A newly published study has identified a significant breakthrough in the ongoing battle against wheat blast: a novel quantitative trait locus (QTL), named Qwb.cim-7D, located on the long arm of chromosome 7D and derived from Aegilops tauschii, offers stable and moderate resistance to wheat blast—independently of the widely used 2NS translocation.
Wheat blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum (MoT), is a rapidly spreading disease threatening wheat production, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. First detected in Brazil in 1985, the disease has since caused devastating yield losses—up to 100% in severe cases. Its transboundary spread, including recent incursions in Bangladesh and Zambia, has intensified international concerns about food security, especially among vulnerable smallholder farming communities. Control through chemical means has proven unreliable, placing even greater emphasis on the development and deployment of resistant wheat cultivars.
Fig. 1 Global incidence of wheat blast with years of its first identification indicated for the affected countries
For years, wheat breeders have relied on a single major source of genetic resistance—the 2NS/2AS translocation from Aegilops ventricosa. While initially effective, recent field observations—particularly in Brazil—suggest that wheat blast pathogens are evolving to overcome this resistance. Despite extensive efforts, previous studies have failed to identify any non-2NS QTLs with both significant and stable effects across environments in field trials.
Fig. 2 Contrasted wheat blast reactions between BWMRI Gom 3 (left, a 2NS carrier) and BARI Gom 26 (right, a non-2NS carrier)
A New Genetic Solution for Blast Resistance
In a recently published study entitled “A novel QTL on chromosome 7D derived from Aegilops tauschii confers moderate field resistance to wheat blast”, CIMMYT’s wheat pathology team and collaborators reported the identification of a novel and consistent QTL—Qwb.cim-7D—which provides significant resistance to wheat blast independent of the 2NS translocation.
The donor bread wheat line, Gladius*2/KU 2097, inherited its resistance from the resistant Ae. tauschii accession ‘KU-2097’. Field experiments were conducted at two Precision Phenotyping Platforms (PPP) in Bolivia (Quirusillas and Okinawa) and one PPP in Bangladesh (Jashore), under artificially inoculated conditions—ensuring a robust evaluation of resistance. The QTL was mapped to the long arm of chromosome 7D, where it explained between 7.7% and 50.6% of the phenotypic variation across different environments. This is a significant finding, as previous studies identified non-2NS resistance loci with typically small effects (less than 10%) and inconsistent performance. In contrast, Qwb.cim-7D is the first moderate-effect QTL to demonstrate stable resistance across multiple field conditions.
To facilitate its adoption in breeding pipelines, researchers successfully converted the flanking DArTseq markers into KASP markers—enabling more efficient marker-assisted selection.
Importantly, Qwb.cim-7D provides approximately half the resistance effect of 2NS, highlighting its value as a complementary resistance factor. When deployed through gene pyramiding strategies alongside 2NS and Rmg8, this new QTL could help breeders develop varieties with stronger and more durable resistance to the evolving wheat blast pathogen.
This breakthrough marks a turning point in global wheat blast resistance breeding. It addresses the urgent need to diversify the genetic basis of resistance and equips breeders with a viable new tool to safeguard wheat yields. As wheat blast continues to threaten food security in key regions, the introgression of Qwb.cim-7D into breeding programs offers a promising path toward enhanced crop resilience and improved farmer protection.
Cosmas Chachi’s demo fishpond – one of the nine ponds where he trains locals in fish farming (Photo: Cosmas Chachi)
Cosmas Chachi, a 46-year-old businessman, owns Triple Blessing Supermarket in Zambia’s Luwingu District. In 2000, Cosmas identified an opportunity to address the growing demand for fresh fish in his community and started selling the product in his local area. Like many rural entrepreneurs, Cosmas faced initial challenges such as unreliable supply chains, insufficient cold storage, and limited access to financing, all of which prevented him from meeting the rising demand from local customers. Undeterred, Cosmas embarked on a transformative journey into aquaculture.
The turning point for Cosmas occurred in April 2023 when he participated in a training program on integrated aquaculture under the aegis of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, led by CIMMYT. The training implemented by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), one of the key implementing partners of the project, emphasized sustainable intensification and equipped Cosmas with advanced skills in sustainable feed management, water quality control, efficient harvesting methods, and business management, among other areas.
A view of Cosmas Chachi’s Triple Blessings Supermarket, a thriving hub where he sells fish from his fishponds and manages his off-taking business (Photo: Cosmas Chachi)
“The training equipped me with expert knowledge in aquaculture management and skills to design and operate efficient fishponds,” Cosmas said.
With his new-found expertise, Cosmas upgraded three of his existing fishponds and built six more, each measuring 13×15 meters. To meet customer demand, he introduced a strategic stocking system, staggering the placement of 1,000 fingerlings across his nine ponds. This innovation ensured consistent fish supply even during Zambia’s annual fish ban. “By stocking and harvesting my ponds, I can maintain a steady supply even during the national fish ban when local supply decreases because some other farmers who supply my supermarket depend on fish from natural water bodies,” Cosmas shared.
Creating livelihoods and building resilience
Cosmas’ aquaculture enterprise has become an economic engine in his community, employing 25 permanent workers, primarily local youth, and offering seasonal jobs to 12 more. For Emmanuel Makumba, a shop attendant at Triple Blessing supermarket for the last eight years, the opportunity has been life changing. “The job at the supermarket helped me relocate from my village, build my own house, and send my children to a private school,” said Emmanuel.
In June 2024, his business received a significant boost with the installation of a 15-ton cold storage facility, funded by IWMI through the AID-I project. The upgrade significantly reduced post-harvest losses and enhanced Cosmas’ fish storage capacity. It ensures a steady supply for his business and the farmers he supports, strengthening the local aquaculture value chain.
“In the past, we could only purchase 50 to 100 kilograms (kg) of fish at a time, selling it at US$ 2.50 per kg,” Cosmas shared. With the new cold storage facility, Cosmas can now buy and store up to 700 kg of fish per harvest without the risk of spoilage. The effort not only secures a reliable supply for his business but also creates a dependable market for local consumers, fostering growth and sustainability in the region’s aquaculture sector.
A ripple effect of progress: Expanding aquaculture for community impact
Today, Cosmas’ success goes beyond his supermarket. He owns a thriving restaurant, offering customers a unique dining experience with fresh fish from his ponds. “The training I received during the AID-I workshops helped me transform my passion for aquaculture into a successful business. Now, in addition to the supermarket, I own a popular restaurant and outdoor fishponds, offering customers a unique dining experience,” he said.
Fish from local fish farmers before being stocked at Triple Blessings Supermarket (Photo: Cosmas Chachi)
Building on his business success, Cosmas has further expanded his impact by transforming his fishponds into practical classrooms, offering free, hands-on training to aspiring fish farmers. Over the past year, he has trained 50 farmers in sustainable aquaculture best practices.
As more farmers in Luwingu adopt these practices, local food security improves, and income streams diversify. Cosmas’ leadership is stabilizing the community’s food supply and improving diets with nutrient-rich fish. This aligns with AID-I’s broader goal to promote sustainable and scalable agricultural models.
By September 2024, the AID-I project, through IWMI’s efforts, had supported 297 fish farmers with training, market linkages, and tools for success across Northern and Luapula Provinces: creating a ripple effect of progress and also addressing Zambia’s fish supply and demand gap.The project empowers communities to adopt innovative and sustainable aquaculture practices, driving growth in fish production and ensuring a more reliable supply to meet the needs of a growing population. As fish is a critical source of protein and essential nutrients, fostering a sustainable aquaculture sector is vital for supporting Zambia’s food security and nutritional goals.
Cosmas’ journey exemplifies the power of partnerships, innovation, and resilience in driving community progress. It underscores the potential for a robust aquaculture sector in Zambia, where challenges spur solutions and success benefit entire communities. Through AID-I’s comprehensive interventions, Cosmas’ story of transformation offers a vision for sustainable development in rural Zambia, led by innovation and community empowerment.
The first harvest from the fish demonstration was attended by Mr. Sakala, District Livestock Coordinator, who was invited to observe the progress and assess the impact of the initiative (Photo : Cosmas Chachi)
As part of the CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology, the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Mechanization and Extension activity participated in the 2024 Agroecology Fairs held in Murewa and Mbire districts on September 25 and October 17, 2024, respectively. The events provided valuable platforms to collaborate with the initiative and showcase different scaling pathways for mechanization within the context of sustainable, efficient farming.
