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.

Zinc-rich wheat reaches communities in eastern India

Written by on March 20, 2013. Posted in News.

India6 In the continuous effort to increase awareness of wheat biofortification and its use to improve health and quality of life in eastern India, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Mahamana Krishak Samiti farmers’ cooperative, CIMMYT, and HarvestPlus, with support from M/s Shyam Seed Company, organized a series of farmer-scientist interactions and field visits on 5, 15, 20, 24, and 28 February 2013 in about 20 villages in the Mirzapur and Chandouli districts, Uttar Pradesh. The series focused on training and advocacy among women groups, monitoring and data recording in participatory variety selection trials, monitoring of seed multiplication undertaken by M/s Shyam Seed Company, problem resolution by farmers, seed multiplication strategies, pre-release of mini-kit trials, and varietal release. Over 70 farmers interested in HarvestPlus experiments participated at each location. “They were optimistic about zinc-enriched wheat varieties and keen to know when these varieties would be available for cultivation,” said CIMMYT wheat breeder Arun Joshi.

Prior to each event, the BHU/HarvestPlus team (Balasubramaniam Arun, Ramesh Chand, and Vinod Kumar Mishra) introduced the project’s objectives and the importance of biofortified wheat varieties. Chandra Prakash Srivastava and Girish Chandra Mishra covered the role of zinc and iron for human health, while soil scientist Satish Kumar Singh focused on crop production and zinc level distribution in different soil types. Saket Kushwaha from BHU explained the importance of a well-planned economic strategy to maximize the gains from nutrient-rich wheat varieties.

Participants attended a hands-on training on HarvestPlus trials sowing to learn about experimental design with focus on plot area, number of lines, and amount of seed to be sown, and to observe soil samples collection demonstrations. They later discussed conventional and zero-till drill for experimental planting, their experience with biofortified varieties and quality seed production, balanced use of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, sulfur, and boron based on soil analysis, and the importance of maintaining the purity and quality of tested and multiplied seeds.

BHU scientists along with Chhavi Tiwari, HarvestPlus research associate, organized women scientist interaction sessions to educate women on the importance and role of micronutrient-enriched wheat in daily lives and its subsequent positive impact on the society. The participating women ranged from school-going girls to working women, women farmers, housewives, and elderly women, representing various educational, economic, and social levels of the region. During the meetings, participants received a Hindi write-up on the importance of biofortified wheat in India, and discussed issues such as nutritious food, consequences of iron and zinc deficiency, and the women’s desire to work with BHU biofortification projects. Rekha, a farmer from the Pidkhir village said, “I did not know one type of wheat can be different from the other because it contains zinc. I did not know this nutrient is so important, or that I would be able to grow this wheat in near future.” The participants were also taught to identify good genotypes and most of them agreed that the new wheat varieties would have a great social impact through improving people’s health.

Wolfgang Pfeiffer from HarvestPlus lauded the farmers and national research systems for promoting the nutrient rich varieties and thus for contributing to eradication of the malnutrition problem in South Asia and elsewhere. “I’d like to encourage more women to participate in the HarvestPlus program. We are approaching the seed delivery phase and their views will be particularly important,” he added.

Following the farmers program, Ravi Prakash Singh, distinguished scientist and head of CIMMYT’s Wheat Improvement Program, visited BHU on 7 March 2013. He reviewed the collaborative research and praised BHU for its work within HarvestPlus. “I hope that BHU will take the lead and will be the first center to release the first ever biofortified wheat in South Asia,” Singh encouraged BHU’s scientists.

India’s Economic Survey and Budget 2013: What’s in store for agriculture?

Written by on March 15, 2013. Posted in News.

In the latest Union Budget, which was presented by India’s finance minister P. Chidambaram to the Parliament on 28 February 2013, the Government of India re-emphasized its commitment to inclusive growth with special focus on human development and gender sensitivity, particularly in education, skill development, and health related programs, and on economically and ecologically sustainable development models.

