Social Network Analysis (SNA) provides CIMMYT with strategic insights by mapping collaborations and communication within agricultural research networks. It highlights the importance of strong ties with research partners and the potential of non-CGIAR collaborations to extend CIMMYT’s impact on global agriculture, emphasizing network-driven strategies for innovation and food security enhancement.
Maize grain heavily damaged by the larger grain borer and maize weevil. (Photo: Jessica GonzĂĄlez/CIMMYT)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 10% of the global population suffers from food poisoning each year. Aflatoxins, the main contributor to food poisoning around the world, contaminate cereals and nuts and humans, especially vulnerable groups like the young, elderly, or immune-compromised, and animals are susceptible to their toxic and potentially carcinogenic effects.
Fungi contamination occurs all along the production cycle, during and after harvest, so the mitigation of the mycotoxins challenge requires the use of an integrated approach, including the selection of farmer-preferred tolerant varieties, implementing good agricultural practices such as crop rotation or nitrogen management, reducing crop stress, managing pests and diseases, biological control of mycotoxigenic strains, and good post-harvest practices.
Monitoring of mycotoxins in food crops is important to identify places and sources of infestations as well as implementing effective agricultural practices and other corrective measures that can prevent outbreaks.
A bug problem
Insects can directly or indirectly contribute to the spread of fungi and the subsequent production of mycotoxins. Many insects associated with maize plants before and after harvest act as a vector by carrying fungal spores from one location to another.
International collaboration is key to managing the risks associated with the spread of invasive pests and preventing crop damage caused by the newly introduced pests. CIMMYT, through CGIARâs Plant Health initiative, partners with the Center for Grain and Animal Health Research of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Kansas State University are investigating the microbes associated with the maize weevil and the larger grain borer.
The experiment consisted of trapping insects in three different habitats, a prairie near CIMMYT facilities in El BatĂĄn, Texcoco, Mexico, a maize field, and a maize store at CIMMYTâs experimental station at El BatĂĄn, using Lindgren funnel traps and pheromones lures.
Hanging of the Lindgren funnel traps in a prairie near El BĂĄtan, Texcoco, Mexico. (Photo: Jessica GonzĂĄlez/CIMMYT)
Preliminary results of this study were presented by Hannah Quellhorst from the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University during an online seminar hosted by CIMMYT.
The collected insect samples were cultured in agar to identify the microbial community associated with them. Two invasive pests, the larger grain bore and the maize weevil, a potent carcinogenic mycotoxin was identified and associated with the larger grain borer and the maize weevil.
The larger grain borer is an invasive pest, which can cause extensive damage and even bore through packaging materials, including plastics. It is native to Mexico and Central America but was introduced in Africa and has spread to tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Together with the maize weevil, post-harvest losses of up to 60% have been recorded in Mexico from these pests.
âWith climate change and global warming, there are risks of these pests shifting their habitats to areas where they are not currently present like sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa,â said Quelhorst. âHowever, the monitoring of the movement of these pests at an international level is lacking and the microbial communities moving with these post-harvest insects are not well investigated.â
CIMMYT’s development and release of six new wheat varieties in Ethiopia, aimed at combating rust diseases and increasing yields, underscore its pivotal role in advancing agricultural self-sufficiency and productivity in the country. These varieties, covering the majority of Ethiopia’s wheat cultivation area, highlight CIMMYT’s significant contribution to enhancing food security and agricultural resilience.
Annual AID-I meeting participants gather for a group photo. (Photo:Christabel Chabwela)
Implementing partners of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) project, or MasAgro Africa, converged in Arusha, Tanzania, for the project’s first annual review and planning meeting. The event, which brought together 58 participants from 28 allied organizations coordinating and implementing activities as part of the flagship USAID-funded initiative, provided an opportunity to review progress towards targets set at the project launch in September 2022. During the event, partners also took time to collaboratively plan for stronger implementation in the projectâs second year, while discussing challenges faced in the previous year and coming up with practical solutions for these. Similar planning meetings took place in Malawi and Zambia during the same month.
