Researchers, funded by the GRDC, are collaborating with experts from ANU, the University of Adelaide, and CIMMYT to enhance heat tolerance in wheat. Led by Professor Owen Atkin and Dr. Scott Boden, the projects aim to identify genetic markers for breeding heat-resistant varieties. Using advanced phenotyping technology, scientists are exploring biochemical pathways and heat shock proteins to develop solutions for climate change-induced challenges in agriculture.
Cargill Mexico and CIMMYT presented the 2023 edition of the Cargill-CIMMYT Award for Food Security and Sustainability, which aims to acknowledge and promote projects and actions that contribute to mitigating and resolving the food problems facing the country.
With this award, Cargill and CIMMYT seek to promote actions and projects that contain innovative ideas on technologies, productive inputs, agronomic practices, marketing models, collaboration schemes, among others, that result in a sustainable and scalable increase in agricultural production in Mexico.
âThe objective of this initiative is to identify and acknowledge technological innovations, actions, and practices that contribute to strengthening food security and sustainability in the Mexican countryside,â said Fernando Guareschi, president of Cargill Mexico. âThe award-winning projects represent an achievement for the producers, researchers, opinion leaders, and young people who participate in each project. It is an indicator for us that we are on the right path to meet our goal of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way.â
The 2023 edition of the award acknowledges innovations that lead to better integration of basic grain value chains, as well as productive market practices that improve the quality of life of producers in communities or agricultural centers.
âFor CIMMYT, the partnership with Cargill has been key to recognizing and promoting the talent and innovation of the actors in the basic grains value chains in Mexico who share our determination to transform agricultural systems to make them more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive and, thus, strengthen food security for all Mexicans,â said Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general.
Within the framework of the awards ceremony, the winning projects were recognized in categories: researchers, producers, opinion leaders, and youth in the Mexican agricultural sector.
The winners of the 2023 edition of the CargillâCIMMYT Award were –
Carlos BarragĂĄn GarcĂa in the producers category, with the project âFamily agriculture and agribusiness.â
Arturo Javier Ortiz GarcĂa in the opinion leaders category, with the project âAgricultural Islands.â
Eduardo Cruz Rojo in the youth category, with the projects âNew production methods for the Mezquital Valley area.â
In this edition, projects were assessed by a jury and a committee of experts from the agricultural and food sector, who had the responsibility of determining the winners. Projects for each category were assessed with specific criteria:
Producers of basic grain production systems such as maize, wheat, barley, and sorghum.
Scientists and researchers in agronomy, genetics, improvement of maize, wheat, barley, or sorghum, and information and telecommunications technologies applied to the agrifood sector.
Leaders of associations of producers, technicians, and communication professionals who work in the agrifood sector in Mexico.
Youth who have carried out outstanding activities in the sustainable agricultural sector in Mexico, have implemented a pilot program in their community, or have contributed to agricultural technological innovation.
About Cargill
Cargill is committed to supplying food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world safely, responsibly, and sustainably. Located at the center of the supply chain, we collaborate with farmers and customers to source, manufacture, and supply products vital to life.
Our 160,000 team members innovate with purpose, providing customers with the essentials so that businesses grow, communities thrive, and consumers live well. With 159 years of experience as a family business, we look to the future while staying true to our values. We prioritize people. We aim for excellence. We do the right thing, today, and for future generations. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.
 About CIMMYT
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.
Over the last seventy years, intensively managed monocultures, focused on maximizing calorie production, have become a dominant approach to global food production. This trend toward simplification in agricultural systems has supported productivity gains but has very troubling consequences for the environment including nutrient pollution and biodiversity loss at a massive scale. Restoring diversity is essential to regaining ecological balance.
Monocultures are generally all the same, turning biologically-rich systems into chemical-intensive engineered ones nearly devoid of life forms other than those yielding a genetically identical commodity crop. Their guiding principle is producing food ingredients as cheaply as possible. Biologically diversified agricultural systems can take many forms. Their guiding principle is recapturing resilience and resource use efficiency while supplying balanced diets and viable livelihoods.
