A promising way of achieving 2020 Vision objectives was illustrated at the conference by Cesar Cardona, who presented the results of a three-year study aimed at reducing pesticide use by Andean bean farmers through IPM techniques. The study found that farmers were overusing pesticides in cultivating beans,the most important legume crop in the region. Our health survey indicated harmful effects of the excessive use of chemicals among male farm workers, most of whom took virtually no protective precautions in spraying operations. The promise of biotechnology was presented at the conference by Cornell University scientist, Susan McCouch. Rice yield growth in Asia has been stagnant in recent years, causing concern about meeting future demand for rice, the world's most heavily consumed food.
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