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A sustainable agrifood systems approach in conflict-ridden Sudan

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in Blogs, Multimedia, Videos.

Sudan, the third largest country in Africa, has long been an epicenter of food production, due to its fertile lands and rich history of agricultural cultivation. But modern Sudan faces chronic food insecurity rooted in social and geopolitical challenges. A situation that has been exacerbated by the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023. The armed conflict has caused a sudden, further decline in agricultural productivity, displacing large populations and pushing millions of Sudanese into high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity.

In response to this crisis, CIMMYT, through the USAID-funded Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS), is supporting agricultural development by creating robust and sustainable food production systems. SASAS adapts a modular and multi-crop approach to implement an integrated agrifood system that underpins food security, employment, and equity.

As the planting season of 2024 approaches, the project strives to strengthen food production to support the people of Sudan during these challenging times.

Experts speak: SASAS focuses on five key areas

Abdelrahman Kheir, SASAS chief of party, highlights how the agricultural innovations of the project are impacting multiple regions in Sudan. The focus of the project is on five broad intervention areas: promoting agricultural production for smallholder farmers, improving value chains and business development, supporting community management of natural resources, and providing horticultural and livestock services such as vaccination campaigns.

Further in the video, Murtada Khalid, country coordinator for Sudan, explains how the SASAS Food Security Initiative (SFSI) will provide 30,000+ farmers with a diversified package of four inputs: fertilizer, seeds, land preparation, and agricultural advisory services, to prepare for the upcoming 2024 sorghum and groundnut planting season. SFSI is a critical element of SASAS that uniquely provides agricultural development aid during a time of conflict to directly improve the food security situation in Sudan.

How women farmers benefit from SASAS

SASAS works directly with women farmers and pastoralists to ensure an equitable approach to food security in the country. Hear farmers from the women-led El-Harram Agricultural Cooperative in Kassala, Sudan, explain how SASAS has positively impacted their lives and families.

Ali Atta Allah, a farmer in Kassala expresses her gratitude for SASAS support. “They provided us with seeds including jute, mallow, okra, and sweet pepper. We planted them, and they thrived.” Ali highlighted the financial gains—a bundle of jute mallow sells for 500 Sudanese Pound (SDG). The income from the entire area amounts to 200,000 to 300,000 SDG. “The seeds provided by SASAS are of superior quality,” she affirmed.

Aziza Haroun from El-Ghadambaliya village, shares her story of how improved seeds provided by SASAS activities helped double her yields compared to previous years. “We used to farm in the same land and the yield was poor. Mercy Corps, a SASAS partner, introduced us to a new method of planting legumes as natural fertilizer. Now our yield has increased significantly,” she said.

STEM the gap: Scientists reflect on women’s increasing participation and visibility in STEM careers

Written by Nima Chodon on . Posted in Features, Videos.

CIMMYT’s women in science are shaping the future of agriculture. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Much has changed since many CIMMYT scientists attended university. In the past decades, the STEM field was predominantly male, with far less representation from marginalized groups and communities. Challenged by societal prejudices, only a handful of young women pursued STEM subjects, which further influenced career choices made by them, reinforcing the gender gap.

The gender gap in STEM is still significant, but times are changing. “At CIMMYT, we are deeply committed to promoting the voice of youth, marginalized communities, and women to improve the rigor of science for sustainable development. This includes investment in mentorship, learning from champions and pioneers, and appropriate performance assessment guidelines,” said Program Director of CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agrifood Systems, Sieglinde Snapp. “It is a long journey with bumps along the way, but I am proud to be in solidarity with the Global South, where we champion gender and social inclusion every day.”

On International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2024, five CIMMYT scientists who inspire, support, and open doors for many young women and underrepresented groups with their scientific work and pay-it-forward commitment share their motivation behind charting a career in STEM and encourage more young women and make the field more inclusive.

