funder_partner: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

https://www.gatesfoundation.org/

Remote sensing prepares for liftoff

Written by on January 31, 2014. Posted in News.

By Sam Storr/CIMMYT

Remote sensing experts, breeders, agronomists and policymakers discussed turning their research and experiences into tools to benefit farmers and increase food production while safeguarding the environment during CIMMYT’s workshop “Remote Sensing: Beyond Images” from 14-15 December 2013.

The "Sky Walker” advances phenotyping in Zimbabwe. Photo: J.L. Araus, University of Barcelona/CIMMYT — The “Sky Walker” advances phenotyping in Zimbabwe. Photo: J.L. Araus, University of Barcelona/CIMMYT

The event was sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) and the Sustainable Modernization of Traditional Agriculture (MasAgro) as well as the CGIAR Research Program on Maize and the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA).

Remote sensing devices make it possible to observe the dynamics of anything from single plants up to entire landscapes and continents as they change over time by capturing radiation from across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. For example, images taken by cameras in the thermal-to-visible end of the spectrum can reveal a broad range of plant characteristics, such as biomass, water use and photosynthesis efficiency, disease spread and nutrient content. Radar or light radar (LiDAR) imaging can be used to create detailed imaging of plant physical structure from the canopy down to the roots. When mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), these sensors can rapidly survey much greater areas of land than is possible from the ground, particularly in inaccessible areas. It is hoped that such research will complement highthroughput phenotyping, opening the way for plant breeders to design larger and more efficient crop improvement experiments.

For agronomy research, remote sensing can provide new information about weather, crop performance, resource use and the improved genetic traits sought by crop breeders. It may also help global agriculture meet the challenge of achieving more with fewer resources and include more farmers in innovation. If methods can be found to share and connect this data, farmers will also benefit from greater transparency and more informed policymaking.

Opening the workshop, Thomas Lumpkin, CIMMYT director general, reminded participants of the urgency of meeting the growing demand for staple crops while overcoming crop diseases, resource scarcity and climate change-induced stresses. The advance of technologies and data processing tools allows researchers to see the potential contribution of remote sensing. “For thirty years, the remote sensing community has been on the cusp of doing something wonderful, and now we believe it can,” said Stanley Wood, senior program officer for BMGF. “What excites us is the amount of energy and enthusiasm and the knowledge that their work is important.” Several presentations showcased how remote sensing can be used to benefit smallholder farmers. For example, the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project is looking at using rainfall data to target its interventions for the greatest impact.

Bruno Gérard, director of CIMMYT’s Conservation Agriculture Program, spoke about the challenges of CIMMYT’s work in helping smallholder farmers to practice “more precise agriculture.” The spread of mobile phones and information and communications technologies (ICTs) in the developing world shows the potential for CIMMYT to bring recommendations derived from remote sensing to farmers and allows them to provide their own input. The workshop ended with a panel discussion on how to develop remote sensing services that will be adopted by intended users. Participants expect the workshop and similar activities will provide the strategic direction to drive a new generation of remote sensing applications that can bring real benefits to farmers.

For more information on the program, abstracts, participants and presentations, visit the MAIZE website.

Monsanto recognized for CIMMYT collaboration

Written by on January 23, 2014. Posted in News.

By Brenna Goth/CIMMYT

Stephen Mugo, CIMMYT; Jesús Madrazo, Monsanto; and John McMurdy, USAID, members of the WEMA Partnership at the ND-GAIN Award program. Photo: Courtesy of Monsanto

Monsanto received an award in December recognizing its impact in Africa through the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project. The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index (ND-GAIN) Corporate Adaption Award is given annually by the University of Notre Dame for contributions to awareness, science or action in creating resilience to climate change. In 2013, Monsanto and PepsiCo were recognized for their impacts on climate change and vulnerability. The awards were announced in Washington, D.C.

WEMA, which is providing improved maize varieties to farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, is a public-private partnership that includes participation by CIMMYT, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the national agricultural research systems of Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. Monsanto joins CIMMYT and national agricultural research systems in providing maize germplasm and technical expertise for the project. WEMA is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and USAID. WEMA is in its second phase. Its first conventional maize hybrid, branded under DroughtTEGO, is being sold for planting to smallholder farmers in Kenya. The first harvest is expected early this year.

Jesús Madrazo, vice president of corporate engagement for Monsanto, received the award on behalf of the WEMA project. He was accompanied by John McMurdy, international research and biotechnology adviser for the USAID Bureau for Food Security and Rose Barbuto, senior consultant for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. CIMMYT’s Stephen Mugo, principal scientist and maize breeder for the Global Maize Program based in Kenya, represented CIMMYT, AATF and national agricultural research systems partners at the event. “The ceremony was an excellent platform for the work being done by ND-GAIN to raise awareness about the need for national efforts towards adaptation to climate change,” Mugo said. “The fact that Monsanto and the WEMA project were recognized for contributing to Kenya’s rise on the ND-GAIN index ladder was very welcome.” Read more about the award on Monsanto’s blog.

Collaboration to combat a common climate challenge

Written by on December 3, 2013. Posted in News.

By Emma Quilligan/CIMMYT

More than 70 experts on maize, millet, rice, sorghum and wheat identified cross-cutting priorities and goals to address climate change, one of the most pressing issues for food security, at a recent meeting in India.
Entitled “Maintaining cereal productivity under climate change through international collaboration,” the meeting took place during 18-20 November at the National Agriculture Science Centre (NASC) Pusa Campus in New Delhi. CIMMYT organized the meeting with co-sponsorship from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). “We learn a lot by comparing notes among crops,” said Matthew Reynolds, CIMMYT wheat physiologist and organizer of the meeting’s scientific program. “It can help provide new inspirations as well as avoid reinventing the wheel.”