(Photo: CIMMYT)
At the Mechanization and Extension activity’s exhibition stand, visitors explored an array of machinery specifically tailored to small-scale farming needs. Among the featured equipment were basin diggers, two-wheel tractors, multi-crop threshers, chopper grinders, trailers, and peanut butter processing machines, including a groundnut sheller, peanut roaster, and peanut butter-making machine. Each piece of equipment aligns with existing activities within the initiative to demonstrate practical solutions for improving labor efficiency and enhancing crop productivity which might be needed during agroecology transitions.
The basin digger drew significant attention, especially from farmers encountering it for the first time or wanting to know more about how they could become service providers. Designed for creating basins such as those established under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa conservation agriculture program, the basin digger can significantly reduce labor and time in land preparation, especially for those with limited access to manual labor.
The service provision model: a pathway to accessible mechanization
Participants interested in the service provision model received first-hand information on the benefits of the program and how they could sign up. The service provision model is a key part of the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Mechanization and Extension activity, designed to facilitate year-round access to mechanization services in farming communities.
Through this model, trained service providers are established locally, offering a range of fee-based services, including land preparation, crop management, post-harvest processing, value addition, and transportation. This model makes essential machinery accessible to farmers without requiring them to purchase it outright. To support the establishment of service providers, three financing options are offered:
Loan facility: Prospective service providers apply for a loan from BancABC, with a 30% initial deposit of the total machinery cost. Upon approval, the balance is paid directly to the machinery supplier, who then delivers the equipment.
Hire purchase agreement: Service providers may opt for a hire purchase arrangement with the manufacturer, where machinery is provided after an agreed deposit, with the remaining balance paid over three to four months.
Outright cash purchase: Community members with funds can purchase machinery.
Strong community interest and prospects for growth
The Mechanization and Extension activity stand generated substantial interest among farmers in both districts. In Murewa, 95 participants engaged with the display, with eight potential service providers expressing interest in acquiring the peanut butter-making machine, manual groundnut sheller, and peanut roaster. Groundnut production is high in Murewa, so farmers were especially intrigued by the value addition machinery, which opens new opportunities for processing and marketing.
“As groundnut farmers, these machines will give us a business opportunity to sell peanut butter in large quantities,” said attendee Colleta Nzara of Murewa district.
“We used to lose so much money by just selling unshelled groundnuts because very few could manually process into peanut butter, but with these machines, the whole process is so much easier,” said Florence Mutize of Murewa district.
In Mbire, where 57 participants visited the stand, the basin digger was a major attraction.
“This is the first time I am seeing this machine that can ease our labor burdens when making our Pfumvudza plots,” said Jennifer Nyatande from Mbire district. “I’m eager to invest in one to both reduce costs on my farm and offer services to others.“
(Photo: CIMMYT)
The 2024 Agroecology Fairs provided an opportunity to demonstrate how mechanization can be both accessible and transformative for smallholder farmers. With growing interest from local communities, the Mechanization and Extension activity continues to work toward sustainable agricultural development across Zimbabwe’s rural districts.
Women and youth are essential drivers of agricultural and economic resilience in Zambia’s rural farming communities. However, they frequently encounter significant barriers such as restrictive social norms and inadequate access to vital resources which hinder their ability to participate fully in the economy.
Female youth sharing her views (Photo: Moono Seleketi).
Recognizing the critical roles of women and youth in shaping the present and future of Zambian agriculture, the ‘Atubandike’ approach, under CIMMYT’s USAID-funded Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub project, has been actively engaging with communities to address systemic barriers faced by these groups. This initiative combines digital tools with face-to-face interactions, creating spaces where community members can share their stories, challenges, and questions to co-create solutions.
Atubandike, which means ‘let’s have a conversation’ in the local Tongo language, was launched in Zambia in 2023 as an advisory service. The model represents a scalable, community-led approach that empowers marginalized groups, including women and youth, as active contributors and leaders in agriculture. With each interaction building upon the previous one, this ongoing work advances the broader mission of fostering inclusivity and resilience across Zambia’s agricultural sector.
To uncover and tackle the structural barriers faced by women and youth, the Atubandike team recently engaged over 1,700 farmers across 14 communities in Southern Zambia, gaining critical insights into the biases that persist in rural areas.
Stereotypes and structural barriers
The community conversations highlighted generational divides and deeply rooted stereotypes that cast youth as disengaged or disinterested in farming. Older community members opined that young people are more drawn to urban lifestyles and reluctant to take on the demanding labor associated with agriculture. One elderly farmer said: “Many youths prefer a comfortable lifestyle and quick money. They don’t have the patience for the hard work farming requires.”
In contrast, younger participants shared that this perception overlooks the genuine obstacles they face such as limited access to land, financing, training, and mentorship opportunities. They emphasized that their lack of involvement often stems from these barriers rather than a lack of motivation.
Young male farmer speaking (Photo: Moono Seleketi).
The consultations also underscored pervasive gender norms that limit women’s roles in agriculture. Despite their significant contributions to household food security, female farmers are often relegated to secondary roles, focusing on ‘women’s crops such as groundnuts, while men cultivate staple crops such as maize and cash crops such as soybean. A participant shared, “The community always perceives men as the real farmers because they are considered the heads of the household.” This perception frequently limits women’s access to critical resources and their decision-making power within the agricultural sphere.
However, through Atubandike’s sessions, communities are beginning to confront these entrenched norms, shedding light on the vital contributions of women and youth in agriculture. This shift is laying the groundwork for a more equitable approach, where both men and women, young and old, are recognized as essential to farming success and household resilience. As these conversations grow, Atubandike is paving the way for solutions that promise meaningful and lasting change for both women and youth in agriculture.
Community-driven solutions
Building youth capacity through skills and leadership: Many community members expressed a strong desire to see more youth involved in agricultural activities, emphasizing the importance of hands-on training. “We need to get the youth involved in actual farming [tasks] such as irrigation and crop management. It keeps them busy and teaches them valuable skills,” shared one local leader.
To support this vision, Atubandike is training young community members as digital champions, equipping them with both technical expertise and leadership skills that allow them to mentor their peers and encourage youth participation in agriculture. These digital champions not only extend the reach of Atubandike’s initiatives but also serve as relatable role models, inspiring other young people to engage in agriculture as well as see it as a viable and rewarding path.
Towards a more inclusive future for Zambian agriculture
The Atubandike initiative – by fostering open community dialogue, empowering digital champions, and promoting household-level collaboration – lays the foundation for a more inclusive future for Zambian agriculture. As each community engagement builds momentum, CIMMYT, through the AID-I project, creates a cycle of empowerment and growth that ensures women and youth are not only heard but also empowered to lead.
Women celebrating at community meeting (Photo: Moono Seleketi).
Amidst the challenges of erratic weather patterns and economic constraints, building resilience through cross-generational and gender-inclusive collaboration is crucial. Atubandike is addressing these geographic and social challenges and paving the way for a future where every farmer, regardless of age or gender, plays a pivotal role in Zambia’s agricultural success.
Atubandike (“Let’s Chat”) is a phygital platform co-developed by CIMMYT, Viamo, and farmers to transform agricultural information channels in Zambia’s Eastern and Southern Provinces. Through the toll-free 667 platform, 4,000 farmers – more than 50% of whom are women – access an interactive voice response (IVR) menu powered by a Viamo Database (see infographic). The platform delivers timely and engaging pre-recorded messages on climate-smart agriculture (CSA); enables farmers to ask questions, which informs content for the platform’s biweekly “talk shows” (like radio shows but on a mobile phone); and provides a space for them to share their stories as “peer farmer experiences” on the platform.
(Infographic: Eugune Mumiah, Project Milieu Group)
Atubandike’s model involves farmers as co-creators, not merely recipients, of advisory content. Their contributions are curated by a content committee – with farmer, government, and scientist representation – before being published on the 667 platform. Village-based digital champions (50% women, 42% youth aged 18-29) play a crucial role in supporting farmers’ digital skills and promoting trust in digital advisory; they also act as intermediaries between farmers and CIMMYT to address time-sensitive farming questions immediately.
