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Location: Africa

CIMMYT’s work in Africa helps farmers access new maize and wheat systems-based technologies, information and markets, raising incomes and enhancing crop resilience to drought and climate change. CIMMYT sets priorities in consultation with ministries of agriculture, seed companies, farming communities and other stakeholders in the maize and wheat value chains. Our activities in Africa are wide ranging and include: breeding maize for drought tolerance and low-fertility soils, and for resistance to insect pests, foliar diseases and parasitic weeds; sustainably intensifying production in maize- and wheat-based systems; and investigating opportunities to reduce micronutrient and protein malnutrition among women and young children.

Steering towards success

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

The inaugural Rwanda National Seed Congress, which took place in Kigali on July 31 and August 1, 2023, marked a significant milestone for the country’s seed industry. Themed “Private Sector Strategic Roadmap for the Seed Industry 2030”, the event brought together key stakeholders from the government, public, and private sectors to address challenges and opportunities in the national seed value chain.

Discussions centered around pertinent issues concerning the seed sector in general, with a particular focus on the Rwandan National Seed Strategic Roadmap. This document, which was developed through consultations with various stakeholders, provides a comprehensive plan to steer the industry towards success and sustainable growth.

“Enhancing and managing the seed system is a complex endeavor that requires the collaboration of various stakeholders,” said Chris Ojiewo, CGIAR Seed Equal Initiative lead. “This is where public-private partnerships come in as a valuable tool for nurturing the growth and expansion of the seed industry.”

Chris Ojiewo, CGIAR Seed Equal Initiative lead, presented at the inaugural National Seed Congress in Rwanda. (Photo: NSAR Congress)

During a presentation entitled Public-private Partnership: A Tool for Development and Strengthening of the Seed Sector, Ojiewo highlighted the growing importance of collaboration and partnerships in the current seed system. He emphasized that the processes and elements that shape the seed sector are complex and extensive, making it too much for any one organization—whether public or private—to handle alone.

The way forward

During the congress, several key recommendations were proposed  to increase the potential of the seed industry. The government was encouraged to seek accreditation with major seed industry quality organizations, such as the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) certification schemes, while adopting International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) to establish an improved regulatory environment conducive to industry growth.

The empowerment of the National Seed Association of Rwanda (NSAR) as an advocate and facilitator for the seed industry was also highlighted as an essential measure. The government’s support in enabling the seed association to become increasingly self-regulatory is seen as crucial to the industry’s growth over the next seven years, with private seed industry players developing internal systems to ensure compliance with rules and regulations.

Another key recommendation for increasing sustainable improved seed use in Rwanda was the use of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), which will play a critical role in promoting the country as a seed production and trade investment destination.

Ojiewo emphasized the importance of such partnerships, noting that “PPPs have the potential to transform the seed industry by leveraging the strengths of different organizations.” He further highlighted that in addressing the challenges of global food security and sustainable development, the way forward becomes clear through collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to advancing agricultural progress through collaborative efforts.

The congress also focused on attracting affordable financing to scale up investments throughout the seed value chain. It was considered essential to involve industry financial players in the development of optimal financing structures to support the expansion of the industry.

As a result of the successful event, plans have already been made for the second National Seed Congress in 2024. Scheduled to take place in Kigali on July 29 and 30, 2024, the next event aims to build on the achievements of the first congress and further drive the growth of Rwanda’s seed industry.

CGIAR’s Seed Equal Initiative helps farmers by providing them with better seeds that are nutritious, preferred in the market, and that can withstand climate change. These varieties have been carefully developed to exhibit significant genetic advancements, ultimately benefiting farmers. It also makes sure that women and other marginalized groups have fair access to these seeds.

Davaatseren Narmandakh

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Dashaa is an Agricultural and Development Economist based in Kenya. She joined CIMMYT in April 2023.

Before joining CIMMYT, Dashaa worked at the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) as a Research Associate, as a Consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Mongolia, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Mongolia as an economist/policy specialist.

Dashaa has a PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Tokyo.

SPG Coalition: CIMMYT is a leading organization for climate-smart agriculture, nutrient-use efficiency, and pest and fertilizer management

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

The Coalition on Sustainable Productivity Growth for Food Security and Resource Conservation (SPG Coalition) brings together researchers, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners to advance a world with greater access to nutritious food and affordable diets. The Coalition recognizes that increasing the productivity of natural resources through climate adaptation and mitigation is instrumental to reaching this goal.

In a recent report, the SPG Coalition provides a path forward for NGOs, research institutions, and government agencies to strengthen agrifood and climate policies. The report contains real-life, evidence-based examples to further the sustainable production and conservation of natural resources, detailing the potential impacts on social, economic, and environmental conditions.

