Location: Global

The importance of germplasm in protecting nature

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on December 15, 2022. Posted in News.

At COP15, Sarah Hearne gives an overview of the CGIAR Allele Mining Initiative projects and their potential role in conserving biodiversity and nature. (Photo: Michael Halewood/Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT)

Prioritizing the protection of biodiversity is an essential part of mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change and global warming. At the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (COP15), held between December 7-19 in Montreal, Canada, emphasis was placed on the important role of nature in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), proposing the adoption of a bold global biodiversity framework that addresses the key drivers of nature loss to secure health and wellbeing for humanity and for the planet.

On December 7, scientists from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), together with colleagues from CGIAR research centers and the secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, presented at a COP15 side event on how Digital sequence information (DSI) is changing the way genetic resources are used in agricultural research and development and implications for new benefit-sharing norms.

The session, organized by the CGIAR Initiative on Genebanks explored the role of DSI to conserve crop and livestock genetic diversity and explore and utilize that diversity in plant and animal breeding programs.

Attendees at the COP15 side event on DSI discover how genetic resources are used in research and development for agriculture. (Photo: Michael Halewood/Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT)

Carolina Sansaloni, wheat germplasm bank curator and genotyping specialist, illustrated how DSI is being used in the CIMMYT wheat collection to analyze structure, redundancies, and gaps, further detailing how generation and use of DSI to conduct similar analyses within national genebanks in Latin America is being supported through collaborative efforts of CIMMYT and the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT.

CIMMYT principal scientist Sarah Hearne focused on the application of DSI to interrogate broad swathes of crop genetic diversity for potential climate change adaptation, providing examples of work from the Allele Mining Initiative projects, Mining Useful Alleles and Fast Tracking Climate Solutions, alongside earlier work funded by the Mexican Government.

The take-home message was that genetic diversity and germplasm bank collections, when explored at “global scale” with modern tools and diverse partnerships, offer a powerful resource in the efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change. This potential is only realized through appropriate generation and sharing of DSI generated from collections of many countries of origin.

Sansaloni and Hearne also contributed to a discussion paper, titled “Digital sequence information is changing the way genetic resources are used in agricultural research and development: implications for new benefit sharing norms”. This article, developed by scientists and germplasm law experts from across the CGIAR, provides a more detailed assessment of CGIAR use of DSI and the benefit sharing options being considered by the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Inspiring future generations of scientists

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on December 12, 2022. Posted in News.

Evidence shows that for every US $1 invested in anticipatory action to safeguard lives and livelihoods, up to US $7 can be saved by avoiding losses in disaster-affected communities, highlighting the power of agricultural research and development that can be continued by the scientists of the future.

This message was reiterated at the Global Food Security Forum for Young Scientists on December 2-3, designed to bring together scientists, scholars, and innovators from different subjects to discuss their research findings and exchange innovative ideas on all aspects of global food security. The event was co-organized by Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU), China, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO).

Topics included the resilience of global food systems and food supply chains, change of dietary patterns and transition of agrifood systems, digital and smart food production, and sustainable agricultural development and maintenance of the environment.

On behalf of CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts, agronomist Iván Ortiz-Monasterio presented at the launch event. “Investing in agriculture and a safe and peaceful future is something that CIMMYT and China can build together,” explained Monasterio. “We can develop networks and platforms of collaboration. You have excellent research institutes, and we can combine our capabilities.”

Govaerts then presented a plenary session on the power of young researchers to transform agri-food systems (above), reflecting on the disruption to global supply chains caused by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and high levels of inflation.

“For you as the young, new generation, for you as scientists that need to design the future, it is very important to ask you one central question: when historians pick up their pens and write the story of the 21^st century, what will it say about you?” asked Govaerts, as he emphasized training opportunities through the CIMMYT Academy and stories from young scientists at CIMMYT, such as Leonardo Crespo-Herrera, recent winner of the 2022 Japan International Award for Young Agricultural Researchers.

At the conclusion of the conference, Govaerts was also appointed as an advisor of the Global Food Security Forum for Young Scientists.

Cover photo: Iván Ortiz-Monasterio presents at the launch of the Global Food Security Forum for Young Scientists, December 2022. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Using ENM principles to preserve soil health

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on December 9, 2022. Posted in Publications.

