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Market segmentation and Target Product Profiles (TPPs): developing and delivering impactful products for farming communities

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

Experimental maize field. (Photo: CIMMYT)

With the ever-changing climate conditions, including the unpredictable El Niño, and dynamic changes in government policies, understanding farmers’ preferences and market segmentation has become crucial for implementing impactful breeding programs. Market segmentation is a strategic process which divides a market into distinct group of consumers with similar needs, preferences, and behaviors. This allows organizations to tailor their products and services to specific customer segments, thus ensuring maximum value and impact.

In today’s fast-paced and evolving agricultural landscape, market segmentation plays a vital role in helping organizations navigate the complexities of a dynamic market. CIMMYT’s maize breeding program has a successful track record in developing and delivering improved varieties that are climate-resilient, high-yielding and suited to the rainfed tropical conditions in Africa. To further strengthen the impact, it is important to have a clear understanding of the evolving needs of farmers in different agroecological regions and the emerging market scenario so that breeding processes can be tailored based on market needs and client requirements.

Questions arise on how to refine the breeding programs relative to country-specific market segments, what efforts are underway to target these markets, and how do these markets transition. Recognizing the importance of market segmentation in refining breeding programs at the country and regional levels, CIMMYT hosted two workshops on maize market intelligence in Kenya and Zimbabwe, under the CGIAR Market Intelligence Initiative for eastern and southern Africa.

“Market intelligence in breeding programs is critical to understand the evolving needs of key stakeholders, including farmers, consumers, and the seed industry. It helps continuously improve the breeding pipelines to develop and deliver impactful products in targeted market segments. The workshops brought together relevant experts from the national programs and seed companies for focused discussions to develop a harmonized breeding strategy. This would help to address the needs of smallholder maize farmers in eastern and southern Africa,” said Director of CIMMYT’s Global Maize program and One CGIAR Global Maize Breeding Lead, B.M. Prasanna.

B.M. Prasanna delivers a presentation. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The workshops constituted a strategic continuation of the Product Design Team (PDT) meetings under CGIAR Market Intelligence, with a focus on the refinement of gender-intentional target product profile design. Guided by the expertise of CIMMYT’s Global Maize program, Market Intelligence, and ABI-Maize Transform teams, the sessions saw active participation from key stakeholders including lead breeders, seed systems experts, and market specialists from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES), alongside collaborative engagement with seed company partners. The workshops underscored the commitment to incorporate diverse perspectives, aligning with the evolving maize market landscape in eastern and southern Africa.

“The workshop provided critical insights on opportunities to improve market penetration of improved maize varieties. There is a need to strike a balance between the needs of the farmers, seed industry, and consumers in variety development; actively involve farmers and consumers in variety selection and understanding their preferences; and focus on emerging needs of the market such as yellow maize for feed and food,” said James Karanja, maize breeding lead at the Kenya Agriculture & Livestock Research Organization, Kenya.

Insights from both workshops underscored the importance of providing breeders with pertinent information and comprehensive training. The discussions illustrated the necessity for breeders to define their objectives with a 360-degree outlook, aligning breeding programs with market segments and interfacing with CIMMYT’s regional vision.

Workshop participants. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“The market intelligence workshop is an excellent initiative for the breeding programs. It shows how traits can be identified and prioritized, based on farmers’ requirements. The maize value chain is broad, and the synergy between the developer of the product (breeder), the producer (farmer), and the consumer needs to be effective. Hence, streamlining of the market segments and eventually the target product profiles is key in ensuring that the breeders develop improved products/varieties with relevant traits that address the needs of farmers, consumers, and the seed industry,” said Lubasi Sinyinda, breeder from the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute, Zambia.

Another participant, Lucia Ndlala, a maize breeder at the Agricultural Research Council, South Africa, echoed similar enthusiasm. “The workshop was exceptionally informative, providing valuable insights into target product profiles and market segments. This knowledge will undoubtedly prove instrumental in shaping future breeding strategies,” she said.

When applied through a breeding lens, market segmentation is a vital tool in refining breeding programs at both country and regional levels, enabling breeders to better understand and address the diverse needs of the farmers, and ensuring that the improved varieties are tailored to market segments.

Researchers gather to reflect on and lead CIMMYT’s Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) efforts with renewed commitment and partnership

Written by Nima Chodon on . Posted in Blogs.

SAS Program Director Sieg Snapp and GESI researchers gather in New Delhi from across CIMMYT – Asia, Africa, and Latin America. (Photo: Adeeth Cariappa/CIMMYT)

“As we look towards 2030, CIMMYT is focused on building inclusive value chains, advancing mechanization, and confronting seed system challenges. We are championing demand-driven technologies and improved agricultural needs,” said Sieglinde Snapp, program director of CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program, highlighting during the discussions the importance of integrating gender perspectives in research. “We are committed to integrating gender perspectives in all these initiatives, recognizing the vital role of women in agriculture and ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities for all genders,” she added.

Farah Deba Keya presents her study analyzing constraints for women farmers’ active participation in mixed farming systems in Bangladesh. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The one-day meeting on October 13, 2023, in New Delhi, India, hosted under CIMMYT’s SAS program, brought together diverse groups of participants—totaling over ten senior gender researchers working in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, namely Sieg Snapp, Vijesh Krishna, Moti Jaleta, Michael Euler, Angela Meentzen, Monica Fisher—along with a cadre of junior and senior researchers and students collaborating with CIMMYT on gender research. The coming together of these GESI researchers provided a valuable opportunity for collaboration, sharing insights, and strategizing enhanced gender and socially inclusive research-for-development approaches within CIMMYT’s programs.

Monica Fisher, a senior researcher working in Africa, emphasized CIMMYT’s dedication to making gender equality and social inclusion more visible and relevant in agriculture globally. She said, “The significance of GESI research, particularly in bridging the gap between the Global South and the Global North, cannot be overstated. Our objective is to deepen our engagement in these areas.”

The day-long meeting covered various topics, including the dynamics of technology adoption, gender roles in agriculture, and the feminization of Indian agriculture. Discussions underscored the need for increased financial support for GESI research, the importance of addressing disparities in research focus, and the crucial role of intersectionality in agricultural contexts.

A notable segment of the meeting was dedicated to presentations by students on their ongoing research in gender-related topics. These young researchers brought fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, highlighting the evolving nature of gender roles in agriculture and the impact of technology on gender dynamics in various regions. Their contributions underscored the importance of fostering a new generation of researchers committed to gender equity and social inclusion in agricultural development. Hari Krishnan K. S., a student working with CIMMYT opined, “My study, supervised by CIMMYT’s gender researchers, revealed that the concept of masculinities transcends gender, focusing instead on effective farming practices. It highlighted the diverse influences on agricultural decision-making and the varied reactions to technology adoption in Punjab’s agriculture. This reflects the critical role of CIMMYT’s gender-focused research in shaping my approach and understanding as a student in this field.”

Contributing his perspective, Vijesh Krishna, lead researcher working in India, highlighted the need for innovation in research approach. According to him, “To revolutionize GESI research, a shift towards longitudinal data analysis and cross-country data utilization is needed. Building evidence and documenting changes in gender dynamics due to policy and social transformations are essential.” He further encouraged the fostering of in-house capacities to mainstream gender considerations across disciplines, enhancing collaboration, and developing skills for the effective communication of research findings to stakeholders.