CIMMYT features prominently in the report as a leading organization focused on 4 main areas: climate-smart agriculture, nutrient-use efficiency (NUE), and pest and fertilizer management.

Nutrient-use efficiency and fertilizer management

While chemical fertilizers increase crop yields, excessive or improper use of fertilizers contributes to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and increases labor costs for smallholders. Efficient NUE is central to nutrient management and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Women using spreader for fertilizer application. (Photo: Wasim Iftikar/CSISA)

In India, CIMMYT, along with the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), CGIAR Research Centers, and regional partners, tested digital tools like the Nutrient Expert (NE) decision support tool which measures proper fertilizer use for optimized yields and provides nutrient recommendations based on local soil conditions.

The majority of smallholders who applied the NE tool reported higher yields while emitting less GHG emissions by 12-20% in wheat and by around 2.5% in rice as compared with conventional fertilization practices. Farmers also recorded double economic gains: increased yields and reduced fertilizer costs. Wider government scaling of NE could enhance regional food security and mitigate GHG emissions.

The Feed the Future Nepal Seed and Fertilizer (NSAF) project, led by CIMMYT and USAID, advocates for climate-smart agriculture by linking smallholders with improved seed, providing capacity-building programs, and promoting efficient fertilizer use. With a vast network established with the support from the Government of Nepal, NSAF successfully provides smallholders with expanded market access and nutritious and climate-resilient crop varieties.

Climate-smart maize breeding 

Since its arrival to sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 2016, fall armyworm (FAW) has devastated maize harvests for countless smallholders on the continent. Economic uncertainty caused by unstable yields and climate stressors like drought coupled with this endemic pest risk aggravating food insecurity.

Fall armyworm. (Photo: Jennifer Johnson/CIMMYT)

CIMMYT and NARES Partner Institutions in Eastern and Southern Africa are spearheading a robust pest management project to develop, screen, and introduce genetically resistant elite maize hybrids across SSA. South Sudan, Zambia, Kenya, and Malawi have already deployed resistant maize varieties, and eight other countries in the region are projected to release their own in 2023. These countries are also conducting National Performance Trials (NPTs) to increase awareness of host plant resistance for the sustainable control of FAW and to sensitize policymakers on accelerating the delivery of FAW-tolerant maize varieties.

The establishment of FAW screening facilities in Africa permits more rapid detection and breeding of maize varieties with native genetic resistance to FAW, facilitating increased deployment of these varieties across Africa. The sustainable control of FAW demands a rapid-response effort, overseen by research organizations and governments, to further develop and validate genetic resistance to fall armyworms. Achieving greater impact for maize smallholders is critical to ensuring improved income and food security in Africa. It is also paramount for biodiversity conservation and removing labor burden on farmers applying additional synthetic pesticides to prevent further losses by the pest.

“The SPG Coalition report emphasizes the power of partnership to enhance financial and food security for smallholder communities in the Global South. This is fully in line with the recently launched CIMMYT 2030 strategy. It’s also an important reminder to assess our strong points and where more investment and collaboration is needed,” said Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general.

El Niño event declared: Impacts on the Limpopo river basin in Southern Africa expected

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in In the media.

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and CIMMYT call on policymakers and research-for-development organizations to stay informed about the evolving El Niño event and its potential implications in the Limpopo Basin. El Niño is considered the biggest climate oscillation on Earth. IWMI and CIMMYT have utilized various methodologies and climate models to project and assess the potential impacts of the El Niño event.

What are the crucial practices, especially under the changing climatic conditions about the evolving El Niño event?

Read the full story.

CIMMYT releases 32 new elite maize lines

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

Maize ears of the newly released set of CIMMYT maize lines. (Photo: CIMMYT)

CIMMYT is pleased to announce the release of a set of 32 new CIMMYT maize lines (CMLs). These maize lines have been developed by CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The lines have diverse trait combinations and are suitable for the tropical/subtropical maize production environments targeted by CIMMYT and partner institutions.

CMLs are freely available to both public and private sector breeders worldwide under the standard material transfer agreement (SMTA).

CIMMYT seeks to develop improved maize inbred lines for different product profiles, with superior yield performance, multiple stress tolerance, and enhanced nutritional quality. CMLs are released after intensive evaluation in hybrid combinations under various abiotic and biotic stresses, besides optimum (non-stress) conditions in the target population of environments. Suitability as either female (seed) or male (pollen) parent is also evaluated. As done in the last announcement of CMLs in 2021, to increase the utilization of the CMLs in the maize breeding programs of the partner institutions, all the new CMLs are tested for their heterotic behavior and assigned to specific heterotic groups of CIMMYT: A and B.