In a new Frontiers publication, scientists from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) outline how to achieve an ecologically based approach to sustainable management of soil fertility, particularly for smallholders.

What is ecological nutrient management (ENM)?

Across the globe, smallholder farming communities only have limited resources to improve their financial and food security, and soil degradation is common. Ecological nutrient management (ENM), an agroecological approach to managing the biogeochemical cycles that regulate soil ecosystem services and soil fertility, can prevent degradation and preserve soil health.

Five principles guide ENM strategies:

Building soil organic matter and other nutrient reserves.
Minimizing the size of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pools that are most vulnerable to loss.
Maximize agroecosystem capacity to use soluble, inorganic N and P.
Use functional biodiversity to maximize presence of growing plants, biologically fix nitrogen and access sparingly soluble phosphorus.
Construct agroecosystem and field scale mass balances to track net nutrient flows over multiple growing seasons.

At the ICRISAT headquarters in Patencheru, India, M.L. Jat and Sieg Snapp stand in front on pigeonpea (*Cajanus cajan*) varieties, a semi-perennial legume that fixes nitrogen and solubilizes phosphorus for greater nutrient efficiency while building soil health. (Photo: Alison Laing/CSIRO)

Using functionally designed polycultures, diversified rotations, reduced fallow periods, increased reliance on legumes, integrated crop-livestock production, and use of a variety of soil amendments exemplify how ENM works in practice. A key principle is to underpin agroecosystem resilience through the promotion of soil organic matter accrual and restoration of soil function.

Strategic increases of spatial and temporal plant species diversity are used, that meet farmer requirements. This often involves perennial or semi-perennial bushes and vines that provide food, fuel and fodder while restoring soil fertility. ENM long-term management systems can increase yields, yield stability, profitability, and food security, thus addressing a range of smallholder needs.

Read the study: Advancing the science and practice of ecological nutrient management for smallholder farmers

Cover photo: A maize-bean intercrop that exemplifies the ENM approach, taken at CIMMYT’s Chiapas Hub, a long-term field experiment. (Photo: Sieg Snapp/CIMMYT)

CIMMYT crop scientist shares strategies for decolonization

Written by Alex Smith on December 7, 2022. Posted in Features.

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) crop scientist Sieglinde Snapp is working to break down decolonization and promote inclusivity.

Decolonization is a long standing issue in science and has led to work from marginalized people being erased.

This problem has largely affected scientists in the Global South, who can, as a result, develop a lack of trust in the science community and feel unwelcome in academia.

A 2021 study highlights the scale of the issue of decolonization, with only 16 percent of articles in high-profile development journals being authored by researchers exclusively based in the global south.

In an article which contributes to a series on decolonizing the biosciences, Snapp explained not only the importance of crediting scientists for their work, but also providing those from the Global South with platforms to share and discuss ideas.

“Working for an international research organization that studies global food production, I think we, as an organization, need to change the reward structure,” Snapp wrote. “The current one tends to reward pure science first, then applied research and outreach — and it tends to exclude the global south because much of work there is more locally contextualized and applied. Decolonization should go beyond simply citing colleagues from developing countries to including them in conferences and as co-authors, especially if we are creating knowledge together.”

Participatory research is key to Snapp’s approach of championing diversity. This strategy links indigenous scholars to conventional science through engagement, such as speaking at conferences.

“I’ve studied rain-fed cropping systems alongside colleagues in sub-Saharan Africa, notably Malawi, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, throughout my career,” she added.

“Those colleagues are not invited by their white, Western collaborators to speak at big conferences or to co-author high-profile papers in agriculture. My colleagues at CIMMYT and I hope to reverse this trend by advocating for decolonization through authorship. As a start, my team of researchers will include a paragraph about what each author did, and how the team paid attention to gender and Global South inclusivity in publications.”

Snapp is also encouraged by the development of new technology and programs, which challenge traditional methods of sharing findings. Crucially, these advances mean that research is available much quicker and distributed more equitably than before.

“I’m making the case at CIMMYT that performance evaluations reward sharing data sets and information with and between communities quicker,” Snapp explained. “This is part of decolonization in my view. Rather than, say, top-down fertilizer recommendations from experts, this offers a way to connect people so they can share information more directly in a local context.”