Snapp believes that the meeting was not just a gathering of minds but a milestone in CIMMYT’s ongoing journey towards agrifood systems development. “It reaffirms the organization’s commitment to impactful research that acknowledges and addresses the nuances of gender and social dynamics in agriculture, paving the way for a more inclusive and sustainable future in the sector.”

Sieglinde Snapp explains initiatives to support urgent and relevant GESI research and efforts within CIMMYT’s programs (Photo: CIMMYT)

As the meeting concluded, Snapp spoke of the resolve to make GESI efforts urgent and relevant. She proposed three initiatives: firstly, renaming the SAS gender team the “Paula Kantor Gender and Development Centre” to reflect a broader scope and purpose; secondly, establishing a mentorship program to offer career guidance, networking opportunities, and professional development support; and finally, the introduction of a prestigious “Research Excellence in the Field” award in Paula Kantor’s honor.

“These initiatives aim to enhance the impact and recognition of the organization’s gender-focused efforts, promote professional growth, and honor excellence in the field, embodying CIMMYT’s commitment to gender-focused efforts,” she explained.

The meeting minutes are available here.

Soybean rust threatens soybean production in Malawi and Zambia

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

Healthy soybean fields. (Photo: Peter Setimela/CIMMYT)

Soybeans are a significant source of oil and protein, and soybean demand has been increasing over the last decade in Malawi and Zambia. Soybean contributes to human nutrition, is used in producing animal feed, and fetches a higher price per unit than maize, thus serving as a cash crop for smallholder farmers. These are among the main factors contributing to the growing adoption of soybean among smallholder producers. In addition, soybean is a vital soil-fertility improvement crop used in crop rotations because of its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. To a large extent, soybean demand outweighs supply, with the deficit covered by imports.

Soybean production in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to grow by over 2% per annum to meet the increasing demand. However, as production increases, significant challenges caused by diseases, pests, declining soil fertility, and other abiotic factors remain. According to official government statistics, Zambia produces about 450,000 tonnes of soybean per annum, with an estimated annual growth of 14%. According to FAOSTAT, this makes Zambia the second largest soybean producer in the southern African region. Although soybean was traditionally grown by large commercial farmers in Zambia, smallholders now account for over 60% of the total annual soybean production.

Production trends show that smallholder soybean production increased rapidly in the 2015–2016 season, a period that coincided with increased demand from local processing facilities. As smallholder production continued to increase, in 2020, total output by smallholder farmers outpaced that of large-scale farmers for the first time and has remained dominant over the last two seasons (Fig 1). However, soybean yields among smallholder farmers have remained low at around 1 MT/HA.

Figure 1. Soybean production trends by smallholders and large-scale farmers. (Photo: Hambulo Ngoma/Zambia Ministry of Agriculture, Crop Forecast Survey)

Soybean production in the region is threatened by soybean rust caused by the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi. The rust became prevalent in Africa in 1996; it was first confirmed in Uganda on experimental plots and subsequently on farmers’ fields throughout the country. Monitoring efforts in the U.S. have saved the soybean industry millions of dollars in fungicide costs due to the availability of accurate disease forecasting based on pathogen surveillance and environmental data.

Soybean rust disease is spread rapidly and easily by wind, and most available varieties grown by farmers are susceptible. The above-normal rainfall during the 2022–2023 season was conducive to the spread of the fungus. A recent survey of over 1,000 farm households shows that 55% and 39% of farmers in Zambia and Malawi, respectively, were affected by soybean rust during the 2022–2023 season. The lack of rust-tolerant varieties makes production expensive for smallholder farmers who cannot afford to purchase fungicides to control the pathogens. It is estimated that soybean rust can cause large yield losses of up to 90%, depending on crop stage and disease severity. Symptoms due to soybean rust infection may be observed at any developmental stage of the plant, but losses are mostly associated with infection from the flowering stage to the pod-filling stage.

Soybean plants affected by soy rust. (Photo: Peter Setimela)

Mitigation measures using resistant or tolerant varieties have been challenging because the fungus mutates very rapidly, creating genetic variability. Although a variety of fungicides effective against soybean rust are available, the use of such fungicides is limited due to the high cost of the product and its application, as well as to environmental concerns. Due to this restricted use of fungicide, an early monitoring system for detecting rust threats for steering fungicide might only be relevant for large-scale producers in eastern and southern Africa. With the massive increase in the area under soybean production, soybean rust is an important disease that cannot be ignored. Host-plant resistance provides a cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and much more sustainable approach for managing soybean rust in smallholder agriculture that characterizes the agricultural landscape of eastern and southern Africa.

To advance the use of rust-tolerant varieties, the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, or MasAgro Africa, is presently concluding surveys to assess farmers’ demand and willingness to pay for rust-tolerant varieties in Malawi and Zambia. The results from this assessment will be valuable to seed companies and last-mile delivery partners to gain a better understanding of what farmers need and to better serve the farmers.  This coming season AID-I will include rust tolerant varieties in the mega-demonstrations to create awareness about new varieties that show some tolerance to rust.

Livestock Production Systems in Zimbabwe (LIPS-Zim)

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

The livestock sub-sector is one of the most important arms of the agricultural sector, contributing to the livelihoods of 70% of Zimbabwe’s rural population. Sustainable livestock production depends on the maintenance of healthy and productive animals which requires paying particular attention to the problems of both endemic and introduced animal diseases and zoonotic. Climate relevant livestock production practices such as fodder management and conservation, water harvesting, and manure management have been identified as solutions to increasing livestock productivity.

The Livestock Production Systems in Zimbabwe (LIPS-Zim) project, funded by the European Union (EU) focuses on increasing agricultural productivity in Zimbabwe’s semi-arid, agro-ecological regions IV and V. Led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and in partnership with CIMMYT, the French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (Cirad) and the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), LIPS-Zim is working in 10 districts of Zimbabwe, i.e. Matabeleland South Province (Beitbridge and Gwanda districts), the parched Matabeleland North Province (Binga, Hwange and Nkayi districts), Midlands (Gokwe North district), Masvingo (Chiredzi and Zaka districts), Manicaland (Buhera district) and Mashonaland East (Mutoko district). LIPS-Zim is conducting research that seeks to increase livestock feed productivity and well as reducing diseases and mortality of livestock.

Main objectives

Core to the project is to increase the adoption of climate-relevant innovations (e.g feeding) in livestock-based production systems and improve the surveillance and control of livestock diseases. CIMMYT’s main thrust in this project is based on the recognition that at least 50% of the arable land area in semi-arid region IV and V of Zimbabwe is still put to maize despite extension recommendations for farmers to grow the more resilient small grains in those regions. Given the above, and to address their food and feed needs, farmers in those regions need drought-tolerant and nutritious maize varieties that are resilient in those dry environments. CIMMYT’s work is thus focusing on testing the feed value of these nutritious and drought tolerant maize varieties when intercropped with various legumes such as mucuna, cowpea, lab-lab and pigeonpea. CIMMYT is also testing the later, along with climate smart production techniques such as conservation agriculture and water harvesting practices.