According to the Economic Survey 2012-13, the average annual growth rate in agriculture and allied sectors was 3.6% during the 11th plan period (2007-12). While this is an improvement from 2.5% in the previous period, it is still below the expected growth of 4%, which is the minimum desired level and a prerequisite for an overall inclusive rural economy growth and development, and farm income enhancement. The agriculture sector needs urgent reforms to boost crop yields and private investment, motivate farmers, and feed the growing population. Therefore, a 22% budget increase has been announced for the Ministry of Agriculture; overall 4,943 million USD (Rs 27,049 crore) has been allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture and 624 million USD (Rs 3,415 crore) has been allocated for agricultural research. The agricultural credit target for 2013-14 is kept at 127.9 billion USD (Rs 7 lakh crore).

One of the targeted activities focuses on providing more affordable and accessible credit to small farmers to enable new technology adoption. Commercial banks have been included to cover short-term crop loans; farmers who have repaid their past loans in time will be entitled to receive another loan at a 4% interest rate. Other goals include matching equity grants to registered farmer producer organizations, credit guarantee funds for small farmers’ agribusiness corporations, and dedicated women banks.

To address the issues of supply-demand mismatch in oilseeds, high food inflation, declining water tables, climate change, meeting nutritional requirements, and achieving overall food security, the government announced establishment of two new institutions: Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and National Institute of Biotic Stress Management for Plant Protection in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Furthermore, 91 million USD (Rs 500 crore) has been allocated to crop diversification programs in the next fiscal year to promote technological innovation and encourage farmers to grow crop alternatives. Other incentives in agriculture include introducing new crop varieties rich in micronutrients such as iron-rich bajra, protein-rich maize, and zinc-rich wheat, which is already among CIMMYT research areas. In addition, more budgetary support was announced to encourage the ongoing green revolution efforts in eastern Indian states.

For more information, contact Surabhi Mittal (s [dot] mittal [at] cgiar [dot] org).

Thomas Lumpkin and Marianne Bänziger visit CIMMYT offices and projects in Bangladesh

Written by on March 13, 2013. Posted in News.

Thomas Lumpkin, CIMMYT director general, and Marianne Bänziger, deputy director general for research and partnerships, visited CIMMYT-Bangladesh during 20-23 February 2013 to meet with CIMMYT-Bangladesh personnel, government officials, and representatives from key national agricultural research systems. They toured the fields of the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia in Bangladesh (CSISA-BD) and visited the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institution (BARI) stations at Jamalpur and Gazipiur.

On 20 February, Lumpkin and Bänziger accompanied the staff of CIMMYT-Bangladesh —cropping system agronomists T.P. Tiwari (country liaison officer), Mahesh Kumar Gathala, and Timothy Krupnik, and agricultural economist Frederick Ross— to a dinner meeting with Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) Secretary Monzur Hossain, MoA Additional Secretary M.A. Hamid, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) Executive Chairman Wais Kabir, BARI Director General Rafiqul I. Mondal, and government scientists. The dinner discussion covered the general state of agriculture in the country and the long-standing collaboration between the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and CIMMYT, a partnership established in 1973 and formalized in 1982. Hossain and Kabir highlighted the importance of the collaboration and lauded CIMMYT for its continuous support in terms of enhancing BARI capacity to promote maize and wheat in Bangladesh as part of the quest to achieve food security in the country. “CIMMYT-Bangladesh has a very strong presence with a great, proactive team,” added Kabir. Lumpkin then briefed the distinguished guests on CIMMYT’s regional focus, including the latest developments regarding the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), and thanked the GoB for facilitating CIMMYT’s work in the country.

The following day, Dinabandhu Pandit, CIMMYT-CSISA cropping systems agronomist, organized a field tour to the Mymensingh Hub of the CSISA-BD project. Accompanied by farmers and staff of partner organizations (IRRI, BARI, Department of Agriculture and Extension, Bangladesh Agricultural University, CARE Bangladesh, and ASPADA), Pandit led the team across the Old Brahmaputra River to Char Jelkhana to observe on-going activities initiated in the 2011/12 winter season. The location used to be limited to black gram cultivation and grazing, but thanks to the successful demonstration of maize and wheat by CIMMYT-CSISA on this charland (charlands are islands formed by river sedimentation) and in neighboring villages, local farmers have expanded the area under maize and wheat cultivation by 743% (4.7 ha to 39.4 ha). They are planning to further expand these crops next year.