Speaking during the meetingâs opening session, USAID Tanzania Mission Feed the Future Coordinator Melanie Edwards expressed excitement about the achievements of in-country partners in the past year. âThe Tanzania component of the project was performing very well,â she said, âand it was exciting to see the proposals coming, meaning that the number of partners was expanding.â Edwards noted that there is still a lot more to be done by the AID-I project and a call for new partner proposals was going to be issued soon to augment ongoing work. She also emphasized the importance of expanding the number of partners and was eager to see planned activities for the second year of the project.
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Tanzaniaâa key partner in the AID-I initiativeâAbel Mtembenji outlined the government’s priorities: increasing productivity, creating decent jobs, enhancing extension services, improving resilience for food security, and expanding market and credit access. Mtembenji was pleased that AID-I interventions aligned with these and encouraged stakeholders to coordinate their efforts with the Tanzanian government to enhance the sustainability of project activities. He further encouraged stakeholders to notify the government of their initiatives to foster collaboration during implementation. Mtembenji recognized the support from USAID, through CIMMYT and thanked all partners for their participation and contribution to agricultural development in Tanzania.
Showcasing early successes
The AID-I initiative provides targeted assistance to up to three million African smallholder farmers by improving soil health and fertilizer management; strengthening local seed systems; connecting to financial products and services; and delivering extension and advisory services. An update presentation made by SAS Program Manager Grace Mwai revealed that through its 42 partners across Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia, AID-I had in the past 12 months set up 125 mega-demonstrations for the 2022-2023 season. Forty-two of these were managed by farmer groups themselves, with 60% managed by women.
Across all three project countries, AID-I also reached approximately 5.3 million farmers with various agronomic advisory messages through radio and television, 160,000 listeners through interactive voice response (IVR) messages. Over 9,000 farmers were linked to inputs and outputs markets, of which 40% were women. Mwai added that the project had also conducted 5,143 seed company demonstrationsâof which 2,400 took place in Tanzaniaâand had harvested and processed 13,000 metric tons of certified maize and legume seed, which was expected to directly benefit around one million smallholder farmers across the hub.
Partners demonstrate seed packages to meeting participants. (Photo: Christabel Chabwela)
On the second day of the meeting, partners organized themselves into three small groups based on the three AID-I pillarsâSeed Systems, Agriculture Advisories, and Market Linkagesâto discuss forthcoming activities and what they hoped to do better in the coming season. The meeting concluded with discussions on issues including financial reporting, establishing and nurturing collaborations, and leveraging technology for improved project outcomes. During his closing remarks, Legume and Seed Systems Specialist under AID-I, Peter Setimela, emphasized the importance of timely proposal submission for the second year.
CIMMYT applies high quality science to develop more resilient agrifood systems. This year three scientists from CIMMYT are included in Clarivateâs 2023 Analysis of the most highly cited academic papers.
While CIMMYTâs mission does explicitly require academic publication from its scientists, âthe recognition reflects extensive networking with academia, opening doors for new technologies to benefit resource-poor farmers and consumers as well as lending scientific kudos to CIMMYT and underpinning fundraising efforts,â says Distinguished Scientist and Head of Wheat Physiology, Matthew Reynolds.
Maize Physiologist Jill Cairns and collaborators spearheaded the application of high throughput phenotyping for maize-breeding in sub-Saharan Africa, which she says, âwould not have been possible without involving leading academic experts like JL Araus at Barcelona University.â
Reynolds has built initiatives like the Heat and Drought Wheat Improvement Consortium (HeDWIC) and the International Wheat Yield Partnership (IWYP) that transfer cutting-edge technologiesâfrom many of the best academic institutions in the worldâto application in breeding, helping to widen wheat gene pools globally.
All three scientists achieved the same recognition last year. As in 2022, Reynolds was awarded for his contribution to scientific literature in plant and animal sciences, while Cairns and Crossa were awarded for their contributions to scientific literature across several fields of research (cross fields).
