Fanta Mohamed, a 48-year-old widow with three children, lives in Aldagag village in South Kordofan. For years, Fanta has worked on her small farm to feed her children. Fanta used local seeds, and her agricultural yield was very poor. It made her wonder where she was going wrong. Fanta, like thousands of women farmers in remote and hard-to-reach areas of South Kordofan in central Sudan, has limited access to quality inputs and agricultural extension services.
In South Kordofan, Mercy Corps, aided by USAID-funded Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS), trained 15 local farmers and producers in the Farmer Field School methodology and climate-smart agriculture with the support of officials from the State Ministry of Agriculture.
âAt SASAS, we work to empower women farmers, especially those who live in remote areas such as South Kordofan. We help them with agricultural inputs such as improved seeds, new agricultural skills, and techniques to increase their production and help enhance food security amid the looming food crisis in Sudan,â said Abdelrahman Kheir, SASAS chief of party.
Women farmers apply new agricultural techniques in South Kordofan. (Photo: CIMMYT)
To address the challenges of poor seed quality, Mercy Corps contracted local supplier Alzahra Seed for Trade to sell improved seeds at a subsidized price and expand access by establishing last-mile seed retail networks. Alzahra Seed for Trade would also deliver agronomic extension training to farmers in remote villages such as Aldagag.
Fanta recalls how she and other women farmers came to know about the improved seeds. âWe were at a coffee gathering at my neighborâs house, when one of the women told us that Alzahra Seed for Tradeâs retail agent had brought improved seeds from Dilling town for sale. We were not even aware of the existence of improved seeds,” she said.
With accessible and affordable improved seeds in Aldagag, Fanta was one of the smallholder farmers who bought seeds from a retailer in her village. She bought groundnut and vegetable seeds and received basic agronomic extension training from the retailer who offered it as an embedded service. In addition to getting access to improved seeds, Fanta was visited by an extension officer from Alzahra Seed for Trade.
Women farmers participate in an agronomic extension training. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Fanta recalls how she managed her farm before she was introduced to improved seeds. âIn the seasons before I got the training, my farm looked disorganized. Like other farmers in my area, I didnât care about the distances between the plants. Local seeds yielded about four or five sacks of groundnut per one feddan (unit of area in Sudan),â she shared. Post training, Fanta planted two feddans of groundnut using the improved seeds and followed the agronomic guidance. âI harvested 18 sacks from the two feddansâmuch higher than before.â
Increased income provides women farmers with greater financial resources, and many of them feel empowered. âWomen famers in my area who have used improved seeds and followed new agricultural techniques have become stronger and feel confident enough to have a voice within our community,â said Fanta.
Sudan, the third largest country in Africa, has long been an epicenter of food production, due to its fertile lands and rich history of agricultural cultivation. But modern Sudan faces chronic food insecurity rooted in social and geopolitical challenges. A situation that has been exacerbated by the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023. The armed conflict has caused a sudden, further decline in agricultural productivity, displacing large populations and pushing millions of Sudanese into high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity.
In response to this crisis, CIMMYT, through the USAID-funded Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS), is supporting agricultural development by creating robust and sustainable food production systems. SASAS adapts a modular and multi-crop approach to implement an integrated agrifood system that underpins food security, employment, and equity.
As the planting season of 2024 approaches, the project strives to strengthen food production to support the people of Sudan during these challenging times.
Experts speak: SASAS focuses on five key areas
Abdelrahman Kheir, SASAS chief of party, highlights how the agricultural innovations of the project are impacting multiple regions in Sudan. The focus of the project is on five broad intervention areas: promoting agricultural production for smallholder farmers, improving value chains and business development, supporting community management of natural resources, and providing horticultural and livestock services such as vaccination campaigns.
Further in the video, Murtada Khalid, country coordinator for Sudan, explains how the SASAS Food Security Initiative (SFSI) will provide 30,000+ farmers with a diversified package of four inputs: fertilizer, seeds, land preparation, and agricultural advisory services, to prepare for the upcoming 2024 sorghum and groundnut planting season. SFSI is a critical element of SASAS that uniquely provides agricultural development aid during a time of conflict to directly improve the food security situation in Sudan.
How women farmers benefit from SASAS
SASAS works directly with women farmers and pastoralists to ensure an equitable approach to food security in the country. Hear farmers from the women-led El-Harram Agricultural Cooperative in Kassala, Sudan, explain how SASAS has positively impacted their lives and families.
Ali Atta Allah, a farmer in Kassala expresses her gratitude for SASAS support. âThey provided us with seeds including jute, mallow, okra, and sweet pepper. We planted them, and they thrived.â Ali highlighted the financial gainsâa bundle of jute mallow sells for 500 Sudanese Pound (SDG). The income from the entire area amounts to 200,000 to 300,000 SDG. âThe seeds provided by SASAS are of superior quality,â she affirmed.
Aziza Haroun from El-Ghadambaliya village, shares her story of how improved seeds provided by SASAS activities helped double her yields compared to previous years. âWe used to farm in the same land and the yield was poor. Mercy Corps, a SASAS partner, introduced us to a new method of planting legumes as natural fertilizer. Now our yield has increased significantly,â she said.
Women farmers show their harvested vegetables, Kassala, East Sudan. (Photo: CIMMYT)
The ongoing conflict in Sudan continues to contribute to a food crisis threatening the lives of over 18 million people. Farmers, especially smallholders and vulnerable women, are facing extraordinary challenges in obtaining needed agricultural inputs, and access to markets is diminishing.
In Kassala State, East Sudan, which hosts hundreds of thousands of people displaced by ongoing armed conflict including Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees, the USAID-funded Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS) is working with women farmers to prepare and safeguard the upcoming growing season. This work is critical to help meet the unprecedented demand for vegetables in the region and achieve sustainable development goals.
âAt SASAS, we are working to empower women farmers, especially those who lost their traditional livelihood resources, and help them to acquire skills and techniques to increase their agricultural production to help improve food security,â said Abdelrahman Kheir, SASAS chief of party in Sudan.
Women farmers participate in a training on vegetable growing, Kassala, East Sudan. (Photo: CIMMYT)
SASAS works with the El-Haram Agricultural Cooperative, a women-led farmers group, based in Kassala, to help increase vegetable production. SASAS trains El-Haram Agricultural Cooperative members on modern agricultural techniques, irrigation techniques, pest control, and organic fertilizers to increase crop yields.
“SASAS trained us on new ploughing and land preparation techniques, which we never used before and then provided us with improved seeds of okra, tomato, chili, and mallow, and encouraged us to use legumes as organic fertilizers,â said Imtithal Atta, a farmer from the Alsawagi neighborhood in Kassala. âIn the past, I used to buy vegetable seeds from the local market, but they grow poorly. The improved seeds given by SASAS are germinating extremely well. My income has doubled; I almost made $250 from my first harvest of vegetables.â
The ongoing conflict has interrupted traditional livelihood activities in many regions. In some areas, farmers missed the harvest, leading to a dramatic reduction in agricultural production and debilitating price increases for cereals and vegetables. SASAS is helping to restore agricultural production in key growing regions by ensuring farmers have timely access to necessary production inputs, including fertilizer and climate-adapted seeds.