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Following welcome speeches from Etienne Duveiller, CIMMYT Director for South Asia, as well as Saharah Moon Chapotin and Srivalli Krishnan from USAID, Tony Cavalieri from the BMGF and Swapan Kumar Datta from the Indian Centre for Agricultural Research (ICAR), a diverse panel summarized the challenges climate change poses to cereal production. Mark Rosegrant, director of the Environment and Production Technology Division at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), highlighted the numerous effects climate change is predicted to have on cereal production and prices. Maize prices are predicted to increase by more than 50 percent and the prices of other crops by 25 to 50 percent by 2050. “This is without accounting for effects of climate change,” he said. “Climate change is a threat multiplier, and significant new expenditures are required to reduce its adverse impacts.”

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Other presentations included information on temperature thresholds in different crops, efficient phenotyping and breeding approaches and how crop modeling might facilitate the design of climate-ready crops. Leading scientists focusing on each of the five crops gave presentations on recent genetic gains and research achievements in their field, which enabled participants to see the similarities between the crops and learn about discoveries applicable to their own research. Donor representatives emphasized the importance of collaboration and cross-cutting research to improve yield gains in the face of climate change. “With all the expertise we have in this room, and with all the partners you have across the globe, I really think we can make a difference in this area,” Chapotin said. Participants split into multidisciplinary working groups to identify priorities and potential areas for cross-crop collaboration in the following areas: data management and sharing; genotyping platforms; heat and drought adaptive traits; phenotyping in a breeding context; and the minimum dataset required to define target environments.

K.C. Bansal, director of the National Bureau for Plant Genetic Resources in India, questioned whether people are making the most of plant genetic resources in the face of climate change during his session “Biodiversity Act and Germplasm Access in India.” Many participants highlighted their own difficulties in getting germplasm out of India and Bansal outlined the procedure to simplify the process. Participants agreed that more accessible, synchronous and searchable data sharing will be essential for future collaborations. Data sharing will soon become mandatory for all USAID projects, and participants emphasized the need for a common system. Collecting data requires funding. Scott Chapman, crop adaptation scientist for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, estimated Australian programs spend several million dollars annually to collect the data from their national trials. Most participants expressed interest in establishing a working group to continue these fruitful, cross-crop interactions. A web portal to facilitate such dialogue will be established as soon as possible.

CIMMYT leads fight against lethal maize disease in eastern Africa

Written by on November 29, 2013. Posted in News.

By Florence Sipalla/CIMMYT

CIMMYT is leading collaborative research efforts to control the deadly maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease that is devastating crops in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. First identified in farmers’ fields in eastern Africa in 2011, MLN results from the combined infection of two plant viruses and can cause nearly 100 percent crop loss.

Surveillance, avoiding seed movement from disease-prone areas, instituting maize-free seasons and the development and use of resistant maize varieties can help prevent its spread. CIMMYT is spearheading efforts to identify sources of MLN resistance, developing a strategy to contain the disease and studying the disease and insects that contribute to its spread.

In addition, CIMMYT has produced fact sheets and videos to raise awareness on MLN, in addition to organizing meetings and workshops to train partners from national research programs in eastern Africa on how to identify the disease and curb its spread. “We have to come together to stop the disease, as it affects food security for those who depend on maize,” said CIMMYT pathologist George Mahuku during a Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK) congress from 6 to 8 November. “Developing MLN-resistant varieties is the most cost-effective way to deal with the disease.” He also said the recently-launched CIMMYT-Kenya Agricultural Research Institute MLN Screening Facility and Maize Doubled Haploid Facility would help speed development of MLN-resistant varieties.

The MLN facility was established with funding support from both the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture while the DH Facility was established with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. During the three-day event, issues that affect the seed sector – including MLN – were addressed. Mahuku described the disease and research efforts to control it, while dispelling fears about its transmission through seed. “Seed movement is crucial for us to increase productivity and widen our genetic base, but the seed should be clean, produced in MLN-free areas and certified MLN-free to minimize accidental introduction of MLN viruses,” he said. Mahuku stressed the need for more research on the disease’s seed transmission rate and alternative hosts.

CIMMYT will partner with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) to study transmission of MLN through aphids, beetles and thrips, as well as their interactions with the MLN viruses. Mahuku also urged seed companies to recognize MLN symptoms and notify scientists if they spot them on their farms. Scientists can then investigate and design and adopt appropriate strategies for combating it.

He encouraged stakeholders to practice maize-free seasons to reduce sources of infection. MLN has created an emergency for sectors caught unaware and without funding to immediately address the disease. “We encourage the [seed] industry to set aside some funds for these kinds of emergencies,” said Esther Kimani, general manager of phytosanitary services at the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS). Existing commercial hybrids in Kenya have already been tested for MLN, said STAK Executive Officer Evans Sikinyi during a field tour of Marula farm in Naivasha, where CIMMYT is testing a large selection of experimental and commercial varieties under MLN infection.

The participants also toured the Maize Lethal Necrosis Screening Facility in Naivasha and were invited to submit seed for screening at the facility. Mahuku also called for the standardization of screening protocols. “If we are speaking the same language, we will move far,” he said. “We need to develop and use standardized protocols to ensure that the same material can be planted in 10 different areas in different countries for screening purposes, and this information can be harmonized.”

CIMMYT-leads-fight-against-lethal-maize-disease-in-eastern-Africa Participants will carry the messages of progress, hope and caution to colleagues, partners and farmers back home. “We will use lessons learned on this trip to strengthen surveillance of the disease in South Sudan,” said Cirino Oketayot, head of the research unit in South Sudan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Tourism, Animal Production, Fisheries, Cooperatives and Rural Development. Added Gloria Ngila, the general manager of Dryland Seeds: “This helps one realize how much CIMMYT is working with the government to alleviate the problem.” The STAK congress was attended by seed sector representatives from Burundi, India, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Working group to enhance seed delivery to African farmers formed

Written by on November 6, 2013. Posted in News.