Since 2001, Clarivateâs Highly Cited Researchers list has identified global research scientists and social scientists who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research. It recognizes exceptional research performance demonstrated by the production of multiple papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year, according to the Web of Science citation indexing service.
In 2023, the list recognizes 6,849 individuals from more than 1,300 institutions across 67 countries and regions.
Certified soyabean seed from Afriseed. (Photo: AFRI archives)
In Zambia, smallholder farmers obtain their seed from a variety of sources. Over 75 percent of farmers in Zambia have adopted certified maize seed and about 30 percent in southern Africa, overall. The private sector has been instrumental in creating demand for certified and timely delivery of seed to remote areas, and the Government of Zambiaâs Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) has largely contributed to better accessibility to certified seed for farmers. In 2022â2023, of the three million registered smallholder farmers in Zambia, more than one million accessed certified seed through FISP.
Afriseed is a seed company in Zambia that has been gaining ground in local seed markets. It has emerged as a catalyst for helping smallholder farmers transition to new, high-yielding legume varieties. Afriseed provides solutions to help smallholders increase their agricultural productivity with improved seed varieties of cereals and legumes and assist them with technology transfer. The company aims to increase the food security and incomes of Zambiaâs smallholder farming community, which accounts for 90 percent of agricultural output in the country. During the 2022â2023 farming season, a critical turning point was reached when Afriseed became a partner in the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, or MasAgro Africa, a two-year project under CIMMYT, with the aim of scaling-up production of certified seed varieties of soybean and common bean.
Under the partnership, Afriseed promotes the cultivation of improved legume seed through a smallholder farmer seed multiplication approach. By engaging with practicing smallholder farmers and signing grower contracts, basic seeds are multiplied into certified seed for soybean and common bean. Certified seed is a known variety produced under strict seed certification standards to support varietal purity. In collaboration with the Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI), the countryâs national seed authority, contracted farmers received training on climate-smart agricultural techniques and seed production guidelines. Through extension services to seed growers, smallholder farmers can adhere to the seed production guidelines set out in the National Seed Act to ensure the quality of certified seed produced.
Smallholder farmers hold improved, certified seed. (Photo: AFRI archives)
Afriseed has invested more than USD 335,000 toward supporting the production, aggregation, and processing of 317 t of certified climate-smart legume seedsâ265 metric tonnes (MT) for soybean and 52 MT for common bean. Data have shown that the seeds were aggregated from 313 smallholder seed growers, 40 percent of whom were women, in Zambiaâs Eastern Muchinga, Copperbelt and the Northern provinces. Seed aggregation improves access to quality seed varieties, increases crop yields and incomes, enhances integration into value chains, and creates market links for smallholder farmers.
Notable progress has been made with the contracted farmers, who have applied improved crop management practices and technologies on more than 600 ha of land to produce the seed. With this encouraging progress, Afriseed intends to scale up its last-mile seed distribution strategy to reach and directly help an estimated 35,000 underserved rural smallholder farming households with improved legume seeds in the 2023â2024 cropping season.
AID-I is one of the ways in which Feed the Future, the U.S. Governmentâs global food security and hunger initiative led by USAID, is taking immediate action to help cushion the blow of high fuel and fertilizer prices on farmers. One of the projectâs initial actions is to strengthen local seed systems so that agribusinesses can reach smallholder farmers with a diversity of improved seeds varieties, including climate-resilient and more nutritious varieties for maize and legumes.
CIMMYT’s involvement in the TELA Maize Project has been instrumental in the development of new drought-tolerant and pest-resistant maize varieties, recently released by Nigeria’s Federal Government. This initiative, aimed at enhancing food security and agricultural productivity, underscores CIMMYT’s commitment to agricultural innovation and global collaboration in biotechnology.
On January 10, 2024, Vijesh V. Krishna, Principal Scientist / Lead Economist of CIMMYT visited the Foundation for Agrarian Studies in Bengaluru, sparking collaborative discussions on future research. This meeting, enhanced by online participation, laid the groundwork for potential joint research efforts in the future.