Examining how insects spread toxic fungi

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

Maize grain heavily damaged by the larger grain borer and maize weevil. (Photo: Jessica González/CIMMYT)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 10% of the global population suffers from food poisoning each year. Aflatoxins, the main contributor to food poisoning around the world, contaminate cereals and nuts and humans, especially vulnerable groups like the young, elderly, or immune-compromised, and animals are susceptible to their toxic and potentially carcinogenic effects.

Fungi contamination occurs all along the production cycle, during and after harvest, so the mitigation of the mycotoxins challenge requires the use of an integrated approach, including the selection of farmer-preferred tolerant varieties, implementing good agricultural practices such as crop rotation or nitrogen management, reducing crop stress, managing pests and diseases, biological control of mycotoxigenic strains, and good post-harvest practices.

Monitoring of mycotoxins in food crops is important to identify places and sources of infestations as well as implementing effective agricultural practices and other corrective measures that can prevent outbreaks.

A bug problem

Insects can directly or indirectly contribute to the spread of fungi and the subsequent production of mycotoxins. Many insects associated with maize plants before and after harvest act as a vector by carrying fungal spores from one location to another.

International collaboration is key to managing the risks associated with the spread of invasive pests and preventing crop damage caused by the newly introduced pests. CIMMYT, through CGIAR’s Plant Health initiative, partners with the Center for Grain and Animal Health Research of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Kansas State University are investigating the microbes associated with the maize weevil and the larger grain borer.

The experiment consisted of trapping insects in three different habitats, a prairie near CIMMYT facilities in El Batán, Texcoco, Mexico, a maize field, and a maize store at CIMMYT’s experimental station at El Batán, using Lindgren funnel traps and pheromones lures.

Hanging of the Lindgren funnel traps in a prairie near El Bátan, Texcoco, Mexico. (Photo: Jessica González/CIMMYT)

Preliminary results of this study were presented by Hannah Quellhorst from the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University during an online seminar hosted by CIMMYT.

The collected insect samples were cultured in agar to identify the microbial community associated with them. Two invasive pests, the larger grain bore and the maize weevil, a potent carcinogenic mycotoxin was identified and associated with the larger grain borer and the maize weevil.

The larger grain borer is an invasive pest, which can cause extensive damage and even bore through packaging materials, including plastics. It is native to Mexico and Central America but was introduced in Africa and has spread to tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Together with the maize weevil, post-harvest losses of up to 60% have been recorded in Mexico from these pests.

“With climate change and global warming, there are risks of these pests shifting their habitats to areas where they are not currently present like sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa,” said Quelhorst. “However, the monitoring of the movement of these pests at an international level is lacking and the microbial communities moving with these post-harvest insects are not well investigated.”

Understanding and Enhancing Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Smallholder Farming Systems of southern Africa (ACASA)

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

Conservation agriculture (CA) has increasingly been promoted in southern Africa to address low agricultural productivity, food insecurity, and land degradation. Despite significant experimental evidence on the agronomic and economic benefits and the large scaling-up investments by donors and national governments, the adoption rates of CA practices among smallholder farmers are low and slow.

With funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and implemented by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and CIMMYT, ACASA strives to understand “why previous efforts and investments to scale CA technologies and practices in southern Africa have not led to widespread adoption.” It is a three-year project implemented in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where CA is part of national policy.

Since 2021, the project has undertaken extensive surveys aimed to understand incentives, drivers, and barriers of CA adoption across the three countries (Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) typifying much of the southern Africa smallholder systems. The aim of the project is to consolidate the lessons learned so far and provide a pathway to scaling and foster the next generation of social, crop, agronomic and climate research; to mainstream CA enabled by fundamental paradigm shifts in farming practices, markets, and social institutions for sustainable intensification of smallholder farming systems of southern Africa.

Project objectives include –

  • Understanding the contexts of smallholder farmer in southern Africa to identify the drivers and barriers preventing adoption of CA practices, including biophysical, socio-economic, institutional and policy constraints
  • Identifying labor-efficient mechanization options for smallholder farmers
  • Identifying opportunities and tools for better targeting of appropriate CA practices and options across heterogenous agroecologies and farm types, and
  • Identifying approaches and strategies for inclusive scaling of CA practices (policy, institutional and value chain entry points and pathways to promote and scale CA)

 

CIMMYT scientists recognized for significant research impact

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

CIMMYT applies high quality science to develop more resilient agrifood systems. This year three scientists from CIMMYT are included in Clarivate’s 2023 Analysis of the most highly cited academic papers.

Jill Cairns participates at a plenary session. (Photo: Alfonso Cortés/CIMMYT)

While CIMMYT’s mission does explicitly require academic publication from its scientists, “the recognition reflects extensive networking with academia, opening doors for new technologies to benefit resource-poor farmers and consumers as well as lending scientific kudos to CIMMYT and underpinning fundraising efforts,” says Distinguished Scientist and Head of Wheat Physiology, Matthew Reynolds.

Maize Physiologist Jill Cairns and collaborators spearheaded the application of high throughput phenotyping for maize-breeding in sub-Saharan Africa, which she says, “would not have been possible without involving leading academic experts like JL Araus at Barcelona University.”

José Crossa chairs the session: adding value to phenotypic data. (Photo: Alfonso Cortés/CIMMYT)

Biometrician and Distinguished Scientist José Crossa has pioneered wheat genetic analysis and use of artificial intelligence to solve crop research questions. “With machine learning tools like Deep Learning, there is a golden opportunity to understand the many complex dimensions of crop adaptation, so data-driven breeding models will have the necessary precision to target complex traits,” he explains. Crossa is widely respected by leading academics in biometrics for his insights on bridging statistical theory to solve real world problems.

Reynolds has built initiatives like the Heat and Drought Wheat Improvement Consortium (HeDWIC) and the International Wheat Yield Partnership (IWYP) that transfer cutting-edge technologies—from many of the best academic institutions in the world—to application in breeding, helping to widen wheat gene pools globally.

Matthew Reynolds speaks at a workshop. (Photo: Alfonso Cortés/CIMMYT)

All three scientists achieved the same recognition last year. As in 2022, Reynolds was awarded for his contribution to scientific literature in plant and animal sciences, while Cairns and Crossa were awarded for their contributions to scientific literature across several fields of research (cross fields).

Since 2001, Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list has identified global research scientists and social scientists who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research. It recognizes exceptional research performance demonstrated by the production of multiple papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year, according to the Web of Science citation indexing service.

In 2023, the list recognizes 6,849 individuals from more than 1,300 institutions across 67 countries and regions.

Transforming rural agriculture with improved seed and mechanization

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

Excited farmers pose after purchasing seed in preparation for the upcoming cropping season. (Photo: CIMMYT)

More than 1,300 smallholder farmers, across the Mwenezi and Masvingo districts of Zimbabwe, braved the hot morning sun to attend the fourth edition of the seed and mechanization fair organized by CIMMYT and partners in early October 2023. The event, themed “Harnessing improved seed and mechanization for climate resilience,” saw these farmers from all walks of life—first timers to past attendees—eager to participate, learn and explore the innovations on display.