SASAS staff examine the germination of vegetables in women-led farms, Kassala, East Sudan. (Photo: CIMMYT)
“For years, I have worked tirelessly on my familyâs farm, season after season, without earning a good income, and I was not sure what was wrong. Luckily, this cultivation season, SASAS trained us on new ploughing techniques to better prepare the land for cultivation, using organic fertilizers to enrich the soil and offering us improved vegetable seeds,â said Fatima Ahmed, a woman farmer and a mother of three children from the El-Haram Agricultural Cooperative.
âThanks to SASAS, both the quality and the quantity of my agricultural products have greatly improved. I am so happy that I got some good money from my vegetables. I feel empowered and now I can have a strong voice within my community. I am more confident and gained the courage to participate in important decision-making processes within my family and express my opinions without fear,â said Ahmed.
A critical part of SASAS are efforts to diversify food production in Kassala, where malnutrition among children under 5 years old, and breastfeeding, lactating, and pregnant women, are prevalent.
Women farmers process their onions, Kassala, East Sudan. (Photo: CIMMYT)
“I used to go to the main market in town to get my daily needs from vegetables, but now I buy what I need from women farmers closer to my home. They are selling me fresh vegetables at a good price. The taste of the vegetables is quite fresh and healthy, this is something I have been missing for a long time,â said Hanan, a resident of Alswagi.
âThe vegetables produced by members of the El-Haram Agricultural Cooperative has led to an increased supply in the local market. I buy vegetables from women farmers and sell them here in the neighborhood market. This has cut my transportation cost as I used to buy vegetables from markets a long distance away,â said Osman, vegetables trader, also in Alswagi.
CIMMYT Global Wheat Program (GWP) scientists visited National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) partners in Pakistan, Nepal, and India during February 2024. The key purpose was to review current approaches and explore new opportunities to enhance collaborative wheat improvement activities.
NARS partners described their current priorities and recent changes in their activities, while CIMMYT shared recent modernization efforts of its wheat breeding and highlighted opportunities to enhance collaborative wheat improvement. GWP representatives included Interim Wheat Director Kevin Pixley, and scientists Naeela Qureshi, Velu Govindan, Keith Gardner, Sridhar Bhavani, T.P. Tiwari, and Arun K Joshi.
Representatives from the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and CIMMYT meet to identify chances for improved cooperation in wheat breeding research. (Photo: Awais Yaqub/CIMMYT)
Planning the future of South Asian wheat
In each country, CIMMYT and NARS leaders held a one-day meeting to review and plan their wheat improvement partnership, with attendance from 25-30 wheat scientists in each country. The sessions aimed to review and identify bottlenecks to the wheat impact pathway in each country, describe recent changes in the breeding programs of CIMMYT and NARS partners, and prioritize and agree updates to the NARS-CIMMYT wheat improvement collaborations.
NARS partners highlighted their wheat improvement programs through field visits to research stations. Visitors attended Wheat Research Institute (ARI), Faisalabad and National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad in Pakistan; National Wheat Research Program (NWRP), Bhairahawa and National Plant Breeding & Genetics Research Center (NPBGRC), Khumaltar in Nepal; and Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in India.
The GWP team also visited: Faisalabad Agricultural University, with a special focus on collaborative zinc biofortification work in Pakistan; farmersâ fields in Nepal to see participatory evaluations of elite wheat lines (candidates for release as new varieties) and to hear from farmers about challenges and expectations from improved varieties; and the Lumbini Seed Company to learn about the crucial role of seed companies, bottlenecks, and opportunities in the pathway from research to impact in farmersâ fields.
NARS scientists and directors in all three countries were enthusiastic about the opportunities for enhanced partnership to adopt some of the modernizing technologies that AGG has brought to CIMMYT. Partners are especially keen to â
Receive earlier generation varieties, segregating breeding lines to empower them to select in their own environments.
Model and explore strategies to shorten their breeding cycles.
Apply quantitative genetics tools to better select parents for their crossing blocks.
Adopt experimental designs that improve efficiency.
Explore opportunities for co-implementing improvement programs through shared testing schemes, communities of practice (e.g. for quantitative genetics or use of exotic germplasm to address challenges from climate change), and more.
A highlight of the trip in Nepal: visiting on-farm trials, where farmers share insights about their preferences for improved varieties, where they often mentioned tolerance over lodging. (Photo: CIMMYT)
âThe visit provided CIMMYT and NARS wheat scientists with the opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas, and to explore ways of enhancing collaborations that will strengthen our joint impact on wheat farmers and consumers,â said Pixley.
Following these visits, the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI) soon reached out to CIMMYT to request a similar review and planning meeting, with a vision to modernize and strengthen their wheat improvement partnership.
Collaboration among diverse seed value chain actors is essential to improving seed systems for dryland crops in Kenya and contributing to food security in an era marked by climate change. This holistic approach is essential at a time when sustainable agricultural practices are increasingly becoming pertinent in semi-arid and high-potential areas, as emphasized by participants attending a multi-stakeholder seed systems meeting in Nairobi.
The Kenya Drylands Crop Seed Systems Workshop in February 2024 brought together various stakeholders from the agricultural sector, including farmers, policymakers, researchers, and the private sector. The main aim of this meeting was to identify practical ways to address critical challenges in the seed system for key dryland cropsâpigeon pea, chickpea, groundnut, millets, and sorghumâessential to the livelihoods of millions in Kenya. Organized by CIMMYT and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), this collaborative effort aimed to gather insights and jointly develop a seed systems strategy to strengthen a seed supply system that matches grain demand for these essential grains.
A group photo of the participants in the Kenya Drylands Crop Seed Systems Workshop. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
While moderating the discussion, Patrick Ketiem, director of agricultural mechanization research at KALRO, highlighted the importance of the situation. âThe demand for drought-tolerant dryland crops and varieties is a clarion call for breeders to innovate further,â he explained. This reflects a broader trend across the country, where even high-potential areas are shifting to dryland crops in response to unpredictable weather patterns.
Addressing farmer needs
The workshop allowed participants to delve into the intricacies of seed systems, from varietal preferences to market readiness, highlighting the importance of collaboration among breeders, distributors, and farmers. Moses Siambi, CIMMYTâs regional director for Africa, emphasized the importance of integrating passion with science to make a tangible difference in the lives of farmers. âOur work is not just about developing varieties,â Siambi remarked. âIt’s about improving livelihoods and ensuring that the benefits of our research reach the smallholder farmer,â he explained, emphasizing the broader impact of CIMMYTâs efforts to boost agricultural productivity, food security, and livelihoods in the face of climate change.
Moses Siambi, CIMMYTâs regional director for Africa, engages in a conversation with a participant. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
Chris Ojiewo, partnerships and seed systems lead at CIMMYT, explained the vision for the Dryland Crops program, referencing the journey of the Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Cereals in Africa (AVISA) project, which was a culmination of a decade of research aimed at introducing new, diverse, and farmer-preferred crop varieties to farming communities through a variety of seed delivery models.