The release of a CML does not guarantee high combining ability or per se performance in all the environments; rather, it indicates that the line is promising or useful as a parent for pedigree breeding or as a potential parent of hybrid combinations for specific mega-environments. The description of the lines includes heterotic group classification, along with information on their specific strengths and their general combining ability with some of the widely used CMLs or CIMMYT coded lines under different environments.

More information:

Summary of the characteristics: CIMMYT maize lines CML616A to CML647A (PDF)

Pedigree and characterization data of all the CMLs released to date, including the latest set (CIMMYT Research Data repository).

Seed for these new set of CMLs will be available from November 1, 2023.  A limited quantity of seed of the CMLs can be obtained by sending a request to the CIMMYT germplasm bank via this link: https://staging.cimmyt.org/resources/seed-request/ or contact, a.chassaigne@cgiar.org.

Please contact for any further details regarding the released CMLs: 

Dr B.M. Prasanna, Global Maize Program Director, CIMMYT & OneCGIAR Maize Breeding Lead (b.m.prasanna@cgiar.org)

Appropriate farm scale mechanization can aid in agroecological transformation

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

A bale of grass and maize stalks made in a bailer. (Photo: CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology)

A case of the CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology in Zimbabwe

Authors: Vimbayi Chimonyo (CIMMYT – scientist, crop modeler); FrĂ©dĂ©ric Baudron (CIMMYT – cropping systems agronomist); Dorcas Matangi (CIMMYT – assistant research associate)

Food systems in marginal areas of Zimbabwe are vulnerable to climate variability and economic shocks. During the COVID-19 outbreak, governments imposed strict lockdowns that adversely affected local food systems and supply chains. Rural communities that already had difficulty feeding their families found themselves in a more desperate situation. The recurring challenges and the COVID-19 outbreak made it clear that there is a need to transform local food systems to achieve sustainable food and nutrition security. The transition is even more urgent owing to the acute labor shortages due to the accelerated trend of rural labor outmigration and an aging population in smallholder farming communities of the country. Agroecology has emerged as an approach to facilitate and champion a transformative shift to sustainable local food systems.

Mower cutting grass. (Photo: CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology)

The Agroecological Initiative is at the forefront of providing science-based evidence for the transformative nature of agroecology and its potential to bring about positive changes in food, land, and water systems, including identifying institutional innovations to promote uptake. Agroecology is a holistic approach to agriculture that emphasizes integrating ecological principles and practices into farming systems. The 13 principles of agroecology guide sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices.

 

Thirteen consolidated agroecology principles (Wezel et al. 2020)

The initiative employs a multi-disciplinary approach, integrating ecological and social methods to co-create and manage localized food systems and monitor the 13 interconnected principles. While agroecological methods hold promise, the transition process is labor and knowledge-intensive and requires addressing power dynamics within and beyond households to address food and nutrition security. Building on the findings of the completed ACIAR-funded project Farm Mechanization and Conservation Agriculture for Sustainable Intensification (FACASI) and Harnessing Appropriate-scale Farm Mechanization in Zimbabwe (HAFIZ), CIMMYT is working in Zimbabwe with 200+ farmers and four service providers in Murehwa and Mbire districts as ambassadors of the community through Agroecological Living Landscapes (ALLs).

Trailer for transportation. (Photo: CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology)

Mechanization plays a crucial role in the initiative implementation in Zimbabwe, covering a wide range of farming and processing equipment. The equipment ranges from simple and basic hand tools to more sophisticated and motorized tools. The machinery eases and reduces drudgery associated with agricultural practices, relieves labor shortages, improves productivity and timeliness of agricultural operations, optimizes resource utilization, enhances market access, and helps mitigate climate-related hazards.

“Machinery supports synergies, reduces labor, and reduces human and wildlife conflict as it reduces livestock grazing time because you can now make feed for your cattle and cutting grass reduces veld fires,” said Musandaire.

Within the Agroecology Initiative, CIMMYT considers mechanization in its technological, economic, social, environmental and cultural dimensions when contributing to the sustainable development of localized food systems and actors. In Mbire and Murehwa, a service provider model was adopted to introduce appropriate scale machinery within the respective communities. The service providers were equipped with a two-wheel tractor, ripper, mower, chopper grinder, and bailer. Training was offered on equipment operation, repair, and maintenance.

The business aspects were also discussed to broaden the participants’ knowledge of service provision. Important aspects covered include business model, entrepreneurship, record keeping, cost and profit calculations, customer care, target setting, and machinery operation planning.

To date, the service providers offer services including ripping, transportation, chopper grinding for livestock feeds and humans, and baling and mower for grass cutting at a fee.