CIMMYT and ICBA sign a memorandum of understanding. (Photo: ICBA)
Dubai/Mexico City, 10 January 2024 â An award-winning not-for-profit agricultural research center recognized for its work on sustainable agriculture in the Middle East and North Africa is joining forces with the global organization whose breeding research has contributed to half the maize and wheat varieties grown in low- and middle-income countries.
The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and CIMMYT have signed an agreement to jointly advance the ecological and sustainable intensification of cereal and legume cropping systems in semi-arid and dryland areas.
âFarmers in such settings confront enormous risks and variable conditions and often struggle to eke out a livelihood, but they still comprise a critical part of the global food system and their importance and challenges are mounting under climate change,â said Bram Govaerts, director general of CIMMYT. âICBA brings enormously valuable expertise and partnerships to efforts that will help them.â
The specifics of the two centersâ joint work are yet to be defined but will cover soil health, salinity management approaches, crop productivity and breeding, gender-transformative capacity development, and finding markets for underutilized crops, among other vital topics.
Established in 1999 and headquartered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), ICBA conducts research and development to increase agricultural productivity, improve food security and nutrition, and enhance the livelihoods of rural farming communities in marginal areas. The center has extensive experience in developing solutions to the problems of salinity, water scarcity and drought, and maintains one of the worldâs largest collections of germplasm of drought-, heat- and salt-tolerant plant species.
âWe are excited about the synergies our partnership with CIMMYT will create. It will focus on a range of areas, but the priority will be given to developing breeding and cropping system innovations to improve farmersâ food security and nutrition, while enhancing water security and environmental sustainability, and creating jobs and livelihoods in different parts of the world,â said Tarifa Alzaabi, director general of ICBA.
Based in Mexico but with projects in over 80 countries and offices throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America, CIMMYT operates a global seed distribution network that provides 80% of the worldâs breeding lines for maize and wheat, including many that offer superior yields and resilience in dry conditions and in the presence of crop diseases and pests.
The center is also conducting breeding and seed system development for dryland crops such as sorghum, millet, groundnut, cowpea, and beans, known for their climate resilience and importance as foods and sources of income for smallholder farm households and their communities.
With global and local partners, CIMMYT is also refining and spreading a suite of resource-conserving, climate-smart innovations for highly diverse maize- and wheat-based cropping systems, including more precise and efficient use of water and fertilizer, as well as conservation agriculture, which blends reduced or zero-tillage, use of crop residues or mulches as soil covers, and more diverse intercrops and rotations.
As part of the new agreement, the centers will also explore research collaborations with universities and research institutions in the UAE to develop and test maize varieties that are suitable for the UAEâs climate and soil conditions, as well as organizing training programs and workshops for farmers, extension workers, and other stakeholders in the UAE to build their capacity in maize production and management.
About ICBA
The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) is a unique applied agricultural research center in the world with a focus on marginal areas where an estimated 1.7 billion people live. It identifies, tests, and introduces resource-efficient, climate-smart crops and technologies that are best suited to different regions affected by salinity, water scarcity, and drought. Through its work, ICBA helps to improve food security and livelihoods for some of the poorest rural communities around the world.
CIMMYT is a cutting edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrowâs problems today. It is entrusted with fostering improved quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, triticale, sorghum, millets, and associated crops through applied agricultural science, particularly in the Global South, through building strong partnerships. This combination enhances the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers, while working towards a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries. CIMMYT is a core CGIAR Research Center, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security and improving natural resources.
CIMMYT’s focus on gene editing, like the DMC1 gene study, is paving the way for wheat varieties that can withstand rising temperatures. A critical step in ensuring sustainable wheat production in a changing climate.
Excited farmers pose after purchasing seed in preparation for the upcoming cropping season. (Photo: CIMMYT)
More than 1,300 smallholder farmers, across the Mwenezi and Masvingo districts of Zimbabwe, braved the hot morning sun to attend the fourth edition of the seed and mechanization fair organized by CIMMYT and partners in early October 2023. The event, themed âHarnessing improved seed and mechanization for climate resilience,” saw these farmers from all walks of lifeâfirst timers to past attendeesâeager to participate, learn and explore the innovations on display.
