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Location: Asia

As a fast growing region with increasing challenges for smallholder farmers, Asia is a key target region for CIMMYT. CIMMYT’s work stretches from Central Asia to southern China and incorporates system-wide approaches to improve wheat and maize productivity and deliver quality seed to areas with high rates of child malnutrition. Activities involve national and regional local organizations to facilitate greater adoption of new technologies by farmers and benefit from close partnerships with farmer associations and agricultural extension agents.

CIMMYT scientists deliver training to improve agriculture in Uzbekistan

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

Scientists from the Research Institute of Plant Genetic Resources in Uzbekistan (RIPGR) attended training on gene bank management and genetic resources, coordinated by CIMMYT-Türkiye on 13-20 April 2024. Hosted at the Turkish Department of Agricultural Economics and Project Management (TAGEM), the training is supported by the World Bank Group, which is helping Uzbekistan to modernize the country’s agriculture. With one of the highest levels of wheat consumption in Central Asia, the modernization project aims to increase Uzbekistan’s wheat yield and meet demand for the crop.

The course included lectures on status and activity of the Turkish Seed Germplasm Bank (TSGB), policy instruments and international perspectives on plant genetic resources, herbarium techniques, biotechnology studies, and genetic resources. Uzbek scientists also became acquainted with scientific laboratories, visiting the field station in İkizce Gölbaşı and learned about the breeding, pathology, and agronomy activities at the station as well as the collaboration activities between CGIAR Research Centers and TAGEM.

Country-wide expertise

In addition to sessions at CIMMYT’s office in Türkiye, participants also visited the National Gene Bank in Ankara and the National Gene Bank of Izmir.

At the latter location, experts delivered sessions on a range of topics, such as the Plant Diversity and Genetic Resources Program of Türkiye; in vitro and cryopreservation techniques; the conservation, data recording, and documentation of plant genetic resources; conservation and utilization of vegetable genetic resources; conservation studies on mushroom genetic resources; studies on wheat genetic resources and wheat breeding at the international winter wheat breeding program; regional collaboration to combat wheat rust disease in Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA); and international winter wheat breeding strategies.

In addition to the seminar sessions, the participants also visited several locations to familiarize themselves with scientific processes in field and laboratory conditions. They visited the field gene banks, guided by Fatih Çağir, who provided brief information about the fruit genetic resources activities of Türkiye. They also visited the plant collection activities and herbarium techniques laboratory, the National Gene Bank, Herbarium, Fungarium & Seed Physiology Laboratory of the Plant Genetics Resources Department & Plant Tissue Center, and the Regional Cereal Rust Research Center.

The importance of the training course for Uzbek scientists is to study the system of rational use, conservation, and management of plant genetic resources of Türkiye and to introduce new innovative knowledge in Uzbekistan. It also consists of discussing aspects related to bilateral cooperation and sustainable development in the field of plant genetic resources as well gene bank management.

The delegation from Uzbekistan, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the director of the Research Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, Zafarjon Mashrapovich Ziyaev, expressed their deep gratitude to the organizers and departments for this training course.

Climate-proofing India’s daily bread: The race for resilient wheat

Written by dmedina on . Posted in In the media.

CIMMYT collaborates with Indian research institutions like IIWBR to develop climate-resilient wheat varieties, supplying essential genetic materials and leveraging global research initiatives, advanced breeding techniques, and technological tools. This partnership accelerates the creation and distribution of resilient crops, supporting local scientists and smallholder farmers through training, capacity-building programs, and knowledge sharing to ensure sustainable agriculture and enhanced food security in the face of climate change.

Read the full story.

A journey through Bangladesh’s ground-breaking agricultural practices

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

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

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

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

Pioneering agricultural technology

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

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

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

Climate-specific farming

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

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

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

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

Systemic self-sufficiency

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

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

Global research partnerships

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

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

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

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

Heat tolerant maize: a solution for climate change-induced 360◦ water deficits

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

Seed company partners observe the performance of heat-tolerant hybrids in the dry heat of southern Karnataka, India. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Millions of smallholders in the Global South depend on maize, largely cultivated under rainfed conditions, for their own food security and livelihoods. Climate change mediated weather extremes, such as heat waves and frequent droughts, pose a major challenge to agricultural production, especially for rainfed crops like maize in the tropics.

“With both effects coming together under heat stress conditions, plants are surrounded, with no relief from the soil or the air,” said Pervez H. Zaidi, maize physiologist with CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program in Asia. “Climate change induced drought and heat stress results in a double-sided water deficit: supply-side drought due to depleted moisture in soils, and demand-side drought with decreased moisture in the surface air. “

Extreme weather events

Weather extremes have emerged as the major factor contributing to low productivity of the rainfed system in lowland tropics. South Asia is already experiencing soaring high temperatures (≥40◦C), at least 5◦C above the threshold limit for tropical maize and increased frequency of drought stress.

A woman agricultural officer discusses the performance of heat tolerant hybrids at farmers’ field in Raichur districts of Karnataka, India. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“In today’s warmer and drier climate, unless farmers have copious amounts of water (which might not be a sustainable choice for smallholders in the tropics) to not only meet the increased transpiration needs of the plants but also for increased evaporation to maintain necessary levels of humidity in the air, the climate change mediated weather extremes, such as heat and drought pose a major challenge to agricultural production, especially for rainfed crops like maize in lowland tropics,” said Zaidi.

