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A journey through Bangladesh’s ground-breaking agricultural practices

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

Bangladesh’s agricultural landscape is evolving rapidly, with initiatives focused on modernization, sustainability, and innovation. Projects supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are working to advance the country’s agriculture through stakeholder collaboration, enhancing productivity, improving mechanization, and embedding sustainable practices.

To explore the impact of this work, USAID officials and senior staff from CIMMYT embarked on a comprehensive tour across multiple project sites on 14 – 19 April 2024. The USAID delegation featured Zachary P. Stewart, production systems specialist from the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security, and John Laborde and Muhammad Nuruzzaman from the USAID Bangladesh Mission. From CIMMYT, the team included Sieglinde Snapp, program director from the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Program, Timothy J. Krupnik, country representative for Bangladesh, and Owen Calvert, project leader for the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia-Mechanization Extension Activity (CSISA-MEA).

Visitors at Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI) lab, Dinajpur, Bangladesh. (Photo: Masud Rana/CIMMYT Bangladesh)

Pioneering agricultural technology

The team visited Dinajpur, Bangladesh to observe the progress of the Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) CGIAR Initiative, including creative efforts to raise agricultural output, support sustainable practices, and boost the area’s nutrition levels. The integrated strategy of TAFSSA, which combines inclusive community participation with socio-agronomic research, has enabled local farmers to increase revenue, diversify their crop production, and enhance yields. From the premium quality rice (PQR) value chain at the Bengal Auto Rice Mill to the sustainable intensification of mixed farming systems, the visit demonstrated TAFSSA’s dedication to building agricultural resilience and improving lives throughout Bangladesh.

In Faridpur, the team observed CSISA-MEA, a five-year project dedicated to supporting smart mechanization in Bangladesh. This included displays of innovative agricultural machinery, such as onion storage blowers, jute fiber separators, axial flow pumps, and combine harvester spare parts. Stakeholders from various sectors shared insights on how to improve machine service providers’ capacity to manage their businesses effectively.

Sholakundu, a village in Kanaipur Union, Faridpur Sadar, has embraced modern agricultural practices and diversified crop cultivation. This site showcased the impact of mechanized rice transplantation and integrated pest management (IPM) techniques, with the opportunity to observe a live demonstration of mat-type seedling raising for mechanized rice transplantation. Discussions revolved around the benefits of mechanization, IPM activities, and the village’s commitment to enhancing agricultural sustainability and productivity.

Climate-specific farming

The southern coastal region of Bangladesh has long suffered from problems including salinity, drought, waterlogging, and unpredictable weather.  Addressing these issues is the USAID-funded Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab–Asian Mega Delta (SIIL-AMD) project, which encourages climate-resilient farming and better water management.

The initiative engages approximately 400 farmers in trials of improved agronomic techniques through the use of 14 Learning Hubs and the Cluster Farmer Field School (CFFS), aiming to increase output and assist local people in adjusting to the special conditions of the coastal polder zone.

“Bangladesh’s women farmers, especially those in this area and the coastal regions, are incredibly hardworking,” stated Zachary P. Stewart. “Even in the face of adverse weather conditions, their dedication has led to excellent crop yields. If provided with further training and allocated more time, these industrious women could take the lead in driving Bangladesh’s agricultural progress forward.”

Visitors at local machine manufacturing workshop in Jashore, Bangladesh. (Photo: Masud Rana/CIMMYT Bangladesh)

Systemic self-sufficiency

For reasons of development and sustainability, Bangladesh’s agriculture industry is focused on using locally made machinery and spare parts. As USAID personnel visited the SMR Agro Engineering Workshop and Foundry, situated in Jashore Sadar, they witnessed how support by CSISA-MEA has improved the agricultural mechanization market system. SMR Agro Engineering produces high-quality agricultural machinery and spare parts, increasing farmers’ productivity and decreasing labor intensity.

CSISA-MEA’s support has been significant in preparing new industrial layouts, raising labor skill levels, providing technical guidance, and facilitating financing. Moreover, through the development of business partnerships with lead companies, agriculture-based light engineering enterprises (ABLEs), and dealers, CSISA-MEA ensures a strong network that supports the widespread use of mechanized services. This collaborative effort marks a significant step towards enhancing rural livelihoods and achieving sustainable agricultural practices in Bangladesh.

Global research partnerships

In addition to visiting farmers’ fields, the team also attended the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), the nation’s largest agricultural research center which focuses on improving crop yields, food security, and employment. The visitors explored the work in mechanization, IPM, and farm machinery, with a tour of BARI’s IPM and toxicology laboratories highlighting the organizations’ sustainable approach to pest management.

The final visit was to Ispahani Agro Limited (IAL), a leading bio-pesticide producer in Gazipur. IAL is at the forefront of bio-rational pest management, creating environmentally friendly, non-toxic inputs. CIMMYT’s assistance has been crucial for the company’s growth, with the tour covering production units, laboratories, and discussions on IAL’s business development.

Overall, the experience offered a comprehensive overview of collaborative activities between USAID, CIMMYT, and Bangladeshi stakeholders. From research and mechanization to bio-rational pest management, the combined efforts boost output and encourage sustainability and responsible environmental behavior.

As Bangladesh continues to embrace modern farming practices, partnerships and projects will play a pivotal role in defining how the country’s agricultural industry evolves into one that is economically viable and sustainable.

Building global capacity to combat wheat blast

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

Researchers and experts from 15 countries convened in Zambia, between 4-15 March 2024, for an international training on wheat blast disease screening, surveillance, and management.

Wheat blast, caused by pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype triticum, is threatening global wheat production especially in warmer and humid regions. The disease was ïŹrst observed in Parana state of Brazil in 1985 and subsequently spread to Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina. Outside of South America, wheat blast incidences were recorded for the first time in Bangladesh in 2016 and in Zambian wheat fields in 2018.

To mitigate the impact of this potential plant pandemic, the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI), in collaboration with CIMMYT and other partners, organized a comprehensive training for building research capacity and raising awareness within the local and international community, especially in at-risk countries.

“This collaborative effort, supported by various international partners and funders, underscores the importance of global cooperation in addressing agricultural challenges such as wheat blast. The objective of the training was to empower researchers with knowledge and tools for enhanced wheat production resilience in regions vulnerable to this destructive disease,” said Pawan Kumar Singh, principal scientist and project leader at CIMMYT. Singh collaborated with Batiseba Tembo, wheat breeder at ZARI-Zambia, to coordinate and lead the training program.

Thirty-eight wheat scientists, researchers, professors, policymakers, and extension agents from countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Zambia, and Zimbabwe convened at the Mt. Makulu Central Research Station in Chilanga, Zambia.

“Wheat blast is a devastating disease that requires concerted efforts to effectively manage it and halt further spread. The disease is new to Africa, so developing capacity amongst country partners before the disease spreads more widely is critical,” said Tembo.

Participants at the International Training on Wheat Blast Screening and Surveillance. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Highlights from the training: discussions, lab exercises, and field visits

During the training, participants engaged in lectures, laboratory exercises, and field visits. There were insightful discussions on key topics including the fundamentals of wheat blast epidemiology, disease identification, molecular detection of the wheat blast pathogen, isolation and preservation techniques for the pathogen, disease scoring methods, disease management strategies, and field surveillance and monitoring.