Beyhan Akin, winter wheat breeding lead 

Beyhan Akin stands with wheat plants. (Photo: Beyhan Akin)

Hailing from a farming family, Beyhan Akin was always surrounded by the beauty and potential of agriculture. She wished to contribute to her farming community, so 35 years ago, she joined CIMMYT’s wheat research program. Akin reminisced about her early days, how there were few women scientists, and the realization that if she succeeded, she could motivate more to follow in her footsteps.

“Agriculture science is expanding beyond core crop science with huge potential for interdisciplinary research and innovation. I hope young women students and scientists get the opportunity to pursue and excel in these fields. Increased advocacy and investment—grants, fellowships—at an institutional level is crucial to motivating and supporting the aspirations of women in science,” said Akin. “It might have taken a long time for women scientists like us to be in positions of influence, but I hope we can ensure the path is far less challenging today for these young women pursuing agriculture science/STEM.”

Alison Laing, agroecology specialist

Alison Laing stands with women farmers. (Photo: Alison Laing)

“Search out mentors. Don’t be afraid to either ask for help when you need it or to promote your achievements. And build networks,” advises Alison Laing to young women scientists starting in the field. Based in Bangladesh and working across South and Southeast Asia for over 15 years, Laing hopes that girls have opportunities to choose science education and become women with rewarding careers in fields that interest them, especially in non-traditional STEM disciplines.

Laing remembers how her mentor early in her career, the late John Schiller, a rice agronomist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), encouraged her enthusiasm for learning and research. “He taught me so much about doing research in Southeast Asia, and I am indebted to him for his motivation and support in showing me how rewarding and interesting a scientific career can be.” She hopes other young students and scientists will have such mentors in their lives.

Sabina Tiwari, assistant research associate 

Sabina Tiwari speaks at a NSAF planning meeting. (Photo: Sabina Tiwari)

Fascinated by nature, plants, and how they thrive in diverse environments, Sabina Tiwari’s journey in science led her to become a plant breeder. “The indefinite potential of agriculture to improve lives made me realize how powerful agricultural science can be. This led to the motivation that I could create a positive difference in the world by being part of crop science and technology while working alongside great scientific minds, both men and women. Today, to young girls aspiring to make a difference in the world, I recommend they empower their cause through science and innovations.”

According to Tiwari, mentorship programs, internships, and job-shadowing experiences that helped her career must be extended to young women to gain practical exposure and knowledge of the possibilities in agriculture science.

Mazvita Chiduwa, associate scientist  

Mazvita Chiduwa speaks with a farmer. (Photo: Mazvita Chiduwa)

For Mazvita Chiduwa, a career in agriculture science has been rewarding. “I love the adventure involved in discovery in agriculture. I am inquisitive, and this career allows me to ask questions and seek answers,” said Mazvita.

Chiduwa believes society needs to embrace the participation of women and girls in STEM education and careers and that stereotypes about women not being cut out for STEM, prevalent even today, must be done away with.

To young girls and women aspiring for a career in STEM, Chiduwa says, “Go for it. There is a need for your uniqueness to contribute a wholesome solution to our world’s challenges.”

Luisa Cabrera Soto, research associate  

Luisa Cabrera conducts an analysis at a CIMMYT laboratory. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“A feminine perspective and approach are needed to enrich research,” reminds Luisa Cabrera Soto. “In a society where almost half of the members are female, I hope equity and inclusion will help improve under-representation in STEM.”

According to Cabrera, it is essential that women in science continue to challenge the gender prejudices and stereotypes that still exist. “Don’t let the spark of your curiosity go out. As a food science professional, I can say that there are still discoveries to be made and, through it, the probability of finding innovative solutions to global challenges such as food security.”

Growing stronger with every season

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Videos.

The United Nations International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGIS) is observed annually on February 11 to highlight the gender gap in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Data shows that women are given smaller research grants than their male colleagues, are underrepresented in cutting edge fields, and account for a lower percentage of STEM graduates.

At the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), women are leaders, mentors, and role models in agricultural science and research, helping to support the next generation. Across our global programs, women are making a difference to the lives of farmers and their communities every day.