In recent years, there have been many efforts to biologically diversify farming systems. Increasing the number of species and the genetic diversity is associated with improved resilience and resource use efficiency.
A new paper published in Science consolidates evidence from across a wide range of diversification strategies, applied on five continents, to understand how they affect environmental and social outcomes. These strategies encompass many different interventions ranging from crop rotations and cover crops to livestock inclusion to use of compost, hedgerows, and contour farming.
Farmers hold groundnuts as a preferred crop. (Photo: Sieglinde Snapp/CIMMYT)
The study shows that the likelihood of environmental and social benefits goes up when a greater number of diversification strategies are combined. Importantly, the environmental benefits of diversification were found to be greatest in very simplified landscapes with less than 20% in non-crop area.
It also found that applying multiple diversification strategies in tandem reduces tradeoffs. In other words, the path to agricultural win-wins leads to diversified working landscapes, not just diversification strategies on individual farms.
The push toward commodity monocultures has been baked into many agricultural policies, such as subsidies and trade deals, and into land tenure systems. The monoculture bias is also reinforced through pricing, payment, and other supply chain arrangements. Even research agendas have encouraged monoculture with the long-term emphasis on yield-focused breeding.
It’s time to dismantle the structural barriers that leave so many farmers just getting by “against the odds” and at the expense of functioning ecosystems.
Efforts to improve gender equality and social inclusion are under the spotlight in many workplaces around the world. At CIMMYT, where values of Excellence, Integrity, and Teamwork guide the organization through its 2030 Strategy, commitment to shaping a more inclusive workplace is changing the face of scientific research.
âThis is the start of a journey to harness and empower talent from across CIMMYTâs employee base,â said Director General, Bram Govaerts. âStarting with the actions outlined below, CIMMYT aims to become a leader in promoting gender equality and social inclusion in agricultural research and development.â
Empowering women
At CIMMYT, our commitment to gender equality is reflected in our global workforce. During the first half of 2023, women represented one in every three staff members. Across all roles, the current hiring rate for women is 43% in 2023 compared to 21% in 2020, with a particularly positive trend in regional offices, where the percentage has increased from 24% in 2021 to 43% in 2023. Annual improvements are also visible in the number of internationally recruited female staff, as 46% of these roles are filled by women in 2023, compared to 19% in 2022.
In our headquarters in Mexico, there is no major gender gap above 10%, even at the highest level, and 35-40% of employees are women. 50% of the members of the senior leadership team are women, with a significant number of women from diverse backgrounds forming part of our broader management structure. Progress is also visible in our regional offices. In Kenya and TĂŒrkiye, 43% and 40% of team members are women respectively, with both countries reaching the CGIAR target of 40/40/20 parity. For the first time, women represented at least 20% of employees in Bangladesh and Nepal in 2023.
However, we recognize there are still areas where CIMMYT must improve gender parity. While the overall gender balance continues to improve, the proportion of women working at CIMMYT globally rests at 32.5%, which is a statistic that can be increased. Gender gaps exceeding 10% can be observed in India and Nepal, where efforts are bridging gaps and forming environments where talent knows no gender.
Advancing equality by region
The impressive diversity of our workforce is one of our greatest strengths, and CIMMYT always seeks new ways to champion its people. As a global organization with presence in 88 countries, benefits are tailored to each region to target the specific needs of employees in each locality.
The creation of a Gratuity and Provident Trust Fund in Bangladesh, fostering gender equality by providing equal opportunities for financial stability and growth.
Standardized benefits in India, such as a uniform transport allowance and upgraded housing allowance that ensures fair financial benefits for all employees regardless of job grade.
Enhanced food coupons and savings funds for employees in Mexico, as well as an after-school program for the children of colleagues working at the headquarters.
Responding to economic challenges in Pakistan with a 20% general salary increase, a bonus of US $400, and the introduction of a gender-neutral transport allowance.
An increased allowance for childrenâs education in Zimbabwe.
