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Delivering the best seeds to farmers in Zambia

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in News.

To bring together farmers with seed distributors and other stakeholders, the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, or MasAgro Africa, held a seed fair with the theme ‘Promoting Access to Drought Tolerant Seed and Appropriate Scale Technologies,’ in Zambia’s Chongwe district. The objectives of the fair were to create a platform for farmers and input suppliers to engage before the onset of the planting season. Over 1,200 farmers attended the seed fair.

Zambian government officials and CIMMYT staff tour fair stands. (Photo: Nancy Malama/CIMMYT)

“The seed fair plays a critical role in linking farmers to seed companies and exposes them to appropriate technologies. The links created with agro-dealers and other suppliers ensure farmers gain access to sufficient volumes of appropriate multiple stress tolerant maize hybrids, legume seed and agricultural inputs locally. Access to drought tolerant seed and technology in the times of climate change is timely and critical to today’s farmers. This fair will help our farmers acquire inputs at their doorsteps, promoting food security,” said Kasuba, the district agriculture officer.

AID-I is also using these fairs to provide information on agronomic practices such as conservation agriculture, climate-smart agriculture and small mechanization options to support smallholders not only to learn but also enjoy the events through participation in fun quizzes. Farmers purchase seed and other inputs when they redeem vouchers provided by participating companies who develop the questions for farmers.

A farmer who redeemed a voucher said, “I came from Nyimba, because I heard that there is a seed fair here. What I found was very interesting, and I learned a lot. I saw a lot of seeds from different companies. I have also managed to win this pesticide by answering a question, and I am very happy about this project.”

Farmer redeems a voucher for beneficial pesticides. (Photo: Christabel Chabwela/CIMMYT)

These add-ons to the seed fair ensure farmers learn about climate-smart practices and how they can mitigate climate change effects and crop damage caused by pests by using drought and pest resistant varieties. Pests such as fall armyworm (FAW) are a major threat to smallholder farmers and their crops, as these can destroy crops and lead to a significant decrease in yields and income for the farmer.

Some of the outcomes and benefits for the private sector, and farmers alike include farmers to access different seed hybrids at one location, reduced costs of transportation for farmers who often travel long distances to get inputs. Zamseed, an AID-I partner, was able to promote 600 packs of their ZMS 451-medium and ZMS 721-late maturity seeds. SeedCo, another AID-I partner was able to support farmers with 500 seed packs of their medium maturity SC 303-ultra early, SC 555-early and 657-medium maturity maize seed varieties to farmers. Seed input suppliers noted that maize seed packed in smaller bags weighing 10 kgs and of medium maturity variety seed were the most sought-after and have now influenced how they can reach much larger numbers of smallholder farmers through this observation on improved packaging and demand.

In addition to Zamseed and SeedCo, AID-I partners who participated in the seed fair include the Ministry of Agriculture, CRS, Afriseed, Synergy, Animive Enterprises, Bayer, Amiran, Syngenta, Omnia Fertilizer, and Corteva.

Visiting Chinese scholar devoted to agricultural research in Mexico

Written by dmedina on . Posted in In the media.

CIMMYT stands out for its role in agricultural innovation, demonstrated through the dedicated research of visiting Chinese scholar Wang Hui. Her tenure at CIMMYT underscores the center’s pivotal role in driving agricultural advancements through international partnerships, significantly contributing to global food security and scientific development.

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CIMMYT and WorldVeg in an MoU to enhance sustainable food production, boost youth and women employment

Written by dmedina on . Posted in In the media.

CIMMYT, in collaboration with World Vegetable Center, has embarked on a partnership to enhance sustainable food production and employment for youth and women. This initiative aims to advance food security and poverty reduction by promoting diversified, resilient agricultural practices and strengthening cereal and vegetable value chains, contributing to the Sustainable Develpment Goals.

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CIMMYT-BISA-ICAR partnership brings huge benefits in South Asia

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in News.

A climate resilient agriculture program for the state of Bihar, India, launched in 2019 by the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) and the state government, was operating in 190 villages and had by 2022 improved water, soil nutrient, energy, labor and time use efficiency by at least 20% with around 35% higher yields and a reduced environmental footprint, as well as helping rice-wheat farmers to diversify their production with crops such as maize, millet and mungbean, among others.