To deal with emerging trends of unpredictable weather patterns with an increased number of warmer and drier days, new maize cultivars must combine high yield potential with tolerance to heat stress.

Maize designed to thrive in extreme weather conditions

CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program in South Asia, in partnership with public sector maize research institutes and private sector seed companies in the region, is implementing an intensive initiative for developing and deploying heat tolerant maize that combines high yield potential with resilience to heat and drought.

By integrating novel breeding and precision phenotyping tools and methods, new maize germplasm with enhanced levels of heat stress tolerance is being developed for lowland tropics. Over a decade of concerted efforts have resulted in over 50 elite heat stress tolerant, CIMMYT-derived maize hybrids licensed to public and private sector partners for varietal release, improved seed deployment, and scale-up.

Popular normal hybrids (left) & CAH153, a heat tolerant hybrid (right) under heat stress. (Photo: CIMMYT)

As of 2023, a total of 22 such high-yielding climate-adaptive maize (CAM) hybrids have been released by partners throughout South Asia. Through public-private partnerships, eight hybrids are being already deployed and scaled-up to over 100,000 hectares in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Also, the heat tolerant lines developed by CIMMYT in Asia were used by maize programs in sub-Saharan Africa for developing heat tolerant maize hybrids by crossing these as trait donors with their elite maize lines.

Studies on the new CAM hybrids show that while their yield is like existing normal maize hybrids under favorable conditions, the CAM hybrids outperform normal hybrids significantly under unfavorable weather conditions.

“The unique selling point of the new CAM hybrids is that they guarantee a minimum yield of at least 1.0 tons per hectare to smallholder farmers under unfavorable weather when most of the existing normal hybrids end-up with very poor yield,” said Subhas Raj Upadhyay, from the Lumbini Seed Company Ltd. in Nepal.

Given the superior performance of CAM seeds in stress conditions, Nepali farmers have expressed willingness to pay a premium price: an average of 71% more with government subsidy, or at least 19% extra without a subsidy for CAM seed. Similarly, the farmers in hot-dry areas of the Karnataka state of India are ready to pay 37% premium price for CAM seed compared to normal hybrid seed. These reports strongly validate the demand of CAM seed and therefore a targeted initiative is needed to accelerate deployment and scaling these seeds in climate-vulnerable marginal agroecologies in tropics.

CIMMYT and China join forces to tackle wheat disease in Africa

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

While wheat acreage has been increasing across the whole of Africa, the sub-Saharan countries account for a significant proportion of the total growth and yield, equaling an area of approximately 3.1 million hectares and a production of more than 9 million tons. However, in recent years, Fusarium head blight (FHB) or head scab has become a major disease in the region, causing significant reductions in yield and quality due to the lack of resistant varieties and management tools.

In China, a successful wheat shuttle breeding program by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and CIMMYT for improving FHB has existed since the 1980s. Additionally, CIMMYT and the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) have provided an FHB screening station in Nanjing since 2019. With a wealth of experience in confronting the disease, this ongoing partnership can help to solve the challenges currently faced by farmers in Africa.

To this end, CAAS, JAAS, and CIMMYT organized a training workshop on FHB management for Africa, which took place with financial support from China Aid in Beijing and Nanjing, China, between 10 and 23 April 2024. Twenty participants, 45% of which were women, attended the workshop, with specialists in wheat breeding, pathology, seed quarantine, and other related fields at public institutions in Ethiopia, Zambia, and Lesotho.

“This is the first time China has worked with an international organization to conduct an agricultural training workshop for sub-Saharan Africa,” said Zhonghu He, CIMMYT distinguished scientist and country liaison officer in China.

A hands-on demonstration at the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) and CIMMYT Fusarium head blight (FHB) precision phenotyping platform helps scientists in Africa to better understand and fight the wheat disease. (Photo: Liu Xiyan/CAAS)

Practical tools to target FHB

Experts from China and CIMMYT shared their successful experiences of FHB management, including breeding resistant varieties. The trainees benefitted from hands-on experience of FHB identification, disease screening (including inoculum preparation, inoculation, and scoring), mycotoxin quantification techniques, and wheat breeding.

At the end of the workshop, the participants were extremely pleased to observe the impressive progress made in China on wheat FHB both on breeding and disease control, and they expressed strong willingness to contribute to collaboration between Africa, China, and CIMMYT on more wheat breeding and research. Netsanet Bacha Hei from the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) was impressed with the scientific and technical expertise provided in the training and mentioned that sub-Saharan Africa needs similar practical trainings to mitigate the threat of FHB. Similar opinions were echoed by Doreen Malekano Chomba from the Zambian Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Service (PQPS), who discussed the need to have an effective in-country surveillance and monitoring to assess and manage FHB in the region.

Participants gather for the opening ceremony of the workshop at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) in Beijing. (Photo: Li Simin/CAAS)

Xu Zhang, who heads the FHB research program at JAAS, is very appreciative of the collaborative work that has been going on for several decades between CIMMYT and China, highlighting that the workshop represents another step in understanding and managing FHB in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, Zhang said, JAAS and CIMMYT has grown together through strong partnership.

