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Intercropping

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in Uncategorized.

The Intercropping project aims to identify options for smallholder farmers to sustainably intensify wide-row crop production through the addition of short-duration, high-value intercrop species and to help farmers increase their productivity, profitability and nutrition security while mitigating against climate change.

The focus is on intensification of wide-row planted crops: dry (rabi) season maize in Bangladesh, eastern India (Bihar and West Bengal states) and Bhutan, and sugarcane in central north India (Uttar Pradesh state). The primary focus is to sustainably improve cropping system productivity, however, the effects of wide-row, additive intercropping at the smallholder farm level will be considered, including potential food and nutrition benefits for the household.

There are many potential benefits of wide-row, additive intercropping, beyond increased cropping system productivity and profitability: water-, labor- and energy-use efficiencies; improved nutrition and food security for rural households; empowerment for women; and (over the longer term) increased soil health.

Little research has been conducted to date into wide-row, additive intercropping (as distinct from traditional replacement intercropping) in South Asian agroecologies. To successfully and sustainably integrate wide-row, additive intercropping into farmers’ cropping systems a range of challenges must be resolved, including optimal agronomic management and crop geometry, household- and farm-scale implications, and potential off-farm bottlenecks.

This project aims to identify practical methods to overcome these challenges for farming households in Bangladesh, Bhutan and India. Focusing on existing wide-row field crop production systems, the project aims to enable farmers to increase their cropping system productivity sustainably and in a manner that requires relatively few additional inputs.

Project activities and expected outcomes:

  • Evaluating farming households’ initial perspectives on wide-row, additive intercropping.
  • Conducting on station replicated field trials into wide-row, additive intercropping, focusing on those aspects of agronomic research difficult or unethical to undertake on farms.
  • Conducting on farm replicated field trials into wide-row, additive intercropping.
  • Determining how wide-row, additive intercropping could empower women. Quantify the long-term benefits, risks and trade-offs of wide-row, additive intercropping.
  • Describing key value/supply chains for wide-row, additive intercropping. Determine pathways to scale research to maximize impact.
  • Quantifying changes in household dry season nutrition for households representative of key typologies in each agroecological zone.

Enhancing the resilience of our farmers and our food systems: global collaboration at DialogueNEXT

Written by Mike Listman on . Posted in Features.

“Achieving food security by mid-century means producing at least 50 percent more food,” said U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security, Cary Fowler, citing a world population expected to reach 9.8 billion and suffering the dire effects of violent conflicts, rising heat, increased migration, and dramatic reductions in land and water resources and biodiversity. “Food systems need to be more sustainable, nutritious, and equitable.”

CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy aims to build a diverse coalition of partners to lead the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems. This approach addresses factors influencing global development, plant health, food production, and the environment. At DialogueNEXT, CIMMYT and its network of partners showcased successful examples and promising directions for bolstering agricultural science and food security, focusing on poverty reduction, nutrition, and practical solutions for farmers.

Without healthy crops or soils, there is no food

CIMMYT’s MasAgro program in Mexico has enhanced farmer resilience by introducing high-yielding crop varieties, novel agricultural practices, and income-generation activities. Mexican farmer Diodora Petra Castillo Fajas shared how CIMMYT interventions have benefitted her family. “Our ancestors taught us to burn the stover, degrading our soils. CIMMYT introduced Conservation Agriculture, which maintains the stover and traps more humidity in the soil, yielding more crops with better nutritional properties,” she explained.

CIMMYT and African partners, in conjunction with USAID’s Feed the Future, have begun applying the MasAgro [1] model in sub-Saharan Africa through the Feed the Future Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I), where as much as 80 percent of cultivated soils are poor, little or no fertilizer is applied, rainfed maize is the most widespread crop, many households lack balanced diets, and erratic rainfall and high temperatures require different approaches to agriculture and food systems.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and CIMMYT are partnering to carry out the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) movement in Africa and Central America. This essential movement for transforming food systems endorsed by the G7 focuses on crop improvement and soil health. VACS will invest in improving and spreading 60 indigenous “opportunity” crops—such as sorghum, millet, groundnut, pigeon pea, and yams, many of which have been grown primarily by women—to enrich soils and human diets together with the VACS Implementers’ Group, Champions, and Communities of Practice.

The MasAgro methodology has been fundamental in shaping the Feed the Future Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, an effort between government agencies, private, and public partners, including CGIAR. AID-I provides farmers with greater access to markets and extension services for improved seeds and crop varieties. Access to these services reduces the risk to climate and socioeconomic shocks and improves food security, economic livelihoods, and overall community resilience and prosperity.

Healthy soils are critical for crop health, but crops must also contain the necessary genetic traits to withstand extreme weather, provide nourishment, and be marketable. CIMMYT holds the largest maize and wheat gene bank, supported by the Crop Trust, offering untapped genetic material to develop more resilient varieties from these main cereal grains and other indigenous crops. Through the development of hardier and more adaptable varieties, CIMMYT and its partners commit to implementing stronger delivery systems to get improved seeds for more farmers. This approach prioritizes biodiversity conservation and addresses major drivers of instability: extreme weather, poverty, and hunger.

Food systems must be inclusive to combat systemic inequities

Successful projects and movements such as MasAgro, VACS, and AID-I are transforming the agricultural landscape across the Global South. But the urgent response required to reduce inequities and the needed investment to produce more nutritious food with greater access to cutting-edge technologies demands inclusive policies and frameworks like CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy.

“In Latin America and throughout the world, there is still a huge gap between the access of information and technology,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras, Laura Elena Suazo Torres. “Civil society and the public and private sectors cannot have a sustainable impact if they work opposite to each other.”

Ismahane Elouafi, CGIAR executive managing director, emphasized that agriculture does not face, “a lack of innovative science and technology, but we’re not connecting the dots.” CIMMYT offers a pathway to bring together a system of partners from various fields—agriculture, genetic resources, crop breeding, and social sciences, among others—to address the many interlinked issues affecting food systems, helping to bring agricultural innovations closer to farmers and various disciplines to solve world hunger.

While healthy soils and crops are key to improved harvests, ensuring safe and nutritious food production is critical to alleviating hunger and inequities in food access. CIMMYT engages with private sector stakeholders such as Bimbo, GRUMA, Ingredion, Syngenta, Grupo Trimex, PepsiCo, and Heineken, to mention a few, to “link science, technology, and producers,” and ensure strong food systems, from the soils to the air and water, to transform vital cereals into safe foods to consume, like fortified bread and tortillas.

Reduced digital gaps can facilitate knowledge-sharing to scale-out improved agricultural practices like intercropping. The Rockefeller Foundation and CIMMYT have “embraced the complexity of diversity,” as mentioned by Roy Steiner, senior vice-president, through investments in intercropping, a crop system that involves growing two or more crops simultaneously and increases yields, diversifies diets, and provides economic resilience. CIMMYT has championed these systems in Mexico, containing multiple indicators of success from MasAgro.