In addition, Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA), parental leave, disability access improvements, and translation services showcase CIMMYTâs dedication to equality and inclusion.
Fulfilling careers for all
Investing in our people means ensuring that learning opportunities are equally accessible to all, empowering employees to reach their maximum capabilities. âWe actively work to foster a culture and environment where all staff feel confident sharing their perspectives, their contributions are highly valued, and they see a path for growth within the organization,â said Deputy Director of Human Resources, Jean-Flavien Le Besque.
In 2023, 1,189 staff members participated in 431 training courses, with the number of participants increasing by nearly 23% in the same year. Additional e-learning opportunities available in both English and Spanish provide opportunities for professional development in health and safety, communications, personal efficiency, and critical thinking, all which aid staff with the development of valuable skills. These online courses supplement regular training on teamwork, hostile environment awareness, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The CIMMYT Academy also plays a significant role in training staff to be future leaders. In 2022, 52 students enrolled into the Academy; 52% of these students are women, underscoring CIMMYTâs commitment to developing everyoneâs talent. Staff can also access a Tuition Grant scheme to pursue a higher-level degree.
Next steps
While these initiatives have strengthened gender equality and social inclusion at CIMMYT, further efforts are required to achieve true equity in all corners of the organization. These projects so far are just a glimpse into ongoing work to achieve the CGIAR GDI aims and will be built upon using employee feedback and specialist expertise.
âThese successes are just the start of our pledge to ensure CIMMYT is inclusive and safe for all,â said Associate Scientist and Cropping Systems Agronomist, Mazvita Chiduwa. âWe want to be an organization that is renowned not just for scientific excellence, but also for the way we champion all groups to reach the best of their ability, thrive in the workplace, and enjoy a positive work-life balance.â
In 2023, Mexico, with CIMMYT’s support, rejected 1,463 risky agricultural shipments, preventing 258 quarantine-worthy pests from entering the country. CIMMYT highlighted climate change’s role in pest spread, emphasizing Mexico’s commitment to safeguarding food production and ensuring global food security.
Over the past few decades, Conservation Agriculture (CA) has moved from theory to practice for many farmers in southern Africa. CA is a system that involves minimum soil disturbance, crop residue retention, and crop diversification among other complimentary agricultural practices. One reason for its increasing popularity is its potential to mitigate threats from climate change while increasing yields.
However, there are limits to the adaptation of CA, especially for smallholder farmers. Challenges are both agronomic (e.g. lack of sufficient crop residues as mulch, weed control, pest and disease carryover through crop residues), socio-economic, and political (both locally and regionally).
For crop residue, the two most prevalent actions are using leftover crop residue for soil cover or feeding it to livestock. Currently, many farmers allow livestock to graze on crop residue in the field, leading to overgrazing and insufficient ground cover. This tradeoff is further challenged by other multiple household uses of residues such as fuel and building material. The most common way to control weeds is the application of herbicides. However, inefficient and injudicious herbicide use poses a threat to human health and the environment, so the research team set out to identify potential alternatives to chemical weed control as the sole practices in CA systems.
âThe answer to the question âhow should farmers control weeds?â has always been herbicides,â said lead author Christian Thierfelder, CIMMYT principal cropping systems agronomist. âBut herbicides have many negative side effects, so we wanted to question that answer and examine other potential weed control methods.â
What to do with crop residue
Previous research from the region found that ungrazed areas had long-term positive effects on soil fertility and crop yields. However, it is common practice for many farmers in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to allow open grazing after the harvest in their communities. Livestock are free to graze wherever they wander, which results in overgrazing.
âOpen grazing systems help keep costs down but are very inefficient in terms of use of resources. It leads to bare fields with poor soil,â said Thierfelder.
Maize on residues. (Photo: CIMMYT)
While it is easy to suggest that regulations should be enacted to limit open grazing, it is difficult to implement and enforce such rules in practice. The authors found that enforcement is lacking in smaller villages because community members are often related, which makes punishment difficult, and there is an inherent conflict of interest among those responsible for enforcement.