“Mechanization has proven efficient and relevant in our district since livestock is one of our main value chains. Our service providers make hay bales for us, which we buy to feed our livestock. They also grind feed which is good for pen-fattening,” said Chimukoro, councilor in Mbire.

Preliminary findings indicate that appropriate scale mechanization enhances synergies in smallholder farming systems by facilitating more efficient and integrated agricultural practices.

“Our trailer reduces labor and saves time better than scotch carts. We used to leave much biomass in the fields because we didn’t know how to transport and process it after aggregation. But now we can recycle our biomass,” mentioned Mushaninga, local leadership in Murehwa.

By streamlining labor-intensive tasks and promoting holistic farm management, mechanization encourages complementarity among various elements of agroecosystems, contributing to more sustainable and productive smallholder farming. Target communities can pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable food system through the Agroecological Initiative.

Research local: co-creation generates novel options to tackle global problems

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

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are broad mandates for transitioning to fair and sustainable agrifood systems. However, because of their global view, they often operate at a scale not clearly seen or understood by local stakeholders.

New research led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) scientists offers participatory action research (PAR) as a potential bridge between the macro scope of the SDGs and the needs and desires of local communities.

The article, Participatory action research generates knowledge for Sustainable Development Goals, published in the June 2023 issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, examines two decades of participatory action research activities in Malawi, a highly rural society dependent on rainfed agriculture.

Trying out conservation agriculture wheat rotation alongside conventionally grown maize, farmer’s field, Mexico. (Photo: E. Phipps/CIMMYT)

“Participatory research is known for giving voice to farmers, for accelerating adaptation and for impact,” said lead author Sieglinde Snapp, director of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems program at CIMMYT. “What is novel in this study is that new discoveries were documented, showing the scientific contributions possible through PAR.”

Co-creation

Participatory action research is a knowledge generation process, characterized by a series of steps to facilitate improved understanding and development of innovations, within a local context. The PAR approach involves engaging stakeholders, to co-create solutions with researchers.

Because knowledge is often local, access to natural resources is highly heterogeneous, climate variability is unpredictable and socioeconomic circumstances are context-dependent, any intervention must be flexible and locally specific to ensure sustainability.

PAR prioritizes empowerment of marginalized communities to build long-term partnerships which support transformational changes at local, regional and national levels.

Yet the evidence base for PAR methodology remains fragmented and is often inaccessible.

“This is the first paper that shows how action research produces new knowledge through a systematic, iterative process that derived ‘middle ways’, such as shrubby food crops as a farmers preferred form of agroforestry,” said Snapp.

Solving wicked problems

Participatory research is well-suited to address conflicts and trade-offs that are key aspects of so-called wicked problems. For instance, annual crops—maize and soybean—are excellent producers of food but feature limited aboveground vegetation and belowground activity to regenerate soil nutrients, while perennials provide soil regeneration services but no food products.

By engaging closely with local stakeholders, PAR identifies “goldilocks options,” or middle ways, such as semi-perennial shrubs and vines that produce food while also promoting soil health.

Genetic and agronomic improvement efforts have almost entirely overlooked semi-perennial plant types to address food–soil trade-offs.

Challenges

Building relationships between researchers and stakeholders; the investment required in selecting representative sites, action learning activities, synthesis of findings, communication and documentation; and the inherent variability of research conducted under real-world conditions are barriers to establishing PAR systems. Living laboratories and education on PAR approaches need investment. Reward structures may need to shift, with greater attention to considering research impact on SDGs and awareness that time lags may occur in publishing scientific findings through PAR.

Demonstrating conservation agriculture to other farmers in Malawi. (Photo: T. Samson/CIMMYT)

“Our findings detailing the efficacy of PAR shows that the potentially high upfront costs to invest in relationship building and learning across disciplines, this is a worthwhile trade-off,” said Snapp.

Through PAR, human condition and social-science questions can be addressed, along with biological and environmental science questions, as illustrated in this Malawian case study.

The findings generated by PAR have relevance beyond the sub-Saharan Africa context because they provide new insights into the development of nature-based solutions that meet local needs, a critical requirement for rural communities in many parts of the globe.

‘Africa is a focal point for composite flour research’: 3D-printed crackers from African-grown peas and quinoa nabs MĂŒhlenchemie’s Flour Innovation Award

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in In the media.

The jury of international scientist experts evaluated twenty-three research projects spanning nine countries on four continents for the 2023 Composite Flour Innovation Award. Sidhar Bhavani, senior scientist, head of Rust Pathology and Molecular Genetics at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) enriched the jury of the Awards, aimed to highlight the scientific work around the production and processing of non-wheat flours and their blends with wheat flour.

 

Read the story.