By Florence Sipalla/CIMMYT

DTMA project leader Tsedeke Abate takes notes as AGRA-PASS director Joseph DeVries’ makes his presentation. Photo: Florence Sipalla/CIMMYT

The Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Program for Africa’s Seed Systems (PASS) formed a working group this week to address challenges in commercializing improved seed to benefit smallholder farmers. The two initiatives – funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – will combine efforts to ensure farmers have access to improved maize seed. PASS works with seed companies while DTMA partners with research institutes and seed companies to develop and deploy drought-tolerant maize seed. “We want to create synergies by combining efforts to reach more farmers,” said Tsedeke Abate, DTMA project leader.

Donors and research institutions invest in breeding improved seed to benefit farmers, which requires efforts by different members of the seed value chain. Research institutions, seed companies and other partners are needed to bridge the gap between researchers and farmers. This entails working with seed companies and agro-dealers to ensure they stock enough seed and have good distribution networks to reach farmers across the continent. The working group was formed during a meeting held at AGRA’s Nairobi offices on 28 October; scientists from the Tropical Legumes II project, led by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid-Tropics (ICRISAT), also attended. The organizations have similarities regarding their work, programs and funding. “We want to learn more about this area and see how we can work together,” said Joseph DeVries, PASS director. “We have new varieties in our seed banks; we have to get them to farmers,” he added, explaining farmers will benefit from higher-yielding, insectand drought-resistant varieties.

Commercialization challenges discussed included production of breeder and foundation seed, seed quality, unsold seed stocks, effective branding and packaging of seed and inadequate promotion of new varieties by seed companies through demonstrations. “Breeding a great variety is no guarantee of farmer adoption,” said Regina Richardson, a PASS associate program officer in charge of commercialization. Participants said demonstrations effectively raise farmers’ awareness of new varieties but are expensive to host. “I’m proud to say that we have touched the lives of researchers and farmers,” Abate said. “We have released over 140 maize varieties that have a yield advantage of 20 to 30 percent over the farmers’ traditional varieties. Many of the products coming out of the DTMA breeding pipeline have been commercialized by our partners; mainly seed companies and community-based seed producers,” he added.

Abate called for an interdisciplinary and inter-institutional approach to policy. DeVries added that –in addition to seed– fertilizer and crop management play important roles in ensuring farmers benefit from improved seed. DTMA maize breeder Dan Makumbi highlighted the challenges seed companies face in seed production, such as inadequate irrigation facilities and lack of personnel to maintain the lines. Emmanuel Monyo, ICRISAT’s Tropical Legumes project leader, said ICRISAT benefitted from the existence of about 500 small seed companies during the deployment of improved seed to farmers in India. “Partnerships that have targets and interest changed the adoption of basic seed,” Monyo said. He also highlighted the role of “women’s groups that had been empowered to produce and market legume seed,” as a strategy that contributed to the successful deployment of seed. Partners agreed to continue sharing information by participating in each other’s meetings, sharing success stories and continuing to provide technical backstopping for seed companies and national programs.

Partnerships lead to measurable impacts for Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa

Written by on October 22, 2013. Posted in Features.

The Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project is an outgrowth of more than a decade of maize physiology research. It builds on more than 10 years of promoting the inclusion of selection for drought tolerance in maize breeding programs in Sub-Saharan Africa and the widespread development and regional testing of stress-tolerant varieties. DTMA is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with past support from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, USAID, the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Eiselen Foundation. This blog post was originally published by CGIAR.

By Philippe Ellul/CGIAR

Smallholder farmer prepares maize plot for planting with CIMMYT improved varieties, Embu, Kenya. Photo: CIMMYT

Currently, maize production supports the livelihoods of approximately 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Climate change variability and the prevalence of extreme events, especially droughts, are a harsh reality for smallholder farmers in Africa who depend on rainfed agriculture. Maize production in Africa is almost completely rainfed and droughts plague approximately a quarter of the maize crop, resulting in losses as high as half the harvest. Extended periods of droughts therefore, adversely affect not only crop yields but also the livelihoods of African farmers. Economic analyses suggest that, if widely adopted, drought-tolerant maize seed can help African farmers cope with such impediments.

On a recent visit to the annual meeting of the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) initiative held in Nairobi, I was privy to some evidence of research impact in this area, which I found to be quite significant. The Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project (launched in 2006) seeks to mitigate drought and other barriers to production in the region.

Tanzanian farmer on drought tolerant maize demonstration plot. Photo: Anne Wangalachi/CIMMYT.

Here are some highlights of key data on the measurable impacts of the DTMA project and a snapshot of some lessons learned during my time there. Not only will this information be useful for future partnerships but it can also be used to inform our processes during the 2nd call for proposals for the CGIAR Research Programs.
The DTMA project started in 2006. Here are the targets that the project has achieved thus far (in 2013) in terms of measurable impact:
◦140 new DTMA varieties released,
◦30,000 tons of seed (17,000 T from new varieties) produced last year in 13 African countries (Angola, Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe)
◦An impact efficiency study (presented during the meeting) which indicated that several countries were able to reach their objectives in terms of seed production; Zimbabwe and Kenya were able to double their previous expected figures
◦ 110 African seed companies (72 small-national, 18 regional, 12 small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and 8 international enterprises) have adopted, produced and spread the new DTM varieties to local farmers,
◦ 1,230, 000 hectares planted with these new varieties, and
◦3 million households and 20 million people in total benefited and reached.

DTMA partners made certain that complete accountability was applied to the partnership network in order to ensure that the impact of research outcomes could be quantified. Thanks to this well-designed management model, researchers involved in the DTMA initiative were able to not only produce high quality research outputs but also ensure that research outcomes were adopted and scaled up. In addition, local facilities for Doubled Haploid (DH) production from tropical and sub-tropical maize germplasm have also been set up at the KARI (Kenyan Agriculture Research Institute) Kiboko Station.

Read the full post on CGIAR’s website here.

Capacity building works to combat wheat rusts

Written by on October 17, 2013. Posted in News.