CIMMYT and China: A successful partnership since 1974

Written by Mike Listman on . Posted in Videos.

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is a non-profit international organization focused on applied agricultural research and training. It empowers farmers through science and innovation to nourish the world in the midst of a climate crisis.

Established in 1974, the research partnership between the People’s Republic of China and CIMMYT is improving the lives of millions of people in China through science-driven, evidence-based solutions. CIMMYT has five offices and over 20 collaborators throughout China.

The CIMMYT–China collaboration over four decades has added some 10.7 million additional tons of wheat to China’s national wheat output. Since 2000, CIMMYT germplasm has been planted on more than one million hectares across the country.

We look forward to many more years of collaboration to improve the lives of millions of people in China and the world.

Cover photo: An agricultural landscape in Yunnan Province, China. (Photo: Michelle DeFreese/CIMMYT)

The future of wheat

Written by Alfonso Cortés on . Posted in Videos.

CIMMYT’s experimental station in Obregón, a small city in Mexico’s state of Sonora, is considered a mecca for wheat research and breeding. In 1945, Norman Borlaug arrived as a geneticist for a special project between the Mexican government and the Rockefeller Foundation, to help local farmers with wheat production. After a few years, his strong bond with the community, students and interns was key to making a remarkable difference on wheat research that save millions from famine and won him the Nobel Peace Prize. A legacy that has lasted for many decades.

At Obregón, scientists have access to state-of-the-art field facilities and an ideal location, in the northern Yaqui Valley. The station’s dry climate and favorable temperature in winter is suitable to assess yield potential, while its hot summers are ideal to study wheat’s tolerance to different stressors.

Here, scientists and field workers work hard all year round to ensure the future of wheat. Varieties grown in all continents have CIMMYT and Sonoran DNA.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Jeanie Borlaug Laube. Jesús Larraguibel Artola, President of PIEAES (Patronato para la Investigación y Experimentación Agrícola del Estado de Sonora A.C.). Asociación de Organismos de Agricultores del Sur de Sonora A.C. (AOASS) Global Wheat Program, CIMMYT: Alison Bentley (Program Director), Karim Ammar, Rodrigo Rascón, Carolina Rivera, Alberto Mendoza, Leonardo Crespo and Nele Verhulst.

CREDITS: Production: Alfonso Cortés, Marta Millere and Silvia Rico, CIMMYT. Additional drone shots: Courtesy of INIFAP and PIEAES. Post-production: Silvia Rico, CIMMYT

MUSIC: The Way Up created by Evert Z. Licensed from Artlist.io (License owner: CIMMYT. Creator Pro License Number – 159864). Eclipse created by EFGR. Licensed from Artlist.io (License owner: CIMMYT. Creator Pro License Number – 159864).

At CIMMYT's Wheat Quality lab, researchers evaluate how different bread wheat varieties behave at the time of baking. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The science behind the perfect bread and pasta flour

Written by Madeline Dahm on . Posted in Videos.

Have you ever considered that bread and pasta are made from different types of wheat? How about the fact that there are thousands of different wheat products consumed around the world, and each one has unique characteristics and processing requirements?

Scientists at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) understand that the quality of the final product, be it spaghetti, a loaf of sourdough bread or a tandoori naan, is highly dependent on the quality of the grain and the flour it becomes. Every year, CIMMYT analyzes thousands of wheat lines in detail at its Wheat Quality laboratory to determine the nutritional, processing and end-use quality of the grain. In this short video, CIMMYT’s Wheat Quality lab head Maria Itria Ibba explains exactly what they are looking for and how they find it.

First, CIMMYT scientists test the overall grain quality by analyzing grain weight, density, protein content, moisture content and hardness.