Upon their return to Dhaka, the team visited the BARI campus in the Gazipur District. Mondal welcomed the CIMMYT director general and deputy director general and explained BARI’s focus and reach before a tour of the station to observe wheat and maize breeding work coordinated by senior wheat breeder Naresh Chandra Barma and BARI Hybrid Maize Program leader Bhagya Rani Banik.

On the last day of the visit, a breakfast meeting was held with USAID representatives David Yanggen and Anar Khalilov. Lumpkin and Bänziger acknowledged and thanked USAID for supporting CIMMYT-Bangladesh through the CSISA-BD project, and briefed USAID on CIMMYT’s focus in the region. They discussed the importance of diversification and sustainable production of maize in Bangladesh, as well as ways to enhance adoption of new technologies. Yanggen and Khalilov agreed that the forthcoming proposal from CIMMYT emphasizing agricultural mechanization and surface irrigation for southern Bangladesh is a very exciting initiative that USAID is keen to support. They appreciated CIMMYT’s work in Bangladesh and encouraged CIMMYT-CSISA to continue developing short, simple, and effective communication materials on successes in the field.

Following breakfast, Lumpkin and Bänziger visited the office of CIMMYT-Bangladesh to meet the staff, discuss their thoughts and concerns, and thank everyone for their good work.

CIMMYT-Bangladesh, February 2013: distinguished guests and donors

Written by on March 12, 2013. Posted in News.

As farmers in southern Bangladesh –the country’s most impoverished region– face increasing costs of agricultural labor and negative effects of climate change, CIMMYT-Bangladesh partners with farmers and agricultural service providers throughout the region to turn these challenges into opportunities. This work to improve farmers’ livelihoods by developing affordable irrigation and efficient machinery has drawn attention from donors and distinguished guests, many of whom recently visited some of the region’s areas to see the changes brought by CIMMYT in action.

On 06 February 2013, Saharah Moon Chapotin (team leader for agricultural research at USAID) and Tony Cavalieri (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, BMGF) visited activities conducted under the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia in Bangladesh (CSISA-BD) funded by USAID’s Feed the Future initiative with support from the BMGF. CSISA-BD is a collaborative project of CIMMYT, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and WorldFish aiming to sustainably increase productivity of cereal-based farming systems by developing innovative agricultural technologies –including small-scale agricultural machinery and conservation agriculture– and market linkages to raise household incomes. Accompanied by cropping system agronomists Timothy J. Krupnik and Samina Yasmin (CIMMYT-CSISA), Global Wheat Program associate director and wheat pathologist Etienne Duveillier (CIMMYT), regional agronomist Andrew McDonald (CIMMYT), and director of IRRI in Bangladesh Timothy Russell, the team visited the Patuakhali region of southern Bangladesh, where preliminary results of rainfed maize field trials managed by farmers showed both yield increase (1.5 t/ha) over conventional management practices and reduced production costs. Farmers have seized this opportunity and are increasingly growing maize to sell to tourists at premium prices in the nearby beach district. The guests also visited IRRI rice screening trials, WorldFish activities to introduce micronutrient dense fish species, and women’s producer groups involved in maize cultivation.

The following week, the US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena and USAID Mission Director in Bangladesh Richard Green visited CSISA-BD activities in the Shatkira district. After a welcome from CIMMYT agronomists Krupnik and Md. Shahjahan, and IRRI and WorldFish delegates, they learned about CIMMYT’s efforts to test, refine, and extend labor-saving and cost-reducing conservation agriculture machinery to farmers through agricultural service networks, and through the study and promotion of two-wheel tractors to power fuel-efficient, surface water irrigation pumps (axial flow pumps, AFPs) used particularly for bed-planted maize fields. Ambassador Mozena commented, “I have seen a CIMMYT project funded by USAID and working with the Government of Bangladesh to help increase food security. Wonderful things are happening right here. I saw a beautiful maize field grown with new technology. If you don’t have this machinery and you are using only day labor, it is very hard to cultivate enough land. This machinery really works.”