For the fifth consecutive year, scientists from around the world met at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) facility in Njoro for training on “Standardization of Stem Rust Note-taking and Evaluation of Germplasm.” The course, conducted 22 September to 2 October, attracted 30 scientists from 15 countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda, United States, Yemen and Zambia). The course created increased awareness about the threat of rusts (especially Ug99) on wheat production. The wheat research scientists were trained on new approaches in fighting the rust diseases (including genetics, pathology, breeding and molecular genetics) and taught common approaches in identifying, scoring and evaluating rust diseases both in the field and in experimental plots.

Practical demonstrations focused on rust methodologies and handson experience in recording disease scales both in the greenhouse and field, according to Sridhar Bhavani, CIMMYT wheat pathologist/ breeder and course coordinator. Participants had the opportunity to work with the East African component of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) and Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat (DRRW) projects in Kenya. These are designed to monitor further migration of Ug99 and its variants; facilitate field screening of international germplasm; identify new sources of resistance; understand the genetic basis of resistance; develop durable, targeted breeding programs; and enhance the capacity of national programs. Participants had the opportunity to interact with international scientists, and trainers learned of emerging problems from the participants.

Attendees also visited the KARI breeding program and farmers’ fields to inspect the new varieties. Members of CIMMYT’s Board of Trustees and Management Committee as well as KARI dignitaries also visited the screening site at KARI Njoro on 26 September and interacted with Oliver Nightingale from Menangai Farms, a progressive farmer who demonstrated one of the new varieties (“Kenya Robin”) which was planted on 1,000 acres of his farm near Njoro. “Wheat farmers in Kenya have benefited greatly with the new varieties developed by CIMMYT and released by KARI. These varieties are not only resistant to rust but generate yields 10 to 15 percent higher than the local varieties and are resistant to stem rust,” Nightingale told the group. Two varieties – “Kenya Robin” and “Kenya Eagle” – are CIMMYT introductions which have become very popular with farmers and currently occupy 25 to 30 percent of the wheat area in Kenya. “Kenya Robin has bold grains, good straw strength, still stands after three hail storms and yields between 6.8-7 tons per acre, whereas the older variety ‘Kwale’ lodged flat in farmers’ fields in similar conditions,” added Nightingale.

He thanked CIMMYT and KARI for introducing high-yielding varieties in Kenya. The 2013 main season screening nursery has more than 25,000 wheat accessions from 15 countries and research institutions to be evaluated for resistance to Ug99 and close to 50,000 accessions are tested every year. According to Bhavani, more than 300,000 lines have been tested at KARI-Njoro since 2006 and eight varieties have been released since 2008 in Kenya and more than 40 Ug99-resistant varieties/advanced lines have been released globally. “Every year as a part of CIMMYT-Kenya shuttle breeding nearly 1,000 F3 and F4 populations are selected under high disease pressure for two generations at KARI-Njoro and several high-yielding lines with good levels of Ug99 resistance have been identified,” added Ravi Singh, CIMMYT distinguished scientist.

The KARI-CIMMYT screening nursery has produced global benefits that go beyond Kenya’s borders – with spillover effects reaching neighboring countries including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. “Commitment to the cause through global partnership, free exchange of germplasm, scientific expertise and donor funding have been the key features leading to the success of this project,” said Hans Braun, director of CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program. He continued, stating, “CIMMYT Board members were impressed with the progress in the fight against Ug99, the logistics that go into operating this global rust screening platform in Njoro and the impact that has been achieved through release and adoption by farmers of rust-resistant varieties around the globe.” The annual course is part of the wider BGRI/DRRW project in Kenya, an initiative of Cornell University that is being implemented by CIMMYT and KARI in collaboration with 16 other research institutions worldwide. The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Department for International Development. To date, more than 100 pathologists, breeders and geneticists have been trained at KARI-Njoro. Scientists from Australia, Kenya, the United States and CIMMYT lectured on several aspects of wheat rust research. As Zambian participant Lutangu Makweti said: “It time for us to utilize the knowledge gained in the training course and implement better surveys and breeding activities in our countries.” Participants thanked CIMMYT and KARI for the opportunity to learn about rusts, the practical, handson training and the opportunity to interact with the global rust community. The long-term partnership between CIMMYT and KARI is achieving numerous milestones in the fight against the Ug99 race group and producing outcomes that benefit the entire global wheat community. For more information contact Dr. Sridhar Bhavani, wheat breeder/ coordinator DRRW-screening for stem rust in East Africa, CIMMYT-Kenya at S.Bhavani@cgiar.org.

Partnerships deliver drought-tolerant maize to African farmers

Written by on October 16, 2013. Posted in News.

By Florence Sipalla/CIMMYT

Partners from 13 countries working with the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project said they benefitted from its help during the 2012-13 crop season. DTMA trained maize breeders and technicians, rehabilitated seed storage facilities, supported research institutes and seed companies to release varieties and produce breeder seed and began hybrid seed production in places where seed companies did not exist. Project partners from eastern, southern and West Africa met in Nairobi, Kenya, from 23 to 27 September for DTMA’s annual meeting. They discussed progress made in developing and deploying drought-tolerant maize varieties to benefit smallholder farmers in Africa. Maize varieties that respond to climate change challenges – such as drought and infrequent or unevenly distributed rainfall – are key in helping those who depend primarily on rain-fed agriculture. The DTMA project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Officials who opened the meeting included Thomas Lumpkin, director general of CIMMYT; Ylva Hillbur, deputy director general of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA); Ephraim Mukisira, director of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI); and Joseph De Vries, director of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Program for Africa’s Seed Systems (PASS). DTMA has released 140 drought-tolerant maize varieties since 2007, including 81 hybrids and 59 open-pollinated maize varieties. These varieties perform well under drought stress as well as adequate rainfall. “Over the last seven years, DTMA has made significant progress in developing and delivering improved technologies,” Lumpkin said. “Farmers have also benefited from [drought-tolerant] varieties that possess other desirable traits such as resistance to major diseases such as maize streak virus and gray leaf spot,” he added. Mukisira highlighted the partnership between CIMMYT and KARI. KARI centers in Embu, Kakamega and Kiboko, Kenya are part of the drought screening network and the organization’s socioeconomics team is working with DTMA on household surveys across the country. Mukisira said the collaboration produces evidence-based research findings that help inform and engage policy makers. CIMMYT and Kari recently opened two major maize research facilities in Kenya.