Today, CIMMYT collaborates with CGIAR and Total LandCare to train farmers in southern and eastern Africa on the intercrop system with maize and legumes i.e., cowpea, soybean, and jack bean. CIMMYT also works with WorldVeg, a non-profit organization dedicated to vegetable research and development, to promote intercropping in vegetable farming to ensure efficient and safe production and connect vegetable farmers to markets, giving them more sources for greater financial security.

Conflict aggravates inequities and instability. CIMMYT leads the Feed the Future Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS) which aims to deliver latest knowledge and technology to small scale producers to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen local and regional value chains, and enhance community resilience in war-torn countries like Sudan. CIMMYT has developed a strong partnership funded by USAID with ADRA, CIP, CRS, ICRISAT, IFDC, IFPRI, ILRI, Mercy Corps, Near East Foundation, Samaritan’s Purse, Syngenta Foundation, VSF, and WorldVeg, to devise solutions for Sudanese farmers. SASAS has already unlocked the potential of several well-suited vegetables and fruits like potatoes, okra, and tomatoes. These crops not only offer promising yields through improved seeds, but they encourage agricultural cooperatives, which promote income-generation activities, gender-inclusive practices, and greater access to diverse foods that bolster family nutrition. SASAS also champions livestock health providing food producers with additional sources of economic resilience.

National governments play a critical role in ensuring that vulnerable populations are included in global approaches to strengthen food systems. Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, Victor Villalobos, shared examples of how government intervention and political will through people-centered policies provides greater direct investment to agriculture and reduces poverty, increasing shared prosperity and peace. “Advances must help to reduce gaps in development.” Greater access to improved agricultural practices and digital innovation maintains the field relevant for farmers and safeguards food security for society at large. Apart from Mexico, key government representatives from Bangladesh, Brazil, Honduras, India, and Vietnam reaffirmed their commitment to CIMMYT’s work.

Alice Ruhweza, senior director at the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and Maria Emilia Macor, an Argentinian farmer, agreed that food systems must adopt a holistic approach. Ruhweza called it, “The great food puzzle, which means that one size does not fit all. We must integrate education and infrastructure into strengthening food systems and development.” Macor added, “The field must be strengthened to include everyone. We all contribute to producing more food.”

Generating solutions, together

In his closing address, which took place on World Population Day 2024, CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts thanked the World Food Prize for holding DialogueNEXT in Mexico and stressed the need for all partners to evolve, while aligning capabilities. “We have already passed several tipping points and emergency measures are needed to avert a global catastrophe,” he said. “Agrifood systems must adapt, and science has to generate solutions.”

Through its network of research centers, governments, private food producers, universities, and farmers, CIMMYT uses a multidisciplinary approach to ensure healthier crops, safe and nutritious food, and the dissemination of essential innovations for farmers. “CIMMYT cannot achieve these goals alone. We believe that successful cooperation is guided by facts and data and rooted in shared values, long-term commitment, and collective action. CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy goes beyond transactional partnership and aims to build better partnerships through deeper and more impactful relationships. I invite you to partner with us to expand this collective effort together,” concluded Govaerts.

[1] Leveraging CIMMYT leadership, science, and partnerships and the funding and research capacity of Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry (SADER) during 2010-21, the program known as “MasAgro” helped over 300,000 participating farmers to adopt improved maize and wheat varieties and resource-conserving practices on more than 1 million hectares of farmland in 30 states of Mexico.

Visual summaries by Reilly Dow.

Experts discuss strategies to address soil health challenges and the fertilizer crisis in Africa

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

Group photo of the panelists at the AFSH Summit in Nairobi (Photo: Marion Aluoch)

Improving soil health is critical to sustainable agriculture, and for addressing climate change, tackling environmental challenges, and enhancing food security. Through projects by CIMMYT and partners, potential scalable solutions are under development, but additional work is still required.

“To effectively scale up soil health initiatives, we need to prioritize investments and establish a framework that maximizes returns,” said Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general, during the 2024 Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. “It is crucial to use simple, quantifiable indicators for systematic assessments and decision-making, and to broaden these indicators to foster investment from public, private, and civil actors.”

As a keynote speaker in the “Strategies to Foster Africa’s Resilience to the Global Fertilizer Crisis” parallel session, Govaerts highlighted the intertwined challenges of soil health and fertilizer accessibility. “95% of our food comes from the soil, yet in 14 countries the cost of fertilizer has more than doubled. Fertilizers contribute to 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions and are often mismanaged—overused in some regions and underutilized in others.”

The transition to a more sustainable and climate-resilient approach to soil health and fertilizer use requires a comprehensive structure that considers broader aspects of agricultural sustainability. “To enhance soil health effectively, a clear framework is necessary that includes investment prioritization, integrated soil management, extension and advisory services, and the utilization of data and technology,” Govaerts added.

This recommended framework included identifying and prioritizing investment opportunities, balancing organic and inorganic inputs, strengthening extension systems, and leveraging technology to provide farmers real-time advice.

One practical example of effective soil health management in practice is CIMMYT’s Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub. The project helps farmers cope with high fuel and fertilizer prices by providing them with innovative tools and information to manage cost and supply disruptions. This addresses systemic weaknesses in agriculture by accelerating market-based delivery of improved seed, fertilizer, and critical information to farmers.

“Under AID-I, rapid soil testing has been prioritized. Collaborating with the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and mobile soil labs like those in Zambia exemplify innovative data point collection strategies,” said Govaerts.

During the panel discussion, Anne Muriuki, principal research officer at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) highlighted the key challenges that African countries face in accessing fertilizers during global crises and the impact on agricultural productivity. “Farmers face scarcity and high costs, leading to reduced yields and increased reliance on unsustainable fertilizers. These issues not only reduce agricultural productivity, but they also aggravate food insecurity and economic instability.”

David Nielsen, a former World Bank official, stressed the importance of having site-specific soil information and investing in human capital and educational institutions to increase soil science expertise and improve the availability of site-specific information. “These two issues should be high priorities. They are crucial, especially when fertilizer access is limited, but they remain vital even with adequate fertilizer supply.”

Douglas Kerr, vice president of business development at the IFDC discussed how governments, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector can collaborate to ensure continuous access to fertilizer during a global crisis. The Sustain African Program was an example of IFDC’s role in gathering market information and developing a concept that has since been integrated into ongoing operations. “In a nutshell, multi-stakeholder collaboration needs to be open, transparent, supportive, and unified.”

Charlotte Hebebrand, director of communications and public affairs at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), emphasized the need to increase fertilizer production within Africa, improve access to markets, and address response constraints to reduce shocks. “A major focus is on repurposing subsidies. It is sensitive but critical to determine the most efficient way to support farmers and promote soil health.”