Cover photo: Sieg Snapp, Director of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program, outside CIMMYT headquarters. (Photo: Francisco Alarcón/CIMMYT)

Food systems that work for people and the environment

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on December 2, 2022. Posted in News.

Alice Ruhweza, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Board Member and Africa Regional Director for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), presented on Nature Positive Food Systems for People and Planet on November 22.

Ruhweza has extensive experience working at the intersection of conservation and development in Africa and globally, fostering successful partnerships with a wide range of international institutions. She sits on the Board of The Global Ever-Greening Alliance and on the steering committee of the Future Earth Water-Food-Energy Nexus working group.

Agriculture has a growing environmental footprint, explained Ruhweza, and food emissions are expected to double by 2050. Exponential action is needed to find ways for food systems to co-exist successfully alongside biodiversity, while providing and maintaining healthy diets for humanity.

Ruhweza suggested three solutions for re-thinking the relationship between agriculture and nature: protecting the remaining natural habits from conversion to agriculture; managing agricultural landscapes in a way that support agriculture to enhance the richness and abundance of biodiversity and ecosystem functions, reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and enhances resilience to climate change; and restoring degraded agricultural lands and soils to healthy natural habitats or to support sustainable food production.

Organizations like CIMMYT have an opportunity to close the triple gap: producing enough healthy good for a growing population on the same extent of cropland available today, while reducing farm level emissions.

Plant breeding must adapt to climate change, finds study

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on December 1, 2022. Posted in Publications.

Breeding is a vital part of the global agrifood system, enabling scientists to adapt crops to developing environmental factors, support improved crop management, and inform policy interventions on global food production. The challenge to crop breeding increases every year, as farmers experience more of the effects of climate change, while the population and food demand continue to rise.

Research by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) has determined that climate change is affecting the objectives, efficiency, and genetic gains of current plant breeding, causing limitations to the breeding approach of the next generation.

The study found that climate change necessitates a faster breeding cycle and must drive changes in breeding objectives by putting climate resilience as the top priority.

“The risk of multiple crop failure due to climate change is very real. Breeding must become more deterministic in terms of adaption if we are to avert food price-hikes, hunger, and social unrest,” said Matthew Reynolds, Distinguished Scientist and Head of Wheat Physiology at CIMMYT.

Challenges in developing climate-ready crops originate from the paradox between urgent breeding requirements prompted by climate change and the limited understanding of how different genotypes interact with the climates. Integrating multiple disciplines and technologies including genotyping, phenotyping, and envirotyping can contribute to the development and delivery of climate-adapted crops in a shorter timeframe.

Read the study: Climate change challenges plant breeding

Cover photo: Wheat growing at the Xuchang Henan experimental station, China. (Photo: Zhiqiang He/CIMMYT)

CIMMYT scientists rank in top 1% of highly cited papers

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on November 30, 2022. Posted in News.

Jill Cairns in front of CIMMYT headquarters. (Photo: Sam Storr/CIMMYT)

Three scientists from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) are included in Clarivate’s 2022 Analysis of the most highly cited academic papers.

Maize Physiologist Jill Cairns, Distinguished Scientist and Head of Wheat Physiology Matthew Reynolds, and Biometrician José Crossa, all from CIMMYT, were recognized in the 2022 analysis.

Jose Crossa chairing a session on adding value to phenotypic data. (Photo: Alfonso Cortés/CIMMYT)

This year, 7,255 Highly Cited Researcher (HCR) designations were issued to 6,938 individuals globally. The award is given to scientists with papers that rank in the top 1% by citations. Matthew was awarded for his contribution to scientific literature in plant and animal sciences, while José and Jill were awarded for their contributions to scientific literature across several fields of research (cross fields).

Of the world’s population of scientists and social scientists, Highly Cited Researchers are 1 in 1,000.

The analysis highlights disparities in the locations of top cited scientists. For example, 82.9% of recipients are from just ten countries and regions, out of a possible 70, and 71.4% are from the United States of America, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, or Australia. While the recognition is only given to individual scientists, Matthew, José, and Jill’s success is related to strong scientific collaborations worldwide.

Matthew Reynolds at IWC9 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Julie Mollins)

CIMMYT at COP27

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on November 28, 2022. Posted in Features.

COP27, the UN Climate Change Conference for 2022, took place this year in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, between November 6-18. Scientists and researchers from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) represented the organization at a wide range of events, covering gender, genebanks, soil health, and digital innovations.