Evolving over time, the seed and mechanization fair has continued to serve as a strategic platform to connect local farmers with private sector companies while enhancing the uptake of drought-tolerant maize varieties and scale-appropriate machinery. “Since 2020, CIMMYT-driven seed fairs have encouraged smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas, to grow the right seed at the right time to avoid any shortcomings due to unpredictable of weather patterns,” said Christian Thierfelder, principal cropping systems agronomist at CIMMYT.

Fast approaching farming season

El Niño continues to pose a threat to farmers especially in semi-arid areas such as in Mwenezi district situated in southern Zimbabwe and Masvingo district in south-eastern Zimbabwe which are drought prone areas characterized by high temperatures, rainfall deficit, among other challenges. Through the seed fairs, CIMMYT, a consortium member of the World Food Program projects, R4 Rural Resilience and the Zambuko Livelihoods Initiatives supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and USAID, has been at the forefront, advocating for and inspiring local farmers to buy and use seed varieties suitable for their environment, while encouraging farming as a business. In addition, the regional project Ukama/Ustawi Diversification in East and Southern Africa joined efforts to support farmers in income diversification from pure cereal-based systems to more diversified cereal-legume and mechanized farming systems.

“I believe this is the right function at the right time as we prepare for the next farming season. From this event, we anticipate that farmers will say, ‘Yes we have received new technology, yes we have knowledge on new varieties, yes we have information about the weather forecast’. We now have confidence that farmers are well-equipped and ready for the season to achieve the Zimbabwe Vision 2030,” said Isaac Mutambara, district development coordinator from Mwenezi.

Building resilience with drought-tolerant varieties

Amid climate change, equipping farmers with climate-smart knowledge and the right seed varieties has been central to the seed fairs. Working hand in hand with the government, CIMMYT has been breeding drought tolerant, orange maize with high nutritional value. “We encourage the growing and consumption of crops with nutritional value for household food security. Furthermore, we have different varieties of orange maize which are drought-tolerant,” said Thokozile Ndhlela, maize line development breeder. In addition, CIMMYT as part of HarvestPlus, has been encouraging the growing and consumption of nutritious NUA45 beans which are high in iron and zinc.

Mechanizing agriculture

Live demonstration of the basin digger in Mwenezi. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The joint participation of the USAID funded ‘Feed the Future Zimbabwe Mechanization and Extension activity’, helped to emphasize the importance of transforming smallholder agriculture through scale-appropriate equipment. At the event, machinery manufacturers such as Prochoice, Kurima and Mahindra showcased cutting-edge machinery, designed to ease farming operations. These companies showed live demonstrations of two-wheel tractors, basin diggers, multiple crop threshers amongst others, effectively emphasizing the benefits of scale-appropriate mechanization. The innovations on display demonstrated the unwavering dedication of the private sector towards supporting farmers and driving agricultural innovation. “It has been a truly exciting opportunity operating the peanut sheller, while appreciating the different machinery in live action. I will consider buying this machine as it reduces the added burden of shelling and processing,” said Lungiwe Nyathi, a local farmer from Mwenezi.

Partnerships for growth

Various seed companies, including AgriSeeds, SeedCo, Farm and City, Super Fert, National Tested Seeds, Intaba Trading, Sesame for Life and K2, marketed appropriate seed varieties that ensure bumper harvests. Sales of seed, fertilizer and other inputs were high, with the total value of sales reaching US6,450. Vouchers were distributed to farmers who made high cash purchases of seeds. “I bought 45kgs of seed which I believe is a great start, and I am happy that I do not have to pay extra money for transporting the seed to my home,” said Martha Chiwawo, a farmer from ward 16 in Masvingo.

The fairs would not be complete without CIMMYT partners. While Zambuko Livelihoods Initiative shared their expertise in the district, SNV has been encouraging sustainable savings and lending schemes among farmers to purchase machinery while facilitating market access and reducing post-harvest losses. The World Food Programme (WFP) encouraged farmers to become resilient and self-sufficient through valuable knowledge and skills to improve their lives. In addition, the Mwenezi Development Training Centre (MDTC) focused on encouraging small livestock which are adaptable to the area. Additional partners Cesvi and Sesame for Life, who both operate in ward 6 of Mwenezi district, participated in the seed fairs for the first time. Both partners advance the production of high value crops—paprika and sesame—which have a ready export market and favorable prices for smallholder farmers. Government extension departments showed strong support while researchers from the Makoholi Research Station in Masvingo used the opportunity to talk to farmers about their research initiatives.

As the day came to an end, farmers were brimming with excitement and ready to embark on the season ahead with purchased, improved seed and a wealth of knowledge on innovative conservation agriculture practices. The event proved to be an invaluable opportunity for uniting farmers, government, seed companies, and partners in a shared mission to promote sustainable farming practices and ensure food security.

Combatting maize lethal necrosis in Zimbabwe

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

Maize is a staple crop in Zimbabwe, playing a vital role in the country’s agricultural landscape as food for its own people and an export good. However, behind every successful maize harvest lies the quality of seed and resistance to diseases and stresses.

Amidst the multitude of diseases that threaten maize crops, one adversary is maize lethal necrosis (MLN). Though not native to Zimbabwe, it is crucial to remain prepared for its potential impact on food security.

What is maize lethal necrosis?

MLN is a viral disease, caused by a combination of two virus diseases. The disease emerged in Kenya in 2011 and quickly spread to other countries in eastern Africa. The introduction of MLN to Africa was likely affected by the movement of infected seed and insect vectors. MLN has had a severe impact on regional maize production, leading to yield losses of up to 90%.

Recognizing the need to equip seasoned practitioners with the knowledge and skills to effectively diagnose and manage MLN, CIMMYT organized a comprehensive training on MLN diagnosis and management, targeting 25 representatives from Zimbabwe’s Plant Quarantine Services.

From students to experienced technicians, pathologists and plant health inspectors, this was an opportunity to refresh their knowledge base or an introduction to the important work of MLN mitigation. “This training for both advanced level practitioners and students is crucial not only for building competence on MLN but also to refresh minds to keep abreast and be prepared with approaches to tackle the disease once it is identified in the country,” said Nhamo Mudada, head of Plant Quarantine Services.

Maize plants showing maize lethal necrosis (MLN). (Photo: CIMMYT)

Expectations were diverse, ranging from sharpening understanding of key signs and symptoms to learning from country case examples currently ridden with the disease. With CIMMYT’s guidance, practitioners learned how to identify MLN infected plants, make accurate diagnoses, and implement management strategies to minimize losses.

“For over 10 years, these trainings have been important to raise awareness, keep local based practitioners up to speed, help them diagnose MLN, and make sure that they practice proper steps to tackle this disease,” said L.M Suresh, CIMMYT maize pathologist and head of the MLN screening facility in Kenya.

Identifying the specific MLN causing viral disease affecting a maize plant is the first step in combating MLN. Determining whether it is a biotic or abiotic disease is critical in establishing its cause and subsequent diagnosis. By implementing proper diagnostic techniques and understanding the fundamentals of good diagnosis, practitioners can bring representative samples to the lab and accurately identify MLN.

