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Award for Zhonghu He

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Zhonghu He, CIMMYT Principal Scientist and Country Representative in China received the Taishan Scholars Award, the highest honor for individual scientists from the Shandong Provincial Government. The ceremony was held on July 6, 2006, in Jinan, the capital city of Shandong Province.

Taishan is a famous Mountain and it is considered a symbol of Shandong. This award is based on our work in Shandong and Dr. He was nominated by the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Science (Shandong AAS).

Dr. He has provided strong scientific leadership in Chinese wheat improvement, particularly in the establishment of a standardized quality testing system and the development of a regional quality program. The CAAS-CIMMYT wheat quality lab has become internationally recognized for its active and productive activities in promoting Chinese wheat quality, and shares around 70% of wheat quality activities in China. Dr. He, together with the wheat team in Shandong AAS, developed and promoted noodle quality wheat cultivar Jinan 19, which contributed more than 4 million ha in Shandong province for the last five years. It won the second prize from Chinese government in 2005.

In total, 70 people received awards, and the areas include literature, education, math and physics, engineering, medicine, biology, and agriculture In agriculture, four scientists were selected. As part of the award, the provincial government will grant 60,000 US $ per year for five years to Dr. He for providing leadership to the wheat program at Shandong AAS.

Message from Masa

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CIMMYT scientists have had remarkable success in the pre-proposal competition for the Generation Challenge Program’s competitive grants in 2006. A total of 55 pre-proposals were submitted by many organizations. External reviewers have selected 20 of them and GCP Director requested proponents to develop and submit full proposals. CIMMYT has submitted four pre-proposals as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator and all the four pre-proposals have been selected (100% success rate)! Although we still have to go through the next round of competition (25-35% of acceptance rate) by developing full proposals, it is clear that our scientists have been very successful in pre-proposal development.

Bangladesh Country Almanac version 3.0 released

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The third edition of the Bangladesh Country Almanac (BCA) was released at a workshop held at the Jahangir Nagar University, Savar, chaired by its Vice Chancellor in April. In May and June a dissemination workshop and nine hands-on training workshops have been conducted with different organizations across Bangladesh and benefitting about 380 researchers, academics, post graduate students, and extension and NGO personnel.

The Almanac developed by CIMMYT in close cooperation with Bangladeshi partners combines on a single CD ROM both spatial and attribute data on climate, land and soils, crops, demography, hydrography, infrastructure, health, marketing, livestock, forestry and poverty. It is the most comprehensive offline CD-based database in Bangladesh.

The Almanac is being used to help identify research locations and to aid in designing development programs by extension services and NGOs. The Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) of Bangladesh has decided to use the BCA as a platform to deliver field-level data to its headquarters.

CIMMYT and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council have organized a policy/ concluding workshop on the BCA for July 9. The Minister and the Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, will be present as Chief Guest and Special Guest. DGs and Directors of Agricultural Institutes, Vice Chancellors of Universities and the heads of NGOs and International organizations have been invited to give their feedback about the latest release of the country almanac.

Turkey dinner

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The TURKEY-CIMMYT-ICARDA office in Ankara held a dinner on 1 July to welcome Alex Morgounov while saying farewell to Arne Hede and Hans-Joachim Braun.

Alex, not a really a newcomer to Turkey having worked in the TURKEY-CIMMYT-ICARDA International Winter Wheat Improvement Program (IWWIP), 1994-1998, has returned now to lead the program. He still remembers many colleagues from his previous experiences in Turkey and started full speed from day one.

Arne, based in Turkey since 2002, has accepted a position with the Swedish SIDA project “Support to Seed Sector Development in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan” to be based Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Arne will stay in close contact with the IWWIP, in which SIDA is a key partner. Hans will return to Mexico as Director of CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program.

He came to Turkey in 1985 and contributed to the establishment of IWWIP. He was Director of CIMMYT’s Rainfed Wheat Systems program until its amalgamation with Intensive Agro-Ecosystems to form the new Global Wheat Program. Arne received a plaque noting his contributions to wheat improvement in the IWWIP. A plaque given to Hans noted personal achievements and remembrances from the TURKEY-CIMMYT-ICARDA office staff. Both Hans and Arne thanked the TURKEY-CIMMYT-ICARDA staff for their support and warmth over the years.