âThe essence of our endeavor is to ensure that the genetic gains from our breeding efforts result in real benefits for the farmers,â he said. âDeveloping seed varieties with the end-user in mind is crucial to ensure that crops not only reach the farmers but also meet their specific needs effectively.â
Chris Ojiewo, partnerships and seed systems lead at CIMMYT, provides insights on the future of the Dryland Crops program, leveraging ten years of research from AVISA. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
Improving seed systems
The workshop discussions also highlighted the importance of innovation in seed delivery models and the need for increased investment in the dryland crops sector as essential strategies for addressing current challenges and capitalizing on new opportunities. Investment decisions will be guided by granular data on local grain demand, enhancing seed production planning. Additionally, insights from institutions such as the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and the State Department of Agriculture, consolidating per capita consumption data, will aid in determining the requisite seed supply per capita. Moreover, there is need for a mechanism for facilitating knowledge through consolidating data from existing projects that tackle comparable challenges related to food security and seed accessibility.
Lusike Wasilwa, crops systems director at KALRO, who represented the organizationâs director general at the event, stressed the importance of seeds in agriculture. âFrom genes to gains, our focus is on developing climate-smart, nutritious crops that not only enhance soil health but also ensure food security in Kenya,â Wasilwa said. She further highlighted the importance of soil health and market development in achieving sustainable food production in arid and semi-arid lands, promoting biodiversity, and sustainable land management practices.
Lusike Wasilwa, the crops systems director at KALRO, who represents the organizationâs director general at the event, emphasizes the importance of seeds in agriculture. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
Cross-cutting issues
The workshop also addressed regulatory and control measures in seed production with Stellamaris Mulika, principal seed inspector from the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), highlighting the importance of stringent quality control measures to ensure the dissemination of quality seed of superior crop varieties.
The importance of gender inclusivity and youth engagement in agriculture was also acknowledged, reflecting women and youth’s critical role in legume and cereal variety selection, diversifying seed sources, and meaningfully contributing to the seed value chain. Veneza Kendi, a student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), proposed several interventions to increase investment capacity for farmers and aggregators, mainly from the assurance of high yields from certified seeds to farmers, serving as a motivation.
Gloria Mutheu, a seed merchant at Dryland Seed Company, highlighted the need for government support in investing in the grain sector, citing the school feeding program as an initiative to pull seed demand. Mutheu urged the government to expand the crop types in legumes and cereals, such as chickpeas, included in these school feeding programs to increase demand. This, she argued, would gradually establish an inclusive seed system for increasing uptake of these underutilized but opportunity nutrient-dense crops.
Gloria Mutheu, a seed merchant at Dryland Seed Company, and Veneza Kendi, a student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), discuss the vital role of youth in the seed systems value chain. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
The consensus was clear: to enhance the seed systems for dryland crops, there must be collaboration across the entire value chainâfrom breeders to farmers, from policymakers to the private sector. This integrated approach is critical for Kenya’s climate change adaptation, food security, and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices.
Spearheaded by CIMMYT with financial support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the AVISA project seeks to improve breeding and seed systems of dryland crops, as well as the livelihoods of small-scale producers and consumers in sub-Saharan Africa. CIMMYT is leveraging this opportunity to advance research and expand its influence through its 2030 strategy that shapes the future of agriculture as a driver of food and nutrition security, and climate resilient, sustainable, and inclusive agricultural development.
Thirty-three-year-old Promila Rani Mondol lives in Baliakandi Upazila in Bangladesh with her husband, four daughters, and mother-in-law. The familyâs main source of livelihood is agriculture. Promila has become a successful machinery solution provider (MSP), under the USAID-funded Feed the Future Cereal Systems Initiative for South AsiaâMechanization Extension Activity (CSISA-MEA). She and her husband are the main earning members of the family.
In Rajbari district, around 100 miles away from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, agriculture is the primary livelihood for the community. Farmers engage in crop cultivation across three different seasons, focusing on crops such as rice, wheat, maize, jute, mustard, spices, and vegetables. In 2014, Promilaâs family had barely two acres of cultivable land, and her husband was the sole breadwinner. Their average monthly income was US $91, which made it challenging to cover everyday expenses. To increase their family income, she began assisting her husband in crop production activities by planting seeds of jute, maize, wheat, mustard, and spice crops.
In 2014, the family became involved with the CSISA-MI project. Initially, they owned a power tiller. The project assisted them to purchase a power tiller-operated seeder attachment for land cultivation and line sowing. In 2018, Promila received training in line sowing techniques, including seed calibration using the power tiller operated seeder (PTOS) machine which was equipped with a starter kit. She began line sowing Rabi crops such as wheat, mung beans, sesame, and mustard. During the Kharif season, she engaged in line sowing jute.
After the launch of the CSISA-MEA in 2019, Promila participated in several activities including hands-on training on rice transplanter operation, one-acre mechanized rice transplantation demonstration by CSISA-MEA for her service business expansion, seedling raising training, two-day training on agricultural machinery operation maintenance and troubleshooting, and two exposure visits on rice transplanter service business models. With the assistance of CSISA-MEA, she organized several meetings to connect mat seedling (seedlings grown on a special mat or seedling tray), entrepreneurs, farmers, and MSPs, which led to the expansion of her business prospects. Additionally, CSISA-MEA linked her with the Department of Agricultural Extension, where she procured 1,750 seedling raising trays and 750 kg of seed support for mat seedling raising, significantly boosting her business growth.
In 2023, Promila bought a rice transplanter before Aman season (mid-July to mid-November-December) with a 50% government subsidy. CSISA-MEA helped her get the government subsidy and connected her with the VPKA foundation, which provided her with loan at a low-interest rate of 4%, along with a flexible repayment plan.
Promila Rani Mondol uses a rice transplanter to plant rice in the field in Rajbari, Bangladesh. (Photo: Asmaul Husna/CIMMYT)
During the Aman season, she provided rice transplantation services in 20 hectares of land benefiting approximately 150 farmers. During that season, her total earning was US $1,640. Additionally, in 2023, she earned approximately US $1,047 by line sowing aus rice and jute; and line sowing wheat, sesame, and mustard by PTOS during the Rabi season. Through her network of contacts with farmers across three blocks (shalmara, baliakandi, and nobabpur in Rajbari district), she offers machine rice transplantation services using the seedlings.
What sets her apart is not just her success as an MSP, but her commitment to breaking gender norms and inspiring other women in her community. Currently, with an annual income of US $2,276 and a profit margin of US$1,184, she has become a community leader, encouraging 15 other women to venture into farming and seedling raising services.
“With just one day of cultivation and seeding service, I can cover my daughter’s tutorial expenses for an entire month. The support from CSISA-MEA has made me more self-reliant as an MSP and increased my confidence in meeting family expenses,” says Promila.
Currently, 15 women in her community offer farming and seed planting services. Others, such as Sunita Rani, Niba Rai, Rakoli, Dipti, Mita, and Angoli, are inspired by her. While seven women can now operate the rice transplanter machine in the fields, others are showing an interest in the same. This is a significant and positive change in the community initiated by Promila.
Her impact extends beyond her own success; she has sparked a positive change in her community’s perception of women in agriculture. As the vice president of the MSP Networking Committee in Rajbari district, she continues to shoulder responsibilities, contributing not only to her family’s well-being but also to the larger narrative of women empowerment in Bangladesh.
In a landmark initiative to bolster sustainable agriculture and food security, the consultative workshop ‘Bottlenecks to Expansion of Pearl and Finger Millets in Africaâ marked a pivotal step towards revitalizing millet cultivation across the continent. Spearheaded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in collaboration with CIMMYT and the Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research (ISRA), a meeting held in Senegal united global experts to unlock the untapped potential of millets as a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture and food security in Africa.