The grains are then milled into flour, which is again analyzed for moisture content, protein content, color and protein quality. Protein quality is especially important to determine the end-use for the type of flour, and CIMMYT conducts several tests to determine this characteristic. Bread and durum wheat flours specifically are analyzed for overall protein quality by checking SDS-sedimentation volume. Mixographs are used to assess the flour’s mixing and absorption characteristics, and alveographs are used to measure dough deformation properties.

At the end of the tests, bread wheat flours are transformed into leavened breads and scored based on the loaf’s volume and crumb quality. Durum wheat flour, used to make Italian-style pasta, is scored based on grain quality, flour yellowness, high protein content and protein quality.

CIMMYT’s work ensures that wheat-derived foods produced in developing countries are nutritious, affordable, and maximize profits for each actor in the value chain.

Cover photo: At CIMMYT’s Wheat Quality lab, researchers evaluate how different bread wheat varieties behave at the time of baking. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Waging war against the fall armyworm

Written by Rodrigo Ordóñez on . Posted in Videos.

The fall armyworm is an invasive pest that eats more than 80 different crops, but has a particular preference for maize.

It is native to the Americas. It was first reported in Africa in 2016, and quickly spread throughout the continent. It reached India in 2018. It has since been reported in many other countries across Asia and the Pacific, and it reached Australia in 2020.

Millions of families in these regions are highly dependent on maize for their income and their livelihoods. If the fall armyworm keeps spreading, it will have disastrous consequences for them.

Scientists at CIMMYT have been working hard to find solutions to help farmers fight fall armyworm. Researchers have developed manuals for farmers, with guidelines on how to manage this pest. They have also formed an international research consortium, where experts from diverse institutions are sharing knowledge and best practices. Consortium members share updates on progress in finding new ways to tackle this global challenge. Scientists are now working on developing new maize varieties that are resistant to fall armyworm.

The fall armyworm can’t be eradicated — it is here to stay. CIMMYT and its partners worldwide will continue to work on this complex challenge, so millions of smallholder farmers can protect their crops and feed their families.

For more information on the fall armyworm and CIMMYT’s work, please visit staging.cimmyt.org/fallarmyworm.

Terry Molnar sits for a portrait with his dog. (Photo: Alfonso Cortés/CIMMYT)

Four questions with CIMMYT’s Maize Genebank Curator

Written by Marta Millere on . Posted in Videos.

Seeds are a cornerstone of food security. That is why the maize and wheat genebanks have always been at the heart of the work of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).

Earlier this year, as the CIMMYT community wished farewell to Denise Costich, Terence (Terry) Molnar stepped into her shoes and took over the management of the world’s largest and most diverse collection of maize.

Molnar calls himself a curator, but unlike his counterparts at libraries and museums, his job is not only about registering and showcasing the 28,000 unique seed collections of maize. He and his team make sure that the rich maize biodiversity collected throughout time and geographies stays alive, viable and accessible to others.

We sat down with Molnar to learn more about his unique role and what we can do to celebrate biodiversity on the International Day for Biological Diversity — and every other day.

Many birds with one stone

Written by Rodrigo Ordóñez on . Posted in Videos.

In Ethiopia, farming systems rely heavily on animal and human power, reducing productivity and efficiency. In recent years, the government and development partners have made significant efforts to modernize agriculture.

In 2013, CIMMYT introduced one-axel multipurpose tractors in various districts of Amhara, Oromia, South and Tigray regions. This new technology has helped to improve farmers’ lives and phase out outdated farming practices. Farmers have reduced drudgery, improved productivity and gained higher profits. This short video shows the impacts the two-wheel tractor brough to smallholder farmers in Ethiopia.

Financial support for this initiative came from the German development agency GIZ, USAID and the Australian government.

Women mill nixtamalized maize in Michoacan, Mexico. (Photo: Peter Lowe/CIMMYT)

Nixtamalization: An ingenious solution for healthier maize-based diets

Written by Steven M on . Posted in Videos.