The course also provided practical experience in disease evaluation at the Precision Phenotyping Platform (PPP) screening nursery located in Chilanga research station. This involved characterization of a diverse range of wheat germplasm with the aim of releasing resistant varieties in countries vulnerable to wheat blast. Additionally, participants undertook field visits to farmers’ fields, conducting surveillance of wheat blast-infected areas. They collected samples and recorded survey data using electronic open data kit (ODK) capture tools.

Participants listen to a lecture by B.N. Verma, director of Zambia Seed Co., on the history of wheat production in Zambia. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“The killer disease needs to be understood and managed utilizing multi-faceted approaches to limit the expansion and damages it can cause to global wheat production. The Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI) is willing to share all the strategies it deployed to mitigate the effect of wheat blast,” said Golam Faruq, BWMRI’s director general.

Participants visited seed farms to gain practical insights into seed production processes and quality assurance measures. These visits provided first-hand knowledge of seed selection, breeding techniques, and management practices crucial for developing resistant wheat varieties. Participants also visited research sites and laboratories to observe advanced research methodologies and technologies related to wheat blast management. These visits exposed them to cutting-edge techniques in disease diagnosis, molecular analysis, and germplasm screening, enhancing their understanding of effective disease surveillance and control strategies.

Field visit. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“The training and knowledge sharing event was a significant first step in developing understanding and capacity to deal with wheat blast for partners from several African countries. It was wonderful to see the efforts made to ensure gender diversity among participants,” said Professor Diane Saunders from the John Innes Centre, UK.

Rekindling and revitalizing chicken farming in Zambia

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

Priscilla Chewe, a poultry farmer in Kapiri Mposhi district of Zambia, checks on her chickens. June 2024. (Photo: CIMMYT)

In Zambia, women play a major role in agriculture and constitute much of the labour force for cash crop production and home consumption. In Chilayabale area of Chongwe district in Zambia, a group of women founded Tuyumepo Women Cooperative with support from Zambia’s Farmer Input Support Program (FISP). Initially focused on commercial soya milk and okra coffee production, members shifted to poultry production in 2022, which they had identified as a game changer. They successfully developed a business plan that was funded by the World Food Programme, providing 150,000 Kwacha (USD 5,600) for broiler chicken production. Part of the funds were used to construct a poultry house and acquire 200-day-old chicks.

However, their excitement soon turned into despair. What had appeared a very profitable venture turned into a loss-making enterprise. The group could not understand why the birds, despite being provided with the required feed and vaccines, had a high mortality rate. They eventually abandoned the broiler production business.

Despite setbacks, the group’s determination remained strong. Like many other smallholder poultry producers in Zambia; they recognized the immense potential of chicken farming. But they were constrained by various production challenges such as limited access to improved chicken breeds or day-old chicks, limited access to key vaccines, basic chicken health services, quality feed, and essential extension services. These challenges led to poor productivity, high mortalities and underperformance of the enterprise and the chicken value chain in general.

However, a ray of hope emerged earlier this year with the arrival of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative – Livestock (AIDI-L) in Bimbe. A sensitization meeting organized by AIDI-L reignited their enthusiasm for poultry farming. What stood out was AIDI-L’s commitment not only to provide starter kits but also to offer training on best poultry farming practices. This renewed optimism prompted members of the Tuyumepo Women Cooperative, along with other farmers in the area, to attend training sessions on poultry production at Kambekete Camp, Chongwe District, Lusaka Province on 8 April 2024.

The participants were trained on general poultry production and marketing, and how to effectively train others on the same in the targeted districts. The target trainees were commercial poultry farmers, brooders, and lead farmers. Each training was attended by about 30 participants comprising lead farmers, brooders, and commercial poultry farmers in the district.

Led by Venture37, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and local government livestock officers, these sessions covered various aspects of poultry farming, from chicken health and housing to marketing and business development.

To many, the training was an eye-opener.

“I have just realized that our broilers were dying not because of diseases, but because of poorly ventilated housing structure,’ stated Annie, a brooder and a lead farmer in the area.”

With the newfound partnership, the cooperative plans to acquire 200 chicks.

Elizabeth Mwalusoke, a farmer from Lobolola Village, Chongwe District, had long recognized the potential of poultry farming but lacked the necessary knowledge and skills on good poultry husbandry, such as appropriate housing, hygiene, pests and diseases, and their control. She was lucky to have attended the AIDI-L sensitization meeting at Bimbe and Kambekete Camp in February 2024.

“This project will definitely help us develop our chicken business.”

The venture is even more appealing to Elizabeth, who owns two hectares of farmland, ideal for chicken rearing but not for large livestock farming.

For the ambitious Festus Nchenesi, the initiative provides opportunities for expanding and diversifying his commercial chicken enterprise. Nchenesi, a retired accountant, started with 100 broilers in 2017 at his one-hectare farm after relocating from Chongwe Town. He has steadily increased the flock to 300 birds but would have kept more if it had not been for the challenges he has encountered.

His attempts to venture into improved chicken farming failed due to a lack of knowledge of chicken brooding.

“I would have over 10 chicken brooding with at least 10 eggs each. But once one of the chickens had chicks, all the others would abandon their eggs and start fighting to care for the few hatched chicks. To circumvent this, I acquired a 32-egg capacity incubator, hoping not only to build my flock but also to brood and supply to other farmers in the area. However, the 6,000 Kwacha incubator could only hatch 3-5 eggs per incubation for reasons the supplier could not even explain. I am very optimistic that the project will turn my fortunes around. My target is to have at least 1,000 improved chickens because of their good marketability and returns and reduce the broiler flock.”

Others like retired Captain Ceasar Chibiye, a commercial poultry farmer in Kapiri District, Central Province, are more than ready to seize the market linkage opportunities that the project is bringing, being one of the major hurdles the farmers have been grappling with in the chicken value chain.

Laurence Ochieng, an ILRI veterinarian, was impressed with the enthusiasm and passion of the participants. He was optimistic that the project will greatly revitalise chicken farming in target regions.

“Most of the attendees seem to be involved in village chicken rearing.  For instance, those from Shamutinta village will benefit from disease control measures such as Newcastle disease vaccination as this seems to be their greatest challenge in rearing the birds to productive stage. Most of them had lost their flocks due to diseases, predominantly Newcastle and fowl pox.”

Esther Omosa, ILRI nutrition specialist, sensitized the participants on the importance human nutrition, promising to conduct a detailed TOT training on high impact nutrition sensitive interventions that need to be implemented at community level to prevent malnutrition.

Esther Omosa, ILRI nutrition specialist, sensitizes participants on the importance human nutrition during a training on poultry production in Kapiri District, Central Province on 10 April 2024. (Photo: ILRI)

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development, the two-year AIDI-L project aims to help 15,000 small-scale, poultry-keeping households acquire increased access dual-purpose backyard village chicks; and reduce morbidity and mortality of poultry byfacilitating access to, and vaccination of, poultry to key economically impactful diseases such as Newcastle Disease. With a holistic approach that addresses both production and market challenges, the project holds promise for revitalizing chicken farming in Zambia. Thousands more households will be reached through media advisories on the importance of vaccinations and improved husbandry practices for chickens.

The original article was published by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). 

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.

Representatives of the Norwegian Government visit innovative plot in Guatemala

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

Visit of Norway’s Minister and Ambassador to Mexico at an Innovation Module in Guatemala. (Photo: Francisco AlarcĂłn/CIMMYT)

The visit of Anne Beathe, Norway’s Minister of International Development, and Ragnhild Imerslund, Norway’s Ambassador to Mexico and Central America, to the Lomas Abajo demonstration module in San Jacinto, Chiquimula, Guatemala—part of the InnovaHubs promoted by CIMMYT and its collaborators in that country through the AgriLAC Resiliente initiative—on June 5.