The discussions included identifying the symptoms of the problem, underlying issues causing these symptoms, and the interventions needed to be implemented to address these issues. This collaborative efforts among national and international organizations including government bodies, research institutes, and NGOs, demonstrated the goal of revitalizing millet cultivation through partnerships.
A group photo of the participants in the ‘Bottlenecks to Expansion of Pearl and Finger Millets in Africa’ workshop in Senegal. (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2023 the International Year of Millets to raise awareness of and direct policy attention to millets’ nutritional and health benefits and their suitability for cultivation under adverse and changing climatic conditions.
Long overlooked but brimming with potential, millets offer a sustainable solution for both farmers and consumers in terms of profitability, adaptability, and sustainability in farming, as well as healthier dietary options for consumers.
Lessons learned from India
India, a key player in millet production, provided valuable insights into millet cultivation and consumption, providing a potential model for Africa to emulate in its millet-related strategies.
To understand the growth of millets in India, the Indian Ambassador to Senegal, Naba Kumar Pal, highlighted the strategies used by the Indian government to raise awareness about millets as a nutritious cereal that contributes to food security and provides a nutritious dietary option aimed at eliminating hunger and improving nutrition in his opening remarks.
âThe first step the government did was to rebrand millets from âcoarse grainsâ to ânutri-cerealsâ, a move that has significantly increased domestic consumption and market interest of millets in India,â said the ambassador.
Indian Ambassador to Senegal, Naba Kumar Pal, highlights the Indian government’s efforts to promote millets as a nutritional powerhouse. (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)
In Africa, millets are under appreciated and not utilized as crops. They are often labeled as a ‘poor manâs crop,’ ‘neglected crop,’ or ‘orphan cropâ. Â The negative connotations have, among other areas, influenced consumers’ perceptions. By changing the vocabulary from demeaning to empowering, milletsâ image can be transformed from an overlooked option to a crop of choice in Africa.
The workshop also delved into policy advocacy and commercialization efforts in India, and how these strategies could be replicated in African contexts. Tara Satyavati and Dayakar Rao, representing Indian institutions, shared insights on millet production, nutritional evaluation, and the development of value-added products. The importance of policy intervention, such as increasing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for millets and including them in public meal programs in India, was discussed. These measures not only provided financial incentives to farmers but also increased accessibility and consumption among the general population.
The two asserted that âmillets offer a sustainable solution for both farmers and consumers in terms of profitability, adaptability, and sustainability in farming, as well as healthier dietary options for consumers.â
Millets are adaptable to diverse climates, have low water requirements, and provide nutritional benefits. African countries, which face similar issues in terms of climate change and food security, can use millets as a crop to promote environmental sustainability and economic viability.
National and international collaborations
A panel discussion shed light on national and international initiatives that highlighted collaborative efforts in crop improvement and millet innovations. On the national level, Hamidou Diallo from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Equipment, and Food Sovereignty of Senegal (MAERSA) outlined a multi-pronged approach for Senegal. These approaches included increasing millet production, providing high-quality seeds, equipping local producers with essential tools and equipment, providing fertilizers to farmers, and expanding the overall cultivated areas of millet. These efforts represent a focused approach to leveraging agricultural innovation in millets to improve livelihoods and income for small-scale farmers.
âAligning with the needs of the local community ensures the initiatives are impactful and resonate with the agricultural landscape and community needs,â he emphasized.
Insights into the international initiatives included discussions on innovative initiatives in the Dryland Crop Program (DCP), presented by Dryland Crops Program Director and Wheat Program Director Kevin Pixley, included the establishment of the African Dryland Crops Improvement Network, gene editing, a legumes mining project and the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) project, that will include millets as a prioritized crop.
âWe need to find innovative ways to reach more farmers with options to improve their livelihood and popularize millets across different market segments,â said Pixley.
From left to right: Damaris Odeny (ICRISAT India), Geoff Morris (Colorado State University), Douglas Gayeton (co-founder of The Lexicon), Hamidou Diallo (MAERSA, Senegal), Kevin Pixley (director of the Dryland Crops Program), and Makiko Taguchi (FAO), engage in a panel discussion on the importance of national and international initiatives in promoting crop improvement and millet innovations, highlighting the collaborative spirit driving agricultural progress.
Other topics covered included insights from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) innovation lab on sorghum and millets, emphasizing the importance of African-led projects and addressing the knowledge gap between African and U.S. researchers.
Makiko Taguchi of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) emphasized the importance of global engagement in promoting millets as a sustainable and nutritious food source for global food security and agricultural development and highlighted the various initiatives and projects born of the International Year of Millets. Douglas Gayeton, co-founder of The Lexicon emphasized the role of effective messaging in changing people’s perceptions of millets. He underscored the importance of shifting away from terms like âneglectedâ and âorphanedâ crops to more positive empowering language that resonates with consumers and policy makers.
CIMMYT’s role in dryland crop innovation
Recognizing the ever-evolving needs of society at large, CIMMYT began an initiative to advance research and broaden its impact by implementing the Dryland Crops Program. This approach is based on CIMMYT’s 2030 strategy, which will shape agriculture’s future as a driver of climate resilience, sustainable, and inclusive agricultural development, and food and nutrition security, all while meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Africa 2063 by promoting food security, improving nutrition, and mitigating the effects of climate change.
The meeting underscored the immense potential of millets in Africa to contribute to a resilient and nutritious future, reinforcing the need for continued collaboration, innovation, and investment in this vital crop. With the right mix of policy support, technological innovation and market development, millets could be the key to Africaâs resilient and sustainable agricultural future. The workshop concluded with a call to action for stakeholders to collaborate and implement innovative practices to enhance the growth of the millet sector in Africa.
âA better understanding of the links between gender roles in household decision-making and the adoption of technologies can enhance the uptake of innovations in smallholder farming systems,â concludes a recently published paper by CIMMYT. The paper connects womenâs bargaining power in households with the adoption of rust resistant wheat varieties, based on the work of Accelerating Genetic Gains in Maize and Wheat (AGG) in Ethiopia.
âWhile an emerging body of literature finds positive correlations between womenâs influence in household decision-making and socioeconomic, health, and nutritional outcomes, few studies have analyzed the links between intra-household decision-making and the adoption of agricultural technologies,â said Michael Euler, agriculture research economist at CIMMYT.
A case study in Ethiopia
For this study, researchers used a dataset from Ethiopian wheat-producing households.
Ethiopia is the second-largest wheat producer in Africa, with an aggregate grain production of 5.5 million metric tons and 4-5 million farmers engaged in cultivation. The Ethiopian Highlands are a hot spot for wheat rust. With recurrent epidemics in the last decade, the emergence of new strains of wheat rust increased production risks. On the positive side, farmers seem to be responsive to the management of rust diseases. Rust-resistant bread wheat varieties, released since 2010, have been widely adopted by smallholder farmers across Ethiopia.
The CIMMYT study surveyed 1,088 wheat-producing households in Ethiopia to analyze the links between womenâs role in household decision-making concerning crop production and the adoption and turnover rates of rust-resistant wheat varieties. Female and male members from the same households responded separately, which facilitated capturing individual perceptions and the intra-household dynamics in decision-making.