Controlling weeds
Weeding challenges in CA systems have been addressed worldwide by simply using herbicides. However, chemical weeding is often not affordable and, sometimes, inaccessible to the smallholder farmers and environmentally unfriendly.
Using herbicides, though effective when properly applied, also requires a degree of specialized knowledge, and without basic training, this may be an unviable option as they may pose a risk to the health of the farmers. Thus, alternatives need to be identified to overcome this challenge.
Some alternatives include mechanical methods, involving the use of handheld tools or more sophisticated tools pulled by animals or engines. While this can be effective, there is the possibility of high initial investments, and intercropping (a tenet of CA) forces farmers to maneuver carefully between rows to avoid unintended damage of the intercrop.
Increasing crop competition is another potential weed control system. By increasing plant density, reducing crop row spacing, and integrating other crops through intercropping, the crop competes more successfully with the weeds for resources such as light, moisture, and nutrients. When the crop seed rate is increased, the density of the crops increases, providing more cover to intercept light, and reducing the amount of light reaching the weeds thereby controlling their proliferation.
A holistic approach
âWhat we learned is that many of the crop residue and weed challenges are part of broader complications that cannot be resolved without understanding the interactions among the current scientific recommendations, private incentives, social norms, institutions, and government policy,â said Thierfelder.
Continuing research into CA should aim to examine the social and institutional innovations needed to mainstream CA as well as strengthen and expand the research on weed control alternatives and focus on the science of communal grazing land management to enhance their productivity.
Experts of a visiting team from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have lauded the premium quality rice (PQR) value chain process in northern Bangladesh.
They made the admiration while visiting the Bengal Auto Rice Mills at Pulhat in Dinajpur and exchanging views with its owner, PQR farmers, local service providers (LSP) and traders on PQR production, milling and marketing.
Dr. Zachary P. Stewart, Production Systems Specialist of the Center for Agriculture-Led Growth, Bureau for Resilience, Environment and Food Security of the USAID from Washington led the team during their three-day tour in Northern Bangladesh that ended on Saturday.
John Laborde and Muhammad Nuruzzaman from the USAIDâs Bangladesh Mission, Program Director of Sustainable Agrifood Systems at CIMMYT in Mexico Dr. Sieglinde Snapp and CIMMYT Country representative for Bangladesh Dr. Timothy J. Krupnik accompanied by him.
The Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia CSISA-III project, funded by USAID and implemented by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), has been actively engaged in expanding and enhancing PQR value chains since 2016 in the Khulna division and since 2019 in the Rangpur division in Bangladesh.
The team members visited the entire Auto Rice Mills to observe the process of milling, sorting and packaging of PQR rice.
Owner of Bengal Auto Rice Mills Mr. Zahangir Alam informed that previously he sourced BRRI dhan50 (Banglamoti) from the southern part of Bangladesh.
However, since establishing a connection with CSISA in 2019, he has been procuring 30 percent to 40 percent of the total annual demand for BRRI dhan50 for producing PQR from the CSISA-beneficiary PQR farmersâ groups and others locally.
He highlighted how farmers have benefited from direct paddy purchases from them and obtaining high-quality and admixture-free rice.
âWith assistance from CSISA, I have successfully branded this variety using its original name (BRRI dhan50) since 2020,â Zahangir Alam added.
Lead farmer Md. Azad expressed the advantages they have experienced from cultivating BRRI dhan50 through CSISA and higher yield of the BRRI dhan50 variety compared to the BRRI dhan28.
He highlighted their affiliation with the Bengal Auto Rice Mills, which has enabled them to fetch prices 7-8 Bangladesh Taka (BDT) higher per kilogram of paddy than those for BRRI dhan28.
During the visit, Agronomist from Bangladesh Office of IRRI Dr. Sharif Ahmed provided an overview of the PQR initiatives conducted by CSISA.
He also facilitated the tour alongside Md. Alanuzzaman Kurishi, Hub Coordinator at CIMMYT’s Dinajpur Field Office and Abdullah Miajy, a Specialist in Agricultural Research and Development at IRRI’s Rangpur Hub.