This is just one of the achievements cited in a recent 2023 end-of-year reflection involving members of the BISA Executive Committee in New Delhi, India, including Bram Govaerts, director general of CIMMYT and BISA, and Arun Kumar Joshi, managing director of BISA.

“BISA has achieved significant milestones and is progressing towards organizational goals,” said Joshi. “The long-standing and productive partnership with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and agricultural councils of other countries in South Asia became more robust, as strategies that focused on building capacities and improving seed systems for the whole of South Asia were implemented.”

Established jointly by CIMMYT and ICAR in 2011, BISA is a non-profit international research institute dedicated to food, nutrition, livelihood security and environmental rehabilitation in South Asia, home to more than 300 million undernourished people. Its work harnesses the latest genetic, digital, resource management technologies, and research-for-development approaches.

BISA’s flagship projects benefit millions of farmers and include the Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA), the testing of experimental wheat that carries grass genes associated with the inhibition of nitrification in the soil near crop roots, a climate resilient agriculture program for South Asia, and implementation of the CGIAR Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) initiative.

“Of the top 10 bread wheat varieties in India, 6 are derived from the ICAR-CIMMYT-BISA collaboration,” Joshi explained.

“BISA has grown tremendously in the last few years,” said Govaerts. “The diverse arena of projects shows the capabilities and potential that BISA holds today. The flagship programs are undoubtedly creating a huge impact and would contribute to solving tomorrow’s problems today.”

BISA has renewed and diversified its research projects each year, according to T.R. Sharma, deputy director general of Crops, ICAR. “BISA’s impact on genetic innovation in wheat through ICAR-CIMMYT-BISA collaboration is indeed praiseworthy,” he said. Govaerts also attended an interactive session with CIMMYT-BISA India staff, presenting an analysis of the CIMMYT 2030 strategy and encouraging everyone’s contributions towards the goals.

2024 WIT Award nominations now open from Borlaug Global Rust Initiative

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in News, Press releases.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2024 Jeanie Borlaug Laube Women in Triticum (WIT) awards honoring outstanding early-career scientists engaged in wheat research. The Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) presents the WIT awards to acknowledge excellence and leadership among scientists in the initial stages of their careers. Recipients of the 2024 awards will benefit from advanced leadership and scientific training for wheat research, supported by the BGRI and the Accelerating Genetic Gains in Maize and Wheat project led by CIMMYT.

Applications for the 2024 WIT Awards 

Applications will be accepted until January 31, 2024. These awards, named after Jeanie Borlaug Laube, chair of the BGRI and daughter of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman E. Borlaug, have recognized the accomplishments of early-career scientists in wheat research worldwide since their establishment in 2010. To date, the BGRI has acknowledged over 70 deserving individuals.

Strengthening seed systems emphasized to enhance Bhutan’s seed and food security initiatives

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in Features.

Quality seed is a crucial agricultural input for enhancing crop production and productivity per unit of land. However, in many developing countries, including Bhutan, ensuring the availability, affordability, and accessibility of quality seed, especially of preferred varieties, remains a significant challenge for farmers. Maize is the second most important cereal in Bhutan after rice. However, the total area dedicated to cereal cultivation in Bhutan has been decreasing due to factors such as rural-urban migration, urban expansion, and the effects of climate change.

Between 2016 and 2021, the areas under rice and maize cultivation have contracted by 55% and 64%, respectively (FAOSTAT, 2022). This huge reduction in cereal cultivation, combined with relatively low productivity, has led Bhutan to rely on imports to bridge the gap and meet the demand for essential food crops, including maize. The Bhutanese government is committed to enhancing domestic capacity and fostering self-sufficiency in major food crops and discourages the import of seed, especially of hybrid maize.