Farmer Shumuna Bedeso weeds her wheat field. (Photo: Peter Lowe/CIMMYT)
Intra-household decision-making arrangements and wheat varietal choice
Overall, the study reveals a positive association between womenâs role in decision-making regarding the selection of wheat seed and the adoption of rust-resistant wheat varieties and wheat varietal turnover. Findings may be related to differences in risk aversion between women and men farmers. While women farmers may tend to advocate for the adoption of rust resistant varieties to avoid potential financial difficulties that arise from purchase of fungicide in the growing season, men farmers may be more inclined to adopt high yielding varieties and use fungicides to combat rust within the season.
Spouses may agree or have different opinions regarding their decision-making roles. Spousal agreement on the woman having a role in making crop variety decisions is associated with higher adoption rates compared to spousal agreement that the woman has no role. Joint decision-making with mutually uncontested spousal roles may yield better outcomes due to larger combined exposure to information, as well as spousal discussion and reflection on potential implications of the varietal choice decision.
Conclusion: It is about negotiation, contestation and consensus
Household decisions, including the decision to adopt agricultural technologies often result from negotiation, contestation, and consensus between wife and husband. This process is shaped by diverging interests, motivations and objectives, while its results are determined by different levels of individual bargaining power. âOur findings indicate that womenâs ownership of agricultural land and household assets is strongly associated with their active role in household decisions on wheat varietal choice, and with spousal agreement,â said Moti Jaleta, senior agricultural economist at CIMMYT. The dynamics in intra-household decision-making are likely to influence householdsâ adoption of agricultural technologies.
Disregarding the dynamics in decision-making implies that households are unilateral decision-makers, a scenario which probably does not hold true considering the level of spousal disagreement regarding their roles and influence in choosing crop varieties. A deeper understanding of the connections between gender dynamics in household decision-making and adoption choices can enhance the efficiency of public extension systems, increase the adoption rates of modern innovations, improve agricultural productivity, and enhance livelihoods in smallholder agriculture.
Participants from the breeding pipelines optimization meeting at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Partners from the Africa Dryland Crop Improvement Network (ADCIN) from 16 institutes in Africa came together for a four-day workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, during 19-22 September 2023, to critically review and optimize breeding pipelines for newly formed breeding programs. The meeting provided an opportunity for multidisciplinary scientists to better understand each other’s significant roles and contributions in achieving optimized breeding pipelines.
Nine female and 28 male scientists working across 14 countries made up the group of experts at the workshop, which included crop breeders, quantitative geneticists, crop protection scientists, genomics experts, and data analysts. Together, they collaboratively developed, assessed, and refined the various stages and processes of breeding pipelines. Most participants were crop breeding leads from the national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES) and CGIAR Research Centers, as well as members of the Breeding Informatics Working Group A, the first of its kind as a strategic leadership group of crop breeding experts.
The workshop sponsored by CIMMYT focused on improving genetic gains across six crops: chickpea, pigeon pea, finger millet, pearl millet, groundnut, and sorghum. The workshop was organized by CIMMYT experts, Abhishek Rathore, breeding data and informatics expert, Keith Gardner, quantitative geneticist, and Roma Rani Das, biometrician, and quantitative geneticist experts from the CGIAR Accelerated Breeding Initiative, Dorcus Gemenet and Christian Werner.
Multidisciplinary expertise in action
Under the guidance of the Associate Program Director and the Breeding Lead for Dryland Crops, Harish Gandhi, participants engaged in an array of advanced genetic approaches, statistical techniques, and quantitative concepts presented by the participating experts from CIMMYT and CGIAR Accelerated Breeding.
Each breeding program schema was reviewed from detailed quantitative genetic aspects and agreed project criteria, including choosing parents, the optimum number of parents, crossing designs, the number of generations, methodologies, testing strategies, and analytical frameworks. The group deliberated on the breeding strategies tailored for respective market segments and target product profiles to further improvise and optimize breeding pipelines to enhance the programsâ efficiency.
Agreements were reached on the number of founder parents, the number of crosses and progenies in various generations, line development method, evaluation and testing strategy, time until parental selection (cycle time), marker assisted selection (MAS), genomic selection (GS) strategy, making routine use of molecular markers for QA/QC. The team also finalized the breeding strategies tailored for respective market segments and target product profiles to further improvise and optimize breeding pipelines aimed at higher genetic gains.
In coordination with crop breeders from CIMMYT, the NARES dryland crop breeding leads presented the current schematics of breeding pipelines for both line and hybrid breeding, highlighting the market segment, Target Product Profile (TPP) and Target Product Environment (TPE).
The breeding informatics team also showcased the upcoming Dryland Crops Trial Information System dashboard, a one stop shops to capture, host, and provide information on the trials organized by the networkâs NARES breeders across Africa.
The value of partnership working was frequently highlighted by the speakers. Michael Quinn, lead of the CGIAR Accelerated Breeding Initiative, gave an overview of the initiativeâs objectives and high-level goals in 2023, emphasizing the need to foster dialogue and alignment across breeding teams. He also underlined the importance of such hand-in-hand meetings for fostering cross-regional and cross-institute learning.
âPlant breeding has always been at the center stage of crop improvement, but it has become more and more important lately, and there is a need to bring more collaborative efforts across disciplines to realize higher genetic gains in our breeding programs,â said Kevin Pixley, Dryland Crops program director and Wheat program director during his virtual presentation.
âInteraction with the breeding leads from CIMMYT and the NARES in East and Southern Africa (ESA) and West and Central Africa (WCA) and other experts helped in cross learning from the advanced breeding programs,â said Maryam Dawud, plant breeder at the Lake Chad Research Institute in Nigeria. Such workshops are needed for developing optimized breeding pipelines, and we will need more such in-person workshops on advanced data analysis.â
Next steps for dryland crops
During the workshop, network partners came up with an optimized breeding pipeline incorporating advanced quantitative genetic and statistical principles aligned with the latest scientific advancements and market demands. The group further developed a six-month actionable plan split by region to address common bottlenecks across the crops, such as capacity building in data analysis, modernizing digital infrastructure, training and enhancing human capacity in the use of equipment, and managing staff turnover.
All these deliberations provided the network partners with better insights and hands-on-experience to design their breeding pipeline, outlining specific steps, responsibilities, and timelines for implementing the identified optimizations. This preparatory work will ensure there is a targeted and coordinated effort toward pipeline enhancement and accelerated genetic gain for dryland crops in the region.
Happy Daudi, head, Groundnut Research Program at Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), who participated in the workshop, stated, âBringing in multidisciplinary experts provided a great opportunity to integrate various concepts of population improvement, product development, and deploying advanced statistical approaches for optimizing our breeding pipeline for achieving higher genetic gains, and accelerated variety turn over.â
Thank you to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and CGIAR, for their generous funding which made this workshop possible.
Farmers thresh wheat at an irrigation scheme. (Photo: CIMMYT)
In Zimbabwe, the traditional, laborious, and time-consuming small grain processing may soon belong to the past, thanks to a game-changing technology: a multi-crop thresher. This scale-appropriate machine offers a smarter and less strenuous way to produce high-quality small-grain meals, including in drought-prone regions, without being contaminated with sand or stone particles.