The presence of the minister and the ambassador highlights the Norwegian government’s support for initiatives like CGIAR’s AgriLAC Resiliente, which shares a common vision of Latin American regional development within a framework of triangular cooperation between the Norwegian Embassy, the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID), and CIMMYT.

This cooperation framework seeks to strengthen the innovation management model known as InnovaHub because it promotes constant interaction between farmers and their local allies, with whom technicians and researchers work hand-in-hand on the plots that are part of the physical infrastructure, such as the modules visited by the Norwegian government representatives, which serve as spaces for co-learning and validation of sustainable practices and technologies for the region.

The work and actions in Guatemala are part of a methodology for accelerating agricultural innovation built on CIMMYT’s successful experiences in Mexico. In this sense, CIMMYT, together with other CGIAR Research Centers in the region—the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, the International Potato Center (CIP), and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)—lead AgriLAC Resiliente and, through collaboration with various regional partners, have succeeded in establishing and operating two InnovaHubs in Guatemala—one in the eastern region and another in the western region—where organizations like ADIPAZ and ASORECH work closely in disseminating sustainable practices suited to each agricultural and sociocultural context.

For the Norwegian government, which seeks to strengthen ties with the governments and societies of Mexico and Central America, the InnovaHubs model is ideal for connecting not only with national governments but also with local governments, producers, and a wide range of strategic actors.

The Norwegian government, which, together with CIMMYT, already promotes Agriculture for Peace—drawing on the legacy of Norman Borlaug to promote peaceful and resilient societies through sustainable and inclusive agriculture—considers agriculture a vital means to promote social stability in rural areas as it supports income generation and contributes to political stability, hence its interest and support for the InnovaHubs’ efforts in promoting innovative and sustainable agriculture.

Anne Beathe, Norway’s Minister of International Development, at an Innovation Module in Guatemala. (Photo: Francisco AlarcĂłn / CIMMYT)

During their visit to Guatemala, Minister Beathe and Ambassador Imerslund were accompanied by Jelle Van Loon, associate director of CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agrifood Systems Program, the operational team of AgriLAC in Guatemala; Elder Cardona, mayor of San Jacinto; as well as representatives of Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, ADIPAZ, and ASORECH, with whom they toured InnovaHubs facilities and engaged in a lively dialogue with various producers participating in AgriLAC Resiliente, particularly with a group of women farmers who shared their experiences on how the knowledge gained through the initiative has led to empowerment and better living conditions.

During the visit, the context of Chiquimula, the ChortĂ­ region, and the Dry Corridor was also explained, highlighting the challenges and limitations; the activities carried out with AgriLAC, including research platforms, post-harvest processes, and training; ongoing agronomic research, proposals for families, agronomic management programs, and crop diversification, Agroclimatic Technical Tables (MTAs), among other topics.

Finally, it was emphasized that, with the triangular cooperation between the Norwegian Embassy, AMEXCID, and CIMMYT, actions are planned for CIMMYT to train field advisors from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, with the aim of continuing the efforts of Agriculture for Peace for the benefit of the countries in the region.

Unlocking genetic innovations through collaborative pathways

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

Regional partners examine the CIMMYT maize lines displayed during field day. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The International Maize Improvement Consortium for Africa (IMIC-Africa) held its Southern Africa field day on 25 March 2024 at Harare, Zimbabwe. IMIC-Africa, launched by CIMMYT in 2018, is a public-private partnership designed to strengthen maize breeding programs of partner institutions in Africa. As part of this initiative, CIMMYT organizes annual field days which bring together representatives from seed companies and national agricultural research system (NARS) partners across Zimbabwe and Kenya.

At the heart of the IMIC-Africa field day lies a vibrant showcase of genetically diverse materials developed from various maize breeding pipelines of CIMMYT in Southern Africa. Such events serve as a catalyst to drive innovations in maize breeding programs, deliver solutions to stakeholders, and enable seed companies and NARS partners to make informed selections tailored to local contexts.

“It is an important forum to have organized discussions with partners, and redesign—where possible—our breeding approaches to deliver targeted products to stakeholders,” said Director of CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program, One CGIAR Global Maize Breeding Lead, and One CGIAR Plant Health Initiative Lead, B.M. Prasanna. “The main stakeholders here are our partners, including seed companies and public sector national programs, through whom we reach out to farming communities.”

The significance of these field days cannot be overstated. It allows the partners to have a critical look at the breeding materials on display and undertake selections of maize lines relevant to their breeding programs. In addition, the IMIC-Africa field days enable CIMMYT team to have structured dialogues with diverse stakeholders and to review and refine breeding (line and product development) strategies and approaches.

“It is key to bridge the gap between the national programs and private sector players. This platform allows us to stay ahead in terms of research, and innovative breakthroughs in the seed sector,” added Kabamba Mwansa, principal agriculture research officer, ZARI, Zambia and Southern Africa Breeding, and seed systems network coordinator.

Highlights from the Harare field day

With an impressive array of 737 CIMMYT maize lines on display, partners at the Harare field day gained insights about the performance of different materials. The materials span early-, intermediate-, and late- maturity groups to nutritious maize breeding pipelines. This comprehensive showcase enabled seed companies and NARS partners to make informed selections, tailored to their local contexts. The material on display ranged from early generation (one or two years of testing data) to advanced generation (more than three years of testing) coming from the Southern Africa breeding pipelines targeting multiple market segments.

Regional partners examine the CIMMYT maize lines displayed during field day. (Photo: CIMMYT)

One of the strategic priorities of CIMMYT’s maize breeding program in Africa is improving the nutritional quality of maize. This is exemplified by the development of provitamin A-enriched maize (PVA). On display were 169 lines originating from the PVA-enriched maize breeding pipeline. The efforts underscore CIMMYT’s commitment to address regional nutritional needs through targeted breeding initiatives.

Felix Jumbe, a partner from Peacock Seeds in Malawi reflected on the importance of the IMIC-Africa partnership. “We have been part of IMIC-Africa since its inception, and we continue to appreciate the different climate-resilient lines emerging from CIMMYT maize breeding programs in Africa. Last year, we sold out of our seed as people continue to appreciate the need for resilient maize varieties. The drought-tolerant (DT) maize lines from the consortium have been a huge selling point as most farmers are happy with it,” he said.

The field day not only showcased cutting-edge breeding innovations but also offered a historical perspective by tracing the trajectory of the most popular lines taken up under IMIC-Africa from 2019 to 2023. This served as a crucial reference point for partners, enabling them to assess the performance of newly displayed lines against established benchmarks. Furthermore, partners considered the presence of trait donors as invaluable in improving resistance to key biotic stresses or tolerance to certain abiotic stresses prevalent in Africa.

CIMMYT, NARS, and seed company partners participate in the IMIC-Africa field day in Harare, Zimbabwe. (Photo: CIMMYT)

CIMMYT partnership continues to add value

In the face of escalating environmental pressures, including climate change and pest infestations such as the fall armyworm (FAW), CIMMYT breeders have been working tirelessly to develop resilient varieties capable of withstanding these challenges. Partners such as SeedCo have embraced these robust varieties. For breeder Tariro Kusada, it is her second year of attending the IMIC- Africa field day. “We continue to see value in getting breeding materials through IMIC. The vigor from the lines on display is outstanding as compared to last year. We hope the vigor translates to yield.”