Gender and food security

In an ICC panel discussion on Addressing Food Security through a Gender-Sensitive Lens on November 7, Director General Bram Govaerts presented on CIMMYT’s systems approach to address gender gaps in agriculture. This event formed part of the ICC Make Climate Action Everyone’s Business Forum, which aimed to bring together experts to determine solutions to the planet’s biggest environmental challenges.

Govaerts highlighted the importance of extension and training services targeting female farmers, particularly those delivered by women communicators. This can be achieved through training female leaders in communities, which encourages other women to adopt agricultural innovations. He also emphasized the obstacles to global food security caused by conflict, climate change, COVID-19, and the cost-of-living crisis, which will in turn create more challenges for women in agriculture.

The role of CGIAR genebanks in a climate crisis

Govaerts and Sarah Hearne, principal scientist, introduced the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4C) innovation sprint on Fast Tracking Climate Solution from Genebank Collections, at a virtual side event organized by the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR).

Hearne explained that the development of current and future varieties is dependent upon breeders sourcing and repackaging native genetic variation in high value combinations. The CGIAR network of germplasm banks holds vast collections of crops that are important for global food and feed supplies. Among the diversity in these collections is currently unexplored and unused native variation for climate adaptation.

Through strong partnerships, multi-disciplinary activities, and the harnessing of diverse skillsets in different areas of applied research and development work, the sprint will help to identify genetic variations of potential value for climate change adaptation and move that variation into products that breeders globally can adopt in their variety development work. Through these efforts, the sprint improves access to specific genetic variation currently sat in the vaults of germplasm banks and facilitates crop improvement programs to develop the varieties that farmers demand.

The sprint is a clear example of the shift in paradigms we are looking for, so that people in the year 2100 know we took the right decisions in 2022 for them to live in a better world, said Govaerts. He continued by emphasizing the need for the initiative to be integrated within the systems it aims to transform, and the importance of accelerating farmers’ access to seeds.

The initiative is only possible because of the existence of the genebank collections that have been conserved for humanity, and due to cross-collaboration across disciplines and sharing of data and resources.

Addressing soil fertility management

Tek Sapkota, senior scientist, presented at Taking Agricultural Innovation to the Next Level to Tackle the Climate Crisis, the AIM4C partner reception on November 11, which gathered critical actors committed to making agriculture one of the most impactful climate solutions. Hosted on the one-year anniversary of the AIM4C launch at COP26 and on the eve of the COP27 day on adaptation and agriculture, the event was a celebration of progress made to date to address the climate crisis by 2025.

Along with 20 partners, CIMMYT submitted an AIM4C innovation sprint on climate-resilient soil fertility management by smallholders in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, which was announced at COP27 alongside other sprints.

Sapkota, who leads a project that is part of CIMMYT’s AIM4C innovation sprint submission, presented alongside the Minister of Climate Change and Environment from the United Arab Emirates, the Secretary of Agriculture for the United States, and the Regional Director for Central Asia, West Asia and North Africa at CGIAR.

Digital solutions for sustainable systems

Tharayil Shereef Amjath Babu, agricultural economist in modeling and targeting, hosted an event on Accelerating Digital Climate Services for resilient food systems in the Global South, exploring the work of two CGIAR Initiatives: Securing the Food Systems of Asian Mega-Deltas (AMD) for Climate and Livelihood Resilience and Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) on November 17.

In the Global South, farmers are being affected by unreliable weather patterns caused by climate change, which means they can no longer rely on their traditional knowledge. However, demand climate services can fill this vacuum, enabling meteorological agencies to produce accurate climate information, co-create digital climate services for agricultural systems, and support sustainable and inclusive business models.

Cover photo: A CIMMYT staff member at work in the maize active collection in the Wellhausen-Anderson Plant Genetic Resources Center, as featured in a session on Fast Tracking Climate Solution from Genebank Collections at COP27. (Photo: Xochiquetzal Fonseca/CIMMYT)

Study explores how to reduce GHG emissions while supporting food security through nitrogen management

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on November 25, 2022. Posted in Publications.

Use of fertilizer nitrogen (N) in farming is essential for food production but also contributes to climate crisis through GHG emissions. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer accounts for 2.4 percent of global emissions, while its supply chain accounts for 21.5% of the annual direct emissions from agriculture.