Evolving over time, the seed and mechanization fair has continued to serve as a strategic platform to connect local farmers with private sector companies while enhancing the uptake of drought-tolerant maize varieties and scale-appropriate machinery. âSince 2020, CIMMYT-driven seed fairs have encouraged smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas, to grow the right seed at the right time to avoid any shortcomings due to unpredictable of weather patterns,â said Christian Thierfelder, principal cropping systems agronomist at CIMMYT.
Fast approaching farming season
El Niño continues to pose a threat to farmers especially in semi-arid areas such as in Mwenezi district situated in southern Zimbabwe and Masvingo district in south-eastern Zimbabwe which are drought prone areas characterized by high temperatures, rainfall deficit, among other challenges. Through the seed fairs, CIMMYT, a consortium member of the World Food Program projects, R4 Rural Resilience and the Zambuko Livelihoods Initiatives supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and USAID, has been at the forefront, advocating for and inspiring local farmers to buy and use seed varieties suitable for their environment, while encouraging farming as a business. In addition, the regional project Ukama/Ustawi Diversification in East and Southern Africa joined efforts to support farmers in income diversification from pure cereal-based systems to more diversified cereal-legume and mechanized farming systems.
âI believe this is the right function at the right time as we prepare for the next farming season. From this event, we anticipate that farmers will say, âYes we have received new technology, yes we have knowledge on new varieties, yes we have information about the weather forecastâ. We now have confidence that farmers are well-equipped and ready for the season to achieve the Zimbabwe Vision 2030,â said Isaac Mutambara, district development coordinator from Mwenezi.
Building resilience with drought-tolerant varieties
Amid climate change, equipping farmers with climate-smart knowledge and the right seed varieties has been central to the seed fairs. Working hand in hand with the government, CIMMYT has been breeding drought tolerant, orange maize with high nutritional value. âWe encourage the growing and consumption of crops with nutritional value for household food security. Furthermore, we have different varieties of orange maize which are drought-tolerant,â said Thokozile Ndhlela, maize line development breeder. In addition, CIMMYT as part of HarvestPlus, has been encouraging the growing and consumption of nutritious NUA45 beans which are high in iron and zinc.
Mechanizing agriculture
Live demonstration of the basin digger in Mwenezi. (Photo: CIMMYT)
The joint participation of the USAID funded âFeed the Future Zimbabwe Mechanization and Extension activityâ, helped to emphasize the importance of transforming smallholder agriculture through scale-appropriate equipment. At the event, machinery manufacturers such as Prochoice, Kurima and Mahindra showcased cutting-edge machinery, designed to ease farming operations. These companies showed live demonstrations of two-wheel tractors, basin diggers, multiple crop threshers amongst others, effectively emphasizing the benefits of scale-appropriate mechanization. The innovations on display demonstrated the unwavering dedication of the private sector towards supporting farmers and driving agricultural innovation. âIt has been a truly exciting opportunity operating the peanut sheller, while appreciating the different machinery in live action. I will consider buying this machine as it reduces the added burden of shelling and processing,â said Lungiwe Nyathi, a local farmer from Mwenezi.
Partnerships for growth
Various seed companies, including AgriSeeds, SeedCo, Farm and City, Super Fert, National Tested Seeds, Intaba Trading, Sesame for Life and K2, marketed appropriate seed varieties that ensure bumper harvests. Sales of seed, fertilizer and other inputs were high, with the total value of sales reaching US6,450. Vouchers were distributed to farmers who made high cash purchases of seeds. âI bought 45kgs of seed which I believe is a great start, and I am happy that I do not have to pay extra money for transporting the seed to my home,â said Martha Chiwawo, a farmer from ward 16 in Masvingo.