Mehti Filali, senior vice president of OCP in West Africa, highlighted successful case studies from Ethiopia and Nigeria, where domestic initiatives and regional cooperation have resulted in significant agricultural growth. “Ethiopia has doubled crop production and created tailored fertilizer formulas, while Nigeria’s initiative has consolidated fertilizer procurement, created jobs, and saved US $250 million in foreign exchange. OCP’s contribution, though modest, has been critical, marked by significant milestones such as soil testing and the development of blending units.”

As Africa continues to face these challenges, the response must be dynamic, drawing on both local knowledge and scientific data. Robust data governance is essential for integrating soil health into market-driven decision-making, promoting crop diversification, and integrating organic and inorganic inputs for sustainable agriculture. “Let us remember the importance of integrating soil fertility management in a step-by-step manner, prioritizing action tailored to specific locations and conditions. Sophisticated extension systems, backed up by robust data, are crucial,” Govaerts concluded.

G7 summit highlights importance of sustainable food systems

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

In a world grappling with regional conflicts, climate change, and fragile food systems, the G7 emphasized sustainable agriculture and food security as essential for global stability in a recent communique. CIMMYT supports this vision through the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) initiative, which the G7 recognized as essential in transforming food systems. VACS aims to boost agricultural productivity with climate-resilient crops and healthy soils.

“With our partners, we will work on concrete and ambitious actions to achieve long-term sustainable development, strong environmental, social, and governance standards, and shared prosperity worldwide,” stated the G7 communique.

Fortifying indigenous crops

The G7 statement highlights the importance of dryland crops for sub-Saharan Africa, particularly ancestral grains and peas in securing nutrient-rich diets. CIMMYT, with over 75 partners such as WorldVeg and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), implements the VACS Quick Wins Seed Systems Project across west, east, and south Africa. The project promotes adoption of dryland grains and legumes, helps smallholders obtain climate-resilient seeds, and connects them with markets and agri-services. CIMMYT and its partners recently published a report which identifies the required training in crop breeding to support project implementation across the continent.

“VACS is working to improve the livelihoods of smallholders,” said Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT’s director general. “CIMMYT is implementing VACS focused on crop breeding, seed systems, partnerships, and capacity development. These areas protect our most important grains from further fragility.”

CIMMYT is also leading genetic research by predicting novel traits necessary for future crop varieties. A 2023 study published in Molecular Plant by CIMMYT scientists identified essential traits in six crops: sorghum, pearl millet, groundnut, cowpea, maize, and common bean. These characteristics could improve global food and nutrition security. High-yielding traits in legumes are being scaled up for delivery by CIMMYT and Afriseed through the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, targeting over 35,000 smallholders in Zambia during 2023-2024.

Monitoring Field Visit in Mali, West Africa. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Capacity development through sustained global partnerships

Several G7 members, including the United States, support CIMMYT’s efforts with VACS. A key component of the initiative is capacity building for local researchers and practitioners. A recent initiative aims to train African breeding programs and research professionals, creating a cohort of VACS Fellows to strengthen local and regional food systems. In Guatemala, InnovaHubs, through partnership with CGIAR, Mexico, and Norway, brings farmers closer to markets, technologies, and high-quality seeds.

Strategy for the future

With over 130 countries depending on food imports and over 1.3 billion people considered food insecure, CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy provides a comprehensive plan forward for agrifood systems through innovative research and partnerships. “Our partners provide the local knowledge and expertise to ensure our research has an impact on smallholder communities. Only through close collaboration with local actors can we transform global food production to become more inclusive and sustainable,” said Govaerts. “We stand ready to support G7 goals for shared prosperity.”

Sudan: Catastrophic hunger amid conflict creates a crisis of instability across northeast Africa

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in Blogs, Director General's corner.

Children walk to their shelter at an IDP camp near El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, Sudan. (Photo: Shehzad Noorani/UNICEF)

Sudan, the third largest country in Africa, is on the verge of a food crisis of epic proportions. Since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023, the country has descended rapidly into political upheaval, severe economic contraction, extreme social unrest, and rampant violence.

In addition to the estimated 13,000-15,000 people killed and 33,000 injured, some 6.3 million people have been internally displaced and more than 1.7 million have crossed into neighboring countries as refugees. Many are women and children.

The United Nations considers this the largest child displacement crisis in the world. About 25 million people urgently require food assistance, including more than 14 million children. Acute food insecurity is affecting 18 million people, or 37 percent of the population, with another 10 percent in emergency conditions.

News stories are dominated by reports of violent clashes and political maneuverings. So far, coverage of food insecurity has been scant. As is often the case, this topic seems to only get traction when there is outright famine.

This gets the story backwards. Food insecurity is at the root of many conflicts. Moreover, peace remains elusive without well-functioning agricultural systems, and it is unreasonable to expect viable agricultural production without peace.

Anticipating significantly reduced harvests in Sudan, UN agencies are projecting 50-100 percent price hikes for staple grains over the coming months. Following a doubling in food price over the previous two years, Sudan’s need for food aid will grow exponentially, while logistical barriers to humanitarian operations are getting harder to overcome.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has called for peace-building, unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief, and agricultural livelihood support. And the World Food Program warns that without substantial intervention, catastrophic hunger is likely to prevail in conflict hotspots by next year’s lean season.

Most of Sudan’s 45 million people rely on farming for their livelihoods. Yet only 3.5 percent of requested donor funding for the 2024 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has been provided.

With more frequent and severe droughts and floods degrading agricultural productivity, the income and food security of farming families has become more precarious over recent decades. Concurrent erosion in governance and social protection systems accelerates a vicious cycle of vulnerability, social tension, and maladaptive coping strategies.

In already fragile agricultural areas, displacement of millions of people is severely impacting the agriculture sector, disrupting input supply and agricultural services and limiting labor availability. Producers, input suppliers, processors, and traders all struggle to operate with communication systems interrupted by conflict preventing normal commercial transactions and movement of produce.

Just five years ago, Sudan’s agri-food sector contributed 32 percent to total GDP. In 2023, the country has seen a 20 percent drop in agricultural GDP and employment. If no preventive action is taken this year, an estimated 1.8 million more people will fall into poverty amid the ongoing conflict.

With significant untapped agroecological potential, Sudan’s economic and political stability depends on a transition to productive and climate-resilient agriculture. But this demands investment in farm management capacity, improved use of inputs and irrigation, and increased access to markets and finance, as well as viable governance of rural infrastructure and natural resources. The situation in Sudan is especially challenging given the weakened state of agricultural supply chains and the extension system, the two backbones of the agricultural sector.

To boost food supplies and prevent depletion of productive assets, international organizations are working to provide Sudanese farmers with high-quality seeds, agrochemicals, livestock vaccines, and fuel on an emergency basis. The situation requires the sustained presence of support agencies.

However, the blanket economic embargo placed on Sudan has made it difficult, if not impossible, for local development agencies to access project funds vital for saving lives and sustaining livelihoods.

Extreme uncertainty in conflict zones hampers interventions designed to reduce dependency on food aid and increase the resilience of local farming systems. By sharing knowledge resources, foresight capabilities, and decision frameworks, partner organizations can better anticipate and reduce human suffering and disaster relief costs.