The detection of the Ug99 wheat stem rust strain TTKTT in Nepal showcases the effectiveness of CIMMYT-led global surveillance efforts. Identified early through diligent field surveys by Nepal’s NPPRC and NWRP and confirmed by Denmark’s GRRC, this proactive response helped prevent further spread. Despite no subsequent detections in South Asia, the case underlines the importance of ongoing surveillance and development of resistant wheat varieties, supported by international initiatives.
CIMMYT Global Wheat Program (GWP) scientists visited National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) partners in Pakistan, Nepal, and India during February 2024. The key purpose was to review current approaches and explore new opportunities to enhance collaborative wheat improvement activities.
NARS partners described their current priorities and recent changes in their activities, while CIMMYT shared recent modernization efforts of its wheat breeding and highlighted opportunities to enhance collaborative wheat improvement. GWP representatives included Interim Wheat Director Kevin Pixley, and scientists Naeela Qureshi, Velu Govindan, Keith Gardner, Sridhar Bhavani, T.P. Tiwari, and Arun K Joshi.
Representatives from the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and CIMMYT meet to identify chances for improved cooperation in wheat breeding research. (Photo: Awais Yaqub/CIMMYT)
Planning the future of South Asian wheat
In each country, CIMMYT and NARS leaders held a one-day meeting to review and plan their wheat improvement partnership, with attendance from 25-30 wheat scientists in each country. The sessions aimed to review and identify bottlenecks to the wheat impact pathway in each country, describe recent changes in the breeding programs of CIMMYT and NARS partners, and prioritize and agree updates to the NARS-CIMMYT wheat improvement collaborations.
NARS partners highlighted their wheat improvement programs through field visits to research stations. Visitors attended Wheat Research Institute (ARI), Faisalabad and National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad in Pakistan; National Wheat Research Program (NWRP), Bhairahawa and National Plant Breeding & Genetics Research Center (NPBGRC), Khumaltar in Nepal; and Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in India.
The GWP team also visited: Faisalabad Agricultural University, with a special focus on collaborative zinc biofortification work in Pakistan; farmersâ fields in Nepal to see participatory evaluations of elite wheat lines (candidates for release as new varieties) and to hear from farmers about challenges and expectations from improved varieties; and the Lumbini Seed Company to learn about the crucial role of seed companies, bottlenecks, and opportunities in the pathway from research to impact in farmersâ fields.
NARS scientists and directors in all three countries were enthusiastic about the opportunities for enhanced partnership to adopt some of the modernizing technologies that AGG has brought to CIMMYT. Partners are especially keen to â
Receive earlier generation varieties, segregating breeding lines to empower them to select in their own environments.
Model and explore strategies to shorten their breeding cycles.
Apply quantitative genetics tools to better select parents for their crossing blocks.
Adopt experimental designs that improve efficiency.
Explore opportunities for co-implementing improvement programs through shared testing schemes, communities of practice (e.g. for quantitative genetics or use of exotic germplasm to address challenges from climate change), and more.
A highlight of the trip in Nepal: visiting on-farm trials, where farmers share insights about their preferences for improved varieties, where they often mentioned tolerance over lodging. (Photo: CIMMYT)
âThe visit provided CIMMYT and NARS wheat scientists with the opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas, and to explore ways of enhancing collaborations that will strengthen our joint impact on wheat farmers and consumers,â said Pixley.
Following these visits, the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI) soon reached out to CIMMYT to request a similar review and planning meeting, with a vision to modernize and strengthen their wheat improvement partnership.
The Society for the Advancement of Wheat and Barley Research (SAWBAR), ICAR-IIWBR, Karnal, bestowed the prestigious Sh. VS Mathur Memorial Award 2023 for outstanding contribution in the field of Wheat Crop Improvement.
T Mohapatra, former secretary of Indiaâs Department of Agricultural Research and Education and director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and Gyanendra Singh, director of the Indian Institute of Wheat & Barley Research (IIWBR) at ICAR, presented the award at the ceremony on March 27, 2024.