“This training lays firm groundwork for future China-Africa-CIMMYT collaboration on mitigating the threat of FHB and improving wheat production and food security in sub-Saharan African countries,” said He.

Enhancing maize seed and feed security

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

Maize is the second most important cereal in Laos after rice, driven primarily by the demand for animal feed in neighboring countries such as China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Laos has an export-oriented maize sector, with most of the country’s production destined for these markets. The sector reached its peak in 2016, when production levels hit 6 metric tons per hectare across an area of 0.26 million hectares.

Over 90% of Laos’s maize production relies on rain-fed agriculture, with maize grain and stover serving as the primary source of feed for smallholder farmers who depend on mixed crop and livestock farming systems for their livelihoods. However, between 2016 and 2022, total maize area and production declined significantly, contracting by 64% and 70%, respectively. Several factors contributed to this decline, including volatile market prices, competition from cassava and other crops, rising production costs, and yield losses due to pests, diseases, and soil nutrient degradation because of monocropping.

Additionally, Laos relies on imported hybrid maize seed, primarily from Thailand and Vietnam, which creates a dependence on external suppliers and exposes farmers to price fluctuations. Recognizing the importance of improving maize productivity and sustainability, the Laotian government is taking steps to enhance local capacity for seed production and ensure access to affordable high-quality feed.

Enhancing local hybrid maize seed production  

Recognizing the importance of enhancing the availability and accessibility of quality maize seed and feed, CIMMYT and Laos’s National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) have initiated the evaluation of high-yielding maize hybrids for both grain and stover quality. In 2023, 12 yellow-kernel maize hybrids developed by the CIMMYT-Asia breeding program underwent evaluation in Laos. The same set of hybrids is undergoing evaluation in 2024 to identify stable and suitable germplasm. According to Siviengkhek Phommalath, director of the rice and cash crop research center at NAFRI, the 2023 evaluation provided promising results, with at least two hybrids performing better or on par with widely grown commercial ones in Laos. These hybrids exhibit high productivity, particularly in terms of grain and stover quality. However, further validation is planned for 2024, with the introduction of additional testing sites to assess performance across various environments.

Following thorough evaluations across multiple years and environments, the most suitable dual-purpose maize hybrids will be allocated to NAFRI by CIMMYT along with their parental lines, to kickstart local seed production. However, the capacity of national partners needs to be strengthened to initiate local hybrid maize seed production effectively, and this necessitates the integration and coordination of efforts among all stakeholders in the seed and feed value chains in Laos.

Capacity building across seed and feed value chains

In response to the need for capacity building in local hybrid seed production and ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality seed and feed to Laotian smallholder farmers, NAFRI has collaborated with CIMMYT under the CGIAR Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems (SIMFS), Seed Equal, and Plant Health Initiatives to organize an international training workshop on enhancing access to quality maize seed and feed in the crop-livestock farming system of Lao PDR, which took place from May 7-9, 2024.

Workshop participants. (Photo: NAFRI)

The three-day interactive workshop, held in Vientiane, brought together 28 specialists from various organizations, including NAFRI, Souphanou Vong University, the Upland Agriculture Research Center (UARC), Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Offices (PAFO), as well as maize seed importers and grain traders from different provinces within the country.

The first day was dedicated to understanding the challenges and opportunities of the maize seed value chain. Participants were divided into three groups based on their practical backgrounds and invited to discuss challenges, stakeholder roles, and develop actionable recommendations for better coordination across value chains. This multi-stakeholder platform aimed to comprehend the challenges and opportunities of the crop-livestock farming nexus and integrate them into a more sustainable and productive system. It also served as a forum to promote synergistic partnerships among value-chain actors in enhancing local access to good quality seed and feed. The following days focused on various essential components of quality hybrid seed production, including understanding product profiles and market segments, realizing the economics of hybrid maize seed production, seed quality assurance, management of maize pests and diseases, and enhancing maize stover quality.

A collaborative approach

Workshop participants highlighted the challenges they face in acquiring maize seeds from external sources, citing inconsistent delivery times and limited availability of preferred varieties as factors that posed significant operational constraints. “The development of a competitive domestic maize seed system would ensure timely seed supply for farmers and save resources for the nation,” said Maisong Yodnuanchan, an agripreneur from Xiangkhouang province. His concerns resonated with fellow agripreneurs Bounmy Si and Teuang Sophapmixay, from Oudomxay and Hua Phan provinces, respectively, who both acknowledged the challenges associated with the current reliance on imported seeds and the potential benefits of a sustainable, locally produced seed supply.

CIMMYT and NAFRI open a workshop session. (Photo: NAFRI)

The training workshop offered valuable insights into addressing these concerns, providing a comprehensive overview of effective seed system development and the technical aspects of seed production applicable to a wide range of crops beyond maize. “This is the first ever training I received in my career and the knowledge gained will be directly applicable to my research activities at the UARC,” said researcher Malay Soukkhy. Recognizing the unique context of Laos compared to most of its neighboring countries with more established seed systems, AbduRahman Beshir, CIMMYT’s seed systems specialist for Asia and the lead trainer and facilitator for the workshop, emphasized the need for a collaborative approach to develop a custom solution for Laos. The workshop itself exemplified this collaborative spirit, incorporating a variety of engaging formats such as group discussions, lectures, assignments, and participant presentations. Subject matter specialists from CIMMYT offices in Nepal, India, and Kenya, as well as experts from Alliance Bioversity-CIAT and ILRI offices in Asia, shared valuable experiences applicable to Laos’s seed and feed systems.