Some 500 years ago — in the wake of the cataclysmic encounter between European powers and the indigenous cultures of the Americas — people, ideas, goods and enormous amounts of biological material were sucked into an unprecedented planetary network of commercial circuits and flung around the globe. But the process was chaotic and often violent. People, ideas and other living things that had long commingled and coevolved were torn apart, and often sent hurtling down very different trajectories.

Among the many forms of plant life caught up in this global dispersion event was a curious grain developed over thousands of years in Mesoamerica: maize. Today it is the world’s most widely planted cereal crop ­— a cornerstone of the global industrial food system on the one hand and many local and regional agri-food systems on the other.

The thing is that to truly understand a crop you arguably must look beyond the plant itself and see it in relation to a variety of human agricultural, culinary and socioeconomic practices. But maize moved around the globe shorn of its complement of indigenous knowledge and practices. As a food archeologist Bill Schindler argues in a new video for Wired, this rupture has had enormous consequences for the health and well-being of maize-consuming communities up to the present.

The video, which borrows from an explainer produced by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), notes that for centuries maize producers and consumers in the Americas have processed maize using a technique called nixtamalization. This treatment — cooking and steeping dried maize kernels in an alkaline solution made with water and lime or wood ash — provides several nutritional and sanitary benefits, including: increased niacin and iron bioavailability, increased calcium and resistant starch content, and decreased mycotoxin contamination.

Maize-dependent diets that do not incorporate nixtamalization have historically contributed to outbreaks of pellagra and other nutrient deficiency-driven health problems. Today un-nixtamalized maize is used as the nutritionally-poor but chemically malleable basis for many hyper-processed foodstuffs thought to have contributed to the meteoric rise of diet-related disease since the 1980s.

Faced with this, Schindler asks: what if more of the world finally reunited maize with it’s indigenous processing techniques. Heat, water and lime — it might just be a solution to some pretty big problems.

Best of 2020: Our favorite videos

Written by Rodrigo Ordóñez on . Posted in Videos.

The Multimedia team at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and our producers around the world kept busy in 2020. They uploaded 50 videos to our YouTube channel and countless more to our social media, intranet and training platforms!

Here are some of our favorites. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay tuned!

Preserving the legacy of biodiversity

We shot much of this video on location in Svalbard, north of the Arctic Circle, where freezing temperatures put our cameras to the test — but the most challenging part of production was yet to come. After a global pandemic was declared, we had to shoot our first-ever socially distanced interviews, guide people to record themselves and coordinate editing remotely.

Travel with us to the Global Seed Vault, where maize and wheat seeds from CIMMYT’s genebank are are safely backed up.

Bringing landraces back home, 50 years later

Half a century ago, scientists collected and preserved samples of maize landraces in Morelos, Mexico. Now, descendants of those farmers were able to get back their ancestral maize seeds and, with them, a piece of their family history.

Jamal conquered his dreams through maize farming

It is not very often that we are able to use soap opera-style drama to convey science. In this video, actors dramatize the human stakes of the battle against fall armyworm.

At the end of the video, graphics and images show techniques developed by CIMMYT and partners to help real farmers beat this pest.

One-minute science: Carolina Rivera explains wheat physiology

Growing the right wheat varieties is necessary to nutritiously feed a growing population in the context of environmental stress.

How do I become a zero-till farmer?

An online training takes farmers and service providers though a visual journey on the use of conservation agriculture-based sustainable intensification methods.

A series of videos — available in Bengali, Hindi and English — demonstrates the process to become a zero-till farmer or service provider: from learning how to prepare a field for zero tillage to the safe use of herbicides.

The Cereal Serial: What are whole grains and why do they matter?

In the first installment of this video series for social media, CIMMYT’s maize and wheat quality experts Natalia Palacios and Itria Ibba explain what whole grains are and why they are an important part of healthy diets.

 

 

 

The Cereal Serial: What are whole grains and why do they matter?

Written by Marta Millere on . Posted in Videos.

In the first installment of The Cereal Serial, CIMMYT’s maize and wheat quality experts Natalia Palacios and Itria Ibba explain what whole grains are and why they are an important part of a healthy diet. For a deeper dive into the subject, check out our whole grains explainer.