As recipient of this award Joshi, who is the managing director of the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), CIMMYT country representative for India, and CIMMYT regional representative for South Asia, also delivered the Sh. VS Mathur memorial lecture during the ceremony. In his speech, Joshi spoke about past and present developments in wheat improvement and emphasized the importance of wheat across the globe, touching on the post-Green Revolution era and the critical timeline of events in wheat improvement. He delved into the factors responsible for variations in wheat yield and how to meet the rising demand for wheat consumption.
Arun Kumar Joshi receives the Sh. VS Mathur Memorial Award. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Joshi advised that countries like India must bridge the yield gap by improving management in farmersâ fields, co-learning from other spring wheat-growing countries like Mexico and Egypt, and investing in science to address climate change. He also discussed opportunities to integrate modern science across all disciplines: genomics, gene editing, mechanization, robotics, AI, weed management, water, and nutrient use efficiency.
Talking about the future of wheat production, Joshi stressed the need to focus on traits that will be more important in the future, with an emphasis on accelerated genetic gain, gene-edited wheat, and how to breed heat-tolerant (40° C) varieties using various innovative tools and technologies.
About CIMMYT:
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.
For more information, visit cimmyt.org.
About the Society for the Advancement of Wheat and Barley Research (SAWBAR):
SAWBAR was founded in 2007 and is housed at ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research Karnal (Haryana) India. The Society presently has 300 life members and more than 320 annual and student members. SAWBAR is playing a significant role in bringing wheat and barley researchers on one platform for the exchange of innovative research and dissemination of knowledge related to the latest research happenings in the area of wheat and barley improvement. Annually, SAWBAR gives awards to pioneer cereal workers in various award categories.
About the Sh. VS Mathur Memorial Award:
The Sh. VS Mathur Memorial Award was constituted in year 2018 in the memory of eminent wheat worker Sh. VS Mathur. Mathur was one of the pioneer wheat workers who worked tirelessly with MS Swaminathan and HK Jain and developed a large number of high-yielding wheat varieties viz. Heera, Moti, Janak (HD 1982), Arjun (HD 2009), HD 2177, HD 2182, HD 2204, HD 2236, HD 2278, HD 2281, HD 2285, HD 2329, HD 2307 and HD 2327 for various regions of India.
A recent study in World Development reveals CGIAR’s crop technologies generate $47 billion annually in global economic benefits. From 1961 to 2020, CGIAR, with significant contributions from CIMMYT, enhanced agricultural productivity across 221 million hectares. These innovations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, have boosted yields, reduced food prices, and spurred economic growth, highlighting the critical role of agricultural research in ensuring global food security and combating poverty.
As the world searches for effective solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change while navigating the cost-of-living crisis, delivering food security goals alongside robust economic value is more imperative than ever in agricultural research.
CGIAR plays a vital role in this mission, aiming to transform food, land, and water systems in collaboration with its 15 Research Centers, such as CIMMYT. Now, a new study published in World Development comprehensively analyzes CGIARâs fiscal impact on global agricultural over nearly 60 years.
Additionally, investment in productivity gains for staple crops in developing countries has aided entire populations by securing lower food prices and generating large local growth multipliers, thus achieving a greater impact on poverty reduction when compared to productivity growth in other sectors.
CIMMYT contributes 40% of total CGIAR varietal impact
At least 221 million hectares in at least 92 countries were occupied by CGIAR crop technologies in 2020. Between 2016 and 2020, CIMMYT maize varieties accounted for 24.5 million hectares (11%) of this figure, while CIMMYT wheat varieties made up almost 74 million hectares (33%).
An example of how these CIMMYT varieties impact farmers can be seen in sub-Saharan Africa, where using improved maize seed led to an overall average increase of 38.9% in yields to 1,104 kilograms per hectare (kg/ha), equal to an increase of 429 kg/ha. With increased yields come increased profits and employment security for farmers and their families.