Meeting participants participated in the openings, which were inaugurated by Felix Koskei, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and Sicily Kariuki, principal secretary for the Kenyan Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Ministry. Lumpkin thanked DTMA donors, especially the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for supporting DTMA as well as the new maize doubled haploid and maize lethal necrosis screening facilities, the latter of which is co-funded by the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. The national agricultural research system and small- to medium-sized seed companies working with CIMMYT maize projects such as DTMA will be key beneficiaries of these facilities.

Mukisira recognized the role seed companies play in deploying drought-tolerant seed for market and making it accessible to smallholder farmers. “We encourage you to continue investing in the marketing and promotion of improved droughttolerant maize varieties,” he said. Hillbur said the strong partnerships DTMA has built with the national agricultural research system and seed companies as well as the “top quality science approach involving the breeders, economists, social scientists and seed systems specialists” are two of the project’s distinguishing factors. DTMA Project Leader Tsedeke Abate said the project is moving toward its goal of reaching more than 30 million farmers with drought-tolerant maize varieties by the end of 2016. The national agricultural research systems will be key players in breeding and disseminating improved varieties, he said. Moving forward, the project will continue to help mainstream drought-tolerant varieties, enhance seed systems partnerships with AGRA-PASS, build the capacity of the national agricultural research system to produce breeder seed, mainstream gender and build on socioeconomic research to provide evidence for policy advocacy.

Partnering to build the capacity of seed companies in Africa

Written by on October 8, 2013. Posted in News.

By Florence Sipalla/CIMMYT

CIMMYT seed sytems lead John MacRobert facilitates a SEMIs seed production class at the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Nairobi. Photo: David Ndung’u/SEMIs

CIMMYT and partner organizations are helping to build the human capacity of seed companies, which contribute to food security by ensuring farmers have access to quality seed. Certified seed is one of the most important inputs farmers need to improve their grain yields and livelihoods.

CIMMYT organizes regular training sessions for seed companies in different countries across Africa, in collaboration with the Seed Enterprise Management Institute (SEMIs) project, which is funded by the Alliance for a Green Revolution (AGRA) and hosted at the University of Nairobi College of Agriculture and Veterinary Services. “AGRA realized that many seed companies across the continent lacked knowledge on seed production, processing, marketing and aspects of seed quality,” said David Ndung’u, project manager for the SEMIs project. Both AGRA and CIMMYT receive funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In the past three years, SEMIs has trained more than 450 seed producers from 17 Sub-Saharan African countries, including Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. “This training has been identified as one of the triggers for the huge increase in production of high-quality seed by AGRA-funded seed companies all over Sub-Saharan Africa,” Ndung’u said. The seed production course, taught by John MacRobert, seed systems lead for CIMMYT, is among the most popular with seed companies, Ndung’u said.
SEMIs-pic-to-Cimmyt The course focuses on challenges companies face in managing hybrid maize seed. “John brings a wealth of experience in this field,” Ndung’u continued. “He is helping seed companies plan better and improve their seed production capabilities.” MacRobert’s book, Seed Business Management in Africa, is included in the course materials. CIMMYT’s Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa project (DTMA) also utilizes MacRobert’s book in training sessions for seed company staff. CIMMYT has conducted seed production management courses in Angola, Ethiopia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe, training more than 200 personnel from the private and public sectors over the past six years.

The trainings emphasize cooperative learning while providing technical information and management tools. CIMMYT seed systems specialists also made more than 80 follow-up visits to seed company partners in 2013. Ngila Kimotho, the CEO of Dryland Seed Company, based in Machakos, Kenya, attended a 2008-09 seed course. “The course was very useful in enhancing my understanding of seed business management through the value chain – from research to the market,” Kimotho said. “My knowledge in the field has greatly improved, as I didn’t understand the business initially,” added Kimotho, whose background is in food technology. In 2011, Gloria Kimotho, Kimotho’s daughter, attended a CIMMYT course in Zimbabwe and is now actively involved in the Dryland Seeds management team. SEMIs and CIMMYT are also collaborating in field demonstrations of DTMA varieties – a way to promote adoption by farmers because seed companies are able to pick suitable products by closely watching field performance. “Having many seed varieties is good for diversity,” explained Mosisa Worku Regasa, a seed systems specialist. “With the emergence of maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease, many maize varieties from seed companies in eastern Africa are susceptible to the disease.” An efficient seed system will contribute to the rapid scale-up and dissemination of MLN-resistant varieties.

“To be a great ‘seeds man’ you really need to understand your plants well,” said Ndung’u, who worked as a visiting scientist for DTMA under CIMMYT maize breeder Dan Makumbi. “My knowledge and understanding were greatly enhanced during my time at CIMMYT

New facilities inaugurated in Kenya to aid agriculture in East Africa

Written by on October 7, 2013. Posted in News.

By Miriam Shindler/CIMMYT

Felix Koskei, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, unveils the plaque of the Doubled Haploid Facility in Kiboko, Makueni County. Looking on is Bodduppali Prasanna, director of CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program (Left), Thomas Lumpkin, director general of CIMMYT and Ruth Kyatha from the Makueni County Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture. Photo: Wandera Ojanji

CIMMYT, in partnership with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), established two major maize facilities in Kenya last week. The Maize Doubled-Haploid Facility for Africa at KARI-Kiboko aims to accelerate the development of stress-resilient and nutritionally-improved maize varieties while the Maize Lethal Necrosis Screening Facility at KARI-Naivasha will focus on tackling deadly maize lethal necrosis (MLN).