 

 

What’s the link between two-wheel tractors and elephants?

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

CIMMYT principal scientist Frédéric Baudron has two main research interests: making mechanization appropriate to smallholders and biodiversity conservation.

Wondering how these two intersect, a colleague of Baudron once asked him what the link was between an elephant and a tractor?

Now, in the recent report, “Addressing agricultural labour issues is key to biodiversity-smart farming research,” published in Biological Conservation, Baudron and other contributors have answered that question, examining trade-offs between labor and biodiversity conceptually, as well as in the specific context of Indonesia and Ethiopia.

This research continues work CIMMYT has done on the relationship between agriculture and biodiversity, including Commodity crops in biodiversity-rich production landscapes: Friends or foes? The example of cotton in the Mid Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe and Sparing or sharing land? Views from agricultural scientists

Innovations in agricultural technology have led to undeniable achievements in reducing the physical labor needed to extract food from fields. Farm mechanization and technologies such as herbicides have increased productivity, but also became on the other hand major threats to biological diversity.

Adopting technologies that improve the productivity of labor benefits farmers in multiple ways, including a reduction of economic poverty, time poverty (i.e., lack of discretionary time, reducing labor drudgery), and child labor. Conversely, technologies that promote biodiversity often increase the burden of labor, leading to limited adoption by farmers. Therefore, there is a need to develop biodiversity-smart agricultural development strategies, which address biodiversity conservation goals and socio-economic goals, specifically raising land and labor productivity. This is especially true in the Global South, where population growth is rapid and much of the world’s remaining biodiversity is located.

“Without accounting for labor issues biodiversity conservation efforts will not be successful or sustainable,” said Baudron. “Because of this, we wanted to examine what biodiversity-smart agriculture might look like from a labor point of view.”

Research has quantified that farming families in Africa who use tractors expended an average of 640 labor hours per hectare in maize cultivation. In contrast, farmers not using tractors spent over 1100 hours for the same yield.

Practicing tractor operation at Toluca experiment station (Photo: X. Fonseca/CIMMYT)

Trade-offs

While that is a clear win for reducing the heavy physical toil of farming, there are potential negative effects on biodiversity. In many countries in the Global North, the rise of tractors and other big machinery has led to larger and more rectangular fields and the removal of farm trees and hedgerows, all of which is associated with lower biodiversity. The same is now happening in parts of the Global South.

“A trade-off implies that one goal can only be achieved at the expense of another goal,” said Baudron. “It is not always a conscious choice; however, as farmers often adopt labor-saving techniques without considering the effects on biodiversity, simply because they lack options, and sometimes the necessary context.”

In Indonesia, the transition from harvesting rubber to producing palm oil has reduced the amount of physical labor, but biological diversity has decreased. However, innovations such as reducing fertilizer usage to avoid nutrient leaching into soil have been possible without compromising yield, and with the benefit of lower costs to farmers.

In Ethiopia, labor-saving technologies like the use of small-scale combine harvesters have been compatible with high biodiversity.

“I tell my colleagues a two-wheel tractor that allows mechanization with little negative environmental consequence (compatible with a mosaic of small, fragmented fields, with on-farm scattered trees, etc.) contributes to a landscape that works for people and biodiversity, including elephants,” said Baudron.

Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Dryland Cereals in Africa (AVISA)

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The Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Dryland Cereals in Africa (AVISA) project increased demand-driven, gender equitable and timely access to quality seeds and inputs for small-scale producers by strengthening links between seed producers, farmers and grain aggregators, particularly women and young farmers. Partners included national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES), the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA), the Center for Behavior Change Communication (CBCC) and the Tanzania Seed Traders Association (TASTA).

The project, which involved 188 NARES scientists from nine countries in East and Southern Africa (ESA) and West and Central Africa (WCA), tested different impact pathways to improve the scalability of dryland crop innovations. They identified 58 regional market segments for crops such as sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, groundnut, chickpea and pigeonpea, of which 28 were prioritized for breeding pipelines. Target product profiles were consolidated and priority traits were addressed through a crop health/pathology network. Breeding programs were implemented through shared pipelines, regional trials were conducted and 2,461 farmers participated in tricots.

Efforts included the formation of a cowpea WCA working group, the identification of 26 common bean market segments in East Africa, and the implementation of awareness and demand generation activities using a variety of promotional methods. Data-driven decisions were prioritized, resulting in the creation of breeding informatics teams, quality assurance/control pipelines, and digitization templates.

The project also established governance structures and steering committees for the two target regions in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as operational committees and elected representatives to ensure the functioning and sustainability of the CGIAR-NARES dryland crops network.

In addition, the project targets the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 2 – Zero Hunger; SDG 13 – Climate Action; SGD 17 – Partnerships for the Goals.