One potential solution for developing appropriate N management strategies is yield-scaled nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission (YSNE), which has been recognized for its potential to balance food security and mitigate emissions. Improving understanding and use of YSNE under various field conditions is an essential part of widespread adoption of this approach.

Scientist working in the Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) together with Hawassa University, Ethiopia and Landcare Research, New Zealand assessed the relationship between N inputs and YSNE with published results and identified response patterns of YSNE to N inputs based on 1,800 observations from maize, rice and wheat crops at global scale.

Type 1 measures: increasing yields without changing N₂O emissions. Type 2 measures: reducing N₂O emissions without changing yields. Type 3 measures: both increasing yields and reducing N₂O emissions. (Photo: CIMMYT)

A positive relationship between N inputs and YSNE was evidenced in more than 60% of the dataset across all three crops, while a small proportion had an optimum N rate that minimized YSNE. Type of crop, annual mean temperature and soil N content affected the background yield-scale N₂O emission with higher soil temperature and N content leading to higher BYSNE. The analyses suggest that YSNE can be reduced by increasing yields, by reducing N₂O emissions and both by increasing yields and reducing N₂O emissions. The results of this study suggest appropriate N management strategies, yields, and N₂O emissions.

Read the full article: Understanding response of yield-scaled N₂O emissions to nitrogen input: Data synthesis and introducing new concepts of background yield-scaled N₂O emissions and N₂O emission-yield curve

Cover photo: Woman using spreader for fertilizer application in India. (Photo: Wasim Iftikar/CSISA)

Analyzing 25 years of maize supply and demand in the Global South

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on November 22, 2022. Posted in Publications.

Over the next 10 years, maize is due to become the most widely grown and traded crop globally and is already the cereal with the highest production volume. Its versatility offers multiple purposes – as a livestock feed in both developed and developing economies, as a key component of human diets in several low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia, and for an array of non-food uses worldwide.

To analyze the changes in the supply and demand for maize in the last 25 years, scientists at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) conducted a review of maize production, consumption, and international trade.

The study primarily focused on the Global South, where intensive work is being done to transform the agrifood systems in which maize plays a key role. Through scientific advancements over time, maize yields have increased, although heterogeneously, while the area under cultivation of maize has also expanded due to sharply growing demand.

Research determined that this transformation offers opportunities for investment in maize research and development (R&D) to determine ways that production and productivity can be significantly improved without expanding maize area or creating negative impacts on the environment.

Read the study: Global maize production, consumption and trade: trends and R&D implications

Cover photo: Maize diversity in Tlaxcala, Mexico. (Photo: Thomas Lumpkin/CIMMYT)

Sustainability, quality concerns take center stage at Cereals & Grains 22

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on November 21, 2022. Posted in In the media.

At the Cereals & Grains 22 conference, programming focused on Innovating the Future of Foodand the challenges faced by the grain industry, particularly relating to the effects of climate change on maize and wheat yields and quality.

“Agriculture systems are sensitive to climate change because they are dependent on stable, long-term conditions to determine productivity, quality and yields,” said Bram Govaerts, Director General of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the conference’s keynote speaker. “Farmers are struggling to cope with climate risks and their ability to meet rising global food demands.”

Breeding maize and wheat with traits resistant to the consequences of climate change, such as flooding, drought, and heat, moving growing areas to amenable climates, and promoting soil health and biodiversity were all proposed as solutions to address the challenges highlighted by Govaerts.

Read the original article: Sustainability, quality concerns take center stage at Cereals & Grains 22

Govaerts delivers keynote speech to Cereals and Grains 22

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on November 21, 2022. Posted in News.

Bram Govaerts presents at Cereals and Grains 22. (Photo: María Itria Ibba/CIMMYT)

One of the biggest challenges facing the world today is how to balance a healthy diet for humans with agricultural production that is good for the environment. At the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), scientists work closely with farmers to achieve these aims and contribute towards food security, as well as improving their livelihoods and nutrition.

In an opening keynote at Cereal & Grains 22 titled Risk Mitigation in the Food Chain, Bram Govaerts, Director General a. i. of CIMMYT, focused on the organization’s work towards a world with resilient agrifood systems that protect biodiversity.

