Evening Lecture&Debate in Edinburgh "The Green Revolution in Africa"
On the 1st March, 2006, the UK-JSPS Alumni Association hosted an evening lecture and dinner in Edinburgh for former JSPS fellows and interested researchers and students in the Edinburgh area. Held just a stone throw from Edinburgh Castle at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Society, the participants were treated to enjoyable and informative lectures on the topic of "The Green Revolution in Africa". Invited to speak were two leading figures in African agricultural development: Professor Keijiro Otsuka of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and chairman of the board of trustees of the International Rice Institute and Professor Jonathan Kydd of Imperial College London.
The speakers and participants gathered in the large meeting room at the top of the historic building where a roaring open fire was blazing, and the meeting began. Following a short welcome speech by Professor Osanai, Director the JSPS London Office, and a brief up-date on Alumni activities by our chairman Professor Peter Sammonds, the invited speakers gave spirited and interesting lectures.
Professor Otsuka, the first to take the platform, discussed the need to develop new rice varieties that are capable of enduring droughts and presented up-to-the-minute information on the current research into creating such a variety. Complementing issues raised in Professor Otsuka's presentation, Professor Kydd discussed the socio-economic conditions required to accomplish a green revolution in Africa by drawing comparisons with the Asian green revolution.
A lively question and debate session ensued before all the participants and speakers retired to the dining room where they were treated to an even more lively whisky tasting lesson by the staff at the Scotch Whiskey Heritage Centre and a delicious whisky-themed Scottish dinner.
Presentation materials and full transcripts of the lectures are available on the files below.