The frequency with which technologies are upgraded also signifies the impact of agricultural research and development (R&D) on crop productivity and the economy. On the 221 million ha planting area, many farmers utilize second or third generation technologies. For example, average varietal generation in maize is estimated to be 1.1, meaning that 10% of farmers use a second-generation variety, and most wheat farmers were also using second or third generation modern varieties. This highlights that ongoing crop research continued to impact productivity, even when the size of the adoption area remained constant.
Expanding the impact
As CGIARâs reach and capacity have grown, economic benefits are now apparent in an increased number of global regions compared to when its work began. Initially, most economic benefits came from wheat and rice farming in Asia; however, 30% of CGIAR crop technologies now occupy sub-Saharan Africa, generating a significant share of its impact. This region remains heavily reliant upon CGIAR-related varieties, so continued investment is encouraged to maintain and build on the positive outcomes achieved to date.
âConsidering the urgent need to attain nutrition security, CIMMYT always seeks ways to assure global food systems,â said Bram Govaerts, director general of CIMMYT. âThis thorough analysis is a strong validation of CIMMYTâs work and its significance not just for farmers and their immediate families, but for communities and generations into the future. Our collaborative partnerships with CGIAR Research Centers and National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) are integral in delivering successful projects that enable smallholder farmers to maximize the potential of their land.â
While similar studies have been undertaken in the past, this work takes a unique approach by drawing on a wider range of evidence built on country- and crop-specific data, such as the adoption of crop improvement technologies and productivity impacts per hectare, thereby providing a more granular assessment of CGIARâs economic inputs.
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has experienced the worst impacts of climate change on agriculture over the past decades and projections show such effects are going to intensify in the coming years. Diminished agricultural production has been the primary impact channel given the high reliance on rainfed agriculture in the region. Combined with a growing population, food security for millions of people is threatened.
Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a sustainable cropping system that can help reverse soil degradation, augment soil health, increase crop yields, and reduce labor requirements while helping smallholder farmers adapt to climate change. It is built on three core principles of minimum soil disturbance, crop residue retention, and crop diversification.
CA was introduced in southern Africa in the 1990s, but its adoption has been patchy and often associated with commercial farming. A group of researchers, led by Christian Thierfelder, principal cropping systems agronomist at CIMMYT, set out to understand the reasons why smallholder farmers adopt CA, or why they might not or indeed dis-adopt. Their results were published in Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems on March 12, 2024.
Conservation Agriculture plot. (Photo: CIMMYT)
âConservation Agriculture can cushion farmers from the effects of climate change through its capacity to retain more soil water in response to high water infiltration and increased soil organic carbon. It is therefore a viable option to deal with increased heat and drought stress,â said Thierfelder. However, even with these benefits, adoption of CA has not been as widespread in countries like Malawi.
âThere are regions within Malawi where CA has been promoted for a long time, also known as sentinel sites,â said Thierfelder. âIn such places, adoption is rising, indicating that farmers are realizing the benefits of CA over time. Examining adoption dynamics in sentinel sites can provide valuable lessons on scaling CA and why some regions experience large rates of non- or dis-adoption.â
Thierfelder and his co-authors, Innocent Pangapanga-Phiri of the Center for Agricultural Research and Development (CARD) of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), and Hambulo Ngoma, scientist and agricultural economist at CIMMYT, examined the Nkhotakota district in central Malawi, one of the most promising examples of widespread CA adoption.
Total LandCare (TLC), a regional NGO working in Malawi has been consistently promoting CA in tandem with CIMMYT in the Nkhotakota district since 2005.
Results from both individual farmer interviews and focused group discussions revealed that farmers that implement CA saw higher yields per hectare than those who practiced conventional tillage practices. In addition, farmers using CA indicated greater resilience in times of drought, improved soil fertility, and reduced pest infestation.
Why adopt CA?
The primary factors enhancing CA adoption in the Nkhotakota district were the availability of training, extension and advisory services, and demonstration plots by the host farmers. Host farmers are farmers that have been trained by a TLC extension officer and have their own plot of land to demonstrate CA methods. In addition, host farmers train other farmers and share knowledge and skills through farmer field days and other local agricultural exhibitions.