Cementing partnerships

While addressing the participants, Timothy J. Krupnik, regional director for CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agrifood Systems Program in Asia, opened the workshop by acknowledging the invaluable support of NAFRI for organizing the event and collaborating under the CGIAR mixed farming initiative. He highlighted the imminent finalization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CIMMYT and NAFRI, which will pave the way to further cement partnerships and establish a long term CIMMYT operations in Laos.

NAFRI’s Director General, Chanthakhone Bualaphan, presided over the workshop and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between CIMMYT and NAFRI. Bualaphan requested CIMMYT’s continued focus on capacity building in Laos, encompassing both human resource development and institutional strengthening. She further highlighted the establishment of a specific target for domestic hybrid maize seed production, aligning with the government’s self-sufficiency goals.  To translate plans into action, Bualaphan emphasized the need for future training programs to be more action-oriented and practical. She concluded by reiterating NAFRI’s unwavering support for CIMMYT’s expanded activities in Laos, with the ultimate objective of significantly improving the livelihoods of Laotian farmers. The workshop culminated with the presentation of certificates to participants and the development of a collaborative follow-up plan for deploying well-tailored maize germplasm within the mixed farming system of Laos.

Strengthening maize value chains in Nepal

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

Stakeholders collaborate in a two-day workshop to discuss the inclusive development of maize value chains in Nepal. (Photo: CIMMYT)

From April 3-4, 2024, CIMMYT hosted the International Conference on Strengthening Maize Value Chains in Nepal, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Department of Agriculture (DOA), the National Agriculture Research Council (NARC), and the Agri Enterprise Center (AEC) of the Federation of Nepali Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“Maize holds the potential to yield manifold benefits for farmers, the private sector, and the Government of Nepal, through the development of an efficient market system,” said Judith Almodovar, acting director of the Economic Growth Office at USAID Nepal. With this in mind, the two-day conference held in Kathmandu brought together government officials, policymakers, industry leaders, and experts from Nepal and the wider region to explore avenues for advancing the country’s maize sub-sector. It served as a platform for participants from India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, representing various functions of the maize value chain to share and exchange innovative commercial maize production, post-harvest, supply chain, and marketing models and policies aimed at improving efficiency, ensuring sustainability, and fostering competitiveness.

Addressing the opening session, Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Jwala Kumari Sah, highlighted the Government of Nepal’s priority to increase maize production and marketing, emphasizing the need to provide maize for food, feed, and fodder to boost incomes and improve livelihoods. While highlighting objectives and expectations from the conference, Country Representative for CIMMYT in Nepal, Dyutiman Choudhary, shared information about CIMMYT’s mandate and global expertise in maize science, as well as interventions to develop a maize seed-to-feed model in Nepal. The organization’s model fosters public-private farmer partnerships for commercial maize production as a key approach to develop an inclusive and sustainable maize sub-sector in the country. “As a result, maize yields have doubled in Nepal and farmer gate prices have increased by 50% in the last two years,” Choudhary explained.

CIMMYT scientists and partners engage in a panel discussion on maize commercialization. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Recommendations for sustainable improvement

The conference involved five different technical sessions over the course of two days, each focused on various themes related to production, marketing, international best practices, and policies. Experts from Bangladesh, India, and Nepal were involved in insightful discussions and shared valuable knowledge and experience for advancing the commercialization of the maize sub-sector in Nepal.

Participants made recommendations for the sustainable improvement of national maize production and commercialization to meet the growing demand for food, feed, and fodder while reducing reliance on imports. These include developing high-yielding, short-duration, stress-tolerant maize varieties, and identifying models for commercial maize production, post-harvest, storage, market linkages, and supportive policies for improved investment and coordination among public sectors, market actors, and service providers to meet national maize demand.

At the closing session, Govinda Prasad Sharma, secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MOALD), notified attendees that MOALD is in the process of strengthening a national strategy for maize commercialization and that the learning from the conference will provide valuable inputs. He added that the participation of experts from neighboring countries has provided deep insights for policy development.

Gridded crop modeling to simulate impacts of climate change and adaptation benefits in ACASA

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

Global temperatures are projected to warm between 1.5-2 degrees Celsius by the year 2050, and 2-4 degrees Celsius by 2100. This is likely to change precipitation patterns, which will impact crop yields, water availability, food security, and agricultural resilience.

To prepare for these challenges, Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA) uses process-based simulation models that can predict crop growth, development, and yield in order to understand the response of crops to climate change. Models such as Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT), InfoCrop, and Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) facilitate the field scale study of the biophysical and biochemical processes of crops under various environmental conditions, revealing how they are affected by changing weather patterns.