The fairs would not be complete without CIMMYT partners. While Zambuko Livelihoods Initiative shared their expertise in the district, SNV has been encouraging sustainable savings and lending schemes among farmers to purchase machinery while facilitating market access and reducing post-harvest losses. The World Food Programme (WFP) encouraged farmers to become resilient and self-sufficient through valuable knowledge and skills to improve their lives. In addition, the Mwenezi Development Training Centre (MDTC) focused on encouraging small livestock which are adaptable to the area. Additional partners Cesvi and Sesame for Life, who both operate in ward 6 of Mwenezi district, participated in the seed fairs for the first time. Both partners advance the production of high value cropsâpaprika and sesameâwhich have a ready export market and favorable prices for smallholder farmers. Government extension departments showed strong support while researchers from the Makoholi Research Station in Masvingo used the opportunity to talk to farmers about their research initiatives.
As the day came to an end, farmers were brimming with excitement and ready to embark on the season ahead with purchased, improved seed and a wealth of knowledge on innovative conservation agriculture practices. The event proved to be an invaluable opportunity for uniting farmers, government, seed companies, and partners in a shared mission to promote sustainable farming practices and ensure food security.
CIMMYT, in collaboration with China, plays a critical role in the global initiative for germ plasm sharing. This effort is essential in advancing agricultural research and combating the decline of crop biodiversity in developing countries.
Maize is a staple crop in Zimbabwe, playing a vital role in the countryâs agricultural landscape as food for its own people and an export good. However, behind every successful maize harvest lies the quality of seed and resistance to diseases and stresses.
Amidst the multitude of diseases that threaten maize crops, one adversary is maize lethal necrosis (MLN). Though not native to Zimbabwe, it is crucial to remain prepared for its potential impact on food security.
What is maize lethal necrosis?
MLN is a viral disease, caused by a combination of two virus diseases. The disease emerged in Kenya in 2011 and quickly spread to other countries in eastern Africa. The introduction of MLN to Africa was likely affected by the movement of infected seed and insect vectors. MLN has had a severe impact on regional maize production, leading to yield losses of up to 90%.
Recognizing the need to equip seasoned practitioners with the knowledge and skills to effectively diagnose and manage MLN, CIMMYT organized a comprehensive training on MLN diagnosis and management, targeting 25 representatives from Zimbabweâs Plant Quarantine Services.
From students to experienced technicians, pathologists and plant health inspectors, this was an opportunity to refresh their knowledge base or an introduction to the important work of MLN mitigation. âThis training for both advanced level practitioners and students is crucial not only for building competence on MLN but also to refresh minds to keep abreast and be prepared with approaches to tackle the disease once it is identified in the country,â said Nhamo Mudada, head of Plant Quarantine Services.
Expectations were diverse, ranging from sharpening understanding of key signs and symptoms to learning from country case examples currently ridden with the disease. With CIMMYTâs guidance, practitioners learned how to identify MLN infected plants, make accurate diagnoses, and implement management strategies to minimize losses.
âFor over 10 years, these trainings have been important to raise awareness, keep local based practitioners up to speed, help them diagnose MLN, and make sure that they practice proper steps to tackle this disease,â said L.M Suresh, CIMMYT maize pathologist and head of the MLN screening facility in Kenya.
Identifying the specific MLN causing viral disease affecting a maize plant is the first step in combating MLN. Determining whether it is a biotic or abiotic disease is critical in establishing its cause and subsequent diagnosis. By implementing proper diagnostic techniques and understanding the fundamentals of good diagnosis, practitioners can bring representative samples to the lab and accurately identify MLN.
Tackling MLN in Zimbabwe
Initiated in 2015 at Mazowe as a joint initiative between the Government of Zimbabwe and CIMMYT, a modern quarantine facility was built to safely import maize breeding materials from eastern Africa to southern Africa and enable local institutions to proactively breed for resistance against MLN.
The MLN quarantine facility at the Plant Quarantine Institute is run by the Department of Research and Specialist Services (DRSS) and is mandated to screen maize varieties imported under strict quarantine conditions to ensure that they are MLN-free.
Training participants pose outside of the MLN screening facilities. (Photo: CIMMYT)
To date, CIMMYT and partners have released 22 MLN resistant and tolerant hybrids in eastern Africa. CIMMYT’s research and efforts to combat MLN have focused on a multidimensional approach, including breeding for resistant varieties, promoting integrated pest management strategies, strengthening seed systems, and enhancing the capacity of farmers and stakeholders.