The doubled-haploid (DH) facility, established with funding support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was inaugurated on 25 September by Felix K. Koskei, Kenya’s cabinet secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. Representatives from the ministry and country government, the CIMMYT board of trustees and management committee and the KARI director and board of management attended the inauguration. “Just as agriculture is the driver of economic growth, so is agricultural research the engine of agriculture,” Koskei said. “I take this opportunity to congratulate maize research scientists for their tireless efforts in conducting cutting-edge agricultural research directed at solving the constraints that hinder agricultural growth.”

The facility will help serve African agriculture for years to come, said CIMMYT Director General Thomas Lumpkin. “The Maize DH Facility will be key to fast-tracking the development and delivery of drought tolerant, disease and insectpest resistant and nutritionally enriched maize varieties for the benefit of Kenyan and African farmers at large,” he said. The MLN screening facility will address another challenge: while maize is Africa’s most important food crop, the 2011 drought in East Africa – combined with the emergence of MLN in eastern Africa in 2012 – resulted in significant crop losses and severe food shortages across the region. The accelerated development and delivery of MLNresistant maize varieties with other important adaptive traits is an urgent priority for CIMMYT and its partners in the region. The MLN Screening Facility at KARI-Naivasha is central to achieving this goal and was made possible with funding support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture.

Thomas Lumpkin waters a commemorative tree seedling he planted after the inauguration of the DH Facility in Kiboko. Photo: Wandera Ojanji

Inaugurating the MLN Screening Facility at KARI-Naivasha, Kenya’s Principal Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Sicily Kariuki commended CIMMYT and KARI for their rapid response to MLN and for establishing a screening facility that will benefit the entire region. The facility aims to provide MLN phenotyping services and effectively manage the risk of MLN on maize production through screening and identifying MLNresistant maize germplasm. It will make use of public and private sector research partners in Africa to contribute to food security and to the livelihoods of farming communities in Eastern Africa. Through the KARI-CIMMYT partnership, several promising maize inbred lines and hybrids with resistance to MLN have Photo: Florence Sipalla already been identified and are being further validated and used in breeding strategies to develop MLN-resistant maize hybrids. Prasanna Boddupalli, director of the CIMMYT Global Maize Program, emphasized the facility “will serve not only CIMMYT and KARI, but other interested public and private sector institutions that are engaged in developing and delivering improved maize varieties to farmers in Africa.”

New facility investigates the hidden half of maize

Written by on September 30, 2013. Posted in News.

By P.H. Zaidi/CIMMYT

A new facility at CIMMYT-Hyderabad, India, will allow researchers to assess and quantify key root traits and their dynamics under various growing conditions. CIMMYT’s new root phenotyping facility is based on the lysimetric system, by which scientists can directly assess and quantify root traits and their dynamics under various growing conditions. It also allows high-precision phenotyping of various root traits.

A high-profile delegation from Groupe Limagrain, led by its CEO, visits the newly-established root phenotyping facility at CIMMYT-Hyderabad, India. Photo: T. Durga/CIMMYT

The system revolutionizes the research, moving from a static assessment of roots through time-consuming extraction and scanning to a real-time measurement of water uptake, water use and an assessment of variation in roots under different growing conditions in the rhizosphere. Recent advances in high-precision weighing systems and information technology tools have greatly improved its efficiency and effectiveness as a root phenotyping system.

A representative from USAID observes maize root extracted from a minirhizotron. Photo: T. Durga/CIMMYT

CIMMYT’s root phenotyping facility is specially designed for – but not restricted to – maize. The facility features 2,400 minirhizotron observation tubes placed in eight concrete pits. A wheeled stand is used to lift the rhizotrons for weighing. The weight of the cylinder, along with the entire plant, is monitored periodically and allows researchers to estimate the amount of water used and transpired as well as the transpiration efficiency of different genotypes. Roots are critically important to plants because they are the part first exposed to any soil-mediated stresses, such as drought, waterlogging, salt stress or nutrient stress. Root traits govern the overall performance of plants; however, this important hidden half is often avoided due to the complexity involved in studying root structure and functions.

Mini-rhizotrons with maize plants sit at the root phenotyping facility. Photo: T. Durga/CIMMYT — Mini-rhizotrons with maize plants sit at the
root phenotyping facility. Photo: T. Durga/CIMMYT

In maize, the genotypic variation in root traits and variation under stresses can be carefully selected in targeted breeding for stress tolerance, which can contribute significantly to genetic gains. Root traits are often judged on the basis of related characteristics, which may not accurately explain the stress-responsive — or adaptive — structural and functional changes in roots under sub-optimal or stressed conditions. The facility is used in phenotyping root traits of mapping populations developed for various molecular breeding projects on drought and heat stress tolerance as well as other traits usually observed in field conditions, including morphological traits and grain yield. It is located under a renovated rain shelter, protecting the trials from rain at the targeted crop stage and allowing for yearround use.

CIMMYT is grateful to the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture for its financial support of the facility and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi- Arid Tropics for providing space and other logistic support in establishing this unique facility.

Maize stover: an underutilized resource for rainfed India

Written by on September 12, 2013. Posted in News.

Rastrojo-de-maíz Introducing maize stover into India’s commercial dairy systems could mitigate fodder shortages and halt increasing fodder costs, according to new research by CIMMYT and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). The two organizations collaborated on the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia project (CSISA), which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), as well as the CGIAR Research Program on MAIZE. Their study shows that while significant variations exist among maize cultivars in terms of their stover quantity and fodder quality, stover from some high yielding popular hybrids is at par or even better value with the best sorghum stover traded. Sorghum stover, the above-ground biomass left after grain harvest, supports much of the urban and near-urban dairy production in peninsular India.