Sudan is facing a complex emergency, which may lead to state failure, mass migration, resource conflicts, and starvation, triggering waves that would be felt across all of northeastern Africa. Sudan is too big to fail.

Climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods are the engine of food security and social stability. This cannot be achieved in one or two years, so the global community must have long-term aspirations to support the transformation of agrifood systems in Sudan.

We need to adapt our strategies to build resilience before, during, and after periods of conflict. By reducing poverty, in-country inequality, and other societal drivers, increased agricultural resilience can help mitigate and moderate conflict.

The victims of the current conflict have no political capital and may have little idea why the warring sides took up arms. To relieve the extreme suffering in Sudan, it is the responsibility of the international community to marshal the political will to achieve a negotiated truce and a sustained ceasefire.

Advancing appropriate-scale mechanization in the Global South

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

Smallholder farmers in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe use a multi-crop thresher for the faster processing of wheat. (Photo: CIMMYT)

To foster collaboration and knowledge sharing, CIMMYT hosted a 2-day workshop in September 2023 in Lusaka, Zambia, on appropriate mechanization for smallholder farmers in the Global South. This event was part of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) MasAgro Africa Rapid Delivery Hub funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Recognizing that equitable access to finance and credit are key enablers for mechanization, this platform strived to understand smallholder farmer needs and the identification of key financing models to facilitate widespread adoption.

With over 40 participants ranging from government representatives, development partners, and stakeholders from organizations such as USAID, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), and Hello Tractor, this regional event provided an opportunity for robust discussions and to align the course of action.

Unpacking mechanization in the Global South

Appropriate-scale mechanization is essential and a top policy priority to transform African agriculture. Evidence shows that nearly 70% of operations in sub-Saharan Africa are done manually. However, human labor is limited and is increasingly scarce and costly given the unfolding transformation of rural spaces in most places, necessitating agricultural mechanization. The cornerstone of this shift lies in integrating small, affordable machines tailored to the operations and needs of smallholder farmers, which must be accessible through market-based financial and business models.

A top policy priority in Zambia

The Permanent Secretary, Technical Services of the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture, Green Mbozi, officially opened the meeting. He lauded the meeting as timely and commendable as agriculture mechanization is a top policy priority for Zambia.

Green Mbozi, permanent secretary, opens the meeting. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“The government has embarked on a process to formulate a national mechanization strategy, which will serve as a blueprint on how to sustainably promote agricultural machinery and equipment across the value chains. The insights from this workshop would be helpful in feeding into the formulation of the strategy and help in identifying entry points to support sustainable agriculture mechanization,” said Mbozi.

Accelerating change through inclusive dialogues

The dialogue played a crucial role in bolstering support for sustainable agriculture mechanization while tackling challenges hindering active adoption. Mbozi highlighted the imminent launch of an agricultural mechanization strategy developed with technical support from FAO and CIMMYT through the Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems in Zambia (SIFAZ) project.

The mechanization strategy champions sustainable and efficient mechanization practices, strengthens the private sector’s role in mechanization, and provides training and financial support to small-scale farmers, women, and youth. Proposed initiatives include regional centers of excellence, a national mechanization association, and the use of information and communication technologies to promote mechanization.

Sieg Snapp, director of Sustainable Agrifood Systems, delivers a presentation on mechanization financing. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“It is important to develop the right bundle of mechanization services that meet the needs of farmers and are profitable for mechanization service providers,” said Director of Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) at CIMMYT, Sieg Snapp. “Finding the right financing is needed to support multiple bundles of mechanization services, which provide profits throughout the year.”

Additionally, the SIFAZ project promotes local manufacturing, supporting quality assurance, conducting demand studies, and establishing an agricultural mechanization data bank to catalyze transformative progress.

Key insights from USAID and FAO

David Howlett, the Feed the Future coordinator at the USAID Mission in Zambia, shared with participants that, “USAID is working to address the effects of climate change through mechanization and other adaptation strategies.” Aligning with the central focus of the meeting, he further reiterated that mechanization will be key to building resilience by improving agricultural systems.

David Howlett, Feed the Future coordinator for the Zambia USAID mission, expresses commitment to investing in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Offering insights drawn from country-level experiences on scale mechanization for smallholder farmers, Joseph Mpagalile from FAO said, “FAO has been helping countries develop national agricultural mechanization strategies, with 12 countries in Africa already revising or preparing new strategies for sustainable agricultural mechanization.”

Private sector engagement: lessons from Hello Tractor

Operating across 13 African countries, Hello Tractor has been leveraging digitalization to scale mechanization in Africa since its inception. Hello Tractor facilitates services to over 500,000 smallholder farmers through 3,000+ tractors and combine harvesters, while providing remote tracking of assets and preventing fraud and machine misuse for machinery owners. At the heart of the company are booking agents who connect farmers to solutions to increase productivity and income.

Call to action

As the discussions ended, key outcomes distilled highlighted a pressing need to sensitize farmers on the merits of mechanization and facilitating access through tailored financial resources. Special attention was also directed towards empowering women and youth through implementation of de-risking mechanisms and strategic marketing linkages.

Recognizing the critical absence of data, a compelling call for a funding pool to collect essential information in the ESA region became clear. In addition, it was emphasized that appropriate-scale mechanization should be driven by sustainable business and financing models. The journey towards mechanization is a collective effort, blending policy initiatives, private sector engagement, and research-driven strategies.

Wheat blast spread globally under climate change modeled for the first time

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

Climate change poses a threat to yields and food security worldwide, with plant diseases as one of the main risks. An international team of researchers, surrounding professor Senthold Asseng from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has now shown that further spread of the fungal disease wheat blast could reduce global wheat production by 13% until 2050. The result is dramatic for global food security.

With a global cultivation area of 222 million hectares and a harvest volume of 779 million tons, wheat is an essential food crop. Like all plant species, it is also struggling with diseases that are spreading more rapidly compared to a few years ago because of climate change. One of these is wheat blast. In warm and humid regions, the fungus magnaporthe oryzae has become a serious threat to wheat production since it was first observed in 1985. It initially spread from Brazil to neighboring countries. The first cases outside of South America occurred in Bangladesh in 2016 and in Zambia in 2018. Researchers from Germany, Mexico, Bangladesh, the United States, and Brazil have now modeled for the first time how wheat blast will spread in the future.

Wheat fields affected by wheat blast fungal disease in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. (Photo: Paulo Ernani Peres Ferreira)

Regionally up to 75% of total wheat acreage affected

According to the researchers, South America, southern Africa, and Asia will be the regions most affected by the future spread of the disease. Up to 75% of the area under wheat cultivation in Africa and South America could be at risk in the future. According to the predictions, wheat blast will also continue to spread in countries that were previously only slightly impacted, including Argentina, Zambia, and Bangladesh. The fungus is also penetrating countries that were previously untouched. These include Uruguay, Central America, the southeastern US, East Africa, India, and eastern Australia. According to the model, the risk is low in Europe and East Asia—with the exception of Italy, southern France, Spain, and the warm and humid regions of southeast China. Conversely, where climate change leads to drier conditions with more frequent periods of heat above 35 °C, the risk of wheat blast may also decrease. However, in these cases, heat stress decreases the yield potential.