The Atubandike initiative mobilizes local communities to take collective action in challenging social norms that underpin digital access divides. Through community-driven efforts, digital champions are nominated and social changemakers selected to promote inclusive access to the platform.
Together, we are advancing awareness and uptake of CSA practices to boost agricultural productivity and climate change adaptation, using on-the-ground insights to continuously refine Atubandike’s services and ensure every farmer, across the spectrum of demographic groups, thrives in today’s dynamic agricultural landscape.
My name is Mauren Govin Molen, and I am the CEO of Hot Living Horticulture, an agribusiness located on an 8-acre farm in Iringa, Tanzania. At Hot Living, we grow a variety of crops, including tomatoes, capsicum, beetroot, pepper, mint, and strawberries. My journey into agriculture began in 2021, shortly after I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social protection. At that time, I decided to pursue a different path from what I had studied and work in agriculture.
Maureen Govin Molen, CEO of Hot Living Horticulture, on her tomato field in Iringa, Tanzania (Photo: CIMMYT)
Since then, horticulture has become my passion, and I have been actively involved in it for the past several years. Hot Living has grown significantly, and in 2024, I was fortunate to be awarded a grant-winning prize through Feed the Future’s PSSA (Private Sector Strengthening Activity) and the Tanzania Imarisha Sekta Binafsi (Private Sector Strengthening) initiative. This opportunity was a turning point for me and my business.
I applied for the grant in early June, went for the interview in Jombe, and was selected as one of the beneficiaries. The grant allowed me to acquire essential equipment for my farm, such as trays, crates, trolleys, shade nets, and spray pumps. For example, I now have 150 trays for seedling production in the nursery and 50 crates for deliveries and harvesting peppers, which have greatly improved our operations. The spray pumps are essential for my day-to-day farming activities, and the trolleys make it easier to transport fertilizers.
Perhaps the most transformative addition has been the shade net. I already had one greenhouse, but with the addition of a second shade net, I can now double production to meet high customer demand. This expansion allows me to grow more crops, including tomatoes, of which we harvest around 400 crates per month, and capsicum, yielding up to 212-220 kg per month. However, demand often exceeds our supply capacity, especially from large hotel clients, who request 300-500 kg per week. Currently, we can only fulfill these requests on a monthly basis, focusing on meeting demand from the broader market.
Maureen Govin Molen, CEO of Hot Living Horticulture, on her tomato field in Iringa, Tanzania (Photo: CIMMYT)
Overcoming Challenges and Building Capacity
Running an agribusiness is not without its challenges. Weather, particularly during the rainy season, poses a significant threat to our crops. Flooding is common on our farm, and without proper infrastructure like drainage systems, our crops are often damaged. Pests are another major issue, especially in the rainy season, requiring constant management.
Despite these challenges, having the right equipment and resources has made a significant difference. The grant I received has accelerated the growth of my farm, enabling me to employ more young people to support production and operations. With new tools, I’ve been able to increase capsicum production, nurture seedlings, and create new business opportunities by starting a seedling nursery.
Future Plans: Nurturing Seedlings and Expanding Operations
One of my long-term goals is to establish my own seedling nursery. In Iringa, many farmers buy seed directly from suppliers, but not all varieties are readily available. I see an opportunity to offer a service where farmers can either buy seeds from me, which I will nurture until they are ready to plant, or bring their own seeds, which I will grow to the transplanting stage. Each option would be priced differently, depending on whether I provide the seeds or simply nurture them to the planting stage.
This venture will not only provide farmers with access to quality seedlings but will also generate additional income for Hot Living.
Maureen Govin tends to young seedlings in her nursery at her farm (Photo: CIMMYT)
Empowering the Community and Encouraging Youth
I am proud that Hot Living Horticulture has become a learning hub for smallholder farmers and local youth. Farmers often visit our farm to learn about modern agricultural practices, such as drip irrigation and greenhouse crop management. Very few farmers in Iringa have greenhouses, so they come here to explore how agriculture can be practiced efficiently in this environment. They also gain skills in nurturing seedlings from early growth stages to harvest.
We also invite agronomists to connect farmers with others, fostering a network of knowledge sharing and innovation. This collaboration has made our farm a center for agricultural learning and community development.
I strongly encourage young people to consider farming. After graduation, many young people focus on seeking employment, but the reality is that not everyone will secure a job. Agriculture presents a unique path to self-employment and entrepreneurship. The demand for agricultural products is high, and agriculture remains the backbone of our country. By focusing on agriculture, we not only provide healthy food to our communities but also contribute to environmental conservation, create economic opportunities, and promote mental well-being through the calming nature of farm work.
A Grateful Future Ahead
I extend my gratitude to the AID-I project for its support in accelerating my growth. The grant provided the resources I needed to expand my farm, boost production, and create employment opportunities for others.
I now have the tools to streamline my operations—from irrigation systems to crates and trays that make my daily work more efficient. This support has enabled me to think beyond simply growing crops. I now have the ambition to expand my operations, create more job opportunities, and make a lasting impact on the agricultural sector.
Looking ahead, I hope to add more greenhouses, which will allow me to produce crops multiple times a year and better meet the growing demand from my customers. I also plan to reinvest my income in purchasing additional parcels of land to expand my farm further.
Hot Living Horticulture is more than just a farm; it’s a symbol of growth, community, and sustainability. I am excited about what the future holds and look forward to continuing this journey—not only for myself but also for the many people who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Maureen Govin in discussion with partners and stakeholders of the AID-I project at her farm in Iringa, Tanzania (Photo: CIMMYT)
Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub
The Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub supports up to three million African smallholder farmers by enhancing soil health, improving fertilizer management, and strengthening local seed systems. Additionally, AID-I connects farmers to financial services and provides essential extension and advisory assistance. The initiative ensures that smallholder farmers in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia have access to the information and innovations necessary to increase productivity and resilience. By equipping farmers with tools and knowledge to cope with climate change and economic challenges, AID-I plays a vital role in enhancing their livelihoods.
Through strengthening rural-urban linkages and building national capacity for value chain development, AID-I, funded by USAID through the Feed the Future initiative and implemented by CIMMYT, supports farmers like Maureen Govin Molen in building sustainable and thriving agribusinesses. With its collaborative and holistic approach, the initiative promotes co-ownership and long-term sustainability, transforming agriculture across Southern Africa and empowering communities to achieve greater prosperity.
MoU signing event between Nepal and Bangladesh seed companies (Photo: Sirish Shrestha/CIMMYT)
In August 2024, four Nepalese seed companies and six international seed companies from India, Bangladesh, Japan and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for custom seed production of cereals and vegetables in Nepal, opening up game-changing economic opportunities in South Asia. This agreement will allow international seed companies to produce seed in a suitable agroecology in Nepal and export to international markets. To support this, the Government of Nepal has agreed to exempt variety registration for export-oriented custom seed production and expedite the process with added incentives to attract more international seed companies. This move aims to position Nepal as a future regional seed production hub.
The conference attracted over 150 participants from 11 countries, including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Japan, Kenya, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, and the USA, representing research centers, civil society organizations, private seed companies, and national agricultural research systems (NARS). The event was organized under the USAID’s Nepal Seed and Fertilizer (NSAF) project which aims to foster Nepal’s seed market systems through the enhancement of stakeholders’ capacity in seed research, quality seed production, as well as the creation of an enabling environment that links seed companies with input and output markets.
Enhancing seed market systems in South Asia
The MoU is expected to enhance the seed market system in the region, create new economic opportunities for Nepal, boost agricultural exports, and generate income for farmers. It will also facilitate the transfer of advanced seed technology and foster stronger partnerships between seed companies in the region and beyond. Mr. M Anis Ud Dowla, Board Chairman of Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Limited, one of the largest business conglomerates in Bangladesh, expressed optimism about the partnership, citing Nepal’s favorable conditions for producing seeds of cool-season crops and the potential benefits for farmers in Nepal and Bangladesh.