Reports

AVISA 2023 Annual Report

Reflections from the Sorghum Conference: Insights and Inspiration for the Future

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The recently concluded Sorghum Conference brought together researchers, scientists, and experts from around the world to discuss the potential and challenges associated with this resilient crop. Participants shared their key takeaways, experiences, and insights during the event, shedding light on the importance of sorghum and its potential applications.

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) demonstrated valuable insights and technological advances in a variety of sessions, helping to shape the future of sorghum cultivation and products. CIMMYT has initiated a crop improvement program, known as the Dryland Crop Program (DCP) focusing on sorghum, millet, chickpea, pigeon pea and groundnuts. The program is establishing a network with stakeholders in 17 countries in Africa to collaboratively create, develop, and implement a crop improvement network. This approach will enable CIMMYT and the network to identify suitable products for specific market segments, establish joint breeding pipelines, conduct germplasm testing, and ultimately release and scale up superior seed varieties, thereby improving the quality and yield of these dryland crops, ensuring food security, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Among the speakers and presenters at the conference were six National Agricultural Research Extension Systems (NARES) partners. They presented their findings, addressing critical topics such as adaptation genetics and genomics, climate and environmental change, sorghum yield optimization techniques, and the development of new sorghum products for human consumption.

These are some of their reflections:

Exploring the diverse applications of sorghum

Henry Nzioka from Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research (KALRO) focused on the resiliency, adaptability, and versatility of sorghum. He appreciated the presentations that highlighted the resilience of sorghum in harsh environments. His research presentation focused on biological control measures and genetic resistance for managing the striga weed in sorghum. His findings aligned with one of the objectives of the conference, which was to develop climate-aware weed management technologies. Nzioka acknowledged the need to bridge the gap between research and the various actors in the sorghum value chain. In addition, he gained valuable knowledge regarding the application of modeling tools and farmer research networks.

“The knowledge gained here can contribute to the advancement of sorghum-related industries or research. However, its relevance will be country specific as different countries have different preferences and it may also depend on level of technological advancement of respective countries. Countries can be provided with a basket of options from which they can pick the best bet for advancement.”

Charles Bett engages a participant in conversation during his poster presentation (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

The importance of collaboration and the potential of sorghum

Charles Bett of KALRO, commended the high quality of the research papers and posters presented and emphasized the event’s timeliness and extensive use of technology. Bett was motivated by the research methodologies employed by other participants and gained new insights that he intends to incorporate into his own work. He summarized the impact of the conference as the realization of sorghum’s enormous potential for reducing food and nutrition insecurity and boosting household incomes. Bett presented on the evaluation of agricultural mechanization levels in the sorghum value chain, which aligned with the conference’s goal of reducing losses and increasing productivity. His reflections and lessons learned include the necessity of a broader coverage of thematic areas at future conferences and the dissemination of existing sorghum technologies to address productivity limitations. “While it is important to continue working on technology development, more efforts should be put on dissemination of existing technologies and address productivity depressing constraints.”

Promoting Sorghum as the future crop

Baba Haoua from INRAN, Niger emphasized the future potential of sorghum. The presentations and discussions inspired him and reinforced his belief that sorghum is destined to become a major player in the global agricultural landscape. Haoua’s own research on dual-purpose sorghum perfectly aligns with the objectives of the conference and he left the event knowledgeable and well-connected, eager to continue his work with vigor.

Promoting agroecological transition and regional research on sorghum

Assitan Daou, from the Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) in Mali emphasized the suitability of sorghum as a crop for growing populations in varying climates and the significance of an agroecological transition for adaptation to climate change. His poster presentation centered on sorghum cropping systems under rainfed conditions, which aligned with the conference’s goals of increasing crop productivity, adapting to climate variations, and bolstering the resilience of small-scale farmers. He considers the viability of sorghum production, the breaking of boundaries in the sorghum value chain, and the factors driving future sorghum demand. The exchange with other researchers, as well as the opportunity to improve his communication skills and establish contacts for future collaboration, satisfied Daou’s expectations for the conference. He learned new research techniques, such as crop modeling, and believes the knowledge he gained at the conference will advance sorghum-related industries and research.

A photo with a participant on a poster presentation by Haoua Baba (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

Recognizing the resilience and potential of sorghum

Rekiya Abdoulmalik, from the Institute of Agriculture Research (IAR) in Nigeria, presented about the stability evaluation of recently released dwarf sorghum lines, which aligned with the conference’s objective of revealing the genetic potential of sorghum in various environments. The conference motivated her to explore new ideas and directions for her research, particularly regarding the significance of root system architecture for drought resistance. She left the conference with new knowledge and a vision for climate-smart sorghum varieties that can meet food and feed requirements.