Tackling MLN in Zimbabwe

Initiated in 2015 at Mazowe as a joint initiative between the Government of Zimbabwe and CIMMYT, a modern quarantine facility was built to safely import maize breeding materials from eastern Africa to southern Africa and enable local institutions to proactively breed for resistance against MLN.

The MLN quarantine facility at the Plant Quarantine Institute is run by the Department of Research and Specialist Services (DRSS) and is mandated to screen maize varieties imported under strict quarantine conditions to ensure that they are MLN-free.

Training participants pose outside of the MLN screening facilities. (Photo: CIMMYT)

To date, CIMMYT and partners have released 22 MLN resistant and tolerant hybrids in eastern Africa. CIMMYT’s research and efforts to combat MLN have focused on a multidimensional approach, including breeding for resistant varieties, promoting integrated pest management strategies, strengthening seed systems, and enhancing the capacity of farmers and stakeholders.

“Support extended through valuable partnerships between CIMMYT, and the collaborations have played a pivotal role from surveillance to diagnostics and building capacity,” said Mudada.

Feedback and insights

Chief Plant Health Inspector for Export and Imports Biosecurity, Monica Mabika, expressed gratitude for the training. “It is always an honor when we have expert pathologists come through and provide a valuable refresher experience, strengthening our understanding on issues around biosecurity and learning what other countries are doing to articulate MLN,” she said.

Students learn how to screen maize plants for MLN. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Among the students was Audrey Dohwera from the University of Zimbabwe, who acknowledged the importance of the training. “I have been attached for 2 months under the pathology department, and I was eager to learn about MLN, how to detect signs and symptoms on maize, how to address it and be able to share with fellow farmers in my rural community,” she said.

With the knowledge gained from this training, practitioners are well equipped to face the challenges that MLN may present, ultimately safeguarding the country’s maize production status.

Strengthening seed systems with Zamseed

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

Bram Govaerts and Amsal Tarekegne compare a maize hybrid. (Photo: Katebe Mapipo/CIMMYT)

Maize is a vital crop in Zambia and Tanzania, both for farmers’ economic livelihoods and for delivering nutrients and sustenance to a large group of people. But maize is threatened by climate change, like more severe droughts, and from pests like fall army worm (FAW), which can completely devastate farmers’ fields.

Against this backdrop of looming threats, CIMMYT, as part of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, or MasAgro Africa, is partnering with the Zambia Seed Company Limited (Zamseed) to distribute seeds that are drought tolerant and resistant to the ravages of FAW. And because maize is a staple of many people’s diets, CIMMYT and Zamseed are also developing and distributing maize varieties enhanced with vitamin A.

To uphold maize variety integrity, CIMMYT and Zamseed are engaged in the capacity building of quality assurance and quality control for local stakeholders.

CIMMYT’s engagement with Zamseed involves efforts to popularize high yielding, drought-tolerant, and vitamin enhanced maize varieties in Zambia and Tanzania. Some of these efforts include demonstrations of the new varieties, field days held at different stages of maize development, and deliberate engagement of women throughout the entire seed selection, planting and harvesting effort.

“Our partnership with Zamseed started in October 2022,” said Ir Essegbemon Akpo, a CIMMYT maize seed systems specialist. “It has been a fruitful collaboration, delivering significant outputs to thousands of farmers in Zambia and Tanzania.”

To date, Zamseed has held 300 and 500 demonstrations in Tanzania and Zambia, respectively. The company has held many field days at the demonstration sites to showcase drought tolerant and vitamin A enhanced maize to hundreds of small-scale farmers.

“We have witnessed many farmers who visited the demonstration activities who are excited to see the new high yielding and drought tolerant varieties,” said Amsal Tarekegne of Zamseed.

Seeded by funds from the AID-I project, Zamseed is producing 60kg of Early Generation Seed (EGS) of parents of a FAW-tolerant hybrid maize variety. The company plans to produce 200kg of this hybrid for commercialization and launch in 2024.

To ensure that seeds delivered to farmers are of the highest quality, CIMMYT is working with Zamseed to develop quality assurance and control frameworks, involving genotyping of selected seeds at various times during the seed multiplication and distribution process.

Zamseed has been servicing the requirements of farmers in the sub-Sahara region since 1980, focusing on products that will enhance the profitability of the small-scale farmer and ensure household food security.

Sowing seeds of change: CIMMYT leads crop diversification efforts in South Asia

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

Farmers participate in a training on improved seeds and technologies. (Photo: S. Mojumder Drik/CIMMYT)

Rapid urbanization, globalization, economic development, technological advancement, and changing agriculture production systems in South Asia are transforming food systems and the food environment.

India and Bangladesh, particularly, have seen a significant transformation since the advent of the Green Revolution as each became able to feed their population without having to import major crops.

However, that policy focus on food self-sufficiency and yield intensification has incurred significant health, environmental and fiscal costs, including a precipitous drop in crop diversification*.

This loss of crop diversification threatens economic and social development and environmental stability while weakening the crucial link between agriculture and community health, particularly in undernourished rural areas. To ensure sustainable food production and nutritional security, it is imperative to manage and conserve crop diversification.

To address these issues and ensure sustainable food production, there is an urgent need to transition from intensive to sustainable farming practices.

CIMMYT exploring crop diversification pathways

CIMMYT’s ongoing projects in South Asia, including the Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) and Transforming Smallholder Food Systems in the Eastern Gangetic Plains (RUPANTAR) are conducting extensive on-site and on-farm trials, including socioeconomic dimensions of farmers to promote crop diversification.

“To effectively address the challenges of crop diversification, it is essential to integrate on-farm trials and participatory action research, involving farmers in the experimentation and adaptation process tailored to their unique regional needs,” said Ravi Nandi, innovation systems scientist at CIMMYT in Bangladesh. “This hands-on involvement provides valuable data to guide policymaking, ensuring relevance and applicability.”

In addition, TAFSSA and RUPANTAR are engaging in participatory action research to uncover the most viable options for crop and livelihood diversification, understand the socioeconomic factors impacting farmers, and identify the potential opportunities and challenges associated with the crop and livelihood diversification efforts among the farmers.

Researchers completed two comprehensive surveys, engaging with 2,500 farmers across the Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP) of India, Nepal and Bangladesh, yielding valuable data that will inform future strategies for crop diversification in the region.

Ongoing investigations into the political economy of policies for crop diversification in Bangladesh generate novel insights, further contributing to the development of efficient crop diversification projects and sustainable agricultural policies.

The rise of crop diversification in practices and policy

In recent years, crop diversification has gained traction as a promising strategy to boost agricultural productivity, reduce risks (production, market, climate, and environmental), enhance nutritional outcomes, and promote sustainable agriculture.

Following the inaugural National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Dharamshala, India, led by the Prime Minister of India, state governments introduced numerous policies and schemes to support crop diversification. Some of these initiatives, highlighted in Figure 1, were backed by substantial budget allocations aimed at motivating farmers to diversify their crop production from the current intensive production system.

Figure 1: Author’s compilation from various public sources.

