D-8 works to create ‘seed bank’

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Professor Widi Pratikto. AA photo

The Developing Eight (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation has launched a “seed bank project” to fight global food crises.

D-8 Secretary-General Professor Widi Pratikto told Anatolia news agency that the world was facing another food crisis.

“To prevent a new food crisis, the organization has launched a ‘seed bank’ project which will be focused on the sectors of agriculture, food safety, energy and trade as well as industry and transportation,” said Pratikto.

Pratikto said the D-8 countries (Turkey, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria and Pakistan) make up one-sixth of world’s total population. “Despite the economic downturn around the globe, in 2009 D-8 conducted trade worth $5.7 billion, and following the new agreements it reached $7.3 billion in 2011,” Praktiko added.