Wheat genetic resource experts at CIMMYT plot global strategy

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The world’s keepers of wheat genetic resources must provide better access to seed and information from their collections, as well as meeting the rising demand for wheat’s wild relatives, DNA mapping populations, and genetic stocks. These conclusions emerged from a meeting of 12 internationally respected experts on the genetic resources of wheat, rye, and triticale. The specialists—who came from Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America—gathered at CIMMYT in Mexico 20-22 June 2006 to develop a global strategy for the conservation and use of the genetic resources of wheat and related species.

Participants decided on five priorities to reach the goals above: (1) developing an integrated information system on the world’s collections; (2) addressing deficiencies in the management of important collections; (3) ensuring that key collections are adequately backed-up; (4) addressing gaps in the genetic diversity conserved in global collections, with particular emphasis on wild relatives; and (5) augmenting collections of genetic stocks—materials that contain specific genetic characters, genes, or gene constructs.

The meeting was sponsored by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, an initiative founded by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI). “Wheat is probably the largest and most important crop, in terms of number of collections and accessions conserved by national programs around the world,” says Brigitte LalibertĂ©, scientist at the Trust, which seeks to ensure the conservation and availability of crop diversity for food security worldwide. “The proposed global wheat conservation strategy will guide the allocation of funds from the Trust to secure key reference collections in perpetuity.”

The cycle continues: clean seed for our partners

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This week a truck arrived at El Batán with wheat seed from CIMMYT’s 2006 Mexicali quarantine nurseries (a wheat multiplication site free of wheat diseases like Karnal Bunt). CIMMYT annually distributes several tons of wheat seed through SIDU’s International Wheat Improvement Network to cooperators in over 100 countries.

Clean, healthy seed is a must. After several more months of seed cleaning, washing, inspecting, treating, field book printing, packing and boxing the new seed will be ready for distribution in early 2007. SIDU appreciates the hard work of Cosme Rivera, Leonardo MĂĄrquez, JosĂ© Luis Coss, Salvador Madrigal, Miguel Borja, and JesĂșs Perales.

Message from Masa: Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia

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I visited Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia this week. In Kenya I attended the IRMA Project Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting. We had interesting and critical negotiations to gain access to a new Bt event from a private company and thus enable the development of a robust insect management strategy for poor farmers based on a humanitarian use exception.

I visited the DGs of the three national agriculture research systems, Executive Secretary of ASARECA, and the Minister of Agriculture of Ethiopia. In addition to appreciating our past and on-going partnerships, I discussed with them ways we could work together on two specific projects—the Global Rust Initiative and Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa. Two multi-million dollar proposals have been requested by donor agencies and if they are accepted, swift implementation based on partnership will be extremely important.

These discussions demonstrated again that CIMMYT’s style of partnership is highly appreciated by our NARS partners. We are their preferred partner because:

  • We consult with them (as opposed to deciding unilaterally).
  • We give them due credit after working together (as opposed to over-claiming credit).
  • We deliver on the ground (as opposed to just talk and meetings).
  • We support their capacity building (as opposed to our taking over their role).
  • We engage in a continuous professional relationship as colleagues with former trainees (as opposed to one-shot training course).

Those elements are building blocks for long-term relationships based on trust and respect. We will continue to build our future and deliver our mission as the preferred partner. With this trip I was also able to complete my promised series of visits to all CIMMYT’s regional locations.

CGIAR Marketing Group meets in Nairobi

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Members of the CGIAR Marketing Group held their annual meeting on the ILRI campus in Nairobi last week. Each CG center can send two representatives, usually one from the fundraising side and the other from communications. This year CIMMYT was represented by Daisy Ouya, our writer/ editor based in Nairobi. During the business meeting, the group examined possibilities for improving its own profile and addressed the problem of getting more active representation from the fundraising / donor relations side of the group.

Several invited speakers, including Joachim Voss the DG of CIAT, and CGIAR consultant Howard Elliott, stimulated discussion. Romano Kiome, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya (and a member of the CIMMYT Board of Trustees) in his talk asked the question “How can we make agriculture relevant again?” He challenged the group to engage more in dialogue if it is to achieve greater clarity about the CG’s diverse audiences.

The group decided on a set of priority activities for the coming year to help promote the CGIAR and its member research centers. Projects will include the creation of a traveling exhibition / museum highlighting the CG’s work, and the production of a short video about the CGIAR.

