8th Interneational Wheat Conference

Conference summary

Closing speech of Dr. Hans-Joachim Braun Director of CIMMYT Global Wheat Program
Chair, International Organizing Committee

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, friends and colleagues,
participants of the 8th International Wheat Conference

Our conference exceeded all our expectations for the number and representation of participants as well as for the diversity of the scientific program. The conference conveyed more than 650 scientists and about 50 guests from more than 77 countries that made it one of the most significant events for the global wheat research community. Since the 1st International Wheat Conference held in Ankara from June 5 – 9, 1972, this was the first time that so many wheat scientists met in one place, in the historical center of Saint-Petersburg. The conference program included more than 50 oral presentations covering all aspects of wheat research and breeding with reports from all wheat producing areas of the world. The poster sessions had almost 300 presentations that gave a chance for communication and exchange of ideas.

The conference sessions were focusing on the major problems related to the contemporary surveys aiming to increase the wheat productivity in conditions of climate change and significant increase of world population. The content of the presentations clearly reflects that the spirit of Nikolay Vavilov and Nobel Prize laureate Norman Borlaug is still alive.

I am sincerely grateful to the President of Russian Academy of Agricultural sciences professor Sergey Romanenko who found a possibility to attend our conference and to participate in the opening ceremony despite of his busy schedule in the summer period. I am also grateful to Cary Fowler, Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Crop Trust for his participation in our event. In his report he expressed his deep concern for the fate of the unique collection of Horticultural Crops in Vavilov Institute Center in Pavlovsk and one of the largest Russian crop selection centers in Nemchinovka that is threatened to be closed.

Unfortunately our conference was not attended by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture or other officials who are involved into decision-making and who could comment on the above mentioned facts.

On behalf of International Organizing Committee and CIMMYT Global Wheat Program I call for making utmost efforts and using all possible politic and state channels and mass media in order to highlight the need and importance of saving plant diversity and agricultural sciences for the benefit of our mankind. 

We should always remember that the Earth is our home and ensuring World food security is a common task for the humanity!