Since the late 1980s the trend of university interaction with agriculture has been moving downward, yet MSU is determined to fight that trend with the International Rice Research Institute, or IRRI, said President M. Peter McPherson, in a speech to the institute on Saturday at Kellogg Center.
"Rice is one of the most consumed crops in the world," McPherson said. "As a leading research university, we recognize how organizations such as these really change the world."
Established in the early 1960s by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Philippine government, the IRRI works to increase rice production on continents that contain developing countries, such as Asia and Africa and decrease the numbers of undernourished people.
The group tries to eliminate hunger and poverty across the globe.
McPherson said without the institute's work, the world would be worse off.
"You would have had millions of hungry people," he said.
International agronomy Professor Russell Freed, a member of the institute, organized the reunion to be held on campus.
"There are over 800 million undernourished people in the world, most of whom are located in Asia," Freed said. "Rice is a major staple, and because of the IRRI, the production of rice has been doubled and the price has decreased."
Freed worked from 1972-80 for the institute and spent eight years traveling between Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Los Baños, Philippines. He also contributed to a project that experimented new varieties of soybeans.
After his work with rice production, he came to MSU where he emphasized the importance of the program to the university.
Members of the institute have been stationed in a variety of undernourished cities, such as those Freed helped, and have collaborated with respective government scientists to help develop rice production programs.
The IRRI has decreased poverty levels in most Asian countries, where the continent's total starvation level exceeds all the other continents in the world.
As a result, people have been able to purchase cheaper rice in larger quantities and are in turn receiving necessary nutrition.
"We are now working on golden rice, which increases vitamin A content," Freed said. "This is very important for the health and nutrition of the people."
During his speech, McPherson said that although MSU study abroad students tend to travel to Europe for school programs, he hoped more students would participate and offer their services to developing countries.
"A few students have already participated with the IRRI," Freed said. "About a year ago one student did a study abroad in Los Baños and continued with an internship with IRRI."
In the midst of the work that has already been done, Freed said the reunion was a wonderful way for all his colleagues and friends to get together once again.
"When you work outside a country, you become very close friends," he said. "It was wonderful for all of us to talk of our accomplishments, talk of where we are now headed and just see each other again."