Exposing the economic worth of sorghum

Alex Zongo, from the Institut de l’Environnement et des Recherches Agricoles (INERA) / CNRST in Burkina Faso, was inspired by the conference to shift the focus of his research to understanding the value of sorghum for inclusive and sustainable agriculture. He gained a deeper understanding of sorghum’s uses, such as in baking, brewing, and animal feed. Zongo was inspired by the conference to investigate the economic contribution of sorghum and increase stakeholder awareness. “New knowledge shows that crop association (which mobilizes sorghum to a greater extent) helps to stabilize crop yields through soil fertility management. We therefore need to study its economic contribution.”

Unveiling the potential of sorghum to shape sustainable agriculture

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in News.

Scientists, researchers and stakeholders from around the world gathered at the global sorghum conference from June 5-9, 2023, in Montpellier, France, to discuss the latest developments in sorghum research, innovation, challenges and sustainable practices in the face of climate change.

The Dryland Crops Program (DCP) partners pose for a group photo at the Sorghum Conference (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

Participating as a sponsor, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) demonstrated valuable insights and technological advances in a variety of sessions. Two CIMMYT representatives and six National Agricultural Research Extension Systems (NARES) partners, presented findings, addressing critical topics such as adaptation genetics and genomics, climate and environmental change, sorghum yield optimization techniques and the development of new sorghum products for human consumption.

CIMMYT has initiated a crop improvement program, known as the Dryland Crop Program (DCP), focused on sorghum, millets (pearl and finger millet), chickpea, pigeon pea and groundnut. The program is in the process of establishing a CGIAR-NARES network with stakeholders form 17 countries in Africa to collaboratively create, develop and implement a crop improvement network for these crops in Eastern, Southern, Western and Central Africa. This cooperative approach will enable CIMMYT and the network to identify suitable products for specific market segments, establish joint breeding pipelines, conduct on-farm germplasm testing and ultimately release and scale up superior seed varieties. This will ultimately lead to improving the quality and yield of these dryland crops, ensuring food security and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Nebie Baloue from CIMMYT Senegal providing information about the Dryland Crops Program (DCP) program to visitors at the CIMMYT’s booth (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

Abhishek Rathore presented “Understanding sorghum race level diversity and development of sorghum genomic resources by using deep learning-based variant calling approach,” which examines sorghum’s racial diversity and the creation of genomic resources. Using a deep learning-based variant, researchers identified race-specific genetic signatures and gained a comprehensive understanding of sorghum race structure and domestication processes. These discoveries pave the way for more targeted breeding programs and the identification of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) markers.

Baloua Nebie presented a poster on “Crop improvement network approach to co-develop market required products and strengthen partners’ capacities in Africa.” He indicated the dryland crops improvement programs are in collaboration with CGIAR-NARES programs, with CIMMYT acting as a facilitator within the network to deliver varieties more quickly and efficiently in response to market demand. The network is comprised of 10 NARES in Western and Central Africa, seven NARES in Eastern and Southern Africa, as well as farmer organizations and seed companies. In addition to their national roles, NARES partners will contribute to regional activities based on their comparative advantages; these roles include co-sharing of regional pipelines development, early to late testing of breeding lines, product release and scaling. Through consultative meetings and program evaluation, these activities will be aligned with the regional and country-specific market segments identified by stakeholders.

Alex Zongo of the Institut de l’Environnement et des Recherches Agricoles (INERA) / CNRST – Burkina Faso, a NARES partner, presented research analyzing the macro-institutional determinants of the adoption of new sorghum/millet varieties. He shed light on the obstacles associated with the adoption of new sorghum/millet varieties. The research uncovered the economic and social incentives that prevent their scaling through a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Mr. Jeffrey Ehlers Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation engages in conversation with Nebie Baloua from CIMMYT Senegal at the CIMMYT’s booth (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

With climate change posing a significant threat to global agriculture, NARES partners involved in regional networks have delved into the pressing issues of enhancing sorghum production’s climate resilience. Rekiya Abdoulmalik, from the Institute of Agriculture Research (IAR) in Nigeria, presented a poster on the threats to sorghum cultivation in Nigeria posed by current security issues and potential climate change effects. The study evaluated 14 varieties of dwarf sorghum in multiple locations. The analysis identified stable, high-yielding varieties with the potential to contribute to Nigeria’s food security in the face of shifting environmental conditions.

Other NARES partners presenting posters included Henry Nzioka from Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research (KALRO), who made a case for the biological control of the striga weed in sorghum. Citing technological advancements, he illustrated how the integration of climate-smart weed management technologies can lead to the control of the weed.