Similar initiatives have been started in Bangladesh, Nepal and other South Asian countries to promote crop diversification. These policies and schemes are important steps towards addressing inadequacies that intensive farming has created in agriculture and food systems.

While policies promoting crop diversification in South Asia are a positive step, their effectiveness is contingent on evidence-based decision-making. The complexities of implementing diversification strategies vary significantly depending on local contexts, particularly in countries like India, Nepal and Bangladesh, where most farmers operate on less than one hectare of land and face diverse weather conditions.

Smallholder farmers, at risk of losing economic stability from abandoning profitable monocrops, face additional challenges because of limited access to advanced technologies and fragmented markets, making the transition to diversified farming a precarious endeavor.

A shift towards comprehensive multi-criteria assessments, including qualitative methods and stakeholder interactions, is necessary for creating practical and locally relevant indicators. Supporting infrastructure, accessible extension services and market development, along with empowering farmers through education on agronomic practices and crop management, will play a crucial role in successfully implementing and reaping the benefits of crop diversification.

*Crop diversification is a process that makes a simplified cropping systems more diverse in time and space by adding additional crops. 

Ismahane Elouafi returns to CIMMYT—on a system-wide tour

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

As part of her fact-finding mission across CGIAR Research Centers, Ismahane Elouafi, CGIAR’s executive managing director, returned to CIMMYT headquarters in Texcoco, Mexico, where she studied as a Ph.D. student twenty years ago. Through meetings with CIMMYT staff from 21-24 December 2023, Elouafi learned how CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy of more investment in developing food systems and climate-smart agriculture will contribute to CGIAR’s 2030 vision of a food and nutrition secure future.

“CIMMYT was pleased to host Ismahane,” said Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general. “Our ultimate mission is to transform agrifood systems. The only way we will reach our goal of food and nutrition security is by working globally and collaboratively across the value chain.”

Elouafi examines samples with CIMMYT researchers at the biosafety laboratory. (Photo: CIMMYT)

At CIMMYT’s museum and gene bank, Elouafi met with researchers to discuss the latest discoveries in genetic innovation, biodiversity conservation, and crop breeding. Elouafi and Kevin Pixley, director of the Dryland Crops program, visited the biosafety laboratory and glasshouses where gene editing on pearl millet and ground nut represent cutting-edge work with dryland crops. Elouafi also saw gene editing for resistance to maize lethal necrosis, which is already in field validation with Kenyan partners from the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO).

Global Wheat and Dryland Crops presented CIMMYT’s 2050 vision for wheat in Africa and near-term goals of advancing partnerships from phenotyping platforms to the International Wheat Improvement Network (IWIN). Seed experts from the Seed Health Unit shared progress on the productivity and nutrition findings of key cereals for healthy and balanced diets.

Elouafi also visited conservation trial plots with Jelle Van Loon, associate director of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program, who briefed Elouafi on cropping systems diversity related to maize, wheat, and beans, and showcased a variety of innovative farming technologies. At the trial plots, Elouafi met with Guillermo Bretón, a farmer, to talk about CIMMYT’s efforts to expand the MasAgro program into Central America aiming to address the region’s growing food insecurity contributing to migration.

(Left to right) Guillermo Bretón, Ismahane Elouafi, Bram Govaerts, and Jelle Van Loon, test a range of novel farming technologies. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The value of genetic resources as sources of novel diversity was discussed with Elouafi during a visit to field screenhouses, where she saw wide crosses work for biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) in wheat, gene bank accessions of triticale—a cross between wheat and rye—for use in searching for new sources of resistance to wheat blast, and the ex-situ clonal collection of tripsacum, a wild relative of maize.

“CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy adopts a systems approach to food science, which I strongly support. Through the development of mechanization and post-harvest management, increased focus on seed systems and health, and most importantly, cooperation with partners to ensure that improved crop varieties are adopted by smallholders, I am confident that this approach will only strengthen CIMMYT’s historical strength of research and innovation for food and nutrition security and contribute to achieving CGIAR’s 2030 mission,” said Elouafi.

Kevin Kabunda, chief of party for the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) MasAgro Africa Rapid Delivery Hub (AID-I) and Sieglinde Snapp, director of the SAS program, presented key milestones achieved in southern and eastern Africa on expanded seed systems, market access, and mechanization technologies. Snapp also highlighted important CIMMYT-led initiatives like the CGIAR Plant Health Initiative and the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) which have had a positive impact on smallholders in part because of partnerships with government agencies and other CGIAR Research Centers.

Elouafi and Govaerts visited the ancient city of Teotihuacán to learn about the cultural significance of maize to the history and agricultural practices of the Americas. She received a guided tour by chef Carlos Cedillo, operational director of La Gruta, a local restaurant dedicated to understanding and promoting the production and consumption of native maize varieties in the Valley of Mexico. CIMMYT has collaborated with La Gruta through capacity building initiatives by CIMMYT specialists for technicians and farmers.

Elouafi joins CIMMYT staff for a meet and greet coffee session. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Elouafi joined CIMMYT staff in a meet and greet session on 21 December, where staff expressed the strides being made by CIMMYT’s leadership team to foster a more inclusive workplace. “This moment of coming together with the staff that make CIMMYT a great place to work and who position the Center as a significant actor in agricultural development will be a highlight of my visit,” said Elouafi.

How CGIAR maize breeding is improving the world’s major staple crop for tropical regions

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

Maize production is surging due to its diversified end uses. While it is already the first staple cereal globally, it is expected to emerge as the world’s predominant crop for cultivation and trade in the coming decade. Globally, it serves primarily as animal feed, but it is also a vital food crop, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and in some areas in Asia. 

Climate change is, however, altering the conditions for maize cultivation, especially in the rainfed, stress-prone tropics. Abiotic stresses like heat, drought, and floods, as well as biotic threats such as diseases and insect pests are becoming more frequent. These have a disproportionate impact on the resource-constrained smallholders who depend on maize for their food, income, and livelihoods. 

In a race against time, crop breeders are working to enhance maize’s resilience to the changing climates. Among others, CIMMYT and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), working within CGIAR’s Accelerated Breeding Initiative, are utilizing breeding innovations to develop climate-resilient and nutritionally enriched maize varieties needed by the most vulnerable farmers and consumers.  

Better processes

Improving maize yields in the rainfed, stress-prone tropics is challenging. Nevertheless, CGIAR’s efforts have significant impacts, as breeding programs embraced continuous improvement and enhanced efficiency over the years.  

To increase genetic gains, CIMMYT maize breeding program implemented a systematic continuous improvement plan. Sixty percent of CIMMYT’s maize lines in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) are now developed through technologies that speed up breeding cycle and improve selection intensity and accuracy; these include doubled haploid technology, high-throughput phenotyping, molecular marker-assisted forward breeding, and genomic selection. The breeding cycle time has been reduced from five or six years to only four years in most of the maize product profiles. Product advancement decisions now incorporate selection indexes, and specialized software aid in the selection of parental lines for new breeding starts. 