The ACASA team, along with experts from Columbia University and the University of Florida, met for a three-day workshop in January 2024 to boost the work on spatial crop modeling. The aim was to design a modeling protocol through a hands-on demonstration on high-performance computers. When scientifically executed, gridded spatial crop modeling–even though complex and data-intensive–can be a great way to frame adaptation and mitigation strategies for improving food security, which is one of ACASA’s goals.

ACASA’s Spatial Crop Modelling Group meets in Colombo, Sri Lanka, January 2024. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Decisions on data

The group decided to use DSSAT, APSIM, and InfoCrop for simulating the impact of climatic risks on crops such as rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, millet, pigeon pea, chickpea, groundnut, soybean, mustard, potato, cotton, and more. They chose harmonized protocols across all three models with standard inputs, such as conducting simulations at 0.05 degrees. The model input data about weather, soil, crop varietal coefficients, and crop management are being collected and processed for model input formats at 5 kilometer (km) spatial resolution.

A Python version called DSSAT-Pythia is now available to accelerate spatial and gridded applications. The programming for implementing InfoCrop on the Pythia platform is in progress. InfoCrop has been proven in India for past yield estimations, climate change spatial impact, and adaptation assessments for 12 crops.

For other crucial modeling components, a work plan was created including developing regional crop masks, crop zones based on mega-commodity environments as defined by CGIAR, production systems, crop calendars, and irrigated areas by crop. Genetic coefficients will then be calculated from measured past values and recent benchmark data of varietal units.

With this information, several adaptation options will be simulated, including changes in planting dates, stress-tolerant varieties, irrigation, and nitrogen fertilizer (quantity, methods, and technology), residue/mulching, and conservation tillage. The team will evaluate impact and adaptation benefits on yields, water, and nitrogen-use efficiency based on the reported percentage change from the baseline data.

As the project progresses, this work will make strides towards realizing food security for the planet and increasing the resilience of smallholder farming practices.

Blog written by Anooja Thomas, University of Florida; Apurbo K Chaki, BARI, Bangladesh; Gerrit Hoogenboom, University of Florida; S Naresh Kumar, ICAR-IARI, India

Harnessing econometric and statistical tools to support climate-resilient agriculture

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

Globally, climate extremes are adversely affecting agricultural productivity and farmer welfare. Farmers’ lack of knowledge about adaptation options may further exacerbate the situation. In the context of South Asia, which is home to rural farm-based economies with smallholder populations, tailored adaptation options are crucial to safeguarding the region’s agriculture in response to current and future climate challenges. These resilience strategies encompass a range of risk reducing practices such as changing the planting date, Conservation Agriculture, irrigation, stress-tolerant varieties, crop diversification, and risk transfer mechanisms, e.g., crop insurance. Practices such as enterprise diversification and community water conservation are also potential sector-specific interventions.

Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA) aims to identify hazard-linked adaptation options and prioritize them at a granular geographical scale. While doing so, it is paramount to consider the suitability of adaptation options from a socioeconomic lens which varies across spatial and temporal dimensions. Further, calculation of scalability parameters such as economic, environmental benefit, and gender inclusivity for prioritized adaptation are important to aid climatic risk management and developmental planning in the subcontinent. Given the credibility of econometric and statistical methods, the key tenets of the approach that are being applied in ACASA are worth highlighting.

Evaluating the profitability of adaptation options

Profitability is among the foremost indicators for the feasible adoption of any technology. The popular metric of profitability evaluation is benefit-to-cost ratio. This is a simple measure based on additional costs and benefits because of adopting new technology. A benefit-to-cost ratio of more than one is considered essential for financial viability. Large-scale surveys such as cost of cultivation and other household surveys can provide cost estimates for limited adaptation options. Given the geographical and commodity spread, ACASA must resort to the meta-analysis of published literature or field trials for adaptation options. For example, a recent paper by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) based on meta-analysis shows that not all interventions result in a win-win situation with improvements in both tradable and non-tradable outcomes. While no-till wheat, legumes, and integrated nutrient management result in an advantageous outcome, there are trade-offs between the tradable and non-tradable ecosystem services in the cases of directed seed rice, organic manure, and agroforestry2.

Quantification of adaptation options to mitigate hazards

Past studies demonstrate the usefulness of econometric methods when analyzing the effectiveness of adaptation options such as irrigation, shift in planting time, and crop diversification against drought and heat stress in South Asia. Compared to a simple cost-benefit approach, the adaptation benefits of a particular technology under climatic stress conditions can be ascertained by comparing it with normal weather conditions. The popular methods in climate economics literature are panel data regression and treatment-based models. Subject to data availability, modern methods of causal estimation, and machine learning can be used to ascertain the robust benefits of adaptation options. Such studies, though available in literature, have compared limited adaptation options. A study by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (ICAR-NIAP), based on ‘Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households’ of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), concluded that though crop insurance and irrigation effectively improve farm income and reduce farmers’ exposure to downside risk, irrigation is more effective than crop insurance1.

Statistical models for spatial interpolation of econometric estimates

Since ACASA focuses on gridded analysis, an active area of statistical application is the spatial interpolation or downscaling of results to a more granular scale. Many indicators used for risk characterization are available at coarser geographical units or points from surveys. Kriging is a spatial interpolation method where there is no observed data. Apart from spatial interpolation of observed indicators, advanced Kriging methods can be potentially used to interpolate or predict the estimates of the econometric model.