Danny Mfula from Synergy Zambia reinforced the value of the partnership. “It is always good to tap into CIMMYT’s germplasm to supplement what we have. We are glad that more FAW-tolerant hybrids are coming on board. We want to leverage on these developments as farmers have gone through a lot of challenges to control FAW,” he said.

As the harvest stage approaches, partners can select their material by assessing the performance of the lines from flowering to grain filling stages. Each plot’s harvest provides invaluable insights, guiding partners in their selections. Partners are also given the opportunity to view the improved maize lines from CIMMYT through a virtual gallery of ears from each plot, ensuring informed decision-making. By fostering dialogue, facilitating partnerships, and highlighting genetic innovations, the field days catalyze progress towards a more sustainable and resilient future for African agriculture.

It’s time to scale: Emerging lessons from decades of Conservation Agriculture research in Southern Africa

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

CA in action at the farmer level. (Photo: Christian Thierfelder/CIMMYT)

For decades, smallholder farmers in Southern Africa have battled the whims of a changing climate—from withered crops to yield reductions and looming food insecurity concerns. And the outlook is not improving. Based on the latest available science, the sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reaffirms the projected negative impacts of climate change on livelihoods in Southern Africa.

Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been considered as an important step to make smallholder farming systems climate smart and resilient. The principles of CA are simple yet potent: minimal soil disturbance, crop cover, and diverse rotations, which tend to have lasting implications on rebuilding soil health, conserving moisture, and nurturing a thriving ecosystem. A strong evidence base from on-farm and on-station trials show that CA has the potential to build the adaptive capacity and resilience of smallholder farming systems to climate stress.

Yet, despite the positive results, significant scaling gaps remain. Key questions arise on what can be done to turn the tide, scale, and encourage uptake. What institutional, policy and economic incentives would enable scaling? Could mechanization be the missing link? The Understanding and Enhancing Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Smallholder Farming Systems of Southern Africa (ACASA) project responds to these questions. With funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and implemented by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and CIMMYT, the ACASA project goes beyond the narrow focus on promotion and technology delivery of past and ongoing interventions on CA in Southern Africa.

ACASA was designed to help stakeholders gain deeper understanding of the interactions between the socio-economic, biophysical, and institutional constraints and opportunities for adoption of CA practices. To do this, the project has undertaken extensive surveys aimed at understanding incentives, drivers, and barriers of CA adoption across Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.

Dialogues for change

Participants from across the region during the reflective meeting. (Photo: CIMMYT)

In December 2023, CIMMYT collaborated with IITA and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of Zimbabwe to convene a highly engaging, reflective, and learning meeting, with the participation of government representatives, the private sector, and research institutes, among others. The primary objective was to share valuable insights accumulated over years of research and development on conservation agriculture in southern Africa. These insights are a result of collaborative efforts in social science, scaling, and mechanization work by CIMMYT, IITA, and extension and research partners in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Conversations centered on tracing the historical pathway of CA, leveraging mechanization, and identifying key enablers to transform smallholder agriculture.

Tracing the pathway of conservation agriculture

For decades, CIMMYT has been a leading force in promoting Conservation Agriculture. From the early stages in the 1990s, CIMMYT introduced CA principles and practices through on-farm and on-station field days, to undertaking robust research on biophysical impacts and developing adapted technologies in collaboration with national and global partners. As this research progressed and matured, efforts were made to integrate and focus on understanding the social and economic factors influencing CA adoption, while recognizing the significance of enabling environments. To date, linkages with mechanization and other innovations promoting CA-friendly equipment have been strengthened, ensuring inclusivity and empowerment. Questions remain around policy and institutional innovations to nudge and sustain adoption. In a nutshell, there is scope to borrow tools and methods from behavioral and experimental economics to better study and facilitate behavioral change among smallholder farmers. This snapshot highlights global efforts, grounded in scientific evidence, farmer centric approaches, and collaborative partnerships.

Insights from the field

Described as a data and evidence driven process, a notable highlight was the detailed gathering and analytical efforts using a large multi-country household survey involving 305 villages and 4,374 households across Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The main thrust was not only to harvest data but listen to farmers and better understand their context while deciphering their decision-making processes concerning CA adoption, across the three countries. A compelling and hopeful story unfolds from the results. The adoption of CA practices such as crop residue retention, minimum tillage, crop rotation, and intercropping is much higher than previously thought, highlighting a crucial need for better targeted surveys. Key enablers to strengthen adoption include access to CA extension, hosting demonstrations, and access to credit. In addition, age, and extension in the case of Zambia were identified as important drivers of the speed and persistence of adoption. Demand for mechanization is rising, which is key to address drudgery associated with CA and to raise production efficiencies. Key recommendations centered on the need for investments in a dense network of farmer-centric learning centers that allow for experiential learning, facilitating equitable access to mechanization, promoting private sector participation, and developing integrated weed management options as weeds remain the Achilles Heel of CA adoption in the region. [1]

Emerging lessons

A deep dive on the findings reveals critical considerations for the widespread adoption of Conservation Agriculture (CA). Firstly, weed-related labor challenges pose a significant obstacle, with around 75% of farmers in three countries citing weeds as the most constraining issue during initial CA adoption. Addressing this weed management challenge is essential, emphasizing the need for environmentally safe, non-chemical solutions as a research priority. Secondly, there is a noticeable gap between scientific research on CA and farmer practices, primarily attributed to limited technical knowledge. Bridging this gap requires innovative approaches to translate scientific information into practical, farmer-centered products. Thirdly, incentivizing CA adoption through complementary input support programs, like payments for environmental services, may encourage farmers, especially when private returns are not immediate.

Fourthly, strengthening extension systems is crucial to facilitate farmer learning and bridge the awareness-to-know-how gap. Lastly, investing in improved machinery value chains can alleviate high labor costs and drudgery associated with CA practices, with economic estimates suggesting farmers’ willingness to pay for machinery hire services. These insights collectively highlight the multifaceted nature of challenges and opportunities for scaling up CA adoption.

Moving forward

ACASA’s research findings are not just numbers — they are seeds of hope. They point towards a future where CA adoption among smallholder farmers can transform the breadbasket of the three African countries, and beyond. CIMMYT and its partners remain committed to continuous learning, refining their approaches, and working hand-in-hand with farmers to nurture the CA revolution.

It will not be a pipe dream to transform agriculture in Southern Africa through CA by cultivating seeds of resilience, one at a time. This is because the experience from the region suggests that with the right political will, it is possible to mainstream CA as a critical adjunct to climate-smart agriculture strategies and resilience building. This broader institutional and political buy-in is important since CA programming cannot succeed without sector-wide approaches to removing systemic constraints to technology adoption.  A classic example is the Government-backed Pfumvudza program in Zimbabwe, which has seen adoption of planting basins conditioned on receipt of input subsidies soar to more than 90%.

[1] CIMMYT/IITA Scientists explore the weed issue in detail in a paper just accepted and forthcoming in Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems – Unanswered questions and unquestioned answers: The challenges of crop residue retention and weed control in Conservation Agriculture systems of southern Africa.

New CGIAR Deputy Executive Managing Director warmly welcomed at CIMMYT

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

Bram Govaerts receives Guillaume Grosso at CIMMYT’s global headquarters. (Photo: Jenifer Morales/CIMMYT)

The visit of Grosso was much more than a courtesy call. As the largest research center in CGIAR, CIMMYT plays a significant role. Grosso’s visit also came at an important moment for CIMMYT as it reorients its people and culture, operations, and research to address today’s challenges of food security, climate change mitigation, and agricultural development.