Between 130 and 200 tons of sorghum stover are sold daily in the fodder markets of Hyderabad alone. Some of the stover is transported several hundred kilometers and costs, on a dryweight basis, about 50% of the price of sorghum grain, which is up from 20 to 30% just 15 years ago. Sorghum stover’s high monetary value can be explained by India’s demand for sorghum fodder, and possibly to a decline in the area of sorghum planted. The crop has been replaced with maize in some regions. Dairy farmers and fodder traders in India generally think maize stover is less suitable than sorghum stover as livestock feed. To challenge the negative perceptions about maize stover, maize stover of a popular high-yielding hybrid with high-quality stover fodder was provided to a commercial dairy producer in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Rastrojo-de-maíz2 This dairy producer had maintained his eight improved Murrah buffaloes on a diet typical of that of urban and near-urban dairy systems in peninsular India. It consisted of 60% sorghum stover and 40% a homemade concentrate mix of 15% wheat bran, 54% cotton seed cake, and 31% husks and hulls from threshed pigeon-pea. Each of the dairy producer’s buffaloes consumed about 9.5 kg of sorghum stover and 6.5 kg of the concentrate mix per day and produced an average of 8.9 kg of milk per day. This dairy producer purchased sorghum stover at 6.3 Indian rupees (Rs) per kilogram. Together with the cost for concentrates, his feed cost totalled 18.2 Rs per kg of milk while his sale price was 28 Rs per kg of milk. In this trial, the dairy farmer purchased maize stover at 3.8 Rs per kg. When he substituted sorghum stover with maize stover, his average yield increased from 8.9 to 9.4 kg of milk per buffalo per day while his overall feed costs decreased from 18.2 to 14.5 Rs per kg of milk per day. The substitution of sorghum stover with maize increased his profits from 3.7 Rs per kg of milk, apart from an additional 0.5kg milk per buffalo.

This study demonstrated the big potential benefits for India’s smallholder rainfed maize and dairy farmers of adopting dual-purpose, food-and-feed maize cultivars, which combine high grain yield with high fodder quality. In this way, farmers can help solve the problem of fodder scarcity while increasing the benefits of their maize cropping. “Poultry and animal feed has been the major driver for unprecedented increase in demand of maize in South & Southeast Asia. The dual-purpose maize, with high stover quality along with high grain yield, is emerging as another big driver that can further add in the increasing demand for maize in this region” says CIMMYT Maize Breeder P.H. Zaidi, who is actively collaborating with ILRI-Hyderabad, India.

Training on weed control in direct seeded rice will boost farmers’ confidence

Written by on September 10, 2013. Posted in Features.

CSISA scientists address farmers’ concerns on Direct Seeded Rice method in Haryana
The Dry Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) method is gaining popularity in north India, thanks to the researchers, agricultural departments, and enterprising farmers of Punjab and Haryana who have made efforts to implement it on a large scale. Faced with the threats of depleting groundwater, shortage of farm labor, rising production costs, and climate variability, more and more farmers are adopting this alternative method of sowing rice. It promises to be both environmentally friendly and cost efficient.

Compared to the more widely used method where seeds are first germinated in a nursery and then the rice seedlings are manually transplanted to the fields, DSR involves sowing seeds directly in the fields with the help of a machine called a Multi Crop Planter. This technique has been popular in some developed countries of the world, including the U.S., but is new for farmers in India. The Ministry of Agriculture of the Government of India has been promoting this technique through its two flagship schemes, the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY). DSR brings many benefits to farmers—it reduces cultivation costs by 5,100 rupees (78 USD) per hectare, reduces water consumption by 25%, and increases profitability up to 4,600 (70 USD) rupees per hectare. “Moreover, when wheat is grown after a crop of DSR, wheat productivity has been found 8 to 10% higher than when grown after a crop of conventional cultivated rice,” says Virender Kumar from CSISA.

Reports find DSR effective in reducing emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. CCAFS and Greenhouse Gas Emission quantification project are studying the benefits of conservation agricultural practices, like zero tillage DSR, on greenhouse gas emissions. “For each tonne of rice production with conservation agriculture based management practices, on average 400 kg CO2 equivalent was reduced compared to conventional puddled transplanted rice,” says ML Jat from CCAFS.

Haryana promotes direct seeded paddy
The State Agriculture Department, Haryana Agricultural University, and Farmers Commission are now promoting the use of DSR in Haryana because of its benefits. Four years ago, only 226 hectares of area was under DRS in Haryana. This number has increased to 8000 hectares in 2012 and is targeted to cover 20,000 hectares in 2013. However, access to effective weed management and cost-effective herbicides still remain a challenge and will affect the success of this technology in the long term.

As with any new technique, the phase of building awareness, training and responding to farmers’ concerns is integral to making DSR technique successful. Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), a project funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID along with other stakeholders, launched a campaign in May to encourage farmers to adopt DSR in Haryana. The campaign included technical trainings on DSR for farmers and service providers, meetings with different stakeholders to identify and solve the problems of availability of inputs including machinery and seed, mass-media programs like radio talks, and distribution of pamphlets in the local language. The campaign reached the farmer at the field and village level for their direct feedback and to understand their problems. “Synergy between different public-private stakeholders, feedback from farmers, and technical inputs to the farmers at the right time are necessary after a series of intensive trainings to make a transformation like Direct Seeded Rice technology a success,” says B.R. Kamboj from CSISA. CSISA, in collaboration with IFC-Dunar Foods Limited and the Haryana State Department of Agriculture, organized a travelling seminar on 14 August in different villages of the Asandh block of the Karnal district. Farmers highlighted their concerns, which included late availability of the subsidized inputs such as seeds, herbicides, and machinery, and weed problems even after the proper application of herbicides.