Share recipes and photos of your favorite whole grain foods by tagging @CIMMYT and using #choosewholegrains in your social media posts.

 

Crop Modeling community of practice

Written by Rodrigo Ordóñez on . Posted in Videos.

The Community of Practice on Crop Modeling is part of the CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture and encompasses a wide range of quantitative applications, based around the broad concept of parametrizing interactions within and among the main drivers of cropping systems. These are namely: Genotype, Environment, Management and Socioeconomic factors (GEMS) to provide information and tools for decision support. The Community of Practice was formed in 2017 and is led by Wheat Physiologist Matthew Reynolds at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Texcoco, Mexico.

Crop modeling has already contributed to a better understanding of crop performance and yield gaps; predictions of potential pest and disease epidemics; more efficient irrigation and fertilization systems, and optimized planting dates. These outputs help decision makers look ahead and prepare their research and extension systems to fight climate change where it is most needed. However, there is a significant opportunity — and need — to improve the global coordination of crop modeling efforts in agricultural research. This will, in turn, greatly improve the world’s ability to develop more adaptive, resilient crops and cropping systems.

Our Community of Practice aims to promote a better-coordinated and more standardized approach to crop modeling in agricultural research. With over 900 members involving CGIAR centers and a wide range of international partners, the Crop Modeling Community of Practice is already facilitating and sharing knowledge, resources, “model-ready” data, FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles, and other useful information; while promoting capacity building and collaboration within the CGIAR and its community.

Get more information about the Crop Modeling Community of Practice on the Big Data website.

Join the Crop Modeling mailing list to get information about publications, webinars, new tools, updates and collaboration opportunities.

Connect to our LinkedIn group: Crop Modeling CoP.

In case of fall armyworm, watch this video

Written by AFM Nazmul Alam on . Posted in Videos.

To the first-time observer, the aftermath of a fall armyworm infestation must be terrifying. The larvae can cause significant damage to an entire field in a single night, leaving once-healthy leaves looking like tattered rags.

A new instructional video, which will air in Bangladesh, aims to combat both the pest and the distress its appearance can cause with detailed, actionable information for farmers. The video describes how to identify the pest, its lifecycle and the kind of damage it can do to maize — among other crops — and provides techniques for identifying, assessing, and combating an infestation.


 
This video was developed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) with support from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI), as part of the project Fighting back against fall armyworm in Bangladesh. Supported by USAID’s Feed the Future Initiative and Michigan State University, this CIMMYT-led project works in synergy with the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), and with national partners to mitigate the impact of this invasive pest on smallholder farmers’ livelihoods.

The video is available in Bangla with English captions.

Jamal conquered his dreams through maize farming

Written by Steven M on . Posted in Videos.

When we talk about the impact of agricultural research we often rely on numerical metrics: percent increase in yield, percent decrease in crop loss, adoption rates, etcetera. For farmers on the ground, however, the impact can be much harder to boil down to a few numbers. Hiding behind every statistical table are real stories of dreams dashed or fulfilled, of everyday people trying to survive and flourish.

A new educational video powerfully dramatizes this point through the story of Jamal Mia and his daughter Rupa. Jamal’s dreams to own a house and see Rupa enroll in college are threatened when his maize crop is attacked by fall armyworm. An encounter with an agricultural extension officer puts Jamal on track to tackle the infestation, save his crop and secure his family’s wellbeing.

The video was developed by CIMMYT with support from Bangladesh’s Department of Agricultural Extension and the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI), as part of a project titled “Fighting back against fall armyworm in Bangladesh.” Supported by USAID’s Feed the Future Initiative and Michigan State University, this CIMMYT-led project works in synergy with the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) and with national partners to mitigate the impact of this invasive pest on smallholder farmers’ livelihoods.

The video was filmed in Dinajpur district, Bangladesh, and is available in Bangla with English captions.