“CIMMYT was pleased to have Guillaume for a few days,” said CIMMYT’s Director General, Bram Govaerts. “We discussed areas where CIMMYT can most deliver value in CGIAR and shared all our important advancements in revamping our organizational capacity and forward-thinking vision to meet current food system demands.”

A central focus of CGIAR’s and CIMMYT’s work is the creation of resilient and inclusive food systems. Effective operations are essential for delivering research that will advance agrifood systems towards a sustainable, food-secure future.

Grosso joins CIMMYT colleagues for lunch. (Photo: Jenifer Morales/CIMMYT)

“I enjoyed speaking with CIMMYT’s scientists and staff, who embody a spirit of dedicated, collective action towards creating systems that produce more nutritious food for vulnerable populations. I am confident that the CGIAR-CIMMYT integrated partnership will only accelerate the needed inclusive transformation of our food systems,” said Grosso.

Grosso engaged with CIMMYT’s enabling units part of the operations and engagement chapters, which are driving forward the Excellence in Operations strategic pillar. This pillar is a cornerstone in supporting and expanding the organization’s global impact. Grosso also toured CIMMYT’s museum, which showcases over 55 years of the institution’s history and operational distinction.

Laboratory specialists share how CIMMYT distributes improved wheat lines annually to public breeding research programs and educational institutions. (Photo: Jenifer Morales/CIMMYT)

The new deputy executive managing director also learned about CIMMYT’s Excellence in Science pillar. He spoke with researchers and Mexican partners who gave him an overview of the center’s research portfolio in genetic innovation and resilient agrifood systems—critical areas which will support CIMMYT’s efforts to contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and CGIAR’s 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy.

With courage, they are an example of innovation in the field

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

Women and the milpa in Chiapas, Mexico. (Illustration: FMG/OpenAI, 2024)

With its transversal focus on gender and social inclusion, CGIAR’s Latin American regional initiative AgriLac Resiliente shows how, through sustainable agriculture, women in the Latin American countryside are a fundamental piece to building resilient and inclusive food systems.

One of the most inspiring examples comes from the Tzotzil women’s group of TzabalĂł, in LarrĂĄinzar, Chiapas, Mexico. These women have found in the Chiapas Hub a platform that has allowed them to contribute significantly to the development of their households and environments.

“We are a group of women who have worked in pig and chicken farming for some years now. In 2022, we started working with CIMMYT and DAI (Desarrollo Alternativo e InvestigaciĂłn AC). We liked it a lot because we see that they are interested in women. They give us the opportunity to learn which awakens our interest in working in the field because we want to help our husbands, but with knowledge,” they said.

According to their testimonies, the opportunity to train in sustainable agriculture has been transformative. Previously, their participation in agricultural activities was limited. Now, with new knowledge acquired, they are producing healthy and nutritious food.

“If we just stay at home, we don’t do much, but when we go out to the countryside, we feel free, we clear ourselves of so many tasks around the house, and we bring tender beans and fresh vegetables. Now we can produce our food free of toxins and store our maize in airtight containers without chemicals,” they pointed out.

The experience has given them not only autonomy in making decisions about their food but also a sense of freedom and purpose when working in the field where the power of group work has also been a major factor in their success.

“It is always better to work in a group than individually, but it is necessary to find a good manager or leader to guide you and teach you how to work. As a group, we have obtained knowledge that we share among ourselves, we learned to prune fruit trees, we no longer burn stubble to recycle nutrients, there is more production and the product is bigger, and we also expect good fruit production.”

Plot in Chiapas where sustainable practices have been implemented. (Photo: GarcĂ­a, RamĂ­rez and Meentzen/CIMMYT)

However, the path has not been without challenges. The community faces a sociopolitical context that makes collaboration between groups difficult, although these women persist and demonstrate with their achievements that female participation in agriculture is fundamental for community development.

“What we do, people see it badly and ask us why we go to the countryside to learn something that is not for us, that we leave because we don’t have chores at home, but we don’t get discouraged. When they see the results of the work, they ask us how we did it, and we tell them what we learned by not staying alone at home, and we invite them to join the group,” they mentioned, emphasizing that if you are in the group, it does not matter what political group you belong to because the only thing that matters is knowledge and the desire to improve oneself.

Their courage and determination have not only transformed their own lives but is also inspiring other women to join and follow this path of empowerment through sustainable agriculture.

These success stories are proof of the positive impact that the inclusion of women in the field can have. Their voice and experience are fundamental to building more resilient and sustainable food systems, where gender equity and the active participation of all actors are pillars for a prosperous future in rural areas of Latin America.

Regional network to scale impact of dryland crops in sub-Saharan Africa

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

The Dryland Crops Program (DCP), in collaboration with National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) partners, IITA, Alliance Bioversity & CIAT, and other African institutions, has established the African Dryland Crop Improvement Network (ADCIN). Aiming to strengthen partnerships and collaboration among partner institutions, the network focuses on improving dryland crops through crop enhancement. The ADCIN will have regional governance bodies in West and Central Africa (WCA) and Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA).

Consultative approach to establish ADCIN and governance structure

In 2021, CIMMYT was asked to lead a CGIAR varietal improvement and seed delivery project for dryland crops with an initial focus in Africa and funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the CGIAR Accelerated Breeding Initiative. This aligns with CIMMYT’s 2030 strategic objectives, which will contribute to shaping the future of agriculture to drive climate resilience, sustainable and inclusive agricultural development, and food and nutrition security.

As CIMMYT embarked on its work to further strengthen the work on dryland crops, it held a series of consultation meetings with several NARES in the region. A joint consultation workshop with NARES and CGIAR colleagues was held in Senegal in February 2022. This was followed by the broader network members and stakeholders meeting in Ghana in January 2023. These events brought together experts and representatives from the WCA and ESA regions and various partner institutions to discuss the best approaches to improve the impact of our work on dryland crops through crop improvement. Experts discussed within and across disciplines defining breeding targets using socio-economic and gender information, developing modern breeding processes and approaches, seed systems, data-science, and forging new models of partnerships.

Stakeholders from CGIAR and NARES convene in Ghana for a meeting. Experts, partner institutions, and representatives from the WCA and ESA regions, engage in comprehensive discussions to advance dryland crop improvement strategies. (Photo: Eagle Eye Projects)

One significant outcome of these meetings was the recommendation to establish a formal regional dryland crop improvement network to strengthen and enhance the current partnership among NARES and CGIAR partner institution and scientists. Establishing a governance structure for this network for effective coordination and monitoring of the network partnerships was also recommended. It was agreed that this network will have two regional bodies, one each in ESA and WCA, with their own steering committees.

Later in 2023, two initial regional steering committees were formed following consultations with CGIAR and NARES partners. The goal of the committees is to improve crop varieties in the region while ensuring equitable resource allocation and promoting collaboration among network partners. Each committee is expected to provide regional governance and oversight for the diverse dryland crop networks that operate in each region. Specific roles and responsibilities include prioritizing capacity development activities for network members, approving and allocating budgets for development plans, reviewing infrastructure needs, budgeting and accounting for investments, mobilizing resources from donors, coordinating collaboration among partners, monitoring and evaluating performance, supporting policy issues, and resolving disputes among members.

