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MINSK, 2 May (BelTA) - Belarus and the United States of America intend to strengthen cooperation in agricultural research, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) Vladimir Gusakov said at the opening of the second Belarusian-U.S. workshop on scientific and technological cooperation “Science for Agriculture”, BelTA learned from the NASB press service.

Vladimir Gusakov stressed that the NASB appreciates the fact that this interaction between Belarusian and U.S. scientists has already become traditional. “We can now consider, on a systematic basis, a wide range of issues regarding the expansion of cooperation in science and innovations. The theme of the workshop “Science for Agriculture” was chosen on purpose. Science advances and innovations in agriculture are the key ingredients for economic development of the United States and Belarus, enabling us to update the manufacturers on a continuous basis through the development of science and technology,” he said.

The press service noted that the workshop was the result of the recent effort to intensify joint activities of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus with American partners, especially with the U.S. National Academies. The NASB signed cooperation agreements with the world’s leaders in information technology such as Hewlett Packard, Dell, Oracle, and Cisco. Contacts have been concluded for the supply of equipment, software development, certification, development and the analysis of new materials on the orders of American partners.

“However, this level is far from the existing potential. Today the U.S. and Belarus believe that there is an obvious need for expanding joint research and promoting its results ion the real sector of the economy of the two states,” Vladimir Gusakov said.

For his part, Glenn Schweitzer, Director, Program on Central Europe and Eurasia at the U.S. National Academies, confirmed the intention of the U.S. to step up cooperation with Belarusian R&D organizations. “During the current visit the sides are planning to discuss the mechanisms of implementing scientific research into practice, in the real sector of the economy. In particular, the U.S. is interested in cooperation with Belarusian colleagues in a number of areas in agriculture. These include the updating of the maps of soils, increasing the control over crop quality, innovations in vegetable farming,” the NASB noted.

The U.S. delegation of scientists has come to Minsk to take part in the second Belarusian-American workshop on sci-tech cooperation “Science for Agriculture” hosted by the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on 2-3 May. The delegation includes representatives of the U.S. National Academies, the National Association of System Heads, the Center for Global Connections in Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University, the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University.

It is planned that the U.S. delegation will visit the Belarusian National Foundation for Fundamental Research, the Institute of Genetics and Cytology, the Research Center for Food, the scientific personnel training center, the Research Center for Land Management, the Research Center for Cattle Breeding, the Central Botanical Garden.

The first Belarusian-U.S. workshop on sci-tech cooperation took place at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on 13-18 December 2015.