Sang-Soo Kwak, et al
Environmental Biotechnology Research Center, KRIBB
 

Who will support the world population of more than 9 billion people in 2050? The dramatic increase in population accompanied by rapid industrialization in developing countries has caused imbalances in the supply of food and energy. Desertification is one of the most serious global problems. The causes of desertification derive majorly from human activities such as overgrazing, deforestation, the improper management of soil and water by the local poor people’s living at the desertification areas. To cope with these global crises over food and energy supplies as well as environmental problems, it is urgently required to develop new environmentally friendly industrial plants to be grown on marginal lands including desertification areas for sustainable development. In this respect, the agroforestry biotechnology will be important to increase local peoples’ income and thereby combat desertification in an eco-friendly manner. In the presentation, the results and prospects of our studies on several industrial transgenic plants such as sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), potato (Solanum tuberosum), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and poplar (Populus alba x P. tremula var. grandulosa) with enhanced tolerance to multiple environmental stresses will be introduced in terms of blue ocean strategy. In addition, Korea-China Biotechnology Joint Research Center to Combat Desertification (www.bjrccd.re.kr), which was established in 2009 on the basis of MOU regarding science and technology cooperation for combating desertification signed during Korea-China Seoul summit held in August 2008 will be introduced for the future collaboration.