The African Dryland Crops Improvement Network (ADCIN) structure.

Critical role of steering committees for sustainability of ADCIN

The WCA steering committee comprises 14 members: 11 from NARES and three from CGIAR, met in Saly, Senegal in August 2023. The ESA committee comprises 12 members: nine from NARES and three from CGIAR, met in Nairobi, Kenya. Both committees explored their roles and responsibilities.

The ESA and WCA committees proposed, represented, and discussed several strategic areas. They developed and implemented strategies to enhance capacity and infrastructure, promote effective budget management, establish regional learning mechanisms, and lead resource mobilization to ensure sustained support for the DCP initiatives.

Members of the WCA Steering Committee meet in Senegal for a strategic meeting. (Photo: CIMMYT)

AlliThe committees also discussed the network’s vision, terms of reference, committees’ governance (by-laws), and a review of the network agreement. They also defined the network’s aspirations and aligned its resources to regional and national infrastructure needs and priorities.

A significant outcome from the meetings was CIMMYT’s allocation of US $1 million to the committees to facilitate personnel and infrastructure development. This budget allocation was decided upon after careful deliberation on how to best use the available resources to meet the network’s needs. Both committees then agreed to call for proposals in various capacity development areas.

They also elected the leadership for the committees. The WCA committee elected four officials: the chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, and financial secretary. The ESA committee elected three officials, including the chairperson, vice-chairperson, and secretary.

Subcommittees were also formed to oversee the operations of the steering committees and ensure a comprehensive approach to achieving the network’s goal. “These subcommittees are focused on capacity development, finance and monitoring, evaluation and learning and networks sustainability,” said Happy Daudi, the ESA steering committee secretary.

Kevin Pixley, director of CIMMYT’s Dryland Crops Program, highlighted the importance of regional steering committees in promoting agricultural progress, food security, nutritional stability, resources, and partnerships.

“The creation of the ADCIN marks a pivotal moment in our collective journey towards sustainable agricultural development,” said Pixley. “By bringing together the expertise and resources of CGIAR and NARES partners, ADCIN embodies our shared commitment to turning the challenges of dryland agriculture into opportunities for growth, resilience, and prosperity for the farmers and the communities we serve.”

The meetings also provided an opportunity for the committees to initiate the selection of a unified name for the network. The African Dryland Crop Improvement Network (ADCIN) was decided through a consensus-driven naming process among network members.

The ADCIN also establishes a critical support network for Africa-NARES and breeding programs through the ESA and WCA regional networks, allowing them to co-design and co-implement projects, leverage regional resources and capacity, and sustain dryland crop improvement activities through alignment of investment with priorities, capacity building, and connect the network to other initiatives.

Accelerating progress: from governance to brand identity

Subsequently, the two committees met in December 2023 to discuss and finalize previously discussed key areas. Significant progress had been made in reviewing and confirming the terms of reference and bylaws, which are required for smooth operations and a clear understanding of the governance structure among all the network members.

Following a thorough review and deliberation, the committees agreed on a set of criteria and a template for the call for proposals. The call was made public in December 2023, with submissions due by January 30, 2024. The ESA and WCA steering committees reviewed the applications and communicated the results to the successful applicants. Out of nearly 100 applications submitted, 19 successful candidates are from WCA and 13 from ESA.

Recognizing the importance of a strong and consistent identity, the steering committees established guidelines for the branding and marking process. Part of this process includes creating a logo, which will be shared with the steering committees and the network for a final selection and approval. This step is crucial in developing a visual identity that reflects the network’s values and objectives.

Reinventing collaborative efforts for the future with a unique model

The network and the steering committees operate on an inclusive model in which CGIAR, NARES, and regional stakeholders collaborate to allocate resources for regional projects. This approach not only addresses each region’s unique needs but also ensures tailored development of infrastructure, human capacity, and coordination, increasing the impact on dryland crop cultivation.

“This is a one-of-a-kind collaborative model that was meticulously developed within the region by both CGIAR and NARES, who jointly decided on strategic priorities for regional projects and allocated a budget to support their region,” said Harish Gandhi, associate program director. “The ‘fit principle’ is critical for infrastructure and human capacity development, as well as improving regional coordination.”

This collaboration is about more than just pooling resources; it’s also about leveraging unique strengths, knowledge, and perspectives to create synergies that will help address complex regional challenges effectively. The network can respond to the specific needs of each region and places the onus of responsibility on the steering committees, allowing them to make critical regional decisions. By ensuring that projects are designed with a thorough understanding of regional needs, ADCIN aims to achieve more long-term and significant results.

Mexico, a lab from which solutions are generated to address global challenges

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in Blogs.

Directors from Excellence in Agronomy visit modules and platforms at CIMMYT’s South Pacific Hub in Oaxaca, Mexico (Photo: CIMMYT)

“It was a stunning experience for me to understand the operation of a hub and see farmers interact directly with field technicians, applying the principles of Conservation Agriculture. I remember a lady from Oaxaca telling us how productive she has become using la matraca, a simple, manual seeder and fertilizer,” says Mandla Nkomo during his recent visit to the Mixteca oaxaqueña in southern Mexico.

Mandla is the chief growth officer for the Excellence in Agronomy Initiative (EiA) which, “gathers more than 10 CGIAR Research Centers whose goal is to create solutions to problems that farmers face globally. EiA works on a foundation that is driven by demand to understand the challenges farmers are dealing with, and bring forth a development system for innovation that is capable of coping with those challenges and finding solutions that can be tested, validated, and scaled,” he mentions.

His searching for a system that triggers and diffuses innovation for farmers motivated Mandla to visit the hubs in Oaxaca, Mexico. “We are here because we wanted to study all the hubs and the projects based on the methods CIMMYT and its collaborators have developed in Mexico. One of the things we consider at EiA is the successful and sustainable transition from individual use to working within a partner network.”

“What we have seen here is the work of our colleagues from CIMMYT. For the last decade, they have come up with these hubs or innovation centers situated across different agroecological regions in Mexico. What is unique about the hubs is the ecosystem they are creating, which in my opinion, is what brings excellence in agronomy,” says Mandla.

The hubs are a management approach for innovation that was developed in Mexico based on initiatives like MasAgro-Cultivos para MĂ©xico. Due to its big impact, it’s being replicated in Asia, Africa, and in other Latin America countries. In addition, it lies in the heart of CGIAR initiatives.

About this methodology, Mandla says those who participate in it, are trying to understand the challenges that farmers truly face. Then a platform is developed to do proper research that responds to farmers’ needs. Subsequently, they test it in modules which provides proof of the impact these solutions are having as compared to conventional farming. Finally, these solutions are transferred to areas called extension, from which large-scale innovations are implemented.

During his visit to the research platform in Santo Domingo Yanhuitlan and to modules for innovation, extension areas, seed warehouses, post-harvest modules and machinery locations at different towns in Oaxaca, Mandla Nkomo and other visitors from EiA had the opportunity of learning not only how the South Pacific Hub operates but also witnessed how this management approach for innovation is socially and culturally relevant to one of the most diverse regions in the country.

“These days have been truly amazing. They have been very useful in refining the picture of what’s possible to do and scale. Mexico is a megadiverse country with varied agroecology. Our approach can be replicated in many parts of the world. I’m very excited with what we have seen. The country that gave us corn is now providing the world with solutions that will have major impacts on global food security. So, it is now our task (me and the whole EiA team) to find ways to pass this on to other latitudes”.

