Cut back

"This is a stark example of the many problems that are coming to light in the world’s agricultural system. Experts say that during the food surpluses of recent decades, governments and development agencies lost focus on the importance of helping poor countries improve their agriculture. Vital research programs have been slashed. At the rice institute, scientists have identified 14 genetic traits that could help rice plants survive the plant hopper, which sucks the juices out of young plants while infecting them with viruses. But the scientists have had no money to breed these traits into the world’s most widely used rice varieties." (Thanks D.)

Good article in the NYT commiserating the cut backs in research aimed at improving the lot of poor farmers. I'm expecting the big seed corporations to take over the ailing international research sector anytime now.