Two days later, a European Union delegation visited the EU-funded Agriculture, Nutrition and Extension Project (ANEP) in Barisal, Bangladesh, one of the poorest regions subjected to tidal flooding and low annual crop productivity. ANEP is a partnership between CIMMYT, International Development Exchange (iDE), Save the Children, WorldFish, Community Development Center (CODEC), CEAPRED, and BES-Nepal. The EU delegation included Philippe Jacques (head of EU cooperation in Bangladesh), João Anselmo (attaché to the EU delegation), Marion Michaud (ANEP-EU task force manager based in Nepal), and Roselyn Mullo (ECHO regional nutrition coordinator). ANEP focuses on increasing cropping intensity in Barisal to enable farmers to grow two economically viable crops per year. Krupnik and Yusuf Ali demonstrated how small-scale machinery used for strip tillage and bed planting can help farmers to plant dry season crops such as wheat, maize, and legumes, while reducing costs and saving irrigation water. “Within ANEP, CIMMYT partners with iDE to develop seasonal crop production business plans tailored to specific villages and farmers’ organizations. These production plans help farmers to make better decisions on how to assure timely harvesting, aggregation of grain, and delivery of maize to the market to obtain premium prices,” added Krupnik.

Droughts in major wheat areas can fuel revolutions

Written by on March 6, 2013. Posted in News.

A February 2013 report from the Center for Climate & Security entitled “The Arab Spring and Climate Change” identifies climate change consequences—among them global and local wheat shortages and price hikes—as stressors that can ignite underlying causes of social conflict. In the opening chapter of the report, Oxford University Geographer Troy Sternberg notes how “…once-in-a-century winter drought in China reduced global wheat supply and contributed to global wheat shortages and skyrocketing bread prices in Egypt, the world’s largest wheat importer.” New York Times OpEd writer Tom Friedman wrote about the Center for Climate & Security study (see The Scary Hidden Stressor.)

Un informe publicado en febrero de este año por el Centro de Clima & Seguridad, bajo el título “La primavera árabe y el cambio climático“, revela que los efectos del cambio climático —como la escasez de trigo, local y mundial, y el alza de los precios— pudieran ser los factores detonantes de los conflictos sociales. En el primer capítulo, el geógrafo Troy Sternberg de la Universidad de Oxford, narra cómo “…la sequía que asoló China en invierno, de una magnitud que no se había registrado en los últimos 100 años, redujo el suministro global de trigo y contribuyó a la escasez y al alza desproporcionada de los precios del trigo en Egipto, el mayor importador de este producto en el mundo.” El reactor del New York Times Tom Friedman escribió acerca del estudio del Centro del Clima y la Seguridad (ver The Scary Hidden Stressor.)

First ever high-level foreign delegation visits BISA-Ludhiana

Written by on February 26, 2013. Posted in News.

20130206_160220 On 6 February 2013, the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) in Ladowal, Punjab, India, received a delegation consisting of eight members of the German Parliament —Harald Ebner, Alexander Süßmair, Max Lehmer, Heinz Paula, Alois Gerig, Eric Schweickert, Mechthild Heil, and Gabriele Groneberg— and Sabine Raddatz (counselor for Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Affairs, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, India). The first ever high-level foreign delegation was welcomed by the CIMMYT-BISA team including Raj Gupta, ML Jat, HS Sidhu, Christian Böber, Tek Sapkota, and other BISA staff.

The purpose of the visit was to discuss food security issues in the context of resource degradation and climate change, and BISA’s role in assisting South Asian national agriculture research systems in addressing these challenges. In the beginning, Raj Gupta provided background information on the vision, mission, and partnerships of CIMMYT/BISA with national agriculture research systems. ML Jat then summarized the themes currently covered by BISA activities: (1) research infrastructure and farm development; (2) research on new maize and wheat germplasm, precision conservation agriculture, climate resilient production systems, and farm typology smart mechanization; (3) capacity enhancement through advanced courses, programs for visiting scientists, students, and interns, and exposure visits; and (4) partnerships and networking.

