex global food system, the research leadership the new
institute will provide is urgently needed to develop not just the new
science and technologies to increase food production and nutrition, but
to impact the policy agenda so that changes can take place to improve
how the various parts of the food system interact.

Focusing on crops grown in Saskatchewan as well as those grown in many
other parts of the world such as wheat, lentils, peas and canola -
essential sources of food for a significant portion of the world’s
population – the institute will develop transferable solutions that can
be applied to relevant regions and partnerships around the world.

The partners have signed a Memorandum of Agreement outlining the
institute’s mandate, funding, structure and governance. A search for
the institute’s initial Executive Director & CEO is underway.

Background information and video will be available for download at www.globalinstituteforfoodsecurity.org following the webcast of the media conference.

About the University of Saskatchewan

As one of Canada’s top research universities, the University of
Saskatchewan is at the forefront of Canada’s efforts to become a global
innovator in solving food security challenges. The U of S has one of
the world’s largest hubs of food security researchers–more than 160
scientists and social scientists with expertise across the food
system–along with relevant research infrastructure unparalleled in
Canada, including two of Canada’s major science facilities (the
Canadian Light Source and VIDO-InterVac) and a dynamic campus cluster
of more than 70 agricultural-related centres.

About PotashCorp

As the world’s largest crop nutrient company, PotashCorp plays an
integral role in global food production. The company produces the three
essential nutrients required to help farmers grow healthier, more
abundant crops. With global population rising and diets improving in
developing countries, crop nutrients such as potash, phosphates and
nitrogen offer a responsible and practical solution to help produce the
food we need, from the land we have.

About the Province of Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Plan for Growth outlines a vision for being a global
leader in food security and innovation by 2020. This will be achieved
by increasing crop production by 10 million tonnes; increasing exports
of agricultural and food products from CDN $10 billion to CDN $15
billion; increasing value-added production, processing and innovation;
and establishing Saskatchewan as an international bioscience leader.
Over the last number of years, Saskatchewan has strategically and
systematically built an excellent agricultural research and development
cluster. The establishment of the Global Institute for Food Security
builds on Saskatchewan’s natural, intellectual and infrastructural
resources, and positions Saskatchewan to simultaneously benefit from
the increasing global demand for agricultural products while meeting
its social responsibilities as a good global citizen.

SOURCE Creative Fire