AbduRahman Beshir, seed systems specialist at CIMMYT, displays incomplete fertilization of maize cobs. (Photo: Passang Wangmo/ARDC-Wengkhar)

Hybrid maize seed to offset deficit

Recognizing the significance of improving maize productivity, the Agriculture Research & Development Center (ARDC) in Bhutan is working on the development and deployment of hybrid maize that has the potential to double yields compared to non-hybrid varieties. In 2020, Bhutan officially released its first hybrid maize variety, Wengkhar Hybrid Maize-1 (WHM-1), which was sourced from CIMMYT. Furthermore, several other hybrid maize varieties from CIMMYT are currently in the pipeline for release and evaluation, including those tolerant to fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), the most important maize pest in Bhutan.

Despite the testing and release of hybrid maize varieties, the production of high-quality seed—vital for realizing the benefits of hybrid maize for Bhutanese farmers—has yet to take place. The seed industry in Bhutan is primarily informal, with the majority of farmers relying on farm-saved seed of often inferior quality. The absence of a formalized seed system, coupled with a lack of the necessary skills and technical expertise across the seed value chain, presents considerable challenges in building a competitive and vibrant seed sector in Bhutan.

Training workshop emphasizes the strengthening of seed systems

To ensure a consistent supply of high-quality maize seed to Bhutanese farmers, which is essential for seed and food security and improved productivity, ARDC in collaboration with CIMMYT, under the CGIAR Seed Equal Initiative, carried out an international training workshop on quality seed production and distribution, with the main focus on hybrid maize, from 13–15 November 2023 at ARDC-Wengkhar, Mongar.

The three-day workshop involved 30 participants from diverse organizations, including the National Seed Centre, the College of Natural Resources, extensions agents from the eastern region, the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority, and agriculture research and development centers. The workshop aimed to enhance participants’ technical skills in understanding and applying the principles and practices of quality hybrid maize seed production; to promote synergistic partnerships among various seed sector stakeholders for initiating and scaling up quality hybrid maize seed production in Bhutan; and to exchange experiences and lessons to be learned from South Asian countries that can be applied to strengthening Bhutan’s seed system.

Participants discuss during the workshop. (Photo: AbduRahman Beshir/CIMMYT)

“This is the first kind of training I have received on hybrid maize seed production, and it was very relevant, action-oriented and applicable to our condition in Bhutan,” says Kinley Sithup, a researcher at ARDC-Wengkhar, Mongar, and adds that the training workshop was a useful forum for identifying key challenges and the role of stakeholders across the seed value chain, which were discussed in detail during the group work in the training.

Recently, the Bhutanese government has restricted the import of hybrid maize seed in order to promote import substitution and enhance local seed production. “In light of the unavailability of imported hybrid seeds, it’s crucial for us to intensify our efforts in scaling up local seed production,” says Dorji Wangchuk, project director of the Commercial Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood Enhancement Program (CARLEP), while addressing the participants during the opening.

The training workshop covered courses on seed system components, maize breeding concepts, hybrid seed production principles, the development of a seed roadmap on production and marketing, hybrid seed pricing and marketing approaches, seed quality control and certification, among others. A field visit along with hands-on training at ARDSC Lingmethang enriched the learning experience. In addition, experiences from other South Asian countries on hybrid seed production and marketing were shared during the training.

A group photo with the participants of the seed systems training workshop in Bhutan. (Photo: ARDC)

Team up for seed production

A significant outcome is the planned initiation of the inaugural hybrid maize seed production group in Udzorong, Trashigang, scheduled for January 2024 in collaboration with extension, the National Seed Center, and the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority. This initiative, supported by CARLEP-IFAD and CIMMYT, reflects a dedicated effort to strengthen Bhutan’s seed sector and enhance maize production for the benefit of local farmers. Fast-track variety release and seed deployment are important to Bhutanese smallholder farmers to mitigate the challenges of lower productivity. “CIMMYT is ready to continue working with partners in Bhutan,” says Program Director of the Global Maize Program at CIMMYT and the One CGIAR Plant Health Initiative lead, BM Prasanna, while delivering his messages online. Prasanna added that CIMMYT has licensed three fall armyworm-tolerant hybrids for Bhutan, and partners need to team up for the release and seed-scaling of the hybrids.

The training workshop on hybrid maize seed was the first of its kind to be held in Bhutan and was conducted under the CGIAR Seed Equal Initiative in collaboration with ARDC and CARLEP. AbduRahman Beshir, seed systems specialist at CIMMYT, delivered the main courses, with additional virtual presentations from CIMMYT staff from India and Kenya.