In addition, ACI signed MoUs with Gorkha Seed Company and SEAN Seed Service Center, for the production of cereals and vegetable seeds, demonstrating growing confidence in Nepal’s seed sector where CIMMYT and its partners played a key role to enhance the capacity of the seed stakeholders for the past several years. “About 10 or 12 years ago, I had the opportunity to interact with the seed stakeholders in Nepal and at that time the seed sector was not viable, and the role of the private sector was insignificant. Now, I am impressed to see such seed sector transformation initiatives in Nepal,” says Manesh Patel, President of Asia and Pacific Seed Association (APSA) while acknowledging the effort made by CIMMYT and other seed stakeholders. He added that “it is time for Nepalese private seed companies to become a member of APSA to leverage regional opportunities.”
Untapped potential
Nepal’s diverse agroecology, encompassing tropical, subtropical, and temperate environments, provides an ideal condition for seed production of cereals, fruits, and vegetables. However, this potential remains largely untapped due to limitations within the country’s formal seed sector. The informal system dominates, leaving farmers with insufficient access to quality seeds. In 2023, the formal sector only met 25% of the total 180,000 metric ton requirement for cereal seeds. Consequently, Nepal heavily relies on imported seeds, particularly hybrid varieties of rice and maize, costing nearly half a billion dollars annually when accounting for both cereal seeds and grain imports.
Several factors hinder the development of Nepal’s seed sector: limited availability of high-yielding varieties that are tolerant to major biotic and abiotic stresses; a lack of farmer awareness regarding quality certified seeds and modern technologies; inadequate infrastructure for improved storage and road access; vulnerability to climate change impacts; insufficient incentives for private sector investment; and limited human and institutional capacity across the seed value chain.
To tackle these challenges and seize opportunities, the Government of Nepal has outlined key interventions through the National Seed Policy, National Seed Vision, and Agricultural Development Strategy (ADS). These policies aim to create seed roadmaps and foster an enabling environment to attract private sector participation. Recently, the government of Nepal approved the issuance of research and development licenses to private seed companies, allowing them to develop and deploy new seed varieties. Collaborative efforts by the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Seed Quality Control Center (SQCC), and CIMMYT under the USAID-supported Nepal Seed and Fertilizer (NSAF) project are also leading to local seed companies producing hybrid seeds for rice, maize, and vegetables across various districts. However, this is at budding stage, and it needs to be scaled up further.
The nexus of seed security and resilient agrifood systems
The interplay between seed security and resilient agrifood systems is crucial for enhancing food security, particularly amidst climate change and global challenges. This relationship underscores the importance of robust seed systems that can adapt to various stresses while ensuring sustainable food production. “Seed systems are complex networks involving farmers, seed companies, service providers, and authorities, all working together to ensure high-yielding and resilient seeds reach farmers’ fields as quickly as possible,” said Bram Govaerts, Director General of CIMMYT, while addressing conference participants. He further emphasized that demand-oriented and effective seed systems help to harness the benefits of crop improvement.
The conference brought together prominent figures from South Asia and beyond, who shared their insights. “A well-functioning seed system guarantees seed security for all farmers,” noted BM Prasanna, Director of the Global Maize Program at CIMMYT, during his keynote address. He highlighted the critical nexus between seed security and resilient agrifood systems, emphasizing the need for technical, organizational, and institutional innovations. Prasanna also called for continuous public-private-producer collaboration to develop and strengthen seed systems in the global south.
Linking global and regional seed industry practices to fit into local conditions
The Hon. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Nepal, Ram Nath Adhikari, inaugurated the conference, welcoming delegates and emphasizing the event’s significance to Nepal’s agricultural sector. Benu Prasad Prasai, Chief of SQCC, shared emerging trends in Nepal’s seed industry, highlighting efforts to engage the private sector and reduce seed import dependency. “We need to harmonize and link seed policies across South Asia and beyond to fully capture the benefits of plant breeding gains,” said Prasai, while emphasizing Nepal’s potential for seed business and investment. Dyutiman Choudhary, NSAF project lead, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of international and regional partnerships in developing a vibrant seed market. He highlighted the need for enabling seed policies and regulations that facilitate market system development.
The discussions resulted in high-level recommendations to further augment Nepal’s seed sector: strengthening public-private partnerships in research and development to transform Nepal’s seed industry into a viable, resilient, and sustainable seed system; collaboration with foreign counterparts for joint research and technology exchange is vital to strengthening Nepal’s seed R&D and promoting custom seed production; legal frameworks must be developed and executed to create an enabling environment that strengthens public and private sector seed R&D efforts.
Panel discussion on creating an enabling environment for private sector engagement in seed and varietal R&D (Photo: Sirish Shrestha/CIMMYT)Official opening session of the International Seed Conference in Nepal (Photo: Deepa Woli/CIMMYT).
CIMMYT, through the USAID-funded Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS) program, empowers farmers and herders to reduce their reliance on humanitarian assistance, even in conflict-affected Sudan, where over 10 million people have been displaced and livelihoods across the country have been severely impacted. Improving agricultural value chains and agribusiness development is one of the five broad intervention areas of the SASAS program.
Several SASAS program partners support agribusiness development by working directly with micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which act as intermediaries between large firms and smallholder farmers, facilitating farmers’ access to inputs and promoting national food security. The critical role and challenges faced by agricultural MSMEs have been exacerbated by the ongoing civil war in Sudan. Due to pre-existing gender norms, the impact may differ between women and men entrepreneurs. SASAS implementing partners urgently need up-to-date, ground-level insights into the key business challenges. This includes understanding which businesses are existing and why, identifying promising and actionable coping strategies adopted by agrifood entrepreneurs, and capturing MSME owners’ perspectives on the priority interventions needed to support them.
To provide SASAS partners with critical evidence to inform their development activities with agricultural MSMEs, a team of CIMMYT researchers conducted semi-structured interviews in May 2024 with 20 women and 20 men agrifood enterprise owners residing in Kassala and Gadarif states. The findings from this research were documented in reports. The next phase of the CIMMYT team’s participatory action research focused on holding results dissemination meetings in each of the two states. The purpose of these meetings was to share study findings with research participants and SASAS partners, Mercy Corps and Practical Action, and provide an opportunity for feedback. This feedback helps clarify and validate the study findings and is central to the CIMMYT team’s approach to generating nuanced, contextually based lessons that inform the programming of SASAS partners working with agribusinesses.
Attendance at results dissemination meetings and perceptions of participants
The results dissemination meetings brought together SASAS development partners and MSME owners (research participants). In Kassala, 20 agrifood entrepreneurs (10 women and 10 men), along with several representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), and local Kassala communities, attended the meeting. CIMMYT’s partner, Practical Action, co-organized the session. In Gadarif, 13 agrifood entrepreneurs (10 women and 3 men) were joined by representatives from the MoA and local community leaders for the results dissemination meeting, hosted by CIMMYT’s partner Mercy Corps. Participants in both states engaged actively in open discussions about the research findings, offering valuable feedback, while also helping to validate and refine the results.
Participants in the research results dissemination meeting –in Kassala actively participate in the group work (Photo: Mohamed Abdulmajid/CIMMYT)
After introductions and an icebreaker, the results dissemination meetings turned into a brief presentation of key study findings facilitated by CIMMYT’s MEL consultant, Mudar Ahmed. Participants in both meetings listened intently, and their initial feedback conveyed the relevance of the study results to their lives. For instance, when asked about the applicability of the study findings, one participant in Kassala said, “The research on the impact of war on women and men agrifood entrepreneurs is valuable as it gathers various perspectives on how war has affected our work, outlines the challenges we face, identifies coping mechanisms, and offers suggestions to overcome the current bottleneck.”
Social norms influencing women’s and men’s participation in the agrifood sector
One of the factors influencing CIMMYT’s selection of Gadarif and Kassala states as study sites, aside from the relatively stable security situation and concentration of agrifood enterprises, was the interesting contrast the two states offer in terms of women’s participation in the labor market and (agricultural) business operation, with women in Gadarif generally being more active. During the meetings, participants were asked to elaborate on these gender dynamics and how they play out in their lives.