Roots of resilience: my journey as a Conservation Agriculture champion

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

I am Grace Malaicha, a proud native of the Zidyana Extension Planning Areas in Central Malawi, where my journey with Conservation Agriculture (CA) began. In 2005, I observed neighboring farmers practicing CA techniques on their land. Intrigued and inspired, I decided to embark on this path myself, joining the CA program initiated by CIMMYT and Total LandCare in 2006. I started practicing it on my demonstration plot and observed that yields were getting higher from the second year onwards.

My dedication to CA has changed not only myself but also influenced other members of my farming community. As a mother trial host farmer under the CGIAR Initiative: Diversification for resilient agribusiness ecosystems in East and Southern Africa today, I have been implementing different treatments, which include maize doubled-up legume system and improved drought-tolerant maize varieties planted under CA on flat land and comparing it to the traditional ridge tillage system that involves substantial soil movement.

But what does CA mean to me? It is more than just a set of principles that I apply like minimum soil disturbance, mulching, and crop rotation. CA reduces drudgery, secures yields, and maintains productivity in times of climate change. CA has changed my approach to farming, transforming my once conventional maize monocrop into a diverse maize-legume system. By intercropping with two crops, I have spread the risk of unanticipated crop failure, while incorporating groundnut, cowpeas, and pigeon pea into the mix, which are more drought tolerant. I increased the land area under CA and tried it on many other crops including different legumes as rotation or intercrops, birds-eye chili, vegetables, and cassava.

Over the years, I have witnessed firsthand the harsh realities of a changing climate in central Malawi, from intense heat to prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall patterns. This year, 2024, has even been worse due to the prolonged dry spells between January and February, and the erratic rainfall during this time. Despite these challenges, our CA plots have continued to thrive, showcasing the resilience and adaptability of climate-smart farming practices.

Grace trains farmers on Conservation Agriculture. (Photo: Christian Thierfelder/CIMMYT)

Recognizing the power of knowledge sharing and from the encouragement by CIMMYT and Total LandCare, I started to train fellow farmers, both locally and across borders. At first, I worked with women groups around my homestead and trained about 100 female farmers on the principles of CA. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to train other farmers in other districts of Malawi. Since 2008, I have also trained farmers in eastern Zambia and from Mozambique where all farmers speak my language Chichewa. Farmers believe other farmers more and are now realizing the benefits of implementing CA in their own fields.

I enrolled to be a local trainer in CA within my community in 2016. My passion for teaching and catalyzing change has led to the adoption of CA by numerous farmers. I embrace my commitment to ongoing learning through carefully implementing these CA trials and playing an active role during awareness meetings.

My life had changed so much. I was speaking on the radio and television. In 2012, the Minister of Agriculture visited my plot, and I was asked to speak in front of a Parliamentary Committee about my experiences as a smallholder woman farmer in Malawi. I spoke about what women can do in agriculture and what changes I made on my land. From representing my country at high level meetings, each step has shaped me into a resilient and empowered woman.

However, my journey has not been without obstacles, including hardships in my personal relationship. In 2012, I made the decision to join my husband in South Africa where I took up menial jobs to earn a living, abandoning my plot back home. But my true passion lay in farming, and I decided to make the bold decision to come back home, leaving my husband and continue with farming. Through perseverance and determination, I have overcome these challenges, and I am now much stronger.

Grace Malaicha stands in her field. (Photo: Christian Thierfelder/CIMMYT)

Today, I stand with pride in front of my CA plot, not only sustaining my family but also sending all my children to school. I now converted all my land to conservation agriculture, 3ha are under maize and 2ha under groundnuts. Beyond farming, I have investments in housing, claiming rentals in the nearby town of Salima to sustain my financial income and expand in farming.

I will continue on this path as I learned so much over the years and believe that CA may be the only climate-smart agriculture response in reach of smallholder farmers that everybody can apply, and I will continue to support others as a champion of CA.

A sense of belonging: fostering gender equality and social inclusion in agricultural research

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Features.

Efforts to improve gender equality and social inclusion are under the spotlight in many workplaces around the world. At CIMMYT, where values of Excellence, Integrity, and Teamwork guide the organization through its 2030 Strategy, commitment to shaping a more inclusive workplace is changing the face of scientific research.

In alignment with the CGIAR Gender, Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) Action Plan for 2023-2024 to achieve gender parity goals, CIMMYT has implemented multiple initiatives to make improvements across its workstreams and geographical locations.

“This is the start of a journey to harness and empower talent from across CIMMYT’s employee base,” said Director General, Bram Govaerts. “Starting with the actions outlined below, CIMMYT aims to become a leader in promoting gender equality and social inclusion in agricultural research and development.”

Empowering women

At CIMMYT, our commitment to gender equality is reflected in our global workforce. During the first half of 2023, women represented one in every three staff members. Across all roles, the current hiring rate for women is 43% in 2023 compared to 21% in 2020, with a particularly positive trend in regional offices, where the percentage has increased from 24% in 2021 to 43% in 2023. Annual improvements are also visible in the number of internationally recruited female staff, as 46% of these roles are filled by women in 2023, compared to 19% in 2022.

In our headquarters in Mexico, there is no major gender gap above 10%, even at the highest level, and 35-40% of employees are women. 50% of the members of the senior leadership team are women, with a significant number of women from diverse backgrounds forming part of our broader management structure. Progress is also visible in our regional offices. In Kenya and TĂŒrkiye, 43% and 40% of team members are women respectively, with both countries reaching the CGIAR target of 40/40/20 parity. For the first time, women represented at least 20% of employees in Bangladesh and Nepal in 2023.

However, we recognize there are still areas where CIMMYT must improve gender parity. While the overall gender balance continues to improve, the proportion of women working at CIMMYT globally rests at 32.5%, which is a statistic that can be increased. Gender gaps exceeding 10% can be observed in India and Nepal, where efforts are bridging gaps and forming environments where talent knows no gender.

Advancing equality by region

The impressive diversity of our workforce is one of our greatest strengths, and CIMMYT always seeks new ways to champion its people. As a global organization with presence in 88 countries, benefits are tailored to each region to target the specific needs of employees in each locality.

  • The creation of a Gratuity and Provident Trust Fund in Bangladesh, fostering gender equality by providing equal opportunities for financial stability and growth.
  • Standardized benefits in India, such as a uniform transport allowance and upgraded housing allowance that ensures fair financial benefits for all employees regardless of job grade.
  • Enhanced food coupons and savings funds for employees in Mexico, as well as an after-school program for the children of colleagues working at the headquarters.
  • Responding to economic challenges in Pakistan with a 20% general salary increase, a bonus of US $400, and the introduction of a gender-neutral transport allowance.
  • An increased allowance for children’s education in Zimbabwe.

In addition, Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA), parental leave, disability access improvements, and translation services showcase CIMMYT’s dedication to equality and inclusion.

Fulfilling careers for all

Investing in our people means ensuring that learning opportunities are equally accessible to all, empowering employees to reach their maximum capabilities. “We actively work to foster a culture and environment where all staff feel confident sharing their perspectives, their contributions are highly valued, and they see a path for growth within the organization,” said Deputy Director of Human Resources, Jean-Flavien Le Besque.