The delegation visited BISA farm and facilities to observe and better understand activities focusing on water table depletion, labor scarcity, residue burning, soil health deterioration, and climate change. The BISA team demonstrated no-till wheat with seven-ton surface residue of Sasbenia planted with front mounted knife roller (developed by BISA) and rear mounted turbo Happy Seeder in a single pass, and explained the advantages of this eco-friendly technology (including time, energy, and cost savings; reduction of environmental pollution; and climate adaptation). The long-term effects of residues on the likelihood of fungal disease manifestation were of particular interest to the German delegation. “There has been no evidence so far showing that keeping residuals might lead to a higher likelihood of diseases in the future,” Gupta addressed the concerns. “However, it will be monitored under the long-term conservation agriculture trials.”

When the delegation noticed a completely damaged winter maize crop on the other side of the fence of the BISA field, they were curious about what happened. “This is a result of severe frost injury, which shows the importance of developing cold tolerant maize germplasm,” explained ML Jat. Abiotic stress tolerant germplasm development is one of the issues on BISA’s agenda.

The visitors also observed BISA efforts on sustainable intensification of the cotton-wheat system, the second most important wheat based system in South Asia. They then discussed the application of pesticides and herbicides, assessment of different irrigation technologies, and crop management systems. Before leaving the BISA site, the delegation visited the new generation precision conservation agriculture machinery developed, adapted, and currently fin-etuned at BISA-Ludhiana. “BISA can play a critical role in smart farm mechanization in South Asia and other parts of the world by creating connections between stakeholders,” commented Er Baldev Singh, president of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Association of India.

The members of parliament appreciated HS Sidhu and his team for their work on smart mechanization innovation for smallholder farmers.

Achieving food security through seed security in Timor-Leste

Written by on February 25, 2013. Posted in News.

Timor-Leste-CBSP-Maize-Photo In Timor-Leste, maize is the main staple crop grown by 88% of farming households. However, availability of quality seed of improved maize varieties is a major bottleneck for enhancing crop production and productivity. Experiences gained through the Seeds of Life program within the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) indicated that there was a significant yield advantage of MAF-released maize varieties over the local varieties under farmer management practices. The MAF recommended an improved open-pollinated maize variety Sele, originally LYDMR (Late, Yellow, Downy Mildew Resistant) introduced by the CIMMYT Asian Regional Maize Program, whose yield is 47% higher than that of traditional maize varieties (average result from 1,091 on-farm demonstrations trials during 2006-10).

Annually, Timor-Leste pays at least US$ 1.5 million to service its national maize seed requirements, a large expense for such a small nation. Despite intensive efforts, the supply of MAF-released Sele seed was only 32 tons in 2011 and 89 tons in 2012, which is far below the nation’s total maize seed requirements. To address the maize seed insecurity, the MAF, with support from the Australian Government through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), included community-based seed production (CBSP) in the third phase of the Seeds of Life (SoL3) program. The Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) within the University of Western Australia (UWA) is commissioned to coordinate the Australian-funded activities.

CBSP is a decentralized system of production, storage, and marketing of seeds by organized groups of farmers operating close to their homes as community groups or farmers associations. At the initial stage, the groups or associations received training on seed production, storage, and marketing from extension staff of MAF or NGOs. After gaining experience, these groups continue seed production activities on their own with little or no extension support. The CBSP groups follow basic seed production procedures, produce quality seed for use by group members, and sell or barter any surplus to others in the local community. The SoL3 program currently operates in 11 of the 13 districts of Timor-Leste (45 sub-districts and 135 sucos) through 680 CBSP groups with support from the MAFSoL extension program. Four hundred more CBSP groups are facilitated through collaboration with international NGOs, such as CARE, World Vision, Mercy Corps, Hivos, Catholic Relief Services, and USC Canada. The program not only supports maize seed production by community groups, but also seed production of other major food grains, such as rice and peanuts, as well as plots of improved varieties of cassava and sweet potato.

