Russian University Creates Drought-Resistant Soya Alternative That Could Thrive in Africa

Researchers at the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy have created a new species of white lupin, named GANA – a high-yielding, drought-resistant plant that is proposed as an alternative to soya and could even find a place in Africa, Alexandra Shitikova, acting director of the university's Institute of Agrobiotechnology, told Sputnik.

"The white lupin variety +GANA+ is named after its creators, Galina and Natalia. It is characterized by high productivity and drought resistance. It also produces a seed with a low alkaloid content. The variety is already in great demand among agricultural producers [...] We have many contacts with Africa. We are ready to contact our colleagues in Africa and initiate experiments," she stated.

The development of this new variety is one of the studies carried out by the "Agrotechnologies of the Future" Research Center, supported by the Russian Ministry of Education as part of the national "Science and Universities" project.

The university has forged strong links with Africa, and many students from the continent come to Moscow to study agronomy and a wide range of other disciplines taught there.

Most of them are interested in plants that will thrive in Africa and give good yields.

"Very often, African students choose to study soybeans, cotton, or crops of industrial importance to their country [...]. They choose crops that are traditional or may hold promise for cultivation. For example, a doctoral student from Benin recently did his thesis on potatoes, a crop that remains a premium segment in Benin as the country is dominated by tuberous plants such as cassava and yam," Shitikova explained.

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In particular, the students are examining the possibility of influencing these plants, in order to achieve qualitative changes and better quality harvests.

At a time when food security is one of the main challenges in Africa, education also makes it possible to train students who will help the continent make better use of its agriculture, Fedor Voitenkov, head of the university's Department of International Cooperation, shared with Sputnik.

"The problem of food security is most acute today, mainly on the African continent. Here we teach how to increase soil fertility, conserve produce and develop organic farming. This is knowledge that we can pass on to our African students [...]. We are happy to cooperate with all African countries without exception," he explained.

On the research front, RSAU – MTAA has also signed several cooperation agreements with Egyptian educational organizations.

According to Ivan Krivtchanski, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, among the university's 250 African students, there are nationals of Benin, Burundi, Chad, Zambia, etc. The largest group, around 30 students, come from Chad and most are studying hydrotechnical construction, a field in demand in this African country.

According to Krivchanski, educational ties between Russia and Africa should continue to grow stronger. He recalled that the Soviet Union has always maintained strong interactions with the continent, and expressed hopes that the future will continue in this vein.

"We're already seeing how the world is changing, and when we leave the Anglo-Saxon model of education, it's likely that we'll return to the level of interaction with Africa that existed in the days of the USSR," predicted the academic.

To reconnect with this past, RSAU – MTAA is planning to resurrect its Department of Tropical Agriculture and Soil Cultivation, which once worked in the interests of African countries.