ACASA’s approach involves prioritizing adaptation options based on suitability, scalability, and gender inclusivity. Econometric and statistical methods play a crucial role in evaluating the profitability and effectiveness of various adaptation strategies from real world datasets. Despite challenges such as limited observational data and integration of econometric and statistical methods, ACASA can facilitate informed decision-making in climate risk management and safeguard agricultural productivity in the face of climatic hazards.

1 Birthal PS, Hazrana J, Negi DS and Mishra A. 2022. Assessing benefits of crop insurance vis-a-vis irrigation in Indian agriculture. Food Policy 112:102348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2022.102348

2 Kiran Kumara T M, Birthal PS, Chand D and Kumar A. 2024. Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services of Selected Interventions in Agriculture in India. IFPRI Discussion Paper 02250, IFPRI-South Asia Regional Office, New Delhi.

Blog written by Prem Chand, ICAR-NIAP, India and Kaushik Bora, BISA-CIMMYT, India

Indian scientists visit Türkiye for soil and root health training program

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

Soil is the foundation of agriculture, and healthy soil is critical to the entire ecosystem. However, soil health is under threat today as many factors make soil unhealthy, leading to significant losses in farming. CIMMYT in India has been addressing these issues in partnership with national and international institutions, while CIMMYT’s SBP program in Türkiye aims to deliver high-yielding wheat germplasm that is resistant to SBP and supports the International Soil-Borne Pathogens Research & Development Center (ISBPRDC) of Türkiye. It also facilitates knowledge exchange and technology transfer to support joint research and development activities to improve soil health.

On arrival, the group of scientists and professors from Bihar was welcomed by Metin Türker, director general of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM). Talking about the intricate nexus of agriculture, climate, and technology, Türker emphasized varietal developments to irrigation advancements and engaged in lively discussions with the group, fueled by a shared vision for agricultural sustainability.

Led by Abdelfattah A. Dababat, CIMMYT country representative in Türkiye and the leader of the SBD program, the scientists and professors from India ventured into the heart of research institutions, immersing themselves in the latest innovations in wheat improvement and plant pathology. Their journey took them from Ankara to Eskisehir and ended at the Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, where they were greeted by passionate experts eager to share their knowledge. Bonds were forged amid lectures and laboratory demonstrations, and ideas ignited, paving the way for future collaborations.

Visit to Ankara Province

The participants visited the Field Crops Central Research Institute and were introduced to the TAGEM Seed Gene Bank and Herbarium. Participants were acquainted with seed processing and preservation methods with live demonstrations. Following that, participants visited the Plant Protection Central Research Institute in Ankara, where its Director Ayse Ozdem gave an overview of the institute’s mandates and research work. Participants had the opportunity to explore the plant pathology laboratory and learn about major crop diseases in Türkiye and their control measures.

Participants later visited winter wheat trial sites at the research station in Haymana, a district of Ankara province. The group then interacted with Mesut Keser, ICARDA’s wheat breeder who specializes in winter and facultative wheat while working on the International Winter Wheat Improvement Program (IWWIP). This was followed by a visit to the pathology field experiments, a breeder seed production area, and an experimental trial for evaluating Syngenta TYMIRIUM® technology at the research station.

Visit to TZARI in Eskisehir

Scientists also had a chance to visit the Transitional Zone Agricultural Research Institute located in the Central Anatolian Plateau of Türkiye. The institute’s director Sabri Cakir welcomed the participants and briefed them about the ongoing research activities of the institute and its relevance to agriculture in Türkiye. Savas Belen gave a general overview of the institute and the breeding program, while Abdullah Tane Kilinc presented a glimpse of the activities of the Department of Plant Pathology. Professor Halil Toktay gave an overview of plant parasitic nematodes in wheat and potato, followed by Gül Erginbas Orakci who discussed the importance of managing soil-borne pathogens.

Beyhan Akin, wheat breeder at CIMMYT, gave a presentation on CIMMYT’s breeding activities in Türkiye, and Oğuz Önder presented fertilizer application on the quality of Bread Wheat and the importance of foliar fertilization in crops.

Thereafter, participants visited the plant pathology laboratory where Abdelfattah A. Dababat and Gül Erginbas-Orakci gave an overview of laboratory methods to study Cereal Cyst Nematodes and Root-Lesion Nematodes with live demonstrations. Innovative approaches to tackle the Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in agriculture were also discussed. In the agronomy laboratory, Oğuz Önder gave a live demonstration for estimating plant grain and biomass yield by optical sensor-based technologies. Participants also had the opportunity to explore the soil science laboratory and become familiar with state-of-the-art equipment used for soil nutrient analysis.

Visit to Bolu

The participants visited Abant Izzet Baysal University, in Bolu, where the Rector Professor. Mustafa Alişarlı welcomed them. This was followed by presentations and discussions on burning issues in agriculture. Professor Senol Yildiz gave a presentation on soil health assessment and management. Professor Halil Kütük of the Department of Plant Protection gave a brief overview of the latest research advancement in biological control of major crop diseases. In continuation, Abdelfattah A. Dababat gave an overview of the cereal cyst nematode and their management. The discussion led to a brainstorming session on soil health management, soil-borne diseases, soil microbiome, and the challenges of using microorganisms for soil health improvements. The major challenges and opportunities for agriculture development under changing climate scenarios in India and Türkiye were also discussed.