CIMMYT and IITA maize teams are working together to investigate several key traits in maize for discovery, validation, and deployment of molecular markers. CGIAR maize team developed a framework for implementing a stage-gate advancement process for marker-trait pipeline, which enables informed decision-making and data-driven advancements at multiple stages, from marker-trait discovery proposal to marker discovery, validation, and deployment. Consolidating research efforts and implementing this process is expected to increase efficiency and collaboration in maize breeding programs.

An example of maize biotic stress exacerbated by climate change: fall armyworm (FAW) larvae, highly destructive pests, emerge out from an egg mass placed on a maize leaf. (Photo: A. Cortés/CIMMYT)

At the end of the breeding process, breeders must ensure the quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) of the parental lines of the new varieties. Seed quality, which includes genetic purity, genetic identity, and verification of parentage – is critical in maize breeding and commercial seed production.  

CIMMYT has worked to enhance the capacity of NARES and seed company partners in Eastern and South Africa (ESA), Asia, and Latin America, in utilizing molecular markers for QA/QC in breeding and commercial seed production. This has resulted in more reliable and accurate outcomes. In addition, webinars and user-friendly software have boosted results for NARES maize breeders, regulatory agencies, and seed companies. These combined efforts mean a dependable, cost-effective, and efficient QA/QC system for the maize seed value chain in the Global South. 

Better tools 

With traditional means, obtaining a genetically homozygous or true-to-type maize line requires six to eight generations of inbreeding, and thus, more than ten years for developing a new hybrid. The technique of doubled haploid (DH), which enables derivation of 100% genetically homozygous lines in just two generations, is now integral to modern maize breeding. CIMMYT has pioneered the development of tropical maize DH technology, by developing and disseminating tropicalized haploid inducers, establishing centralized DH facilities in Mexico, Kenya and India, and providing DH development service to partners.  

Regional on-farm trials (ROFTs) is a crucial step in maximizing the impact of breeding investments. ROFTs help scientists understand performance of the pipeline hybrids under diverse farmers’ management conditions, besides environment, soil variability, etc. 

In ESA, ROFT networks for maize are expanded significantly over the last few years, from 20-30 sites per product profile to up to 300 sites, encompassing a wide range of smallholder farming practices. The experimental design was simplified to use less germplasm entries to be tested per farm, making it easier for the farmers to participate in the network, while improving data quality. Collaboration with NARES, seed companies, NGOs, and development partners was significantly stepped up to capture the social diversity within the target market segments. Gender inclusion was prioritized.

Training workshop organized by CIMMYT at the Maize Doubled Haploid Facility in Kunigal, India. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Strengthening the capacity of NARES and SMEs to systematically access and utilize improved maize germplasm is critical for increasing genetic gains in the stress-prone tropics. But partner institutions are at different stages of evolution, which means capacity strengthening must be tailored to institutional strengths and constraints.  

Accelerated Breeding has been strengthening regional CGIAR-NARES-SME collaborative maize breeding networks via activities such as exchanging elite tropical germplasm (inbred lines, trait donors, and breeding populations) through field days, and widely disseminating CIMMYT maize lines (CMLs) requested by institutions globally.  

Partners participate in CGIAR maize stage-advancement meetings – they are given access to multi-location trial data and participate in the selection process of promising hybrids to be advanced from the different breeding stages. CGIAR maize teams also assessed the capacity of different NARES institutions, and formulated continuous improvement plans in consultation with respective NARES teams for further support.  

Better varieties

Systematic integration of new breeding techniques and innovations in CGIAR maize breeding pipelines are leading to better varieties, at a much faster pace, and at lower cost. Given the impacts of climate change, this is indeed the need of the hour.  

Maize breeders need to respond rapidly to emerging and highly destructive insect-pests and diseases. For instance, the invasion of fall armyworm (FAW) in Africa (since 2016) and Asia (since 2018) has ravaged maize crops across more than 60 countries. CGIAR maize team in Africa responded to this challenge and made progress in identifying diverse sources of native genetic resistance to FAW, resulting in elite hybrids and open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) adapted to African conditions. 

Since 2017, CIMMY has strengthened the maize insectary capacity of KALRO-Katumani by optimizing the FAW mass rearing protocol and screening of maize germplasm under FAW artificial infestation at Kiboko Station, Kenya. The station now has sixteen 1,000m net houses. The intensive work since 2018 led to identification of FAW-tolerant inbred lines by CIMMYT and their distribution to over 90 public and private institutions in 34 countries. 

NARES partners across 13 countries in Africa have undertaken national performance trials of three FAW-tolerant hybrids developed by CIMMYT. Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, South Sudan and Ghana released the three hybrids in 2022-23, while several more countries are expected to release these hybrids in the coming months.

Drought and heat tolerant maize ears are harvested through a CIMMYT project. (Photo: J.Siamachira/CIMMYT)

Climate change is also exacerbating maize diseases. Affecting at least 17 countries in the Americas, the Tar Spot Complex (TSC) disease affects maize in the cool and humid regions. It causes premature leaf death, weakens plants, and reduces yields by up to 50%. CIMMYT maize team in Mexico has mapped genomic regions conferring TSC resistance, and is using these markers in breeding programs.  

The Global South is also particularly vulnerable to drought and high temperature stresses. In the past five years, 20 drought- and heat-tolerant maize hybrids have been released in Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Socio-economic studies in India and Nepal showed that farmers who adopted these hybrids realized higher grain yields, and increased income compared to the non-adopters. 

In 2022, certified seed production of CGIAR multiple stress-tolerant maize varieties reached 181,119 metric tons in sub-Saharan Africa (from 72,337 tons in 2016). This is estimated to cover ~7.4 million hectares, benefiting over 46 million people in 13 countries. 

With maize facing unprecedented threats from climate change-induced stresses in the rainfed stress-prone tropics, CGIAR maize breeding programs working closely with NARES and private sector have demonstrated remarkable success in breeding as well as deploying climate resilient maize.  These efforts rely on better processes and modern breeding tools, leading to drastically reduced breeding cycle time, cost saving, and improved efficiency.  

The resulting improved varieties–resilient to major environmental stresses, diseases and insect-pests–are increasingly adopted by smallholders across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, showing that tomorrow is already here. The work continues to ensure that maize remains a constant source of food security and prosperity for generations to come in the tropical regions.

Early maturity products popular among farmers in Kenya

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in Publications.

Across all production environments in Kenya, early-maturity products demonstrate strong sales. This was revealed in a recent study by the CGIAR Initiative on Market Intelligence. During the long-rains season, farmers in higher rainfall production environments—wet, mid and high altitudes—purchased early-maturity seed products despite potentially lower yields. Also, the short-rains season, which represents almost one-fourth of total maize seed sales, was dominated by early-maturity products.

These insights were obtained through a panel of maize-seed sales data from 722 agrodealers in Kenya during two short-rains seasons and three long-rains seasons in 2020–2022. The study also offers insights into the extent the maturity level of seed products, purchased by farmers in Kenya, aligns with the production environment where they were sold. Market Intelligence applies eight criteria to identify seed product market segments (SPMSs) for CGIAR crop breeding. In the application of these criteria to maize in East Africa, two conditions distinguish the segments: production environment and maturity level. The other criteria do not vary. A key indicator for prioritizing breeding investments across segments is the relative size of SPMSs. In the case of maize, and other crops, teams generally use geospatial data to identify the area of production environments, with the assumption that farmers in each production environment would use the seed product with the maturity level designed for that environment.