The Landscape of Agricultural Biotechnology

Written by dmedina on . Posted in In the media.

Navigating the Challenges of Modern Agriculture: Kevin Pixley’s, Dryland Crops and Wheat Program Director, expertise highlights the transformative impact of genetic engineering in crop improvement, focusing on developing resilient varieties to meet global food demands amidst climate change.

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Sieg Snapp receives International Soil Science Award

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in News.

Sieg Snapp, director of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program at CIMMYT, has been selected as a recipient of the 2023 International Soil Science Award. Bestowed by the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), the award recognizes outstanding contributions to soil science on the international scene.

The awarding panel looks for lasting contributions to international soil science, including creativity and relevance in the establishment of scientific research, the application of sound principles of international significance. A key factor is evidence of bringing about long-lasting change in practices related to soil science in more than country, as Snapp has done through improved understanding of integrated nutrient management in Malawi and Tanzania. Snapp’s receipt of the prestigious award affirms her lifelong commitment to enhancing the science and practice of agriculture for the betterment of the planet and its people.

Sieglinde Snapp receives the International Soil Science Award. (Photo: ASA, CSSA, SSSA)

Snapp is a trailblazing scientist renowned for pioneering the “mother-baby trial” method, the go-to tool for participatory research which has helped develop farmer-approved technologies in 30 countries. Her groundbreaking approach has significantly advanced participatory research, enriching our understanding of soil health, crop diversity and agroecology, informing extension services and policymakers in Africa and beyond.

Snapp received her award at the ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, where she also delivered the ASA Plenary/E.T. & Vam York Distinguished ASA Lectureship. Her talk, titled “Sustainable Agrifood Systems for a Changing World Requires Action-driven Science,” unveiled CIMMYT’s strategy for advancing the science of SAS in a rapidly changing world. In it, she addressed the pressing issues of climate change, conflict and food insecurity, emphasizing the need for action research, new data analytics and agro-diversity. These, she emphasized, are essential elements to safeguard the resilience and sustainability of our farming systems.

Three new CIMMYT maize hybrids available from Southern Africa Breeding Program

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in News.

CIMMYT is happy to announce three new, improved tropical maize hybrids that are now available for uptake by public and private sector partners, especially those interested in marketing or disseminating hybrid maize seed across southern Africa and similar agroecologies in other regions. NARES and seed companies are hereby invited to apply for licenses to pursue national release, scale-up seed production and deliver these maize hybrids to farming communities.

Newly available CIMMYT hybrids Key traits
CIM22SAPP1-15 Intermediate-maturing, white, high yielding, drought tolerant, NUE, and resistant to GLS, TLB, Ear rots, and MSV
CIM22SAPP1-12 Late maturing, white, high yielding, drought tolerant, low-nitrogen tolerant, and resistant to MSV, TLB, and Ear rots
CIM22SAPP2-10 Extra-early to early-maturing, white, high-yielding, drought tolerant, NUE, resistant to GLS, MSV, TLB

 

Performance data Download the CIMMYT Southern Africa Maize Regional On-Station (Stage 4) and On-Farm (Stage 5) Trials: Results of the 2022 and 2023 Seasons and Product Announcement from Dataverse.
How to apply Visit CIMMYT’s maize product allocation page for details
Application deadline The deadline to submit applications to be considered during the first round of allocations is January 26, 2024. Applications received after that deadline will be considered during subsequent rounds of product allocations.

 

The newly available CIMMYT maize hybrids were identified through rigorous, years-long trialing and a stage-gate advancement process which culminated in the southern Africa Stage 5 On Farm Trials. The products were found to meet the stringent performance and farmer acceptance criteria for CIMMYT’s breeding pipelines that are designed to generate products tailored for smallholder farmers in stress-prone agroecologies of southern Africa.

Applications must be accompanied by a proposed commercialization plan for each product being requested. Applications may be submitted online via the CIMMYT Maize Licensing Portal and will be reviewed in accordance with CIMMYT’s Principles and Procedures for Acquisition and use of CIMMYT maize hybrids and OPVs for commercialization. Specific questions or issues faced regarding the application process may be addressed to GMP-CIMMYT@cgiar.org with attention to Pamela Sithole, project coordinator, Global Maize Program, CIMMYT office in Zimbabwe.

