WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Harvest Initiative (GHI) announced today that IBM has joined as a new member. IBM will work alongside founding member companies Archer Daniels Midland, DuPont, John Deere and Monsanto to advance its mission of sustainably doubling agricultural output to meet the needs of the more than nine billion people estimated to inhabit the earth by 2050. Recognized as one of the world's leading technology companies, IBM engages in food security by enhancing the nutritional value of grains and farm-to-table tracking systems. In addition to these technological innovations, IBM's analytics technology helps optimize food operations from planting, watering and harvesting to storage, tracking and distribution, resulting in enhanced efficiencies in the use of increasingly scarce land, water and other inputs.

"We are extremely pleased that IBM has joined the Global Harvest Initiative," said GHI Chairman of the Board, Dr. William G. Lesher. "IBM brings a unique set of skills and expertise that will undoubtedly help us work toward implementing solutions that will increase global agricultural productivity, improve food security and meet the needs of a growing world."

"IBM is pleased to be able to lend our expertise, talent and global perspective to the vitally important agenda of the Global Harvest Initiative," said Stanley Litow, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs and President, IBM International Foundation.

The announcement follows yesterday's update from the United Nations that the global population has reached seven billion.

The Global Harvest Initiative was established in 2009 as a partnership among Archer Daniels

Midland Company, DuPont, John Deere, and Monsanto with the goal of addressing hunger and food security by sustainably closing the global agricultural productivity gap. GHI recently released its 2011 GAP Report™, an annual benchmark of the global rate of agricultural productivity. For information about GHI membership, programs, and to access studies, videos and resources, visit: www.globalharvestinitiative.org.

SOURCE Global Harvest Initiative