âOne of the main impediments to large-scale adoption of sorghum and millet in drought-prone areas is the laborious task of threshing. This has been solved by introducing multi-crop threshers, which form a central part in the business of mechanization service providers in rural Zimbabweâ, says Christian Thierfelder, principal scientist and project lead for the Mechanization and Extension Activity.
The introduction of the multi-crop thresher not only alleviates the physical strain of manual threshing but also enhances the overall quality of small-grain products. This innovation is a crucial step forward in promoting the production and consumption of small grains in Zimbabwe, contributing to food security and improved livelihoods for farmers.
This innovation was introduced by the Feed the Future Mechanization and Extension Activity, implemented by CIMMYT and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to address the challenges of traditional small grain processing and offer new market opportunities to farmers.
Multi-crop thresher. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Small grain production and consumption has traditionally been a household favorite in Zimbabwe due to its rich nutritional content. However, the sand content and gritty texture, often associated with sorghum or millet meals, have led to a decline in consumersâ interest in it. The main culprit? The traditional method of manual threshing on the soil, a strenuous and time-consuming process that incorporates sand and gravel particles into the threshed grains (and then into flours), resulting in an unpleasant eating experience.
In Zimbabwe and across the region, small grain processing has been characterized by the arduous task of manual threshing using sticks. Women, often at the forefront of this task, repeatedly beat the heads of small grains on hard surfaces, such as granite or hard clay, to separate the grains. Despite efforts to minimize contamination by threshing them into sacks or on plastic sheets, the gritty taste persists. The subsequent winnowing, roasting, and milling do little to eliminate tiny soil and stone particles from the final product (flour) as physical separation is technically challenging.
The multi-crop thresher for smooth results
âPowered by an 8 HP diesel engine, the multi-crop thresher is a perfect machine to process sorghum, millets, maize (husked or un-husked), wheat, cowpea, sugar beans, and soybean,â says Abdul Matin, mechanization specialist and technical lead of the Mechanization and Extension Activity. âIt is locally made in Zimbabwe and designed to promote mechanization as a business as it can easily be transported. It has high threshing efficiency, is fuel-efficient, easy to operate, and women friendly.â
The operator simply feeds the crop into the inlet hopper, and as it passes through the threshing drum, the machine efficiently separates the grain from the chaff, releasing clean grain through the outlet chute. âThe thresher will help reduce decline of small grain production in the country and complement government efforts to expand its cultivation in Natural Regions IV and V in Zimbabwe,â Matin added. When operating the machine efficiently, one can thresh up to 0.5 tons per hour for small grains.
The multi-crop thresher, a vital component of climate-resilient agriculture
The multi-crop thresher is an efficient post-harvest machine that can process various grains. (Photo: CIMMYT)
CIMMYT organized awareness meetings, including the 2023 Seed and Mechanization Fairs, for farmers to witness the speed and quality performance of the multi-crop thresher. They could also assess the quality of pearl millet processed using the thresher and others threshing wheat in an irrigation scheme showcasing the efficiency of the process and improved grain quality.
“In our region, harvesting small grains was always laborious,” explains Paidamoyo Kaseke from Ward 4 in Chimanimani district, Manicaland province. “But thanks to the multi-crop thresher, it’s now much easier. It operates quickly and efficiently, delivering clean grains that we can promptly take to the mill. This technology has revolutionized our harvesting process, significantly reducing the time and effort required.”
“Not only do we promote new and effective technologies such as the multi-crop thresher in the project, but we also seek solutions for farmers without high incomes to be able to afford the thresher. That is why we are partnering with two Zimbabwean banks to make small-scale loans accessible to farmers at affordable rates and tenure times. This way, we can effectively scale the access to scale-appropriate mechanization solutions.â says Leon Jamann, chief of party for the Mechanization and Extension Activity.
As the 2023-2024 farming season has been dry with erratic rainfall, rainfed dependent farmers already face drought in large areas of Zimbabwe. However, the promotion of more climate-resilient small grains in 2023âdeclared by the United Nations the International Year of Milletsâemphasizes their adaptability to climate change and their high nutritional value. The multi-crop thresher, a vital component of this initiative, ensures that farmers can efficiently process small grains despite the challenging climate conditions.
Anjuara Begum is 40 years old. Hailing from Jashore, Bangladesh, she works at Abdur Rahman Foundry as a grinding operator. In Bangladesh, it is rare to be a woman and work in a skilled job in engineering. Anjuaraâs journey shows it is possible to break through gender stereotypes ascribed by Bangladeshi society.
Growing up in Jashore, Anjuara was married before the age of 15. About a year after giving birth to a son, her husband died leaving her to take on the sole responsibility of raising a child. She started working as a cleaner at Talukder Light Casting. Soon, she found her interest lay in sand molding and grinding which were considered to be skilled tasks traditionally carried out by the male employees. Over time, Anjuara graduated to working as an assistant in different sections of the foundry: casting, the furnace, and operating the grinding machine. For six years, she continued as an assistant with no formal training, often learning from the machine operators and supervisors around her.
Anjuara Begum operates a grinding machine at the foundry in Jashore, Bangladesh. (Photo: Asmaul Husna/CIMMYT)
In 2019, Anjuara joined the nearby Abdur Rahman Foundry, where for the first time she attended a formal skill enhancement training for women in the light engineering sector. She was able to access this opportunity through the USAID-funded Cereal Systems Initiative for South AsiaâMechanization Extension Activity (CSISAâMEA) as Abdur Rahman Foundry is part of CSISAâMEAâs agriculture-based light engineering activity. The training provided her with hands-on experience in grinding, drilling, sand molding, and painting. It not only imparted the technical skills she needed for her current job, but also the confidence to excel in a field where women are traditionally under-represented.
âThe training was an eye-opener,â Anjuara said. âI was so happy to get a certificateâa first for me!â She shared how her confidence at work increased and about her promotion to the position of grinding machine operatorâthe first woman in the Jashore region to work in this role. There were other benefits to the new positionâa more formal position than her former place of work where she was only a temporary employee; paid holiday and sick leave; and festival bonuses. Currently, she earns around US$ 80 a monthâthe same as the men in the foundry working at a similar skill level. Before the training, her salary was around US$ 55.
Anjuara tells us that the best part about the job is the respect she gets from family and the cooperation from her co-workers. As she continued to break barriers and excel in her profession, her success began to resonate within her community. Women in the neighborhood now view her as an inspiration. She is an example of how societal norms can be challenged when provided with equal opportunities and the right kind of support. Her success has ignited a spark of hope among women who had long been relegated to the sidelines.
CSISAâMEAâs light engineering training for the female workforce as part of its gender inclusive activities has not only transformed Anjuaraâs life but has also catalyzed a shift in the perception of womenâs capabilities within Bangladeshi society.
Recognizing that equitable access to finance and credit are key enablers for mechanization, this platform strived to understand smallholder farmer needs and the identification of key financing models to facilitate widespread adoption.
With over 40 participants ranging from government representatives, development partners, and stakeholders from organizations such as USAID, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), and Hello Tractor, this regional event provided an opportunity for robust discussions and to align the course of action.