A female participant in Kassala state explained this regional difference in gendered agricultural roles and shared insights into how and why it is changing over time, “In Gadarif most of the agricultural activities are rainfed and farms are in remote areas, limiting the number of women in cultivation activities. However, more and more women cooperatives are active in agriculture and many of them get loans from funding institutions and receive technical support from women’s empowerment institutions. The main challenge that hinders more women from participating in agricultural activities in Gadarif is that rainfed cultivation requires a lot of financial resources that women cannot access. In Kassala, although the community is more conservative and many believe that women need to stay at home and not to go out for work, more and more women are active in agricultural activities, including manual weed control and harvesting. Now thousands of women in Kassala are active in vegetable production and processing like drying okra and onions.”
Participants further explained that while there are differences in occupational gender dynamics in different states, in general, women farmers in Sudan face major barriers to agricultural entrepreneurship regardless of location. However, some highlighted ongoing improvements towards gender equality. A female participant in Gadarif had this to say: “Most agricultural land is inherited or assigned by authorities, often excluding women from ownership. However, as more women become active agrifood entrepreneurs, many have purchased farms, and several women’s cooperatives have gained access to these lands.”
Participants in the results dissemination meeting in Gadarif (Photo: Mohamed Abdulmajid/CIMMYT)
War-related challenges to daily business operations
One of the top discussion points at the meetings, was the war-related challenges to participants’ daily business operations.
A male agricultural input dealer in Gadarif noted, “Since the conflict began, prices for agricultural inputs have soared and availability has decreased, leaving us without funding and diminished profits. Many of our customers have exited agriculture and stopped purchasing from us, resulting in significant stagnation. To mitigate the adverse effects of the war on our business, we have sought joint ventures with other dealers to cut operational costs and are looking for funding to revive our operations.”
A female agrifood entrepreneur in Kassala described how internal displacement during the war has strained her business, driven by a sense of obligation to help those most in need “Due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, hundreds of thousands of displaced people resorted to Kassala state seeking safety and work opportunities. However, the limited housing capacity in the town forced many displaced people to shelter on farms limiting our cultivation activities. As vegetables and fruit producers, we had to give some of our yields freely to these vulnerable displaced people.”
A participant sharing his view during a group discussion in Gadarif (Photo: Mohamed Abdulmajid/CIMMYT)
War-related financial challenges
Participants discussed how the ongoing conflict has impacted access to finance, cash flow, and overall business sustainability. They highlighted several challenges, including the loss of assets, difficulties in accessing loans, and shifts in market dynamics caused by the war. In both Kassala and Gadarif, discussions emphasized the rising prices, which have directly affected their businesses and personal lives.
A common issue raised was the lack of adequate financial assistance, largely due to the suspension of financial aid projects that previously provided grants or microfinance through various institutions. Participants in Kassala proposed forming partnerships with institutions that could offer funding opportunities as a potential solution. Meanwhile, participants in Gadarif suggested creating small savings funds to meet the needs of the most vulnerable by offering credit opportunities within the community.
War-related non-financial challenges
Participants in this group discussed the broader non-financial impacts of the ongoing conflict, focusing on issues such as displacement, lack of infrastructure, and psychological stress. They shared personal experiences and explained how these challenges have negatively impacted business operations and development.
In Kassala, one of the key issues raised was the suspension of education, which has left thousands of students out of school. This directly affected businesses involved in food production and marketing to students. Another major challenge discussed was the increased competition in the labor market, exacerbated by the influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Participants suggested that small NGOs should provide more support to herders and called for government intervention to address the education crisis.
In Gadarif, the group discussed security concerns that have made it difficult to conduct business operations or even move around the area safely. They also noted the strain on basic services due to the influx of IDPs, which has led to overpopulation of the state. As solutions, participants emphasized the need for an end to the conflict, improved security, and better services to address the IDP crisis and strengthen basic infrastructure and social services.
Future business plans and needs
At the results dissemination meetings, agrifood entrepreneurs openly discussed how the ongoing conflict has affected their business expansion plans. As one male participant in Kassala state noted, “Our growth plans have been severely affected by the current economic situation, as many financial institutions are no longer operating, the operational and fuel costs are high, our marketing areas have shrunk, we face competition from new businesses established by displaced people, and public services such as electricity, water, and transportation are under increased demand.”
While most participants agreed that the conflict has created significant challenges, some meeting participants described opportunities that have arisen for local agrifood entrepreneurs during the current civil war in Sudan. For example, some participants described how internally displaced farmers have begun to cultivate in Gadarif and Kassala, creating a moderate demand for agricultural inputs that has benefited agribusinesses. It was also noted that displaced entrepreneurs have started new businesses in the two states, which, in addition to financial and other support from international NGOs, has facilitated the acquisition of new skills and technologies, including solar systems for processing agricultural products. Finally, one participant explained that the conflict has made entrepreneurs become more agile. These observations provide examples of human resilience and document how growth can persist even under the most challenging circumstances.
A participant shares the findings from a group discussion about the Impact of War on Women and Men Agrifood Entrepreneurs Research (Photo: Mohamed Abdulmajid/CIMMYT)
In the sleepy village of Mshewe in Tanzania’s Mbeya District, a group of women is quietly revolutionizing their community through a powerful blend of agricultural entrepreneurship and social transformation. Since its inception in 2010, the Zinduka Women group has grown from a collective of women survivors of gender-based violence to an inspiring force for change that is uplifting families and challenging societal norms.
Empowerment through economic independence is at the heart of their mission, and their name “Zinduka”— a Swahili word meaning “to wake up, come to one’s senses, or gain consciousness,”—aptly describes the group’s journey. Supported by the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) project, these women have moved beyond the shadows of their past to redefine their future. Today, they stand as role models, not only in agriculture but as champions of women’s empowerment.
From Beans to Big Dreams
Since their inception in 2010, the women of Zinduka have faced the challenges of limited yields and outdated farming methods. Taking a leap of faith, they sought out partnerships that could provide them with the necessary tools and training. Collaborating with the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the women embarked on an ambitious two-year journey of modern agricultural training, transforming their humble bean farm into a scalable, profitable venture. By adopting improved seed varieties like the Zinc and iron-rich Jesca beans, the group saw their yields soar from 120 kg to over 500 kg per hectare—a testament to the power of education and perseverance.
Witness Kayanga, the group’s chairperson, recalls the turning point for the women of Zinduka: ‘We realized that to break the cycle of poverty and oppression, we needed more than just hard work; we needed knowledge and resources. That’s when things started to change.’
Innovation Meets Empowerment
With support from USAID, through CIMMYT’s AID-I project, the Zinduka Women’s Group has made remarkable progress. Today, 11 of the 38 group members are Quality Declared Seed (QDS) producers, enabling them to contribute to local food security by producing high-quality seeds while also generating a sustainable income. The group has also received a production machine that has significantly improved their efficiency. When not in use by the group, the machine is rented out to others in the community, creating an additional revenue stream.
The group’s association with NMB Bank has given them access to credit facilities that have strengthened their financial position. Furthermore, the acquisition of a digital weighing scale has brought much-needed precision to their work. These developments have enabled them to expand their business, and the impact is visible not only in their increased earnings but also in their confidence. One group member proudly shared, ‘We used to face heavy losses as some traders exploited us by using tampered tins, causing us to sell more grain for less. Now, we are more than just farmers; we are businesswomen.’
This support has empowered the Zinduka Women’s Group to not only improve their agricultural output but also elevate their standing in the community as businesswomen.
Recognizing the untapped potential for value-added products, they began producing bean flour, cakes, and pastries, which quickly gained popularity in their village and beyond. Bean flour has emerged as a healthier, more nutritious alternative, leading to an increase in demand within Mshewe. As part of their forward-thinking approach, the Zinduka Women’s Group is now exploring the introduction of premium packaging for their high-zinc and iron-rich Jesca beans. This differentiation will enable them to command higher prices in the market, further increasing their profitability and sustainability.
The group still needs more support in terms of access to capital and mechanization, as their production scale increases and so does their reliance on equipment and market linkages. Efficiently matching seed supply with market demand remains critical to avoid the risk of selling valuable seed stocks as regular grain. Nonetheless, their progress is a testament to how access to training, tools, and financial services can transform the lives of smallholder farmers and strengthen local food systems.
Beyond Agriculture: A Beacon for Women’s Rights
While the Zinduka Women Group’s agricultural success is impressive, it is their role as advocates for gender equality that truly sets them apart. Most members have overcome significant personal trauma, using their economic success as a shield against future abuse. The group’s work is now seen as a model for integrating gender empowerment into rural development.