Wheat fields affected by wheat blast fungal disease in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. (Photo: Paulo Ernani Peres Ferreira)

Dramatic yield losses call for adapted management

The affected regions are among the areas most severely impacted by the direct consequences of climate change. Food insecurity is already a significant challenge in these areas and the demand for wheat continues to rise, especially in urban areas. In many regions, farmers will have to switch to more robust crops to avoid crop failures and financial losses. In the midwest of Brazil, for example, wheat is increasingly being replaced by maize. Another important strategy against future yield losses is breeding resistant wheat varieties. CIMMYT in collaboration with NARs partners have released several wheat blast-resistant varieties which have been helpful in mitigating the effect of wheat blast. With the right sowing date, wheat blast-promoting conditions can be avoided during the ear emergence phase. Combined with other measures, this has proven to be successful. In more specific terms, this means avoiding early sowing in central Brazil and late sowing in Bangladesh.

First study on yield losses due to wheat blast

Previous studies on yield changes due to climate change mainly considered the direct effects of climate change such as rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and increased CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. Studies on fungal diseases have so far ignored wheat blast. For their study, the researchers focused on the influence of wheat blast on production by combining a simulation model for wheat growth and yield with a newly developed wheat blast model. Environmental conditions such as the weather are thus included in the calculations, as is data on plant growth. In this way, the scientists are modeling the disease pressure in the particularly sensitive phase when the ear matures. The study focused on the influence of wheat blast on production. Other consequences of climate change could further reduce yields.

Read the full article.

Further information:

The study was conducted by researchers from:

  • CIMMYT (Mexico and Bangladesh)
  • Technical University of Munich (Germany)
  • University of Florida (United States)
  • Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Brazil)
  • International Fertilizer Development Center (United States)
  • International Food Policy Research Institute (United States)

CIMMYT and WorldVeg strengthen collaboration in the midst of the climate crisis to increase their impact

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

On December 9, 2023, CIMMYT and the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to further promote research and development, capacity strengthening activities and facilitate joint learning and the exchange of information and technology between the two organizations.

Sustainable diversification of food systems, good agricultural practices and safe and sustainable development of cereal and vegetable production systems and agrifood value chains sits at the core of this partnership.

The ultimate objective of the MoU is to further contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG1 and SDG2, enhancing food and nutrition security, reducing rural and urban poverty and increasing employment opportunities in particular for women and youth.

CIMMYT and the World Vegetable Center are already partners in the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative Rapid Delivery Hub (AID-I).  Through this program, it is distributing seed kits directly to vulnerable populations such as pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five, as well as improving soil health, promoting the production of traditional African vegetables, and increasing employment opportunities through building vegetable businesses. Recent impacts in Zanzibar are a good example.

Bram Govaerts, director general of CIMMYT, and Marco Wopereis, director general of the World Vegetable Center, sign the MoU. (Photo: CIMMYT and WorldVeg)

“This collaboration between CIMMYT and WorldVeg is a testament to the potential of collective action, highlighting sustainable solutions and community empowerment as essential elements in combating malnutrition and enhancing overall well-being. We are building on the foundation already established by our collaborations within the Accelerated Innovation Delivery (AID-I) project in southern and eastern Africa,” said CIMMYT Director General, Bram Govaerts. “CIMMYT is excited to expand our connection with WorldVeg to bring innovations to even more people as crop diversification encourages improved nutrition.”

“The World Vegetable Center is proud to deepen our work with CIMMYT. Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals will require not only advanced technologies but also systems to deliver those innovations to the people that need them most and this partnership will enable both priorities,” said Director General of the World Vegetable Center, Marco Wopereis. “Promoting and enhancing the availability of nutritious vegetables and cereals are vital to achieving these aims.”

By providing farmers with more options, CIMMYT and WorldVeg will promote the cultivation of diverse crops that are essential for a balanced and nutritious diet particularly among vulnerable communities around the world. By raising awareness about the significant benefits of incorporating different vegetables and cereals into daily diets, the partnership will inspire and encourage millions of people to fully embrace diversification and improved nutrition.

About CIMMYT

CIMMYT is a cutting edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow’s 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 World Vegetable Center

The World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) is an international non-profit institute for vegetable research and development. It mobilizes resources from the public and private sectors to realize the potential of vegetables for healthier lives and more resilient livelihoods.

WorldVeg’s globally important genebank, improved varieties, production and postharvest methods help farmers to increase their vegetable harvests, raise incomes in poor rural and urban households, create jobs, and provide healthier, more nutritious diets for families and communities. With headquarters in Taiwan, field operations are led from regional centers in Benin, India, Mali, Tanzania and Thailand, and through offices in other key countries.

Accelerating delivery of stress-tolerant, nutritious seed in Eastern and Southern Africa

Written by Alison Doody on . Posted in News.

AID-I staff inspect germination in Malawi (Photo: CIMMYT)

Accelerated delivery with a difference is underway in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia to ensure access to stress-tolerant seeds for underserved farmers in remote areas. Supported by USAID, the Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) project brings public-private and civil society together to address the impacts of climate change, pests and diseases, and food shocks on maize and legume systems.

One simple and cost-effective solution to tackle these threats is last mile delivery of stress-tolerant and nutritious seeds. Ensuring that farmers have access to a diverse range of seeds means they can choose the best varieties to suit their needs and their local environment.

Through AID-I, scientists at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) are working with over 20 global, regional, national, and local partners to strengthen maize and legume seed systems in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.

So far, in 2023, the team has set up over a hundred mega-demonstrations across Malawi and Zambia, to raise awareness and increase seed production by exposing communities to improved, climate-adapted and nutritious crop varieties. As learning centers, the mega-demonstrations give farmers a chance to see for themselves the advantages of improved maize and legume varieties and better farming practices including conservation agriculture and doubled up legumes systems.

Farmers plant mega-demonstration plots in Malawi (Photo: CIMMYT)

Spotlighted were drought-tolerant and nutritious varieties, expected to play a crucial role in the recovery of regional maize production. The Zambian and Malawian governments have also just released maize hybrids tolerant to fall armyworms, which will be scaled through the AID-I. The fall armyworm is an invasive pest that attacks more than 80 different crops but has a particular preference for maize. Without proper control measures, the pest can decimate crops, threatening food security, incomes, and livelihoods.

Alongside maize, the AID-I team is making seed of improved legume varieties, including beans, soybean, pigeon peas, cowpea, and groundnuts available at the last mile. Legumes are nutritious and good for the soil, providing valuable nutrients like nitrogen (N) so farmers can use less fertilizer, save money, and protect soil health.