Another presentation by Charles Bett of KALRO focused on mechanization in the sorghum value chain, which revealed that investments in machinery and traction power have a positive and significant effect on sorghum yield. The findings recommend a shift in policy to help farmers afford small-scale machinery and gradually replace ox power with affordable machinery.

Baba Haoua, from INRAN, Niger, highlighted that introducing specific genes into sorghum varieties through conventional breeding will increase their nutritional content and identify promising lines for local farmers, providing a sustainable solution for improving sorghum for both grain and livestock feed applications.

Assitan Daou from the Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) in Mali emphasized the suitability of sorghum as a crop for growing populations in varying climates and the significance of an agroecological transition for adaptation to climate change. His poster presentation centered on sorghum cropping systems under rainfed conditions, which aligned with the conference’s goals of increasing crop productivity, adapting to climate variations and bolstering the resilience of small-scale farmers.

The conference, according to Chris Ojiewo, Strategic Partnerships and Seed Systems lead for the Dryland Crops Program at CIMMYT, played a crucial role in sharing the latest sorghum research findings and their outcomes. “The conference provided an important platform for communicating advances in research and associated outputs and outcomes on sorghum as an important cereal grain contributing to food, nutrition and income securities and overall resilience in agrifood systems especially to smallholder farmers in areas prone to drought stress and more so in the face of changing and variable climates,” said Ojiewo.

Nebie Baloua from CIMMYT Senegal engaging with visitors at the CIMMYT’s stand (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

CIMMYT also set up an exhibition booth that provided an overview of the various activities undertaken as a part of its dryland crop programs and CGIAR-NARES improvement network. Senior officials of donor organizations consulted CIMMYT staff regarding approaches to dryland crops improvements, key achievements and the possibility of new partnerships.

The next 21st Century Global Sorghum Conference will be hosted by Texas University in Lubbock in September 2026.

Scientists urge shifting more nitrogen to low-input farms and better use on high-yield farms

Written by Mike Listman on . Posted in Publications.

Integrated management of organic and inorganic nitrogen sources in high- to low-yield cereal production could bring yearly savings in nitrogen fertilizer of over 1 million tons in India, some 90,000 tons in Ethiopia, and more than 20,000 tons in Malawi, according to a new scientific paper, “Spatially differentiated nitrogen supply is key in a global food-fertilizer price crisis.”

“Global policies and governments should prioritize nitrogen supplies to low-yield, low-fertility cropping systems, such as smallholder maize and rice farms in Malawi, which are representative of the highly N-deficient cereal systems relied upon by over 100 million people in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Sieglinde Snapp, director of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Program at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and first author of the paper. “Those farmers should also ramp up organic nitrogen inputs, such as manure and legume crops.”

In the intensive, high-yield cropping systems of India, farmers generally over-apply N fertilizer on 90% of the rice and wheat crops and more than half of maize crops. Less than half the nitrogen is taken up and used by the crops and the rest is lost into the environment, contaminating water, land, and the atmosphere. “Simply saving the excess fertilizer from over-fertilized areas and shifting it to low-application areas could increase global crop yields by 30%, with huge reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” said Tek Sapkota, co-author of the paper and climate change leader at CIMMYT.

This study is based on evidence of achievable shifts in nitrogen management over 1-2 years, for a modest proportion of cropped area (10%). “We did not assess interventions with longer time horizons or large investment requirements such as precision agriculture, mechanization, or deep placement of fertilizer,” Snapp explained.

Snapp and her colleagues used evidence from the scientific literature to estimate N-fertilizer savings from the above interventions for maize, wheat, and rice cropping systems in India, Ethiopia, and Malawi. Integrated organic and inorganic nitrogen management was estimated by considering manure and legume N inputs along with N fertilizers. The effect of reallocating public subsidies to more cost-effective, high-N fertilizer was calculated as the extra nitrogen that could be made available through a lower unit cost of nitrogen.

Food production vs healthy environment?

According to Snapp, humanity is caught in a bind. Food crops grown using synthetic nitrogen fertilizer have fed expanding world populations since the 1960s, fertilizer use has increased nearly 10-fold since then, and significantly higher food demands lie ahead to mid-century. At the same time, poor use of N fertilizer is hurting the environment and, most recently, geopolitical conflicts have disrupted N fertilizer supplies and exposed the vulnerabilities of the global fuel-fertilizer-food nexus.

“In regions where cropping systems are highly deficient in nitrogen, investment is needed in policies and extension education to promote the use of organic nitrogen residues and legume crops,” Snapp said.

Extension agencies, she suggests, can extend their reach using digital tools and bi-directional communication approaches that engage local knowledge and farmers, including advisories regarding local soils and crop and fertilization requirements.