global food system

17 February, 2010 | Emily McGiffin

The day that forever changed Dr. Salvatore Ceccarelli's career was much like any other. Ceccarelli, a successful Italian plant breeder who works at an agricultural research centre in Syria, was making routine notes on a long row of barley test plots. Glancing up between plots, Ceccarelli noticed the farmer from a nearby cottage surveying the collection with interest. As he reached the end of the row, Ceccarelli closed his notebook and asked casually, "Well? What do you think?" ...