AID-I supports strengthening of strategically located seed stockists of improved legume varieties and linking seed growers and buyers. These stockists, called agricultural development agents will also receive training in community seed production. Through connection with hundreds of agricultural development agents in the first farming season with seed suppliers, hundreds of thousands of farmers will be able to access a wide variety of improved seed.

Members of the CIMMYT leadership team with representatives from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID) visit AfriSeed in Zambia (Photo: CIMMYT)

Building strong relationships between public and private sector organizations is an integral part of the project. On January 16, 2023, long-term CIMMYT collaborator and AID-I key partner, AfriSeed hosted senior government officials from the United States Department of State (DOS) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The visitors gained valuable insight into how private seed companies involved in the marketing and distribution of maize and legume seeds operate in Zambia and showed their crucial role in the country’s seed sector.

Government of Zambia and CIMMYT strengthen ties in agricultural development

Written by Tawanda Hove on . Posted in News.

Bram Govaerts, Sieg Snapp, Minister Mtolo Phiri and Prassana Boddupalli pose at the conclusion of the high level meeting between CIMMYT and the Government of Zambia. (Photo: Tawanda Hove/CIMMYT)

Senior government officials in Zambia have embraced the rollout of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center’s (CIMMYT’s) new innovations which target smallholder farmers and agriculture-based value chain actors in the country.

On January 17, 2023, CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts met with Minister of Agriculture Reuben Mtolo Phiri. The Minister reassured Govaerts that the investments made by CIMMYT in the country had the Government’s full support.

Earlier this year, a delegation led by Cary Fowler, the US Special envoy for Global Food Security met the Minister and his team at the Government complex in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital, to deliberate on a variety of agriculture development issues concerning the country.

Govaerts’ visit came off the back of the new Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I), a CIMMYT-led project funded by the United Stated Agency for International Development (USAID). The project seeks to scale up promising innovations that could transform the maize and legume value chains within the southern African region, with a focus on Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.

“As the Government of Zambia, we intend to create a private sector driven economy for which agriculture plays a critical role. Having progressive partners like CIMMYT helps us achieve this cause and this new program is received with open arms,” said Phiri.

The aims of the AID-I project include strengthening seed systems, the promotion and adoption of stress-tolerant maize and legume varieties, demonstration of good agriculture practices that respond to the effects of climate change and addressing systemic constraints in maize and legume value chains.

Through AID-I, CIMMYT experts are working with over 20 global, regional, national and local partners including the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Catholic Relief Services (TLC), Total Land Care (TLC), the International Water Management Institution (IMWI) and World Vegetable Center.

Also attending the meeting was AID-I Technical Lead and CIMMYT Scientist Hambulo Ngoma who discussed some of the latest project activities.

“As this project focuses on accelerated delivery, we have set up more than 40 demonstrations in eastern Zambia with the intention of showcasing stress-tolerant varieties for maize and legume under conservation agriculture. In addition, we are showcasing other good agriculture practices such as strip cropping which not only enhances intensified crop production but is a biological control for fall armyworm,” Ngoma said.

Hambulo Ngoma receiving a verbal vote of confidence from Zambian Minister of Agriculture Mtolo Phiri. (Photo: Tawanda Hove/CIMMYT)

The Minister appreciated the rationale of the project and indicated that participatory variety selection for farmers was crucial if they were going to maximize their yields and returns from farming.

Phiri further emphasized that CIMMYT and partners’ investment in legume value chain strengthening came at a welcome time as upscaling soya bean production was a key priority in the Government’s strategic plan for agricultural development because of its export-ready market within the region.

“Markets such as Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Tanzania can readily take up the soya we produce, and we are looking to export legumes such as soya and groundnuts to East Africa. This project therefore fits very well within our strategic road map,” Phiri said.

The demonstration plots set up by CIMMYT experts will help farmers grow the right varieties for their agro ecologies and have greater response capabilities to the export market opportunities the Government is facilitating.

The Minister also indicated that he hoped CIMMYT would assist in strengthening the country’s capacity to deal with fall armyworm. CIMMYT Global Maize Program Director B.M. Prasanna reassured Phiri that through the Zambian Agriculture research Institute (ZARI), CIMMYT had already released three fall armyworm-tolerant varieties. He also discussed how the AID-I project would be instrumental in scaling up their uptake, especially amongst smallholder farmers who have minimal disposable income to buy enough pesticides to control the pest.

Concluding the meeting, Govaerts spoke of CIMMYT’s commitment to supporting Zambia achieve its food security and agricultural export goals.

“As CIMMYT, we want you to recognize us as a listening partner. We are of the conviction that we can only combat climate change and achieve shared prosperity through the strength of convening power, where we leverage on each other’s strength.”

As the project is focused on scaling existing promising technologies and innovations, rapid transformative results are on the horizon for the people of Zambia.

Plant Health Innovation Platform at Kiboko, Kenya: integrating and testing eco-friendly solutions against fall armyworm

Written by Susan Otieno on . Posted in News.

Smallholder farmers and agricultural extension officers assessing Integrated Pest Management Packages (IPMs) treatments against fall armyworm at the Plant Health Innovation Platform at the KALRO Kiboko Research Station in Kenya. (Photo: Peter Kinyumu/CIMMYT)

CGIAR’s Plant Health Initiative (PHI) is testing integrated pest management (IPM) packages against fall armyworm (FAW) in partnership with smallholder farmers and agricultural extension officers at the Plant Health Innovation Platform at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Kiboko Research Station in Kenya.

The IPM packages comprise 18 combinations of treatments, including maize varieties with native genetic resistance to FAW, biopesticides, biological control agents, push-pull system, and bean varieties.

“This is a unique opportunity to identify eco-friendly and cost-effective IPM packages against a major pest like FAW through participatory engagement of smallholder farmers and extension personnel,” said BM Prasanna, Global Maize Program Director at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and CGIAR Plant Health Initiative Lead. “Also In our efforts against FAW, three FAW-tolerant maize hybrids have been recommended for release after national performance trials in Kenya.”

CIMMYT Global Maize Program Director and CGIAR Plant Health Initiative Lead, BM Prasanna explaining to smallholder farmers and agricultural extension officers; CGIAR’s Plant Health Initiative (PHI) testing of integrated pest management (IPM) packages against fall armyworm (FAW) at KALRO Kiboko, Kenya. (Photo: Susan Otieno/CIMMYT)

Participatory assessment

Participating farmers and extension personnel made their first assessment of the IPM combinations at the vegetative stage on November 8, 2022.

“With this second assessment on February 7, 2023, farmers and extension personnel are evaluating the same IPM combinations for their yield potential, which means the plants need to be not only healthy but also productive. The farmers are also looking at the quality of the maize ears, and the level of ear and kernel damage by the pest, if any. These assessments both at the vegetative and reproductive stages are critical for us to conclude this experiment and draw appropriate inferences,” Prasanna said.