During the initial year of SoL3, nearly 726 CBSP groups were facilitated by MAF and NGOs. Of these, 320 (99 groups by MAF-SoL and 221 groups by NGOs) were growing Sele maize variety. Each participating group was composed of an average of 15 members, and each group was provided with 5 kg of certified Sele seed, sufficient to plant a 2,000 m2 seed plot. In the initial year of implementation, 289 CBSP groups produced an average of 159 kg of quality Sele seed (totaling 46 tons), while 31 groups suffered total crop failure due to grazing animals. This locally produced seed, stored in airtight 200-liter steel drums, was sufficient to meet the seed requirements of all group members and still leave extra seed for local barter or sale.

CBSP in Timor-Leste has proved to be a cost-effective and sustainable method of achieving local seed security. With further planning and effective implementation, each village, sub-district, and district in Timor- Leste could potentially achieve local seed security, a necessary prerequisite for maize food security of Timor-Leste.

Maize diversification in Bangladesh: promoting maize for human consumption

Written by on February 21, 2013. Posted in News.

While maize is an important cereal crop in Bangladesh – third only to rice and wheat in terms of cultivated area and second to rice in terms of production – it has not been widely used for human consumption. To discuss filling this gap, CIMMYT-Bangladesh and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) organized an event on ‘Prospect and opportunity of promoting maize as human food in Bangladesh’ with Natalia Palacios, CIMMYT maize nutrition quality specialist, on 3 February 2013. The event was chaired by Rafiqul Islam Mondal, BARI director general, and facilitated by Mokhlesur Rahman, director of training and communication, and Bhagya Rani Banik, BARI leader of hybrid maize program. It was attended by almost 80 participants from Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), BARI, Department of Agriculture and Extension, Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee, NGOs working with maize, and CIMMYT.

Maize is an attractive crop for Bangladeshi farmers for several reasons, the demand from producers of poultry and fish feed who purchase approximately 90% of maize produced in the country in particular. Only the remaining portion is used for human consumption. Furthermore, maize has at least double the yield potential of rice and wheat and thus provides greater returns for lower production costs. Maize productivity in Bangladesh is the highest in South Asia (7 t/ha), 99% of the total maize growing area has favorable production environment. Annual demand for maize is slightly over two million tons with a total annual deficit of one million tons. However, the incidence of bird flu in 2008 drastically reduced the area under maize cultivation in 2009, as there was no significant demand for maize. This indicated that maize production in Bangladesh is highly dependent on the poultry industry; it also signifies that sustainable maize production in Bangladesh cannot be achieved without diversifying its uses, including promoting maize for human consumption, the topic of the event.

T.P. Tiwari, CIMMYT-Bangladesh cropping systems agronomist, focused on the necessary changes, including moving away from crops requiring a high amount of water, particularly during winter season, as depletion of water table has resulted in higher production costs, which makes such crops less profitable for farmers. Maize, on the other hand, requires less irrigation. It also has an enormous potential to expand as winter cereal with significantly lower production costs, which is why it is often considered the ‘future crop of Bangladesh.’ If promoted as human food, maize can be the best option for addressing food security. This is no news, as similar views were highlighted in a 2011 report ‘Agricultural Research Vision 2030 and beyond: Research Priorities in Bangladesh Agriculture.’ Tiwari then stressed the urgent need for proper orientation and mentoring regarding maize as human food. Palacios explained the prospects and opportunities to promote maize for human consumption and highlighted that Mexico alone produces around 600 maize food items, 300 of which are consumed regularly. She also emphasized quality protein and biofortified maize in regards to fighting the problem of malnutrition. In the end of her presentation, she thanked BARI and CIMMYT-Bangladesh for the opportunity to share her experiences and thoughts. Following Palacios, the event was concluded by Mondal’s closing remarks. He mentioned multiple potential uses of maize that could satisfy farmers’ needs, such as food, feed, firewood, or fodder. He further stressed the need for practical training on how to make maize food items at local level.

Zhonghu He received the China Agriculture Elite Award

Written by on February 13, 2013. Posted in News.