Not only are they transforming their own lives, but they are actively mentoring other women and youth in the region, amplifying their impact. Their success has attracted attention from various organizations, keen to replicate their model of combining agricultural innovation with social change.
A Future Built on Partnership and Hope
USAID’s support has unlocked a future of potential for the women’s group. By equipping them with the tools to succeed in agriculture and beyond, the foundation has been laid for sustainable growth, not only for the Zinduka Women’s Group but for the entire community.
South Asia, a region heavily impacted by climate change, faces rising temperatures, erratic monsoon rains causing intermittent drought and excessive moisture within the season, and frequent episodes of heat waves. These extreme weather events are challenging agrarian practices and affecting millions, especially smallholder farmers dependent upon rainfed cultivations. The halcyon days of consistent environmental conditions are gone, and adaptation and mitigation strategies have become essential in South Asia.
In May 2024, over 20 districts in the Terai region of Nepal and many parts of northern India recorded maximum temperatures between 40°C and 45°C, with several districts also experiencing heat waves during the same period. The temperature rise is not limited to the lowland plains; the effects are also being felt in the mountains, where rapid snowmelt is becoming increasingly common. In the Hindu Kush Himalayas region of Pakistan, farmers have had to shift their cropping cycles by a month to cope with drought stress caused by rising temperatures, which are leading to the early melting of snow in the region.
Partners in South Asia visiting heat stress tolerant hybrids demonstration in Nepal (Photo: CIMMYT-Nepal)
Collaborating to rise above the challenge
Amid the growing climate crisis, the Heat Stress Tolerant Maize for Asia (HTMA) project was launched by CIMMYT in 2012, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Feed the Future initiative of the U.S. Government. The overarching goal of the HTMA project was to help farm families, particularly maize growers, to adapt to the impacts of soaring heat on maize productivity in South Asia. The project was implemented in partnership with 28 public and private sector stakeholders across the region and beyond to develop a multipronged approach to overcoming these challenges.
“Our aim is to develop and deploy maize hybrids with high yield potential and possess traits resilient to heat and drought stresses,” said P.H. Zaidi, Principal Scientist, and HTMA project lead at CIMMYT. Zaidi noted that during heat stress “high temperatures alone are not the only limiting factor- it is the combination of high temperature with low atmospheric humidity (high vapor pressure deficit), that creates a “killer combination” for maize production in the Asian tropics.”
This was also emphasized in a recently published article that he co-authored.
The development of heat stress-tolerant maize involves the use of cutting-edge breeding tools and methods, including genomics-assisted breeding, double haploidy, field-based precision phenotyping, and trait-based selection. Over 20 such hybrids have been officially released in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Bhutan. Between 2023 and 2024, over 2,500 metric tons of seed from these hybrids were distributed to farmers, helping them beat the heat.
Agile partnerships-from discovery to scaling
The first phase of the project (2012-2017) focused on discovering heat-tolerant maize varieties. During this time, pipeline products underwent field evaluations in stress-prone environments, leveraging the project’s product evaluation network of public and private partners, who contributed by managing trials and generating performance data. In the second phase (2018-2023), the focus shifted toward the deployment and scaling of heat-tolerant hybrids and strengthening seed systems in target countries to enable large-scale delivery, benefiting millions of farm families, particularly in South Asia’s rainfed ecologies. For example, the seed produced in 2023-2024 sufficed to cover over 125,000 hectares and benefited nearly 2.5 million people in the region.
HTMA project partners gathered in Nepal for the annual and project closure meeting (Photo-CIMMYT-Nepal)
Hailu Tefera, from USAID, praised the project’s success during the annual review and project closure meeting held in Nepal from August 21-22, 2024. “We have seen great strides in scaling heat stress tolerant hybrids in the region. This initiative aligns with the US Government’s Global Food Security Strategy, where building farmers’ resilience to shocks and climate vulnerability is central,” said Tefera, acknowledging the adaptive and agile partnership demonstrated by the project’s partners throughout HTMA’s discovery and scaling phases.
One of the project’s key achievements was creating a multi-stakeholder platform and leveraging resources across the region. Partners, including national agricultural research systems, seed companies, and higher learning institutes, expanded the project’s impact. “The collaboration we fostered under the HTMA project is a working example of effective partnerships,” said B.M. Prasanna, Director of CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program. He highlighted how synergies with other developmental projects in the region, especially projects supported by the USAID country mission in Nepal helped launch local hybrid seed production, transforming the country from a net importer of hybrid maize seeds to producing locally in just a few years, and such seeds of resilience cover nearly 10,000 hectares in 2023/24 alone. Using heat tolerant (HT) maize seed allows smallholder farmers to harvest nearly one metric ton per hectare additional yield than normal maize under stress conditions.
The value of the seed these new hybrids was validated by adopter farmers who grow maize in stress-vulnerable ecologies by expressing their willingness to pay a premium price for HT hybrid seed as per the study conducted in Nepal and India. “The spillover effect of the project is helping countries like Bhutan to strengthen their seed systems and initiate hybrid seed production for the first time,” added Prasanna, expressing gratitude to USAID and all project partners.
The salient achievements of the project, including technical know-how, outputs, outcomes, and learnings were compiled as an infographic, titled “HTML Tool‘‘ and it was formally released by Narahari Prasad Ghimire, Director General of the Department of Agriculture, Government of Nepal, during the HTMA meeting in Nepal.
Rewarding achievement
Subash Raj Upadhyay, Managing Director of Lumbini Seed Company in Nepal, recalls the early days of producing heat stress-tolerant hybrid maize seed in Nepal, which began in 2018. “Our journey started with just one hectare of seed production in 2018 and 2019, and we expanded to 30 hectares by 2022. This was the first time that we started hybrid maize seed production in Nepal, specifically RH-10, a heat stress tolerant hybrid from CIMMYT, released by the National Maize Research Program of Nepal. The support of USAID’s projects like the Nepal seed and fertilizer project was crucial for our success,” said Upadhyay, who was among the award recipients for setting a potent example in scaling up heat stress-tolerant hybrids.
HTMA TOOL- an infographic launched during the meeting (Photo-CIMMYT Nepal)
In addition to Lumbini Seed Company, Jullundur Seed Private Limited Company in Pakistan was also recognized for its efforts in seed scaling. The National Maize Research Program of Nepal and the University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, India, were acknowledged for their rewarding achievement in research and development during the project period.
“The recognition exemplifies the public-private partnership that we demonstrated under the HTMA project, where the public sector mainly focused on strategic research and product development, and seed companies took charge of seed delivery and scaling,” said Zaidi during the project’s phaseout meeting in Nepal, attended by over 60 participants from the project’s target and spillover countries. “Such partnership models need to be strengthened and replicated in other projects. It is important to consolidate the gains and maintain the momentum of the HTMA project in the years to come to benefit millions of smallholder farmers,” echoed Prasanna, who presented certificates of recognition to the partners in the presence of USAID representatives, senior government officials from Nepal and project partners from South Asia and beyond.
Partners at the AID-I exhibition booth (Photo: CIMMYT)
In Tanzania, the first week of August is all about agriculture. From August 1 to 8, agricultural fairs, also known as Nane Nanefairs, are held all over the country to recognize the contribution of farmers to the national economy. ‘Nane Nane’ in the local language means ‘eight eight,’ referring to August 8, which is celebrated as Farmers Day in the country.
Organized by the Agricultural Society of Tanzania, these fairs serve as a landmark event for agricultural stakeholders across the region. This year, the 31st edition of the fair was organized at the Nzuguni grounds in Dodoma. It saw 500 exhibitors, including smallholder farmers, agricultural enterprises, public and private sector entities, and government officials.
Themed ‘Embrace Visionary Leadership for Agricultural Transformation,’ the event emphasized the need for leadership commitment to sustainable agriculture, while highlighting the critical role of agriculture in Tanzania’s economic growth and food security.