The paper contends that a stronger focus on using sales data to inform breeding decisions in maize, and potentially other crops where retailers play an important role in seed distribution, should become a priority for market intelligence. Future work will engage stakeholders in maize seed systems in other countries of East Africa about the changes in demand for earlier-maturing products and the implications for segmentation.

This article is adapted from Market Intelligence Brief 5: Maize Farmers Acquire Early-Maturity Seed Across Production Environments – the fifth paper in the ongoing peer-reviewed series published inMarket Intelligence Briefs.

*About Market Intelligence Briefs

The CGIAR Initiative on Market Intelligence (‘Market Intelligence’ for brevity) represents a new effort to engage social scientists, crop-breeding teams, and others to work together toward the design and implementation of a demand-led breeding approach. In 2022, the Market Intelligence Brief (MIB) series was created as a valuable communication tool to support informed decision making by crop breeders, seed-system specialists, and donors on future priorities and investments by CGIAR, NARS, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The author would like to thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund. This project received funding from the Accelerating Genetic Gains in Maize and Wheat project (AGG) [INV-003439], funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR); United States Agency for International Development (USAID); and United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Ten years later: CIMMYT facilities in East Africa continue to make a difference

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

CIMMYT and partners in Kenya recently marked the 10th anniversary of two major facilities that have been crucial for maize breeding in sub-Saharan Africa. The Maize Doubled-Haploid (DH) facility and the Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) screening facility at the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) centers in Naivasha and Kiboko, respectively, have made immense contributions to the rapid development of higher-yielding, climate-resilient and disease-resistant maize varieties for smallholder farmers across the continent.

An aerial photo of the Naivasha Research Center. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“These two facilities have been instrumental in furthering KALRO’s mission to utilize technology in the service of Kenya’s smallholder farmers,” said KALRO Director General/CEO, Eliud Kireger. “They also exhibit the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that is necessary for us to meet all the challenges to our food systems.”

“Deploying a higher yielding maize variety may not be impactful in eastern Africa if that variety does not have resistance to a devastating disease like MLN,” said CIMMYT’s Director General Bram Govaerts. “These two facilities demonstrate the holistic methods which are key to working towards a more productive, inclusive and resilient agrifood system.”

Maize DH facility

Hybrid maize varieties have much higher yields than open-pollinated varieties and are key to unlocking the agricultural potential of maize producing countries. The doubled haploid process is an innovative technology producing within a year genetically true-to-type maize lines that serve as building blocks for improved maize hybrids.

Unlike conventional breeding, which takes at least 7 to 8 generations or crop seasons to develop parental lines, DH lines are generated within two seasons, saving significant time, labor and other resources. DH maize lines are highly uniform, genetically stable, and are more amenable to the application of modern molecular tools, making them perfect resources for breeding elite maize hybrids.

Workers in the Kiboko Double Haploid facility. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The aim of CIMMYT’s maize DH facility is to empower the breeding programs throughout the low-and middle-income countries in Africa by offering a competitive, accessible, not-for-profit DH production service that will accelerate their rate of genetic gain and fast-track development of improved maize varieties for farming communities.

Since 2017, the DH facility has delivered 280,000 DH lines from 1,840 populations of which 20% were delivered to public and private sector partners. CIMMYT maize breeding programs and partner organizations have embraced the use of DH technology, with many of the newest maize hybrids released in Africa being derived from DH lines. The facility has also served as a training ground so far for over 60 scientists and hundreds of undergraduate students in modern breeding technologies.

“Before 2013, DH technology was mainly employed by private, multinational corporations in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America,” said CIMMYT’s DH Facility Manager, Vijay Chaikam. “But the DH facility operated by CIMMYT at the KALRO Kiboko research station is specifically targeted at strengthening the maize breeding programs by the public sector institutions as well as small-and medium-size enterprise seed companies in Africa.”

The maize DH facility at Kiboko, Kenya, was established with funding support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and inaugurated in September 2013. The facility includes an administrative building, seed quality laboratory, training resources, artificial seed dyer, a cold-storage seed room, a chromosome doubling laboratory, greenhouse and a state-of-the-art irrigation system to support year-round DH production in the 17-hectare nursery.

MLN screening facility

MLN is a devastating viral disease that can decimate farmers’ fields, causing premature plant death and unfilled, poorly formed maize ears, and can lead to up to 100 percent yield loss in farmers’ fields. Though known in other parts of the world for decades, the disease was first identified in eastern Africa in 2011. By 2015, MLN had rapidly spread across eastern Africa, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia. CIMMYT scientists quickly discovered that almost all the commercial maize cultivars in eastern Africa were highly susceptible to the disease.

Against this backdrop, CIMMYT and KALRO recognized the urgent need for establishing a screening facility to provide MLN phenotyping service and effectively manage the risk of MLN on maize production through screening of germplasm and identifying MLN-resistant sources. The facility was built with funding support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, and inaugurated in September 2013.

Resistant and susceptible line at the Maize Lethal Necrosis facility. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“The MLN screening facility is a key regional resource in breeding for resistance to a devastating viral disease. The facility is indeed one of the key factors behind successful management of MLN and helping stem the tide of losses in eastern Africa,” said Director of the Global Maize Program at CIMMYT and One CGIAR Plant Health Initiative, B.M. Prasanna. “Fighting diseases like MLN, which do not respect political boundaries, requires strong regional and local collaboration. The successes achieved through the MLN Screening facility in the past 10 years embody that spirit of collaboration.” Indeed, farmers in the region now have access to over twenty genetically diverse, MLN-tolerant/resistant maize hybrids released in eastern and southern Africa.

The facility is the largest dedicated MLN screening facility in Africa and has evaluated over 230,000 accessions (over 330,000 rows of maize) from CIMMYT and partners, including over 15 national research programs, national and multinational seed companies. The facility covers 20 hectares, of which 17 hectares are used for field screening of germplasm. Dedicated laboratories and screen houses cover the remaining 3 hectares.

“MLN phenotyping service is conducted under stringent quarantine standards and the high-quality data is shared with all the CGIAR and public and private partners. The MLN screening service has helped breeding programs across the continent, aided in undertaking epidemiological research activities, and supported capacity building of students from diverse institutions, and regional stakeholders regarding MLN diagnosis and best management practices,” said CIMMYT’s Maize Pathologist in Africa, L.M. Suresh.

“The output of MLN resistant lines and hybrids has been remarkable,” said Director of Phytosanitary and Biosecurity at the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Isaac Macharia. “And the facility has strictly adhered to quarantine regulations.”

In Uganda, the MLN facility was crucial in the “release of the first-generation MLN tolerant hybrids and dissemination of MLN knowledge products that minimized the economic impact of MLN,” said the Director of Research of the National Crops Resources Research Institute, Godfrey Asea.

Peter Mbogo, maize breeder with Seed Co Group, said, “This is the only quarantine facility in the world where you can screen against MLN under artificial inoculation. It has been an excellent return on investment.”