Zhonghu He, CIMMYT distinguished scientist and country liaison officer for China, received the China Agriculture Elite Award from the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in December 2012. The award, presented to 10 Chinese agricultural scientists every 2 years, was created by the MOA in 2006 to recognize individual scientists for their outstanding contributions to the advancement of agricultural science and technology and to the development of agriculture and rural economy in China.

CIMMYT supports Pakistan’s agricultural machinery modernization

Written by on February 12, 2013. Posted in News.

On 22 December 2012, two agricultural research organizations in Pakistan — National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, and Wheat Research Institute (WRI) Faisalabad, Punjab — received new Wintersteiger combine harvester and seeding machines from the Wheat Production Enhancement Program for Pakistan (WPEP) funded by USDA and implemented by CIMMYT in an effort to upgrade Pakistan’s wheat research infrastructure. Until now, the institutes were relying on old harvesting and planting machines which could no longer satisfy their research needs. Makhdoom Hussain, WRI Faisalabad director, expressed his gratitude regarding the purchase: “The replacement of old irreparable machines was much needed. It will build the Institute’s capacity to precisely design and conduct experiments.”

New project launched: Heat Stress Tolerant Maize for Asia

Written by on February 11, 2013. Posted in News.

South Asian farm lands have been increasingly experiencing climate change related weather extremes. A report from the Asian Development Bank in 2009 warns that if the current trends persist until 2050, major crop yields and food production capacity of South Asia will significantly decrease — by 17% for maize, 12% for wheat, and 10% for rice — due to climate change induced heat and water stress. In response to this situation, USAID’s Feed the Future (FTF) initiative has decided to support the “Heat stress resilient maize for South Asia through a public-private partnership” (Heat Tolerant Maize for Asia, HTMA) project to develop heat resilient maize for South Asia.

Second Class of National Science and Technology Award to Fan Xingming and his team

Written by on February 7, 2013. Posted in News.

The prestigious Second Class of National Science and Technology Awards was presented to the “Tropical and subtropical high-quality, highyield germplasm: innovation research and application” maize project led by Fan Xingming, a CIMMYT partner from the Institute of Food Crops (IFC) at the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (YAAS), on 18 January 2013 in Beijing, China.

The project, coordinated by the national maize innovation team, has achieved great results in tropical and subtropical maize germplasm improvement, combining ability analysis and heterosis classification, establishing new methods to classify heterotic groups, and developing and registering 25 high-yielding maize hybrids, including Yunrui 8, Yunrui 1, and Yunyou 19. This has helped to resolve the long-lasting problem with the lack of tropical and subtropical superior maize hybrids in China. The hybrids have been planted on a cumulative area of 11 million hectares in the provinces of Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guizhou in southwestern China, and contributed to the provision of resources for poor farmers in the mountainous areas and among minority groups.

Global Maize Program meeting: The old and the new intersect in Kathmandu

Written by on February 5, 2013. Posted in News.

Lone Badstue (CIMMYT gender and monitoring and evaluation specialist; third from left, bottom) talks with four coordinators of community-based seed production groups in Nepal (top, from right). Also present are Katrine Danielsen, Senior Advisor, Social Development and Gender Equity of the Royal Tropical Institute of Denmark (far left), and Kamala Sapkota, intern working in the Hill Maize Research Project (second from left).

Applying advanced technologies and reconciling dramatic growth in funding, staffing, and complex partnerships with the need to speed farmers’ access to options for better food security and incomes were the themes of discussion among more than 60 specialists in maize breeding, agronomy, socioeconomics, and diverse related disciplines who met in Kathmandu, Nepal, during 28-31 January 2013. “This was a great opportunity for old and new staff to get acquainted and help launch the vibrant evolution of our Program to meet clients and stakeholders’ needs,” said GMP director B.M. Prasanna. “The participation of colleagues from other programs and organizations was crucial, allowing us to identify and address logjams and potential synergies and continue our journey toward being an institution, rather than a mere collection of isolated projects.”

Secretary of Agriculture backs CIMMYT’s initiative for sustainable crop intensification in Bangladesh

Written by on January 29, 2013. Posted in News.

bangladesh15 Bangladesh has a mosaic of distinct agricultural seasons, potentially allowing farmers to cultivate two and sometimes three crops on the same field. However, in the impoverished region of Southern Bangladesh, only 50% of farmers currently grow more than one rainy season rice crop per year, a situation highly problematic for the world’s most densely populated country, where agricultural land is shrinking by 1% per year as urbanization accelerates.