TheSouthern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I), funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by CIMMYT, along with several partners, played a prominent role at this year’s fair. In addition to raising awareness of the innovative work being done, the fair provided a platform for AID-I and its partners to showcase a range of innovative agricultural technologies designed to address the specific needs of Tanzanian farmers. The event also enabled AID-I and its partners to interact directly with farmers and entrepreneurs, resulting in valuable feedback.
Celebrating the Success of AID-I Beneficiaries at Nane Nane
The Nane Nane fair was more than just a display of agricultural technologies. It was also a celebration of the successes of local entrepreneurs who had benefited from AID-I’s support.
Among them was Sarah Mashauri, an entrepreneur from the Tabora region, who ventured into the business world by producing and selling maize flour, both wholesale and retail. Starting with only one sack of maize and a loan of 100,000 Tanzanian shillings (approximately US$36), Sarah faced numerous obstacles, including regulatory challenges that resulted in the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority confiscating her items. The AID-I project recognized her potential and resilience. She was equipped with a milling and dehulling machine, which significantly improved her business. “Before the AID-I project came into my life, I was struggling on my own,” she said. “The support, coupled with the extensive training they provided, enabled me to scale up my operations. I went from employing seven people to 35, and my business expanded significantly. I am now able to source raw materials easily from small-scale farmers, thanks to the networks and training provided by AID-I.”
Agatha Laiza, managing director of Seasoning Palate, a food products company operating under the brand name Tobi Product in Dar es Salaam, is another entrepreneur who benefited from AID-I’s support. Agatha specializes in peanut butter, crunchy nuts, and peanut oil. Her journey began in 1996 with a focus on food product processing. She later realized the potential in peanut production and shifted to adding value to peanuts, while also addressing the critical issue of aflatoxin contamination. With support from AID-I, Agatha was able to build solar dryers for farmers and provide them with high-quality seeds, significantly reducing the risk of aflatoxin in their crops. “The support from USAID, CIMMYT, and AID-I has been invaluable,” Agatha said. “They have helped us build confidence among our farmers, reducing ground nut loss and ensuring safe, quality produce. Our factory, which can process up to three tons of peanuts daily, now operates more efficiently and our products are safer and more reliable.”
Aithan Chaula, executive director of the Dodoma Agriculture Seed Production Association (DASPA), also benefited from the AID-I project’s support. Since beginning pigeon pea production in 2022, DASPA saw substantial growth in demand for pigeon pea seeds, partnering with ALSSEM, a local seed production company.
DASPA expanded its operations to produce quality declared seeds (QDS) and certified seeds, catering to a growing market. Aithan attributed their success to the strategic support from AID-I and partnerships with organizations such as CIMMYT and ALSSEM. “The collaboration allowed us to expand our production capabilities and reach more farmers across various regions,” he said. DASPA is currently working with approximately 20,000 farmers and plans to increase this number by distributing small seed packs and conducting field demonstrations.
“This year at Nane Nane, we were able to distribute small packs of pigeon pea seeds to approximately 1,200 farmers to plant and farm,” said Aithan. “This effort, supported by AID-I, ensures that pigeon pea cultivation becomes well-known and widely adopted by farmers, contributing to both food security and income generation.”
The U.SA Ambassador to Tanzania interacting with exhibitors at the AID-I exhibition booth (Photo: CIMMYT)
Dr. Michael A. Battle Sr., the United States Ambassador to Tanzania, paid a visit to the AID-I exhibition booth. He engaged with AID-I representatives and the exhibitors, praising their innovative efforts to advance climate-smart agriculture and enhance food security. “It’s a joy to be participating in Nane Nane, particularly because USAID is interested in assisting Tanzania not only to become food secure but also to help with East Africa’s food security and ultimately the continent’s food security,” said Ambassador Battle Sr. He added that it was fulfilling to see the entire value chain of agriculture and agribusiness involving young people and old people engaged in the process of making Tanzania wealthier and more food secure.
For AID-I and its partners, the fair was a crucial opportunity to highlight ongoing initiatives and foster new partnerships. Peter Setimela, the Legume Seed Systems lead for AID-I, emphasized the importance of such events. “Our work in accelerating innovative technologies and ensuring they reach the farmers is reliant on strong partnerships. We bring these technologies to farmers by strengthening local seed systems, connecting farmers to financial services and products, and providing advisory services,” he said.
As the summer cultivation season began in May 2024, Fatima Hassan, a 52-year-old farmer from New Halfa, Kassala State, in eastern Sudan, faced an uncertain future. Like thousands of other farmers in her region, Fatima lacked the financial means to purchase seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, or even hire a tractor. The ongoing armed conflict in Sudan had severely disrupted agricultural activities, leaving farmers without the necessary resources to cultivate their land.
‘When I learned about the Sudan Food Security Initiative (SFSI), I was extremely happy. The support from the initiative has given me and my family renewed hope,’ Fatima said while tending to her groundnut farm.”
Fatima Hassan weeds her groundnut field cultivated with support from the SFSI. (Photo credit: Suliman Fadlalla/CIMMYT)
Under the aegis of the SASAS program, the USAID-funded SFSI was launched in May 2024 in response to Sudan’s food security challenges. Targeting over 50,000 farmers in the New Halfa scheme, the initiative aims to strengthen resilient food production systems by providing significantly subsidized agricultural inputs and technologies, ensuring that farmers can sustain and enhance their farming practices despite the ongoing conflict in the region.
Hamid Rahama expresses his gratitude to the tractor driver ploughing his land in New Halfa as part of the SFSI. (Photo credit: Suliman Fadlalla/CIMMYT)
Sowing seeds of optimism
‘Support from SASAS came at a critical time as the armed conflict spread into new areas across the country, de-risking the crucial summer planting season. Through the SFSI, we are enabling farmers to adopt improved technologies and inputs at more affordable rates, thereby enhancing Sudan’s domestic food production,’ said SASAS Program Chief of Party Abdelrahman Kheir.
The SFSI provides each farmer with a 70% subsidy on a comprehensive package that includes land preparation for 0.42 hectares (ha), improved seeds for groundnut and sorghum, crop protection supplies, fertilizers, and agricultural advisory services. This initiative has already resulted in the planting of 14,568 ha of sorghum and 5,882 ha of groundnut. The crops are showing promising signs, with germination progressing well across all cultivated areas.
‘We had lost all hope of benefiting during this cultivation season. The subsidized land preparation, seed purchase, and other inputs have given us a lifeline. In the past, I was not able to buy fertilizers and herbicides, so my sorghum production was poor. This time things have changed dramatically, and we are well-equipped for a good cultivation season,’ said Hamid Rahama, a farmer from northern Halfa. Hamid echoes the optimism shared by many farmers in the region.”
Focus on a sustainable and food secure ecosystem
One of the most significant aspects of the initiative is its focus on building a sustainable seed production system. In partnership with 120 farmers and a private seed company, 252 ha (189 ha of sorghum and 63 ha of groundnut) were established for seed production in New Halfa. The initiative is projected to yield 360 metric tons (t) of sorghum and 270 t of groundnut seeds, thereby enhancing the resilience of the local agricultural ecosystem.
The anticipated yields from these efforts instill a much-needed optimism in an otherwise challenging situation. For groundnuts, the expected yield is 4.5 t/ha, resulting in an output of 26,000 t, enough to meet the nutritional needs of over 1.2 million people. Likewise, the sorghum harvest is projected to reach 54,000 t, providing sustenance for approximately 720,000 people.
An agricultural expert from SASAS inspects the growth of groundnuts cultivated under the SFSI in New Halfa. (Photo credit: Suliman Fadlalla/CIMMYT)A farmer inspects the growth of his sorghum field in New Halfa cultivated with support from the SFSI. (Photo credit: Suliman Fadlalla/CIMMYT)
The bold sections indicate the changes made for grammatical correctness, including unit consistency and phrasing adjustments.
In addition to providing inputs, the SASAS program also addresses broader food security challenges by ensuring that farmers receive the necessary technical support throughout various agricultural operations. This includes the introduction of drought-tolerant sorghum varieties, which are showcased to farmers through field days and demonstration plots.
Despite the numerous challenges posed by the ongoing conflict in Sudan, CIMMYT and its partners involved in implementing the SASAS initiative remain undeterred. Although the ongoing armed conflict has compelled many local agriculture advisory companies to scale back their operations due to security and logistical difficulties, the teams remain committed to supporting Sudanese farmers and improving agricultural productivity, thereby contributing to Sudan’s overall food security.