âSocial networks among the farmers serve a vital role in CA adoption,â said Ngoma. âSeeing tangible success carries significant weight for non-adopter farmers or temporal dis-adopters which can persuade them to adopt.â
Maize demonstration plot. (Photo: CIMMYT)
During focus group discussions facilitated by the authors, farmers indicated that demonstration plots also removed fear for the unknown and debunked some myths regarding CA systems, for example, that practitioners show âlazinessâ if they do not conventionally till their land.
âThis suggests that CA uptake could be enhanced with increased, targeted, and long-term promotion efforts that include demonstration plots,â said Ngoma.
Similarly, the longer duration of CA exposure positively influenced farmersâ decisions to adopt CA methods as longer exposure might allow farmers to better understand the benefits of CA practices.
Why not adopt CA?
Farmers reported socioeconomic, financial, and technical constraints to adopt CA. An example is that farmers might not have the labor and time available for weed control, a necessary step in the first few years after the transition to CA.
âWeed control is an important challenge during the early years of CA adoption and can be seen as the âAchilles heelâ of CA adoption,â said Thierfelder. CIMMYT scientists therefore focused a lot of research in recent years to find alternative weed control strategies based on integrated weed management (IWM) using chemical, biological, and mechanical control options.
Examining the stover in a maize plot. (Photo: CIMMYT)
In most cases, the benefits of CA adoption are seen only after 2 to 5 years. Having such a long-term view is not always possible for smallholder farmers, who often must make decisions based on current conditions and have immediate family obligations to meet.
As a contrast to adopters of CA, non-adopters reported a lack of knowledge about CA as a whole and a lack of specific technical knowledge needed to transition from more traditional methods to CA.
This scarcity of technical support is often due to the lack of strong agriculture extension support systems. Since CA adoption can be complex, capacity building of both farmers and extension agents can therefore foster adoption and implementation of CA. This reinforces that farmer-to-farmer approaches through host farmers could complement other sources of extension to foster adoption.
Next steps
The authors identified three policy recommendations to accelerate CA adoption. First, there is a need to continue promoting CA using farmer-centric approaches more consistently, e.g., the host farmer approach. Using a farmer-centered approach facilitates experiential learning and can serve as a motivation for peer-to-peer exchange and learning and can reduce misinformation. The host farmer approach can be augmented by mega-demonstrations to showcase CA implementation at scale. In addition, rapid and mass extension delivery can be enhanced by using digital technologies.
Second, CA promotion should allow farmers the time to experiment with different CA options before adoption. What remains unclear at the policy level is the types of incentives and support that can be given to farmers to encourage experimentation without creating economic dependence. NGOs and extension workers could help farmers deal with the weed pressure soon after converting from full to minimum tillage by providing herbicides and training.
Third, there is a need to build and strengthen farmer groups to facilitate easier access to training, to serve as conduits for incentive schemes such as payments for environmental services, and conditional input subsidies for CA farmers. Such market-smart incentives are key to induce initial adoption in the short term and to facilitate sustained adoption.
In February 2024, the Kenya Drylands Crop Seed Systems Workshop, co-hosted by CIMMYT and KALRO in Nairobi, focused on enhancing seed systems for key dryland crops like pigeon pea and sorghum. The workshop aimed to align innovative breeding with effective seed distribution, crucial for improving agricultural productivity and food security in Kenya’s semi-arid regions.
Melinda Yerka, a researcher from the University of Nevada, Reno, is collaborating with CIMMYT, focusing on enhancing sorghum hybrids for better dairy feed, utilizing her breakthroughs in sorghum breeding alongside CIMMYT’s agricultural expertise. Their joint efforts aim to develop sorghum varieties with higher protein and starch content, suitable for diverse climates, particularly in Africa. This partnership underscores a strategic approach to global food security, leveraging sorghumâs adaptability to support sustainable agriculture and climate resilience.