The training course exposed participants to the latest research and technologies for soil and root health management to increase agricultural productivity and profitability immediately and into the future. During the entire visit, participants working in different fields (soil science, agronomy, plant breeding, and microbiology) interacted with Türkiye’s expert counterparts to discuss their work and share valuable research insights. Several topics and technologies relevant to global agriculture, like zero tillage, climate-resilient agriculture, precision input management, hidden hunger, and digital agriculture, were discussed. Participants also explored future opportunities for bilateral research collaborations between India and Türkiye.

Participants expressed their deepest gratitude to the CIMMYT team at Türkiye, led by Abdelfattah A. Dababat, for arranging an effective training program and for the support provided at every step. “Your careful planning and thoughtful execution have created an environment where learning flourishes and connections are made. Thank you for your invaluable contribution to our learning journey,” said the participants. Participants also expressed their sincere thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture, Türkiye, and the BISA team for coordinating this training and making the entire experience seamless and impactful for all involved. Special thanks were offered to the Government of Bihar for supporting the travel of scientists from India for this training program under the climate-resilient agriculture project in the state.

Unlocking insights from literature: exploring adaptation options in ACASA

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

To address the vulnerability of increased climate risks which impact agriculture, it is imperative to identify location-specific adaptation options. Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA) is working on identifying commodity specific hazards at different geographical regions and the key adaptation options aligned with geography and hazards. This has been done for major cereal crops (rice, wheat, and maize), coarse grains (millets), oilseeds (coconut, mustard), legumes and vegetable crops (chickpea, potato), livestock, and fisheries. In ACASA, Systematic Literature Review (SLR) serves as a fundamental tool to identify key climate adaptation options and assess their effectiveness, considering agroecological factors.

Literature reviews are a customary approach for researchers to grasp existing knowledge and findings. The SLR methodically establishes clear research objectives, employs structured search queries to identify relevant literature, applies defined exclusion criteria, and extracts data for scientific analysis. This structured approach facilitates mapping the literature, validating findings, identifying gaps, and refining methodologies thereby minimizing biases, and ensuring comprehensive coverage of evidence.

Commodity-specific research questions, aligned with the problem/population, intervention, comparison/consequences, outcome, and time PICO(T) framework, have been used to guide the search process. By utilizing keywords specific to these questions, ACASA sourced literature from reputable databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and local databases of South Asian countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Local databases and gray literature further bolstered the understanding of local conditions and broadened the coverage of studied literature.

Systematic Literature Review (SLR)

The searched literature was then filtered using the well-established Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analysis (PRISMA) framework. PRISMA provides a minimum set of evidence-based literature to be used for further analysis. Let us look at maize as an example of a commodity under analysis in ACASA. For maize, a total of 1,282 papers were identified and based on four exclusion criteria pertaining to adaptation options, quantitative assessment, hazard, and risk only of which 72 papers were shortlisted. The PRISMA framework supported in getting a manageable dataset for in-depth analysis while ensuring transparency in the overall filtering process.

After filtering through PRISMA, a bibliometric analysis was conducted which contained research trend analysis, regional distribution patterns, adaptation option categorizations, and a co-occurrence analysis. Useful patterns in popularity of studied adaptation options, hazards, and their linkages were observed through this analysis. For instance, drought was the most studied hazard, while pest diseases and economics were major hazard impacts studied for the maize literature. In terms of adaptation options, stress tolerant varieties were the most popular adaptation option. Further, co-occurrence analysis provided linkages between adaptation options and hazards, and demonstrated that researchers have also studied bundled technologies.

SLR helped understand the effectiveness of certain adaptation options. Going ahead, this step will be fully realized through a “meta-analysis” which will be pivotal in quantifying the evidence and prioritizing adaptation options for different agroecologies. SLR has proven to be an effective research method to build a comprehensive database that can be used across different thematic areas of ACASA. Adaptation options enlisted through SLR can be further substantiated through expert elicitations via heurism, crop modelling, cost-benefit analysis, and other important pillars of ACASA to identify efficient and cost-effective options.

SLR also provided the ACASA team with the opportunity to identify certain literature gaps such as uneven geographical coverage and excessive emphasis on certain adaptation options versus the rest. Conceptualization of systematically reviewing climate adaptation options in the South Asian context by integrating bibliometric and meta-analysis adds novelty to the current efforts of ACASA.

Blog written by Aniket Deo, BISA-CIMMYT India; Niveta Jain, ICAR-IARI India; Roshan B Ojha, NARC Nepal; and Sayla Khandoker, BARI Bangladesh

Greater successes through NARS partnerships

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

Map: BISA works with National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) of South Asia to develop ACASA.

Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA) is different from many projects supported by our team. I would love to dive into the promising features of the ACASA platform and the exciting technical advances being made, but I want to focus here on how the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) has organized this program for greater and longer-term impact.