Conserving wheat, rye, triticale

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Starting Tuesday, 20 June and ending on 22 June, a group of eminent scientists from around the world will meet under the auspices of the Global Crop Diversity Trust and CIMMYT to plan a strategy for the conservation of wheat, rye and triticale germplasm from a global perspective. All sessions will be held in the Sasakawa room and are open to CIMMYT staff.

Farmers discuss nitrogen sensor technology

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About 75 people, including farmers, technical advisers, representatives of farmers Unions, academics, government officials, (SAGARPA State vice-representative, and Chair of the Phytosanitary Authority Local Board), and the media attended a special event with CIMMYT scientist Ivan Ortiz Monasterio and research assistant Dolores Vázquez in Ciudad Obregon this week. The meeting, organized by the Asociación de Organismos Agrícolas del Sur de Sonora (AOASS), the umbrella institution for farmers unions, was held to discuss the results of this season’s trials of nitrogen sensor technology to optimize fertilizer applications. For the second year a group of wheat farmers in the Yaqui valley worked with CIMMYT to test the technology.

The infrared sensor, combined with computer software in a handheld computer, can give farmers an indication of how much fertilizer to apply. Optimizing the nitrogen fertilizer application can benefit the farmer by reducing costs and benefit the environment by reducing fertilizer runoff. This is one example of partnerships with Stanford University of studies on environmental impacts of agriculture in the Yaqui Valley. The demonstration data showed that during the 2005-2006 crop cycle, the average per hectare income from seven participating farmer’s fields was US $50 higher with the use of the sensor compared to traditional fertilizer practices.

All three farmers that talked about the technology at the meeting said they supported its use. Much of the sensor to work has been done in collaboration with Oklahoma State University. Several newspapers and television stations covered the event, including Sonora State’s main newspaper, El Imparcial. After the presentations, AOASS announced that they will support the necessary activities to spread the use of this technology more widely by farmers and they asked CIMMYT to prepare a proposal on how to do this.

Making the grade: World Bank to provide $850,000 budget boost for outstanding

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CIMMYT is one of only two centers in the CGIAR to achieve an “outstanding” level of performance in the annual appraisal conducted by the Secretariat and the Science Council. The announcement that CIMMYT had been given an “A” was made this week.

Every year the CGIAR looks at a set of performance indicators for each of the fifteen research centers to see if they are meeting expectations. The indicators range from how many peer-reviewed papers each scientist has published to how good the financial management has been over the year. They also include assessments of governance, impact and science quality. This year in addition to the two “outstanding” centers, 12 centers received “superior” ratings or a “B” grade and one a “satisfactory” or “C”. At the last review CIMMYT received a “C”, mainly due to the low level of the financial reserve.

The news about our jump from C to A could not come at a better time according to DG Iwanaga. “The outcome, I hope, will affect perceptions of the EPMR follow-up review team who will arrive this weekend,” he says, adding that the news shows CIMMYT is on the right track as a strong, science-based center in which investors and donors can have confidence.

Board of Trustees Chair Lene Lange said “Not just B but A for Outstanding! Congratulations to all of the CIMMYT community. Well done! Keep up the good work!”

Perhaps the best news of all is that based on the outstanding performance the World Bank will increase its allocation to the CIMMYT unrestricted core budget by $850,000. This money will give the center some more flexibility to fund key flagship product development as outlined in the center’s Business Plan and can cushion the impact of any unexpected donor reductions during the year. Masa thanks all CIMMYT staff for “helping the center make the jump from C to A.”

Payne on the radio

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payne en el radioTom Payne, head of the CIMMYT wheat collection in the Wellhausen-Anderson Genetic Resources Center will be heard on the stations of National Public Radio in the United States later this month. He was interviewed this week for a story about the launching of a new genebank project in Norway. The interview was conducted over the telephone by NPR journalist Dan Charles from a studio in Washington DC. NPR sent their Mexico City journalist, Karina Pais to record Tom’s answers to the questions.

Norway announced that it will dig a large cave deep inside a frozen mountain on the arctic island of Svalbard with the capacity to hold copies of all the world’s crop seed varieties. Norway says the arctic cold will provide a failsafe backup for the world’s major genebanks, like the one at CIMMYT, which depend on electricity to keep their refrigeration equipment running. The Norwegian project is expected to be ready in 2007.