Responding to various issues, representatives from the organizations suggested the application of preemergence herbicide, which prevent the germination of weed seeds such as pendimethalin, is necessary for effective weed management in DSR; on machinery, farmers could establish farmer cooperatives and pool resources to purchase the machinery; on less germination, sowing should be done by the expert service providers. It is also critical to use the proper setting of the sowing depth of the machine. The participants also visited the DSR fields of different villages including Balla, Salwan, Dupedi, and Padhana. While the crops looked very healthy, symptoms of zinc deficiency and excessive use of urea were seen. B. R. Kamboj demonstrated how to identify the weeds and advised on judicious use of pesticides for effective control of insects, diseases, and weeds. To ensure a good harvest from the DSR fields, the next step is timely control of insects and pests. Farmers must learn to identify the insect and pests and the right stage to control them. The Department of Agriculture will provide regular visits and trainings on insect pest management (IPM) in some identified DSR villages. “This will be a very important activity to build the confidence in the farmers to continue using DSR technique,” Kamboj says.

Nitrogen-use-efficient maize ready for release in Africa

Written by on August 1, 2013. Posted in News.

Bish-cropped Big news for public and private maize breeders and seed providers in Africa: you can now test your lines and hybrids under controlled stress conditions that allow you to tell how they’ll perform when grown by farmers. The latest results from regional maize stress screening trials and other important topics formed the agenda of the annual meeting of the Improved Maize for African Soils (IMAS) project, which during 10-12 July 2013 drew more than 70 participants to its Nairobi venue, including representatives from CIMMYT, which leads the project, key partners DuPont Pioneer, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and South Africa’s Agricultural Research Council (ARC), from African seed companies, from organizations like One Acre Fund, and from project funder the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“There’s been great interest from private companies to test their germplasm in our regional trials,” said acting project lead and CIMMYT maize breeder Biswanath Das, who cited the project’s stress screening networks as an unprecedented achievement in the region. “The 2012-13 trials included 114 maize lines and hybrids from 13 partners, including 6 companies, that were tested at 40 locations region-wide. Trial environments include nitrogen-depleted soils and controlled drought stress, closely replicating actual farm conditions.”

After water, nitrogen is the single most important input for maize production; lack of it is the principal constraint to cereal yields in Africa, in areas with adequate rainfall. An illustration of that importance, this photo shows the very different response of the same maize variety to zero versus 80 kilograms of nitrogen fertilizer on an experiment station plot.

In the most recent results, yields of elite hybrids from the project match or marginally surpass those of the best widely-grown commercial hybrids in favorable circumstances, while significantly out-yielding them under drought and low-nitrogen conditions, according to trial coordinator and CIMMYT breeder Amsal Tarekegne. “We expect that, through this network, all seed available to farmers will eventually feature higher yields under all conditions that farmers face.”

Launched in February 2010, IMAS is developing maize varieties that better capture the small amount of fertilizer African farmers can afford, and that use the nitrogen more efficiently to produce grain. The project is using molecular markers and transgenic approaches to augment conventional breeding. The varieties are Africa-adapted and will feature added traits like drought tolerance, disease resistance, and preferred grain quality.

Conventionally bred IMAS-derived maize seed is near ready for national testing, certification, and release. Discussions and efforts now center around how best to spread awareness among seed providers and farmers and how to market seed. Meeting participants visited several Kenya field sites, including KARI’s Kiboko research station, where in partnership with KARI, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and CIMMYT are supporting construction of a maize doubled haploid breeding facility expected to be operational in late 2013. Recently recruited CIMMYT molecular geneticist Michael Olsen, who is taking up coordination of IMAS, thanked everyone for the warm welcome he’d received. “I’m really excited about working in this project,” he said. “The energy coming from the meeting was tremendous.”

Project oversight committee members, Zimbabwean researcher Idah Sithole-Niang and retired maize physiologist Greg Edmeades, as well as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation program officer Gary Atlin, expressed their pleasure at the progress to date. “Low productivity due to poor soil fertility is the greatest challenge to African agriculture,” said Atlin. “Breeding is one way to address this. Thanks for your superb efforts.”

French savoir-faire

Written by on June 17, 2013. Posted in News.

French After a year of exchanges, planning, and construction, CIMMYT and CMF, a French company manufacturing greenhouses, inaugurated CIMMYT’s new state-of-the-art greenhouses at El Batán on 13 June 2013. The facility is funded by CIMMYT and the Carlos Slim Foundation and is part of a vast laboratory complex opened on 13 February 2013 in the presence of Bill Gates and Carlos Slim.

It was a good opportunity for the French Ambassador, Elisabeth Beton Delègue, to come and visit CIMMYT, while supporting a dynamic French enterprise working in Mexico and other parts of the world. She was guided through the visit by Kevin Pixley, Marianne Bänziger, Renaud Josse (director of CMF) and his staff, and Guillermo Simon, representing CARSO, Carlos Slim’s conglomerate company.

“This is a great adventure,” said Beton Delègue. “It is the first time I see a realization of this type, with multiple possibilities allowing a dialogue between researchers and manufacturers and I am proud of our French technology.” CMF has designed a greenhouse of 1,577 m2 consisting of 21 cells that can reproduce different climates. It has its own weather station too. “We work closely with the researchers to define what the real research needs are,” explains Josse. “We try to build the most adequate project. One cell can reproduce a desertic climate, another a tropical climate. We work on the characterization of necessities in terms of temperature gaps and humidity fluctuations among other things.” This precise control of climatic parameters will be of great assistance for CIMMYT’s research on climate change.

The other building to be realized by CMF is a smaller greenhouse of 400 m2 which consists of five sealed cells for biosafety (BSL2 or biosafety level 2). No exchange between indoor and outdoor area will be possible. The project is well underway and should be completed soon.

Marianne Bänziger reflected on the importance of the biosafety guarantee, and appreciated that calling in the experts in the area would certainly lead to higher quality research.

“I am very happy to participate in the inauguration of the greenhouses and to visit CIMMYT,” said Beton Delègue, “and I hope to collaborate with CIMMYT in the future because we have many projects going on which deserve that we meet again.”

For Ravi Singh, CIMMYT distinguished scientist, “the new greenhouses are like a new car model. The good control will help to improve efficiency and obtain better results.”