In 2023, 1,189 staff members participated in 431 training courses, with the number of participants increasing by nearly 23% in the same year. Additional e-learning opportunities available in both English and Spanish provide opportunities for professional development in health and safety, communications, personal efficiency, and critical thinking, all which aid staff with the development of valuable skills. These online courses supplement regular training on teamwork, hostile environment awareness, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The CIMMYT Academy also plays a significant role in training staff to be future leaders. In 2022, 52 students enrolled into the Academy; 52% of these students are women, underscoring CIMMYT’s commitment to developing everyone’s talent. Staff can also access a Tuition Grant scheme to pursue a higher-level degree.

Next steps

While these initiatives have strengthened gender equality and social inclusion at CIMMYT, further efforts are required to achieve true equity in all corners of the organization. These projects so far are just a glimpse into ongoing work to achieve the CGIAR GDI aims and will be built upon using employee feedback and specialist expertise.

“These successes are just the start of our pledge to ensure CIMMYT is inclusive and safe for all,” said Associate Scientist and Cropping Systems Agronomist, Mazvita Chiduwa. “We want to be an organization that is renowned not just for scientific excellence, but also for the way we champion all groups to reach the best of their ability, thrive in the workplace, and enjoy a positive work-life balance.”

Flowers, learning, and a gender-based approach

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

Gender and social inclusion are fundamental themes for the Latin American regional initiative AgriLac Resiliente, which is why numerous regions bordering Guatemala and Honduras have been selected to implement priority actions with a gender approach.

In order to integrate a guideline that clears up why gender and social inclusiveness are relevant matters and incorporate it in all InnovaHubs activities in Guatemala and Honduras, social inclusion and gender experts from AgriLac have implemented a participatory process in the South Pacific and Chiapas Hubs to gather information and document research results to facilitate the Hub model for replication, developed by CIMMYT in Mexico and other countries.

In this way, Alejandrina Garcia in Oaxaca, Alejandro Ramirez in Chiapas, and Angela Meentzan, head of the AgriLac Gender and Social Inclusion Team, conducted individual and group interviews to learn how the different actors involved in the hubs perceived their own participation: farmers, workers, managers, and staff of the hubs, as well as partners who participated in this participatory process.

There are numerous and successful cases of rural women’s participation in the centers of Oaxaca and Chiapas that have been collected in this process. “It is expected that these case studies will become part of an annex to the guideline, just to illustrate why the participation of rural women is essential in their own vision,” said Meentzen, who highlights the case of Juanita, a Tzeltal woman from La Providencia in Ocosingo, Chiapas, Mexico.

“About five years ago, I started working alongside CIMMYT. Before we knew them, we were only planting maize and beans, but then we couldn’t produce any more. The plants stopped growing, and we had a lot of problems with pests, so we used to burn all the stubble. When the engineers came, they invited us to join them. At first, we weren’t that interested, but we let them teach us. They taught us how to grow other crops like sunflowers, peanuts, vegetables, and fruit trees like lemon and soursop,” said Juanita.

“Now we don’t burn all the stubble and we have crops all year round. We also grow other types of plants and use a lot of organic products that they taught us how to prepare. Our production has increased, and we sell more and more at the market. My daughter and I take care of the sale of the crops: beans, corn, vegetables, squash, corn, and flowers; the latter have given us such good results that we have earned some extra money,” said Juanita.

“The benefits we got from our land allowed us to give our children a future. Some of them have graduated from college and have jobs; others are about to graduate, but they have all learned to work the land. It feels a little harder, but I have been able to take care of both: my family and the land. I don’t know how I did it, but I did it,” said Juanita proudly, noting that the scientific knowledge gained from the research platform and Hub modules has had a real and positive impact on her and her family.

Photo: Juanita, a Tzeltal woman from La Providencia in Ocosingo, Chiapas, stands in her field. (Garcia, Ramirez and Meentzen/CIMMYT) 

Unanswered questions and unquestioned answers

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

Over the past few decades, Conservation Agriculture (CA) has moved from theory to practice for many farmers in southern Africa. CA is a system that involves minimum soil disturbance, crop residue retention, and crop diversification among other complimentary agricultural practices. One reason for its increasing popularity is its potential to mitigate threats from climate change while increasing yields.

However, there are limits to the adaptation of CA, especially for smallholder farmers. Challenges are both agronomic (e.g. lack of sufficient crop residues as mulch, weed control, pest and disease carryover through crop residues), socio-economic, and political (both locally and regionally).

A recent paper, Unanswered questions and unquestioned answers: the challenges of crop residue retention and weed control in Conservation Agriculture systems of southern Africa, published in the journal Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems in February 2024, led by CIMMYT and CGIAR scientists examines two specific challenges to more widespread CA adaptation: how to deal with trade-offs in using crop residue and finding alternatives to herbicides for weed control.

For crop residue, the two most prevalent actions are using leftover crop residue for soil cover or feeding it to livestock. Currently, many farmers allow livestock to graze on crop residue in the field, leading to overgrazing and insufficient ground cover. This tradeoff is further challenged by other multiple household uses of residues such as fuel and building material. The most common way to control weeds is the application of herbicides. However, inefficient and injudicious herbicide use poses a threat to human health and the environment, so the research team set out to identify potential alternatives to chemical weed control as the sole practices in CA systems.

“The answer to the question ‘how should farmers control weeds?’ has always been herbicides,” said lead author Christian Thierfelder, CIMMYT principal cropping systems agronomist. “But herbicides have many negative side effects, so we wanted to question that answer and examine other potential weed control methods.”

What to do with crop residue

Previous research from the region found that ungrazed areas had long-term positive effects on soil fertility and crop yields. However, it is common practice for many farmers in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to allow open grazing after the harvest in their communities. Livestock are free to graze wherever they wander, which results in overgrazing.

“Open grazing systems help keep costs down but are very inefficient in terms of use of resources. It leads to bare fields with poor soil,” said Thierfelder.

Maize on residues. (Photo: CIMMYT)

While it is easy to suggest that regulations should be enacted to limit open grazing, it is difficult to implement and enforce such rules in practice. The authors found that enforcement is lacking in smaller villages because community members are often related, which makes punishment difficult, and there is an inherent conflict of interest among those responsible for enforcement.

Controlling weeds

Weeding challenges in CA systems have been addressed worldwide by simply using herbicides. However, chemical weeding is often not affordable and, sometimes, inaccessible to the smallholder farmers and environmentally unfriendly.

Using herbicides, though effective when properly applied, also requires a degree of specialized knowledge, and without basic training, this may be an unviable option as they may pose a risk to the health of the farmers. Thus, alternatives need to be identified to overcome this challenge.

Some alternatives include mechanical methods, involving the use of handheld tools or more sophisticated tools pulled by animals or engines. While this can be effective, there is the possibility of high initial investments, and intercropping (a tenet of CA) forces farmers to maneuver carefully between rows to avoid unintended damage of the intercrop.

Increasing crop competition is another potential weed control system. By increasing plant density, reducing crop row spacing, and integrating other crops through intercropping, the crop competes more successfully with the weeds for resources such as light, moisture, and nutrients. When the crop seed rate is increased, the density of the crops increases, providing more cover to intercept light, and reducing the amount of light reaching the weeds thereby controlling their proliferation.

A holistic approach

“What we learned is that many of the crop residue and weed challenges are part of broader complications that cannot be resolved without understanding the interactions among the current scientific recommendations, private incentives, social norms, institutions, and government policy,” said Thierfelder.

Continuing research into CA should aim to examine the social and institutional innovations needed to mainstream CA as well as strengthen and expand the research on weed control alternatives and focus on the science of communal grazing land management to enhance their productivity.