âSupport extended through valuable partnerships between CIMMYT, and the collaborations have played a pivotal role from surveillance to diagnostics and building capacity,â said Mudada.
Feedback and insights
Chief Plant Health Inspector for Export and Imports Biosecurity, Monica Mabika, expressed gratitude for the training. âIt is always an honor when we have expert pathologists come through and provide a valuable refresher experience, strengthening our understanding on issues around biosecurity and learning what other countries are doing to articulate MLN,â she said.
Students learn how to screen maize plants for MLN. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Among the students was Audrey Dohwera from the University of Zimbabwe, who acknowledged the importance of the training. âI have been attached for 2 months under the pathology department, and I was eager to learn about MLN, how to detect signs and symptoms on maize, how to address it and be able to share with fellow farmers in my rural community,â she said.
With the knowledge gained from this training, practitioners are well equipped to face the challenges that MLN may present, ultimately safeguarding the countryâs maize production status.
Bram Govaerts and Amsal Tarekegne compare a maize hybrid. (Photo: Katebe Mapipo/CIMMYT)
Maize is a vital crop in Zambia and Tanzania, both for farmers’ economic livelihoods and for delivering nutrients and sustenance to a large group of people. But maize is threatened by climate change, like more severe droughts, and from pests like fall army worm (FAW), which can completely devastate farmers’ fields.
Against this backdrop of looming threats, CIMMYT, as part of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, or MasAgro Africa, is partnering with the Zambia Seed Company Limited (Zamseed) to distribute seeds that are drought tolerant and resistant to the ravages of FAW. And because maize is a staple of many peopleâs diets, CIMMYT and Zamseed are also developing and distributing maize varieties enhanced with vitamin A.
To uphold maize variety integrity, CIMMYT and Zamseed are engaged in the capacity building of quality assurance and quality control for local stakeholders.
CIMMYTâs engagement with Zamseed involves efforts to popularize high yielding, drought-tolerant, and vitamin enhanced maize varieties in Zambia and Tanzania. Some of these efforts include demonstrations of the new varieties, field days held at different stages of maize development, and deliberate engagement of women throughout the entire seed selection, planting and harvesting effort.
âOur partnership with Zamseed started in October 2022,â said Ir Essegbemon Akpo, a CIMMYT maize seed systems specialist. âIt has been a fruitful collaboration, delivering significant outputs to thousands of farmers in Zambia and Tanzania.”
To date, Zamseed has held 300 and 500 demonstrations in Tanzania and Zambia, respectively. The company has held many field days at the demonstration sites to showcase drought tolerant and vitamin A enhanced maize to hundreds of small-scale farmers.
âWe have witnessed many farmers who visited the demonstration activities who are excited to see the new high yielding and drought tolerant varieties,â said Amsal Tarekegne of Zamseed.
Seeded by funds from the AID-I project, Zamseed is producing 60kg of Early Generation Seed (EGS) of parents of a FAW-tolerant hybrid maize variety. The company plans to produce 200kg of this hybrid for commercialization and launch in 2024.
To ensure that seeds delivered to farmers are of the highest quality, CIMMYT is working with Zamseed to develop quality assurance and control frameworks, involving genotyping of selected seeds at various times during the seed multiplication and distribution process.
Zamseed has been servicing the requirements of farmers in the sub-Sahara region since 1980, focusing on products that will enhance the profitability of the small-scale farmer and ensure household food security.
CIMMYT stands at the forefront of uniting public and private sectors in plant breeding. As public programs face challenges like reduced funding and shifting focus to more profitable crops, the private sector steps up its involvement to ensure the advancement of crop development. CIMMYT’s pivotal role in promoting partnership and innovation underscores the critical importance of collaborative efforts. Through shared knowledge and resources, CIMMYT is helping to drive the continuous improvement and resilience of global crop varieties, ushering in a new era of agricultural progress.