APPLY FOR A LICENSE

Why we need to go beyond technology

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in In the media.

To combat food loss and waste, Sylvanus Odjo post-harvest specialist at CIMMYT and Heike Ostermann post-harvest expert at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) argue for a comprehensive approach that goes beyond single solutions such as storage technologies.

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Charting a new course in agriculture: NARC-CIMMYT synergy in Nepal

Written by Nur-A-Mahajabin Khan on . Posted in News.

The Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and CIMMYT are partnering to advance actions to revolutionize agriculture in Nepal. The collaboration, announced at a planning meeting between the two organizations on October 16, 2023, aims to enhance food security and improve the livelihoods of farmers in the country. With their combined expertise, NARC and CIMMYT will chart a new course in agricultural development, bringing hope and prosperity to Nepal’s farming communities.

CIMMYT scientists with NARC scientists. (Photo: Nabin Maharjan/CIMMYT)

Previous collaborative efforts developing new crop varieties have helped to strengthen Nepal’s national research framework. In a recent statement, Sreemat Shrestha, NERC chief at the NARC, highlighted CIMMYT’s significant contributions. Shrestha emphasized CIMMYT’s role in introducing revolutionary advancements, such as digital file mapping, market segmentation and advanced agricultural land use technologies.

CIMMYT Country Representative in Nepal, Dyutiman Choudhary, gave the presentation and led the meeting. During the event, he presented a comprehensive explanation of the vast relationship that exists between CIMMYT and NARC. He emphasized the historical significance of this partnership and discussed the various aspects that contribute to the strength of their combined efforts.

NARC expanding global influence and enhancing research impact

In an effort to strengthen its position on the global stage, NARC has set forth a clear mission to enhance capacity development, broaden its influence worldwide and establish a coalition of highly trained scientists to elevate the quality and impact of research.

“With this ambitious agenda, NARC is poised to make significant strides in scientific advancement, and CIMMYT will be a valued partner with us the entire time,” said Shrestha.

Sieglinde Snapp, director of Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) at CIMMYT, while acknowledging the challenges the world is facing, such as air and water quality issues, rising food prices, emphasized the importance of agriculture in addressing these challenges and further innovations like new genetic research, molecular biology and AI.

Sieglinde and Sreshtha discuss the CIMMYT-NARC collaboration. (Photo: Nabin Maharjan/CIMMYT)

“I am excited about the progress CIMMYT and NARC have already achieved in Nepal,” said Snapp. “I encourage all of us to continue our efforts together, because collective action is necessary for meaningful change.”

Snapp highlights the need for technology adoption and mentions the transformation of wheat value chains, particularly in reducing women’s labor through introducing machines and spare parts. She praises the commitment to balance input and output and cites an example of helping farmers during a fertilizer crisis.

CIMMYT’s new focus at play in Nepal

Timothy Krupnik, CIMMYT regional director for SAS, provided insights into the organization’s growth and global influence in over 80 countries. Krupnik highlighted CIMMYT’s transition from its primary focus on breeding and genomics to its engagement to include other factors, such as agronomy, on-farm participatory research, socioeconomic studies and comprehensive agrifood systems.

“This shift in focus enhances CIMMYT’s understanding of the broader agricultural landscape and contributes to more comprehensive solutions,” said Krupnik. “Remarkable progress has been achieved in hybrid maize development and seed production, and we look forward to continuing to work with our Nepali partners.”

The meeting discussed various agricultural technology and innovation topics, including machinery, remote sensing, GIS toolsand greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies. NARC officials stressed the significance of enhancing capacity, especially in digital agriculture, to prepare Nepal for present and future climate challenges. Specific focus was on utilizing predictive crop modeling and simulation techniques to ensure crop resilience in the face of changing climate scenarios.

CIMMYT wheat varieties help Ethiopia’s farmers mitigate devastating rust diseases

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in Publications.

