China's space seed breeding technology: Will it solve food security issue?
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China's food system has been hit due to COVID-19 and natural disasters for the past two years. China is currently ranked 34th on the Global Food Security Index comprising 113 countries.
According to China's state-run Global Times, the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft undertook a "space breeding journey" to enhance food security.
The report said China has allowed space seed breeding which uses cosmic radiation to mutate the genes of seeds being sent into space to make a new species.
The newspaper said 12,000 seeds were used as part of the experiment with edible mushrooms, cabbage, rice, oats and clover being used during Shenzhou's 183-day journey in space.
The Global Times report said clover which is a key animal feed product is in short supply in the country.
Food security is one of the key hurdles for China. A World Economic Forum(WEF) report said President Xi Jinping recognises the need to address the country’s food security amid the pandemic. China's food system has been hit due to COVID-19 and natural disasters for the past two years.
Watch: Is Xi Jinping trapped in his own lockdown policy?
The World Economic Forum said the country needs to stabilise its food and corn production and expand soybean and oilseed production. China is currently ranked 34th on the Global Food Security Index comprising 113 countries. The WEF said climate change is the biggest factor which is hindering its food security.
Lockdown-hit Shanghai has been batting food shortages including the city of Xi'an in China which faced severe food shortages due to a partial lockdown earlier this year.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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