Unpacking mechanization in the Global South
Appropriate-scale mechanization is essential and a top policy priority to transform African agriculture. Evidence shows that nearly 70% of operations in sub-Saharan Africa are done manually. However, human labor is limited and is increasingly scarce and costly given the unfolding transformation of rural spaces in most places, necessitating agricultural mechanization. The cornerstone of this shift lies in integrating small, affordable machines tailored to the operations and needs of smallholder farmers, which must be accessible through market-based financial and business models.
A top policy priority in Zambia
The Permanent Secretary, Technical Services of the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture, Green Mbozi, officially opened the meeting. He lauded the meeting as timely and commendable as agriculture mechanization is a top policy priority for Zambia.
Green Mbozi, permanent secretary, opens the meeting. (Photo: CIMMYT)
“The government has embarked on a process to formulate a national mechanization strategy, which will serve as a blueprint on how to sustainably promote agricultural machinery and equipment across the value chains. The insights from this workshop would be helpful in feeding into the formulation of the strategy and help in identifying entry points to support sustainable agriculture mechanization,â said Mbozi.
Accelerating change through inclusive dialogues
The dialogue played a crucial role in bolstering support for sustainable agriculture mechanization while tackling challenges hindering active adoption. Mbozi highlighted the imminent launch of an agricultural mechanization strategy developed with technical support from FAO and CIMMYT through the Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems in Zambia (SIFAZ) project.
The mechanization strategy champions sustainable and efficient mechanization practices, strengthens the private sectorâs role in mechanization, and provides training and financial support to small-scale farmers, women, and youth. Proposed initiatives include regional centers of excellence, a national mechanization association, and the use of information and communication technologies to promote mechanization.
Sieg Snapp, director of Sustainable Agrifood Systems, delivers a presentation on mechanization financing. (Photo: CIMMYT)
âIt is important to develop the right bundle of mechanization services that meet the needs of farmers and are profitable for mechanization service providers,â said Director of Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) at CIMMYT, Sieg Snapp. âFinding the right financing is needed to support multiple bundles of mechanization services, which provide profits throughout the year.â
Additionally, the SIFAZ project promotes local manufacturing, supporting quality assurance, conducting demand studies, and establishing an agricultural mechanization data bank to catalyze transformative progress.
Key insights from USAID and FAO
David Howlett, the Feed the Future coordinator at the USAID Mission in Zambia, shared with participants that, âUSAID is working to address the effects of climate change through mechanization and other adaptation strategies.â Aligning with the central focus of the meeting, he further reiterated that mechanization will be key to building resilience by improving agricultural systems.
David Howlett, Feed the Future coordinator for the Zambia USAID mission, expresses commitment to investing in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Offering insights drawn from country-level experiences on scale mechanization for smallholder farmers, Joseph Mpagalile from FAO said, âFAO has been helping countries develop national agricultural mechanization strategies, with 12 countries in Africa already revising or preparing new strategies for sustainable agricultural mechanization.”
Private sector engagement: lessons from Hello Tractor
Operating across 13 African countries, Hello Tractor has been leveraging digitalization to scale mechanization in Africa since its inception. Hello Tractor facilitates services to over 500,000 smallholder farmers through 3,000+ tractors and combine harvesters, while providing remote tracking of assets and preventing fraud and machine misuse for machinery owners. At the heart of the company are booking agents who connect farmers to solutions to increase productivity and income.
Call to action
As the discussions ended, key outcomes distilled highlighted a pressing need to sensitize farmers on the merits of mechanization and facilitating access through tailored financial resources. Special attention was also directed towards empowering women and youth through implementation of de-risking mechanisms and strategic marketing linkages.
Recognizing the critical absence of data, a compelling call for a funding pool to collect essential information in the ESA region became clear. In addition, it was emphasized that appropriate-scale mechanization should be driven by sustainable business and financing models. The journey towards mechanization is a collective effort, blending policy initiatives, private sector engagement, and research-driven strategies.
The experimental research station in Toluca, Mexico. (Photo: S. Herrera/CIMMYT)
In the ever-evolving field of agriculture, AGG-WHEAT is leading a transformative approach through rapid marker-selectable trait introgression in wheat breeding programs. This method aims to streamline the process of integrating desirable traits into various genetic backgrounds.
At the core of AGG-WHEAT’s strategy is the establishment of a centralized marker-selectable trait introgression pipeline. This initiative seeks to facilitate the transfer of specific genes from a centralized source into various genetic backgrounds within plant breeding programs. Molecular markers play a crucial role in efficiently identifying and selecting target traits.
The merits of a centralized trait introgression pipeline extend beyond convenience. This approach ensures a more uniform and controlled transfer of genetic material, enhancing the precision of trait introgressions across diverse breeding lines. Molecular markers streamline the selection process, improving the accuracy of desired trait incorporation into wheat varieties.
Speed breeding facilities in Toluca, Mexico
AGG-WHEAT’s marker-selectable trait introgression pipelines are implemented at the speed breeding facilities located at the CIMMYT research station in Toluca, Mexico. These facilities serve as the incubators for innovation, where new selection candidates are evaluated based on various criteria. The decision-making process involves an expert panel comprising geneticists, trait specialists, and breeders. This panel annually determines the selection candidates, considering factors such as trait demand, genetic diversity, evidence of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) effects, selection efficiency, and available funding.
The decision-making process involves a multifaceted evaluation of potential selection candidates. Documented trait pipelines and product profiles guide decision-making to ensure alignment with the overarching goals of wheat breeding programs. Considerations include the need for phenotypic variation and the existence of limited genetic diversity for the trait under consideration.
The decision-making process also explores existing in-house or external evidence of QTL effects and the underlying gene mechanisms. Selection efficiency, contingent on the availability of accurate molecular markers and a known purified donor parent, further refines the pool of potential candidates. Established phenotypic protocols for product testing and the crucial element of available funding complete the decision-making criteria.
Achievements
In a significant step towards innovation, the products of the first marker-selectable trait introgression pipelines entered yield trials in 2023. This marks a transition from conceptualization to tangible impact, reflecting the efficacy of AGG-WHEAT’s approach. A total of 97 F5-lines, cultivated through the marker-assisted backcross (MABC) scheme, now grace the fields.
These lines carry novel genes associated with fusarium head blight and rust resistance, derived from wheat genetic resources and wild relatives. The choice of these traits underscores AGG-WHEAT’s commitment to addressing challenges faced by wheat crops, ensuring improved resilience and sustainability in the face of evolving environmental conditions.
The success of these initial trait introgression pipelines represents more than a scientific achievement; it marks a pivotal moment in the trajectory of wheat breeding. The 97 F5-lines, standing as testaments to enhanced resistance traits, are poised to make a transition into mainstream breeding pipelines. This marks the commencement of a broader dissemination strategy, where these lines will be distributed for testing at National Agricultural Research and Extension Services (NARES).
The journey from the experimental fields to mainstream adoption involves a meticulous process. These lines, having undergone rigorous evaluation and selection, now hold the potential to catalyze changes in commercial wheat varieties. The lessons learned from their cultivation will shape future breeding strategies and contribute to the resilience of wheat crops in diverse agricultural landscapes.
Rapid marker table. (Photo: CIMMYT)
AGG-WHEAT’s lasting impact
AGG-WHEAT’s marker-selectable trait introgression stands as an innovative approach in wheat breeding. The centralized approach, the strategic use of molecular markers, and the meticulous decision-making process exemplify the commitment to excellence and precision. The journey from concept to realityâmarked by the entry of 97 F5-lines into yield trialsâsignals a new era in wheat breeding.