New CIMMYT-based maize hybrid released in Colombia

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Colombia’s Agriculture and Livestock Research Corporation (CORPOICA) has released a new maize hybrid, CORPOICA PALMIRA H-262, for the country’s Cauca Valley Department. The new single-cross hybrid, which yielded more than 9 tons per hectare on average in tests in the region, was developed using acid-soil-tolerant inbred lines CLA176 and CLA215 from CIMMYT, according to Luis Narro, Center maize researcher in South America.

“This shows how quality breeding materials developed for certain environments—in this case, acid soils—can be successful in a range of settings,” according to Narro, who says that acid-tolerant maize is routinely evaluated for yield potential in locations, such as Cauca Valley, with fertile soils and normal pH.

The new hybrid emerged from tests in Cauca Valley in 2001, with support from the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture, to find a variety that would out-yield available commercial hybrids. CORPOICA and CIMMYT assembled a trial comprising 20 hybrids—17 experimental hybrids from CIMMYT, and 3 commercial checks. “H-262 won out not only for its high yields, but also because it yields well under diverse conditions and has good grain quality: semi-flint type, and good for making the popular food ‘arepas,’ ” Narro says.

Dominated by the river which gives the Department its name and home to nearly 3 million people, the Cauca Valley is the country’s leading sugarcane producer. Farmers there also grow maize on some 20,000 hectares; just over half of it on holdings of less than 30 hectares.

The hybrid was released in February 2006 in a ceremony attended by CORPOICA Director General Arturo Vega, Colombian farmers, researchers, and policymakers. Diego Aristizábal Quintero, Director of CORPOICA’s Palmira facility, thanked CIMMYT and others who contributed to the development of H-262.

“I would like to take this opportunity to recognize CIMMYT’s close and effective collaboration, the participation of FENALCE, and the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, whose funds allowed us to obtain the product that we are proudly turning over today for the benefit of the Valley’s farmers…” At the time of release, 8.2 tons of seed of H-262 were available—enough to sow more than 500 hectares.

The road to ISO9000 for SIDU

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The seed health laboratory, part of CIMMYT’s Seed Inspection and Distribution Unit (SIDU), has just begun the process of obtaining ISO9000 accreditation with the International Standards Organization. Seed health certification is a major bottleneck that can delay the rapid, timely, and efficient international distribution of CIMMYT seed. That means that CIMMYT must have approved processes in place to ensure that any seed we distribute is disease and pest free.

Since 1998 CIMMYT has worked under the authority of the Mexican Phytosanitary Direction General (DGSV). Now that department also requires CIMMYT to obtain the ISO9000 certification. The accreditation process started on May 31 with a workshop given by CENCADE, a company hired to lead seed health personnel through the process of accreditation. The workshop was attended by 19 staff from SIDU, HR, ICT and Purchasing, as all of these groups will have to contribute to the process. The accreditation process will take approximately 6-7 months.

 

Published in 2006.

China and CIMMYT: new science agreement and support

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Masa Iwanaga, CIMMYT Director General, visited the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and had a fruitful meeting with Wang Jie, Vice President of NSFC. An agreement was signed with Han Jianguo, DG of the NSFC International Cooperation Department, for collaborative research between CIMMYT and Chinese scientists. Other key staff at the meeting included Bai Ge, DDG of the International Cooperation Department; Du Shengming, Executive DDG of the Life Science Department; NSFC scientists Zhang Yinglan, Luo Jing, and Zhang Yongtao; and He Zhonghu and Han Nanping from the CIMMYT-China office.

NSFC supports basic research in various disciplines. Applied and basic research in agriculture is conducted by the Life Science Department of NSFC, which seeks to improve the quality of science in China through international collaboration. NSFC has provided continuous support to China-CIMMYT collaborative research on wheat quality, the genetics of disease resistance in wheat and maize, and workshops and conferences, contributing more than US$ 300,000 over the last five years.

“The real value of the agreement is that the Chinese government provides us with money for science, through a merit-based selection process,” says Iwanaga. “Thanks to He Zhonghu’s efforts, we have this partnership. Now NSFC wants to formalize it through a memorandum of understanding that can serve as a model for their other contributions to the international science community.”

Research with China has resulted among other things in significant advances in the quality of Chinese wheat cultivars, and the CAAS-CIMMYT Wheat Quality Laboratory has become an internationally recognized center for wheat quality research. There is also good progress in understanding the genetics of resistance to yellow rust and powdery mildew in Chinese wheats.

 

Published in 2006