Researchers will analyze the efficacy of the scoring of different IPM treatments by the farmers and from the vegetative/foliar and reproductive/harvest stages. In addition, scientists will conduct a cost-benefit analysis for each IPM treatment to identify relevant IPM packages that can be potentially scaled. Prasanna noted the initial scoring by the scientists and farmers were highly comparable.

The trials engaged farmers and extension workers from five different counties in Kenya. “The Plant Health Initiative is keen on co-creation and co-validation and taking an inclusive, participatory approach to innovations,” said Prasanna. He added that such an approach is vital for buy-in by the farmers, who need to be active partners in effectively scaling the selected IPM packages.

Farmers participating in the Field Day at the Innovation Platform applauded the initiative to involve them in validating solutions to manage FAW and expressed their eagerness to have the innovations in their hands. The farmers also had opportunities to ask questions, provide preliminary verbal feedback, and receive immediate clarification from the scientists to their queries.

”I know a farmer who has trained his two sons to go to every plant and kill the armyworm physically. You can imagine the time and energy that takes,” said Justice Kimeu, a farmer from Makueni County, Kenya. “Let the innovative methods we have seen here reach every farmer across the country.”

A participant giving his preliminary observations on the Integrated Pest Management Packages (IPMs) treatments against fall armyworm at the Plant Health Innovation Platform at the KALRO Kiboko Research Station in Kenya. (Photo by Peter Kinyumu/CIMMYT)

Plant Health Innovation Platform catalyzes collaboration

The Plant Health Innovation Platform at Kiboko brings together different innovations developed by the collaborating institutions: CIMMYT, KALRO, International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), AgBiTECH, Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), and Farmfix Africa.

“Robust data is being generated on the efficacy and cost-benefit of various IPM combinations. After data analysis, 2-3 few specific IPM packages will be identified based on efficacy against FAW, cost effectiveness, affordability to smallholder farmers, and potential for rapid scale up,” Prasanna said.

Besides the FAW Innovation Platform at Kiboko, Kenya, the CGIAR Plant Health Initiative is operating eight other Innovation Platforms in Benin, Cameroon, Nigeria, Uganda, Lebanon, Philippines, Ecuador, and Colombia. Each of these platforms bring together diverse institutions engaged in developing game-changing solutions in managing key pests and diseases in the Initiative’s primary crops that include maize, banana, cassava, potato, sweet potato, rice, yam, sorghum, wheat, millets, legumes, and vegetables.

Taking Aim Against the Dire Threat of Fall Army Worm

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in In the media.

Fall armyworm (FAW) is present in 109 countries in Africa, the Middle East, South and East Asia, and Oceania, and it has spread due to rapid increases in global trade. Maize is highly susceptible to the disease, but it affects more than 300 plant species.

Research by organizations such as the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), CGIAR and CABI has developed effective strategies and tools for managing the disease, such as improved seed, proven agronomic practices, and biologic and chemical crop-protection tools.

An article in The Farming Forum explores FAW prevention developments and partnerships that are helping smallholder farmers protect their crops against this devastating disease.

Read the original article: Taking Aim Against the Dire Threat of Fall Army Worm

Public-private collaboration to improve fertilizer supply

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in News.

Basanta Shrestha, Vice-Chair of FAN, shares the objectives of the public-private dialogue with Govinda Prasad Sharma, Secretary of MoALD (seated left) ,Mrigendra Kumar Singh Yadav, Honorable Minister of MoALD (seated center), Chandrakanta Dallakoti, Chairperson of FAN (seated right), and other participants. (Photo: Aayush Niroula/CIMMYT)

Fertilizer supply shortages are a chronic problem in Nepal, where thousands of farmers are often unable to access the required quantities on time. This is particularly common during the cultivation of rice — the major staple food crop for the country.

Some of the critical challenges to meeting fertilizer demand include limitations to import mechanisms and budget allocation for fertilizer subsidies by the Government of Nepal. Additionally, the successive COVID-19-induced lockdowns and Russia-Ukraine war have further deepened the crisis in the past two years by significantly delaying imports and increasing fertilizer prices. This continuous gap in supply has compelled farmers to buy fertilizers from the country’s unofficial or “gray” markets.

To address these shortcomings, researchers on the Nepal Seed and Fertilizer (NSAF) project, implemented by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), have been supporting the Fertilizer Association of Nepal (FAN) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MOALD) to resolve policy issues that will enhance fertilizer distribution efficiency.

Fertilizer sector stakeholders participate in a panel discussion at the public-private dialogue. (Photo: Aayush Niroula/CIMMYT)

On 23 September 2022, the NSAF project team joined representatives from the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and FAN to organize a policy dialogue around improving the country’s fertilizer supply system. Held in Kathmandu, the event brought together concerned public and private sector stakeholders to discuss existing challenges and propose different policy alternatives that ensure the timely availability of fertilizers in the required quantities.

Representatives from FAN presented the key issues and challenges in the sector while NSAF project coordinator Dyutiman Choudhary presented the findings of different fertilizer policy studies conducted jointly with local partners. The results showed that involving the private sector in distribution improved farmers’ access to fertilizers compared to distribution carried out solely by cooperatives. The study also indicated a potential to reduce fertilizer subsidies and increase import volume to help meet demand.

Lynn Schneider, Deputy Director of USAID Economic Growth Office shares her remarks at the policy dialogue. (Photo: Dyutiman Choudhary/CIMMYT)

Improving national supply systems

The event featured a panel discussion, where participants shared their experiences and outlined the issues faced by private sector importers, logistic service providers and retailers, and policymakers from federal and provincial governments while engaging in their respective functions. The panel members also suggested a number of different ways to improve national fertilizer supply systems, such as:

  1. Restructuring fertilizer subsidy programs, i.e. reducing the current subsidy by 20-30% (a recommendation from the NSAF assessment) and using budget savings to increase imports and allocate subsidies based on fertilizer demand.
  2. Making a procurement process timeline to ensure timely fertilizer supply for three major crops — rice, wheat, and maize — and importing about 30% of the total fertilizer through Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement.
  3. Implementing a crisis management strategy by maintaining buffer stocks (20% of the demand).
  4. Ensuring a level playing field for the private sector in the import and distribution of the fertilizers.

The dialogue concluded with mutual agreement by stakeholders from the public and private sectors to improve local fertilizer distribution through private sector engagement. They agreed to revise some clauses specified in the Nepal Fertilizer Distribution Directive 2020 related to profit margins, volumes, classification of fertilizer distributors and selling fertilizers. Govinda Prasad Sharma, secretary of MOALD, informed attendees that the ministry has already started planning fertilizer procurement based on actual demand and gave assurances about G2G agreements with neighboring countries such as India to bring in fertilizers for distribution during times of peak demand. Sharma also agreed to continue supporting the private sector in capacity building to import fertilizers and to revise subsidies to make more fertilizers available.