The main limitations to increased cropping intensity are the procurement of irrigation during the dry season, the high cost of agricultural labor, and delays in rice harvesting that set back timely planting of the subsequent dry season wheat, maize, or legume crop. As population, and thus future cereals demand, grows, overcoming these constraints is becoming an increasingly pressing issue. For these reasons, CIMMYT works closely with public and private sector partners, local agricultural service providers, and farmers to encourage efficient agricultural mechanization, irrigation, and conservation agriculture (CA).

To raise awareness of CIMMYT’s work on sustainable crop intensification in Southern Bangladesh, CIMMYT-Bangladesh, in association with International Development Enterprises (iDE), hosted a field day in Kramji Char, Barisal, on 17 January 2013. The visit showcased activities of the EU-funded Agriculture, Nutrition and Extension Project (ANEP), as well as the USAID-funded Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia in Bangladesh (CSISA). CIMMYT was honored by the presence of a number of high-level public and private sector dignitaries, including Monzur Hossain (Ministry of Agriculture Secretary), Paul Sabatine (USAID-Bangladesh deputy mission director), Nazmul Islam (Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation chairman), Wais Kabir (Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council executive chairman), Krishibid Mukul Chandra Roy (Department of Agricultural Extension director general), Ahsan Khan Chowdhury (PRAN-RFL Group deputy managing director), and Anar Khalilov (USAID-Bangladesh senior food security advisor).

CIMMYT’s work in Kramji Char and much of Southern Bangladesh focuses on the sustainable provision of low-cost, fuel-efficient surface water irrigation using Axial Flow Pump (AFP) technologies, which can provide up to 46% more water per drop of diesel fuel consumed by diesel pumping. CIMMYT also popularizes the use of agricultural machineries with CA such as seeder-fertilizer drills, bed planters, and reapers that can be attached to two-wheel hand tractors. These implements enable more efficient planting and irrigation water use, while reducing labor requirements and saving farmers costs. Working with iDE, CIMMYT is developing business models for private sector and local machinery service provider partners to ensure farmers’ access to CA services at low-cost. At the completion of the field day, the Secretary of Agriculture concluded that “the demonstration of these machineries opens the door to increased crop productivity and farmers’ income.”

The field day was jointly organized by CIMMYT’s Timothy J. Krupnik, Yusuf Ali, Samina Yasmin, TP Tiwari, and Andrew McDonald. The event’s success would not have been possible without the valuable coordination and contribution of CIMMYT’s iDE partners, notably Rajiv Pardhan (Bangladesh country director), Nurul Amin (operations manager), Afzal Hossain Bhuiyan (business development specialist), and Richard Rose (ANEP Project Manager).

Identifying wheat landraces in Turkey

Written by on January 23, 2013. Posted in News.

The International Winter Wheat Improvement Program (IWWIP) in cooperation with FAO Central Asia held a workshop to summarize the results of wheat landraces inventory in Turkey and develop recommendations and a work plan for future activities. The workshop was held in Ankara, Turkey, on 09 January 2013, and was attended by 80 participants from research, academic, and farming communities, as well as local and central administration. While national in focus, its participant pool was truly international, as attendees included Hans-Joachim Braun (Global Wheat Program director), Kakoli Gosh (FAO), Calvin Qualset (UC Davis), and Nigel Maxted (University of Bristol).

The landrace inventory discussed at the workshop began in 2009 and identified around 160 landraces still grown in 41 provinces of Turkey. Although the total area where they are grown is small, these landraces are very important to small farmers in remote mountainous regions. Even the farmers who have access to modern cultivars still grow these landraces because of their unique adaptation and suitability for homemade products. Furthermore, the landraces represent a huge reservoir of genetic diversity that can be utilized in breeding. As a result of the workshop, several recommendations were developed addressing in-situ conservation of landraces and their improvement and utilization in development of modern varieties.