Minister launches PROTEOS project

Partnership strengthened with launch of new project

Agriculture Minister David Carter today in Wageningen launched a joint programme between the Netherlands and New Zealand aimed at solving global protein shortages.

“Massey University’s Riddet Institute along with Wageningen University and Research Centre will embark on an ambitious project, that has the potential to dramatically improve the world’s food supply, Mr Carter said.

“Already there is a long history of cooperation between WUR and Massey, particularly in the context of the Global Research Alliance, in which New Zealand and the Netherlands are working closely together to lead the Livestock Research Group.

“This new collaboration, PROTEOS, is a three-pronged approach to the same dilemma of producing more food with less environmental impact.

“The world faces a growing food crisis, with the global population expected to top nine billion by 2050. The demand for animal protein by then will be twice what we are capable of producing now.

“Our capacity to meet this demand in a sustainable manner will be a huge challenge.

“The PROTEOS project’s goal is to find substitutes and extenders for animal protein; increase agri-production efficiencies; and finally, extend the range of animal protein products.

“If these ambitious goals can be achieved, we will be looking at a very different future, when new kinds of protein sources become increasingly important in human nutrition, and new kinds of animal feed support increased production.

“This important project may make an important contribution to international efforts in meeting food security challenges, as well as bringing our two countries closer together,” Mr Carter concluded.