| | |  Technology News | May 2009 
Knowledge is the Key to Progress: President Felipe Calderón
 Presidencia de la República
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| | President Calderón says federal investment for science and technology will be over 4.5 billion pesos in 2009. | |
Irapuato, Guanajuato - As part of his activities for the state of Guanajuato, President Felipe Calderón mentioned the importance of promoting knowledge and Federal Government's firm decision to promote science and technology in the country.
During the visit to the National Genomic Laboratory for Biodiversity in the municipality of Irapuato, the President explained that these state-of-the-art facilities are able to decipher the genomic material of plants and microorganisms, putting Mexico on a par with other more advanced countries in this area of knowledge.
He declared that scientific advances in genomic issues will help to improve various sectors, such as agriculture, as well as setting the standard for environmental preservation and biodiversity, one of Mexico's most important assets.
“It will permit the development of seeds that are more resistant to pests, herbicides and frosts; the development of agricultural products with a greater nutritional content or a greater capacity for commercialization and plants with more and better medicinal properties, assets and services that will contribute to the sustainable use of our natural resources," he declared.
Accompanied by Governor of Guanajuato, Juan Manuel Oliva; Secretaries of Agriculture, Economics and Education, Alberto Cárdenas Jiménez, Gerardo Ruiz Mateos and Alonso Lujambio Irazábal, Director of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, José Enrique Villa Rivera, and Director of the National Council of Science Technology (CONACYT), Juan Carlos Romero Hicks, President Calderón hailed the ability of the Mexican scientific community to develop genomic projects.
He congratulated those who participated in the development of the genomic map of maize, the first genomic sequencing project to be undertaken in Mexico. He also stressed his government's commitment to the strategic sector of science and technology through the Special Program of Science, Technology and Innovation, which seeks to train high-level scientists.
President Calderón explained that in order to promote regional development, the Institutional Fund to Promote Scientific and Technological Development and Innovation and Mixed Funds were created, which together will invest over 1.2 million pesos in projects of this nature.
“Today I would like to confirm my government’s commitment to scientific and technological development. Investment in this sector obviously requires far more public and private resources to satisfy the needs of national development, which is why in every year of this government, we have tried to assign more funds to these activities."
He said that in 2009, federal investment in science and technology exceeds 4.5 million pesos while CONACYT has a budget of over 15 billion pesos. |
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