‘We lost a significant number of improved seed production fields due to the conflict. Nevertheless, we ensured the provision of all necessary certified seeds for the SFSI, along with top-quality herbicides,’ said the CEO of Harvest Agricultural Company Isam Ali. He added that despite considerable challenges in transporting agricultural machinery due to security issues, the company completed all land preparations in a timely manner for farmers.
The early impact of SFSI is evident in the renewed hope and optimism among farmers in New Halfa, who are now better equipped to face the challenges of the summer cropping season and contribute to the nation’s food security. With the harvest dates approaching—November for groundnuts and December for sorghum—the initiative is on track to significantly enhance food production in the region, providing a lifeline to thousands of farmers such as Fatima and Hamid.
Packing improved sorghum seeds for delivery to farmers as part of the SFSI in New Halfa. (Photo credit: Suliman Fadlalla/CIMMYT)
Stakeholder collaboration to create a coherent digital agriculture framework, an ecosystem to promote digital agriculture, and local government participation emerged as top recommendations to bridge the gap between technology and agriculture during the International Digital Agriculture Forum, Nepal 2024, held in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The event themed “Innovate, Cultivate, Thrive: Advancing Agriculture with Digital Solutions” brought together global and local stakeholders to explore the transformative potential of digital solutions in Nepal’s agricultural sector.
The focus on addressing the digital divide in Nepal’s agricultural sector by sharing emerging technologies and innovations, generating research ideas to provide inputs to the upcoming digital agriculture strategy of Nepal National Digital Agriculture Strategy and Action Plan for Nepal, and promoting an inclusive and sustainable transformation in the agriculture and food systems of Nepal.
Over the course of two days, the event attracted 135 participants, including 11 international experts and 29 national experts and representatives. It was organized by the Nepal Seed and Fertilizer Project (NSAF) and implemented by CIMMYT, with support from the United States Agency for Agriculture Development (USAID) in partnership with Pathway Technologies & Services Pvt Ltd, Seed Innovation Pvt Ltd, and Kathmandu Living Labs Pvt Ltd.
Key highlights from the event
The forum included keynote presentations, success stories of ICT business practices, and panel discussions with global subject experts, industry leaders, government agencies and local agritech companies. The event also comprised breakout groups for in-depth discussions, and formal and informal networking opportunities.
In his welcome address, Country Representative for Nepal and Coordinator of NSAF Dyutiman Choudhary highlighted the impact of digital agriculture on Nepalese farmers through the NSAF project. He shared how, in partnership with GeoKrishi and PlantSat, farmers now stay more informed on various issues through mobile app, SMS, IVR, farmer advisory services, and crop insurance.
The opening session was chaired by Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharal, secretary, agriculture development, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD). Keynote speeches included a global perspective on digital agriculture by Prof. Athula Ginige from Western Sydney University, and national perspective by Ms. Shabnam Shivakoti, joint secretary MoALD.
Prof. Ginige presented on “Cultivating Innovation: Transforming Challenges into a Sustainable Digital Agrifood Future.” He highlighted the plight of 719 million smallholder farmers living below the poverty line and stressed the need to use digital opportunities such as IoT, AI, and big data to address challenges of food waste and climate change. He shared his experience in developing mobile platforms to improve the lives of smallholder farmers.
In her keynote address Shivakoti set the context of Nepal’s digital agriculture and the initiatives undertaken by the government. She highlighted how digital innovations such as virtual agriculture commodity market E-hatbazar, programs such as digital land record maintenance, remote sensing data, and digital apps like GeoKrishi are driving growth in Nepal’s agricultural sector. She also shared details about the draft National Digital Agriculture Strategy.
Judith Almodovar, acting director of the Economic Growth Office at USAID-Nepal, emphasized the importance of digital tools in enhancing productivity, efficiency and sustainability. She highlighted USAID’s investment through NSAF in digital innovations, such as seed and soil fertility management using digital tools.
“By leveraging advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, and remote sensing, we can provide real-time insights, improve supply chain management, and increase farmers’ resilience to climate shocks,” she said.
The forum featured three technical sessions: innovations in digital agriculture; digital agriculture in action—policies and practices and; rapid fire presentations by seven Nepalese digital ag companies. Additionally, six local digital start-up companies displayed their products.
The closing session was chaired by Dr. Narahari Prasad Ghimire, director general of the Department of Agriculture, while Dr. Rajendra Prasad Mishra, secretary of Livestock Development, was invited as chief guest.
Recommendations from the forum
The discussions and deliberations led to a series of recommendations primary among which were the importance of stakeholder collaboration to create a cohesive digital agriculture framework and developing partnerships and ecosystems to support digital agriculture, including data governance and personalized advisory services for farmers. Participants also emphasized that local governments must be encouraged to lead agricultural digitization initiatives, including staff training and adopting IoT-based intelligent irrigation systems, sensor-based drip irrigation, and drone technology for monitoring crops and livestock. Digital input certification and QR-based agri-input verification (seed, breed, saplings, and fertilizer) tracking systems to enhance trust and transparency emerged as a critical factor. Participants agreed that it was necessary to design technical information, including emergency agricultural alerts, in various formats (text, video, audio) to accommodate farmers with lower levels of literacy.
Written by mcallejas on . Posted in Uncategorized.
Fredrick Otiato is a highly analytical and process-oriented researcher with extensive expertise in research methodologies, data management, and statistical analysis. He holds an MSc in Applied Statistics from the University of Nairobi and a BSc in Statistics from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. With a career spanning more than a decade in roles such as Senior Research Analyst and Data and Insights Manager, Fredrick has led complex data operations and supported the design and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative research. He has also contributed to various research projects, resulting in multiple scientific publications. Passionate about using data to drive meaningful insights, Fredrick is dedicated to creating actionable outcomes that foster growth and development.
In conflict-ridden Sudan, Gadarif State in Eastern Sudan is the most important region for sorghum production, with about 5-6 million feddan (5.18-6.22 acres) cultivated on an annual basis on large scale farms equipped with agricultural machinery. However, like the country, the state is covered with vertisols, clay-rich soils that shrink and swell with changes in moisture content, that become waterlogged and cannot be properly cultivated during rainy season.
To address the issue, technical experts from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) are mapping areas affected by waterlogging in two localities, namely El Fashaga and El Nahal, to identify the most suitable lands to establish large drainage implementing sites integrated with improved crop varieties of sorghum. This work is part of CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS) program, which works with farmers and herders to reduce their need for humanitarian assistance in conflict-affected Sudan.
“To address the issue of vertisols affected by water logging in Al Gadarif, the prominent agricultural region in Sudan, we used the map developed by ICRISAT in 2023 and consulted with local farmers to identify 100 hectares El Fashaga and El Nahal localities to improve drainage and avoid waterlogging,” said Gizaw Desta, senior scientist at ICRISAT.
Waterlogging is common on poorly drained soil or when heavy soil is compacted, preventing water from being drained away. This leaves no air spaces in the saturated soil, and plant roots literally drown. Waterlogging can be a major constraint to plant growth and production and, under certain conditions, will cause plant death. In Gadarif state, 2.3 million hectares and 1.8 million hectares of vertisols are under high and moderate waterlogging conditions that impair crop production during the rainy season, leading to food insecurity if not reversed with appropriate agricultural practices.
Experts evaluate the compacted soil. (Photo: CIMMYT)
“For years, my farm has been flooded by water during the rainy season, and I cannot cultivate sorghum as plants die of water suffocation”, said Ali Ahmed, a farmer from Al-Saeeda area of Al-Nahal locality who is affected by waterlogging. “Alternatively, we as farmers affected by waterlogging were forced to cultivate watermelon instead of our main staple food sorghum. This shift in the crops we cultivate is hardly affecting our income. I am glad that ICRISAT is working to establish drainage systems and address waterlogging within our lands.”
“At SASAS, we strive to ensure that farmers have access to fertile lands and other agricultural inputs. We work with our partners to address all problems facing farmers including waterlogging to help farmers continue producing their staple food and cash crops,” said Abdelrahman Kheir, SASAS chief of party in Sudan.