As these lines traverse from experimental fields to mainstream adoption, they carry the promise of transforming the landscape of commercial wheat varieties. AGG-WHEAT’s lasting impact goes beyond the scientific realm; it extends to the fields where farmers strive for sustainable and resilient wheat crops. In the tapestry of agricultural progress, AGG-WHEAT has woven a thread of innovation that holds the potential to redefine the future of wheat cultivation.
In the dynamic landscape of wheat breeding, early access to germplasm emerges as a strategic catalyst for accelerating variety turnover and meeting the evolving challenges faced by farmers in South Asia. Since its inception, the Accelerating Genetic Gains in Maize and Wheat (AGG) project has pioneered new tools to optimize the wheat breeding process. One such tool, the efficient and low-cost 3-year breeding cycle, has been fine-tuned in Mexico, using the Toluca screenhouse and field advancement in ObregĂłn, laying the groundwork for faster variety turnover.
The inaugural set of lines generated through this enhanced breeding cycle is already undergoing Stage 1 trials in the ObregĂłn 2023-24 season. However, the innovation doesn’t stop there; to expedite the variety release process and garner robust data from the Target Population of Environments (TPE), Stage 2 lines are being rigorously tested at over 20 sites in South Asia through collaboration with National Agricultural Research and Extension Services (NARES) partners. In the seasons spanning 2021-2024, a total of 918 Stage 2 lines underwent rigorous trials, aiming to provide early access to improved wheat lines for testing and release by NARES and establish a genetic correlation matrix between ObregĂłn selection environments and diverse sites across South Asia.
These extensive trials serve a dual purpose. Firstly, they facilitate early access to improved wheat lines for testing and release by NARES, bolstering the agricultural landscape with resilient and high-yielding varieties. Secondly, they contribute to the establishment of a genetic correlation matrix between the selection environments in ObregĂłn and the diverse sites across South Asia. This matrix becomes a guiding compass, aiding in selecting the most promising lines for broader TPEs in South Asia and beyond.
Transformative impact on wheat varieties in South Asia
Through the support of our partners and funders from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), great achievements have been recorded throughout the region. India, a prominent player in wheat cultivation, stands as a testament to the transformative impact of early access to advanced lines. The top three varieties, namely DBW187, DBW303, and DBW 222, covering over 6 million hectares, trace their roots to CIMMYT varieties. Adopting a fast-track approach through early-stage testing of these advanced lines at BISA sites in India, supported by the Delivering Genetic Gain in Wheat (DGGW) project, facilitated the release of these varieties two years ahead of the regular testing process. This expedited varietal release was complemented by the innovative early seed multiplication and dissemination approach introduced by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Recent additions to this accelerated channel include varieties such as DBW 327, DBW 332, DBW 370, and 371, promising further advancements in wheat cultivation.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, the early access to advanced lines has been a catalyst for releasing high-yielding, climate-resilient, and nutritious wheat varieties. In 2023 alone, 12 new varieties were released, with the renowned ‘Akbar-19,’ introduced in 2019, covering a substantial 42% of cultivated land in Punjab. Data released by the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), shows that this variety, known for its high yield potential, disease resistance, and enriched zinc content, has significantly contributed to increased wheat production in the region.
Nepal
Guided by policy interventions in the national varietal testing process, Nepal has experienced the fast-track commercialization of high-yielding and climate-resilient wheat varieties. Allowing multilocation testing of CIMMYT nurseries and advanced elite lines, Nepal released six biofortified zinc wheat varieties in 2020. The expeditious seed multiplication of these released and pre-release varieties has facilitated the rapid spread of new and improved wheat varieties.
The strategic utilization of early access to wheat germplasm in South Asia holds promise in accelerating variety turnover, offering farmers resilient and high-performing wheat varieties. Collaborative efforts between research institutions, government bodies, and international organizations exemplify the power of innovation in transforming agriculture. With an ongoing dedication to refining breeding cycles, expanding testing initiatives, and fostering collaboration, the AGG project contributes to building a sustainable and resilient agricultural future in South Asia. Early access to wheat germplasm emerges as a practical approach in this scientific endeavor, laying the foundation for a climate-resilient and food-secure region. The successes witnessed in India, Pakistan, and Nepal underscore the transformative potential of this approach, offering tangible benefits for agricultural communities in South Asia and beyond. In navigating the complexities of a changing climate and growing food demand, early access to wheat germplasm remains a pragmatic ally, propelling agricultural innovation and resilience to new heights.
Farmers are guided on how to use Atubandike and VIAMO. (Photo: CIMMYT)
It is challenging to disseminate information across far-flung areas of rural Zambia as extension officers must travel vast distances to reach farmers. The Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) MasAgro Africa Rapid Delivery Hub, managed by CIMMYT and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) helps alleviate these issues by engaging with existing mobile phone networks to reach farmers with agronomic information, weather data, and soil information.
To introduce farmers to these specific tools: Atubandike and VIAMO, AID-I conducted a community sensitization and engagement exercise in Zambia. Atubandike emphasizes farmer learning and feedback using mobile phones for disseminating knowledge about the new generation of drought-tolerant varieties, sustainable intensification practices, and collecting farmer feedback to enable demand-driven delivery under AID-I. VIAMO, accessible via a basic mobile phone, provides agronomic information for every farmer in a specific area. The platform comes in different languages and farmers access information on various crops such as maize, beans, and groundnuts in their native language, provide feedback on information content, and connect with other farmers.
An AID-staff facilitates a training session. (Photo: Nancy Malama/CIMMYT)
In Choma District, Morgan Katema, who provides extension services to farmers, explained that going digital is one way of reaching farmers through technology to ensure that all farmers have access to extension services. âIn this case, lessons will be available through mobile phones and farmers will ask agriculture-related questions and get a response. This is a good initiative because farmers can access information on the spot instead of waiting for an extension officer to reach them, and information can be accessed after working hours, and the VIAMO initiative will help us overcome the challenge of long distances between farmers as we will no longer need to travel long distances,â Katema said.
Judith Simuliye, a farmer who grows maize and groundnuts, said, âI was told about this meeting by the camp officer, and I am happy to learn about this project. I have learned how to manage my crop by using the right seed varieties and how to space the crops.â
During the meeting, two community facilitators were selected through a voting process, after farmers nominated community members who are literate, trustworthy, energetic, and able to use a smart phone. Facilitators register farmers on the VIAMO platform, assist them in accessing the information they require, and support them in their learning journey.
Namasumo Rithay, a farmer in the village of Kalalasa, said, âMobile phone access to extension services has come at the right time. We have faced a lot of challenges with the poor rain patterns and pests. Through this meeting organized by AID-I, we have learned how we can obtain information to mitigate these challenges through our mobile phones.â
A participant casts her vote. (Photo: Nancy Malama/CIMMYT)
An additional community meeting was held in the village of Namuswa and was attended by 150 farmers. AID-I and Atubandike Research Associate, Brian Mpande, informed farmers that AID-I, with the assistance from VIAMO, will help them overcome the challenges of climate change by delivering timely and useful information via their phones.Â