BISA is a strong regional partner and is the lead institution for the ACASA program. In fact, we could have simply asked BISA to build the ACASA platform and known they would make a great technical product. However, our goal is not just to have great technical products, but also to improve the lives of small-scale producers. For any great technical product to deliver impact, it must be used.

From day one, the ACASA program has not just kept the users’ needs in mind, indeed they have kept the users themselves engaged on the project. By establishing strong, financially supported partnerships with the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, they are achieving four key outcomes, among many others:

  1. Benefit from local expertise regarding national agricultural practices, climate risks, and solutions
  2. Leverage NARS connections to national and subnational decision makers to inform product requirements
  3. Establish national ownership with a partner mandated to support users of the product
  4. Strengthen climate adaptation analytics across South Asia through peer-to-peer learning.

These outcomes lead to more accurate and appropriate products, user trust, and the long-term capacity to maintain and update the ACASA platform. The latter being essential given the constantly improving nature of our understanding of and predictions around climate and agriculture.

If this model of working has such advantages over “if you build it, they will come”, you might wonder why we do not use it in all cases. This approach requires divergence from business-as-usual for most researchers and is not without a cost. The BISA team are not only putting deep emphasis on the technical development of this product, but they are also spending considerable time, effort, and budget to create a program structure where the NARS are catalytic partners. The NARS teams are empowered on the project to contribute to methodologies used beyond their national boundaries, they have the task of making the best data available and validating the outputs, the responsibility of understanding and representing stakeholder requirements, and the ownership of their national platform for long-term use. BISA has developed a structure of accountability, provided funding, facilitated team-wide and theme-specific workshops, and shared decision-making power, which all presents additional work.

In the end, we encouraged this approach because we see too many decision support tools and platforms developed by international researchers who merely consult with users a few times during a project. These efforts may result in building captivating products, meeting all the needs brainstormed by the research team, but their future is sitting in a dusty (and unfortunately crowded) corner of the internet. While this approach seems fast and efficient, the efficiency is zero if there is no value gained from the output. So, we look for other ways to operate and engage with partners, to work within existing systems, and to move beyond theoretically useful products to ones that are used to address needs and can be evolved as those needs change. BISA has been an exemplary partner in building and supporting a strong ACASA team, and we are eager to see how each NARS partner leverages the ACASA product to generate impact for small-scale producers.

Tess Russo is a senior program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, based in Seattle, United States.  

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

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Features.

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

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

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

Empowering women

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

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

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

Advancing equality by region

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

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

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

Fulfilling careers for all

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

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

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

Next steps

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

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

USAID team lauds PQR value chain process in Bangladesh

Written by dmedina on . Posted in News.

Daily Sun Report, Rangpur

Experts of a visiting team from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have lauded the premium quality rice (PQR) value chain process in northern Bangladesh.

They made the admiration while visiting the Bengal Auto Rice Mills at Pulhat in Dinajpur and exchanging views with its owner, PQR farmers, local service providers (LSP) and traders on PQR production, milling and marketing.

Dr. Zachary P. Stewart, Production Systems Specialist of the Center for Agriculture-Led Growth, Bureau for Resilience, Environment and Food Security of the USAID from Washington led the team during their three-day tour in Northern Bangladesh that ended on Saturday.

John Laborde and Muhammad Nuruzzaman from the USAID’s Bangladesh Mission, Program Director of Sustainable Agrifood Systems at CIMMYT in Mexico Dr. Sieglinde Snapp and CIMMYT Country representative for Bangladesh Dr. Timothy J. Krupnik accompanied by him.

The Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia CSISA-III project, funded by USAID and implemented by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), has been actively engaged in expanding and enhancing PQR value chains since 2016 in the Khulna division and since 2019 in the Rangpur division in Bangladesh.

The team members visited the entire Auto Rice Mills to observe the process of milling, sorting and packaging of PQR rice.

Owner of Bengal Auto Rice Mills Mr. Zahangir Alam informed that previously he sourced BRRI dhan50 (Banglamoti) from the southern part of Bangladesh.

However, since establishing a connection with CSISA in 2019, he has been procuring 30 percent to 40 percent of the total annual demand for BRRI dhan50 for producing PQR from the CSISA-beneficiary PQR farmers’ groups and others locally.

He highlighted how farmers have benefited from direct paddy purchases from them and obtaining high-quality and admixture-free rice.

“With assistance from CSISA, I have successfully branded this variety using its original name (BRRI dhan50) since 2020,” Zahangir Alam added.

Lead farmer Md. Azad expressed the advantages they have experienced from cultivating BRRI dhan50 through CSISA and higher yield of the BRRI dhan50 variety compared to the BRRI dhan28.

He highlighted their affiliation with the Bengal Auto Rice Mills, which has enabled them to fetch prices 7-8 Bangladesh Taka (BDT) higher per kilogram of paddy than those for BRRI dhan28.

During the visit, Agronomist from Bangladesh Office of IRRI Dr. Sharif Ahmed provided an overview of the PQR initiatives conducted by CSISA.

He also facilitated the tour alongside Md. Alanuzzaman Kurishi, Hub Coordinator at CIMMYT’s Dinajpur Field Office and Abdullah Miajy, a Specialist in Agricultural Research and Development at IRRI’s Rangpur Hub.

Photo: Daily Sun