Ethiopia is the largest wheat producer in East Africa, with about 65% share of the total wheat production in sub-Saharan Africa. The area under wheat increased from about 1.5 million hectares in 2010 to 2.5 million hectares in 2023. More importantly, the productivity increased from 1.8 tons per hectare to about 3 tons per hectare in the same period, implying an increase of about 5% per annum in productivity (See Figure 1).

Several factors have contributed to this spectacular increase in productivity, including better farm practices implemented through clustering farmers land to reduce production costs, and introducing new, improved varieties which enable farmers to withstand challenges of crop diseases.

Figure 1: Wheat grain yield trends in Ethiopia by decade, 1960 to 2022 (USDA data).

A DNA finger printing study found that about 87% of the wheat area in Ethiopia comprises of varieties developed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). In 2023, the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) released six new wheat varieties of CIMMYT origin aimed for the mid to highlands (> 1800 meters above sea level) and lowlands (< 1800 masl) of the country. “These newly released varieties provide options for farmers to face devastating rust diseases and at the same time obtain higher productivity,” said wheat breeder Leonardo Crespo.

Gadisa Alemu, wheat breeder based in EIAR, Kulumsa, added that the CIMMYT varieties were tested in farmers’ fields prior to release. “This allows participating farmers to have quicker access to seed of selected varieties,” he said.

Wheat breeders . The aim was to obtain additional insights into the activities of CIMMYT’s partners and co-design a strategy that allows early evaluation and access to CIMMYT germplasm by national partners in Ethiopia. The team visited research centers in Holetta (highlands), Debre Zeit and, Kulumsa (midlands), and Arsi Negele (lowlands). Kulumsa, together with the highlands of Meraro and Asasa plains, represent about 60-70% of the wheat area in Ethiopia.  “These are important sites for wheat breeding activities in Ethiopia. Given that Holetta and Debre Zeit are hot spots for diseases, there is an increased interest in the Arsi Negele region to expand wheat production under irrigated conditions,” said Bekele Abeyo, wheat breeder and CIMMYT’s Ethiopia Country Representative.

AGG Maize and Wheat Improvement Teams Meet with Partners to Develop CG-NARES Breeding Strategy

In the first fortnight of September 2023, researchers from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and National Agriculture Research and Extension System (NARES) met in Nairobi, Kenya to create high-level strategies and guiding principles for CG-NARES breeding activities. This is in alignment with the ‘Genetic Innovations’ initiative of the One CGIAR strategy. CIMMYT representation included breeding teams from the wheat, maize, and dryland crops. The meetings were organized by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and CIMMYT’s Accelerating Genetic Gains in Maize and Wheat (AGG) project team.

It was recognized that the aforesaid strategies and principles need to be based on the biology of the crops and the context of each breeding program; incorporate the logistics of the breeding operations; and implement data driven tools for decision making such as genomic selection.

Participants shared how the application of novel and innovative technologies shortens the breeding cycles, accelerates the rate of genetic gain, and provides tools to enable the evaluation of plant materials (future variety candidates) and future target environments where these varieties will be grown.

It was concluded that effective breeding networks can be a strong instrument to enable faster delivery of improved germplasm to farmers. For this to happen efficiently, the networks require a high degree of coordination, organizational structure, governance, and clarity of roles. “It is fundamental for network members to agree the objectives, vision and expected outcomes of collaborative activities. This forms the basis for co-design and co-implementation of crop improvement plans” said Kevin Pixley, Interim Director of the Global Wheat Program and Director of the Dryland Crops Program.

The meeting also served as a platform for AGG’s and dryland crop’s breeding teams to exchange ideas and experiences. For instance, the Maize team shared their experience and learnings from on-farm-testing activities. The Wheat team shared the evolution and path of breeding modernization and implementation of new technologies. The Dryland Crops team shared their experience with co-designing and co-implementing breeding networks with NARES partners in Africa.

Viewpoint: Hunger crisis — The number of countries unable to feed their populations has soared 400% since 2000. Here’s why crop biotechnology is a key solution

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in In the media.

Global concerns are escalating as population growth, climate challenges and regional conflicts contribute to a food crisis. CIMMYT, in collaboration with 13 countries, is registering 160 drought-tolerant maize varieties to address changing climatic conditions, underscoring the need for unified efforts in global agricultural organizations.

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