“It is our great pleasure to see all fertilizer-related stakeholders in a common platform, which is critical to bring out key issues and cooperation between the public and private sector,” said Lynn Schneider, deputy director of the Economic Growth Office at USAID Nepal. Schneider also emphasized the importance of generating efficiency in estimating fertilizer demand and supply and fertilizer types by using Nepal’s digital soil map, working in close coordination with provincial and local governments, and increasing the role of the private sector to ensure fertilizer supply to meet crop requirements in the peak season.

Attendees at the Public Private Dialogue on Improving Fertilizer Supply System in Nepal (Photo: Aayush Niroula/CIMMYT)

The Nepal Seed and Fertilizer project is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is a flagship project in Nepal. It aims to build competitive and synergistic seed and fertilizer systems for inclusive and sustainable growth in agricultural productivity, business development and income generation in Nepal.

CIMMYT leads innovation sprint to deliver results to farmers rapidly

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Features.

Smallholder farmers, the backbone of food systems around the world, are already facing negative impacts because of climate change. Time to adapt climate mitigation strategies is not a luxury they have. With that in mind, the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4C) facilitates innovation sprints designed to leverage existing development activities to create a series of innovations in an expedited timeframe.

At the UN COP27 in Egypt, AIM4C announced its newest round of innovation sprints, including one led by the International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) to enable smallholder farmers to achieve efficient and effective nitrogen fertilizer management. From 2022 to 2025, this sprint will steer US $90 million towards empowering small-scale producers in Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe), Asia (China, India, Laos and Pakistan), and Latin America (Guatemala and Mexico).

“When we talk to farmers, they tell us they want validated farming practices tailored to their specific conditions to achieve greater productivity and increase their climate resilience,” said Sieg Snapp, CIMMYT Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program director who is coordinating the sprint. “This sprint will help deliver those things rapidly by focusing on bolstering organic carbon in soil and lowering nitrous oxide emissions.”

Nitrogen in China

Working with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the sprint will facilitate the development of improved versions of green manure crops, which are grown specifically for building and maintaining soil fertility and structures which are incorporated back into the soil, either directly, or after removal and composting. Green manure can significantly reduce the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers, which prime climate culprits.

“There are already green manure systems in place in China,” said Weidong Cao from CAAS, “but our efforts will integrate all the work being done to establish a framework for developing new green manure crops aid in their deployment across China.”

Triple wins in Kenya

The Kenya Climate Smart Climate Project, active since 2017, is increasing agricultural productivity and building resilience to climate change risks in the targeted smallholder farming and pastoral communities. The innovation sprint will help rapidly achieve three wins in technology development and dissemination, cutting-edge innovations, and developing sets of management practices all designed to increase productive, adaption of climate smart tech and methods, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Agricultural innovations in Pakistan

The Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP), a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral project funded by USAID, led by CIMMYT, and active in Pakistan since 2015, fosters the emergence of a dynamic, responsive, and competitive system of science and innovation that is ‘owned’ by Pakistan and catalyzes equitable growth in agricultural production, productivity, and value.

“From its beginning, AIP has been dedicated to building partnerships with local organizations and, smallholder farmers throughout Pakistan, which is very much in line with the objectives and goal as envisioned by Pakistan Vision 2025 and the Vision for Agriculture 2030, as Pakistan is a priority country for CIMMYT. However, a concerted effort is required from various players representing public and private sectors,” said Thakur Prasad Tiwari, senior scientist at CIMMYT. “Using that existing framework to deliver rapid climate smart innovations, the innovation sprint is well-situated to react to the needs of Pakistani farmers. “

Policies and partnerships for innovations in soil fertility management in Nepal

The Nepal Seed and Fertilizer (NSAF) project, funded by USAID and implemented by CIMMYT, facilitates sustainable increases in Nepal’s national crop productivity, farmer income, and household-level food and nutrition security. NSAF promotes the use of improved seeds and integrated soil fertility management technologies along with effective extension, including the use of digital and information and communications technologies. The project facilitated the National Soil Science Research Centre (NSSRC) to develop new domain specific fertilizer recommendations for rice, maize, and wheat to replace the 40 years old blanket recommendations.

Under NSAFs leadership, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MOALD) launched Asia’s first digital soil map and has coordinated governmental efforts to collect and analyze soil data to update the soil map and provide soil health cards to Nepal’s farmers. The project provides training to over 2000 farmers per year to apply ISFM principles and provides evidence to the MOALD to initiate a balanced soil fertility management program in Nepal and to revise the national fertilizer subsidy policy to promote balanced fertilizers. The project will also build efficient soil fertility management systems that significantly increase crop productivity and the marketing and distribution of climate smart and alternative fertilizer products and application methods.

Public-private partnerships accelerate access to innovations in South Asia

The Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), established in 2009, has reached more than 8 million farmers by conducting applied research and bridging public and private sector divides in the context of rural ‘innovation hubs’ in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. CSISA’s work has enabled farmers to adopt resource-conserving and climate-resilient technologies and improve their access to market information and enterprise development.

“Farmers in South Asia have become familiar with the value addition that participating in applied research can bring to innovations in their production systems,” said Timothy Krupnik, CIMMYT systems agronomist and senior scientist. “Moreover, CSISA’s work to address gaps between national and extension policies and practices as they pertain to integrated soil fertility management in the context of intensive cropping systems in South Asia has helped to accelerate farmers’ access to productivity-enhancing innovations.”

CSISA also emphasizes support for women farmers by improving their access and exposure to improved technological innovations, knowledge, and entrepreneurial skills.

Sustainable agriculture in Zambia

The Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming systems in Zambia (SIFAZ) is a research project jointly implemented by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture and CIMMYT designed to facilitate scaling-up of sustainable and climate smart crop production and land management practices within the three agro-ecological zones of Zambia. “The Innovation Sprint can take advantage of existing SIFAZ partnerships, especially with Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture,” said Christian Thierfelder, CIMMYT scientist. “Already having governmental buy-in will enable quick development and dissemination of new sustainable intensification practices to increase productivity and profitability, enhance human and social benefits while reducing negative impacts on the environment.”

Cover photo: Paul Musembi Katiku, a field worker based in Kiboko, Kenya, weighs maize cobs harvested from a low nitrogen trial. (Florence Sipalla/CIMMYT)

Kenya: Scientists team up to control fall army worms

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in In the media.

The Government of Kenya is working with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) to develop eco-friendly pest management technology and contain the fall armyworm (FAW) pest.

Since the outbreak of FAW was reported in 2016, maize yields have dropped by between 30-50 percent, increasing the country’s challenges for food security.

Prasanna Boddupalli, Director of the Global Maize Program at CIMMYT, said, ″We want farmers to dissociate from application of synthetic toxic pesticides and chemicals but revert to use of combined approaches like use of resistant varieties, bio-pesticides and related biological control methods that are environmentally friendly.”

Preliminary assessment of the viability of naturally tolerant maize varieties from Mexico suggests that at least two or three resistant varieties may be approved after certification from the regulator.

Read the original article: Kenya: Scientists team up to control fall army worms