Govaerts explored the sensitivity of agricultural systems to the impacts of climate change, which in turn affects farmers’ ability to successfully produce crops and their capacity to meet rising global demand for food. However, agriculture itself is not immune from contributing towards climate change, currently accounting for 24% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The effects of climate change are not the only pressure on agrifood systems, with other system shocks such as COVID-19 and conflict causing disruption to production and yields, prices, and supply chains, said Govaerts. For example, the current Ukraine crisis, which has heavily affected wheat imports and exports, underscores the need for long-term solutions to stabilize global food security. The encroaching cost of living crisis is adding further challenges to an already delicate situation, and hunger is predicted to increase across the Global South.

Investing in solutions

Research and development (R&D) has an essential role to play in addressing this crisis. Evidence shows that for every $1 USD invested in anticipatory action to safeguard lives and livelihoods, up to $7 USD can be saved by avoiding losses in disaster-affected communities. Simply put, proactive investment in agricultural science will save money in the long run by solving problems before they reach critical point.

CIMMYT’s R&D projects focus on extensive research on climate change adaptation and mitigation in maize and wheat-based production systems, helping smallholder farmers adapt to climate shocks and to raise and maintain yields in profitable and sustainable ways, and on capacity building for stakeholders in the development and application of new technologies.

Scientists are also harnessing the power of genebanks and breeding, focusing on safeguarding, characterization, and use of biodiversity to identify characteristics of seeds for genetic gain, adaptation to climate change, and better nutritional quality. This means farmers can access more and better seeds that respond to agrifood needs.

These innovations are only as effective as their level of adoption, which is why CIMMYT works closely with actors at all levels of agrifood systems.

Climate science at work in Africa

Govaerts shared examples of CIMMYT’s climate change adaptation and mitigation work include the introduction of drought-tolerant maize in Zimbabwe, which yielded more than 0.6 t/ha more than previous varieties. This equates to $240 USD more income per hectare, which provides nine months’ worth of additional food security at no extra cost.

In Malawi, drought-tolerant maize varieties planted under conservation agriculture yielded 66% more than non-tolerant varieties planted under conventional tillage. Farmers harvested more maize while spending on average 35-45 fewer days working in the field.

There is also an increase in popularity for stress-tolerant wheat varieties in Ethiopia, such as Danda’a, Kakaba, Kingbird and Pavon 76.

Scientists have also combined tropical fall armyworm (FAW)-resistant maize germplasm, from Mexico, with elite stress resilient germplasm developed in sub-Saharan Africa to successfully breed three FAW-tolerant elite maize hybrids. This is addressing the serious threat of FAW to maize production in eastern and southern Africa.

Transformation through partnership working

Following an Integrated Agrifood Systems Approach (IASA) has given CIMMYT significant edge by building effective partnerships with the public and private sector. Collaboration on responsible sourcing with Kellogg’s and Grupo Bimbo, as well as a new three-year partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Grupo Modelo to encourage water-conserving farming practices, will contribute to a one-system approach.

More than 18 million farmers worldwide benefit through CIMMYT’s improved maize and wheat system farming practices. With so much at stake for the entire world, CIMMYT has no plans to stop now.

Agriculture for Peace platform launches at Borlaug Dialogue

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on November 18, 2022. Posted in Features.

Events of the past year have underscored the correlation of food supply chains, and weaknesses that need to be addressed. Tackling threats to global food security caused by COVID-19, conflict, and climate change require joint action and long-term commitments, with approaches based on partnerships, collaborative research and information sharing, and involvement from all actors within agrifood systems.

These topics and potential solutions were integral to the 2022 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, hosted between October 18-20, 2022. With a theme of Feeding a Fragile World and overcoming shocks to the global food system, seminars and workshops explored scalable solutions for adaptation and mitigation to limit global warming and meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

One event which proposed a solution to these challenges was Agriculture for Peace (Ag4Peace): A Call for Action, which marked the official launch of a platform aiming to support national food and agriculture strategies.

The initiative was founded by seven partners: Norman Borlaug Foundation, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Texas A&M University.

During the event, two additional collaborators were announced: World Wide Fund for Nature and Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

The Ag4Peace concept

Ag4Peace is built on the understanding that without peace there is no food, and without food there is no peace. Conflicts and violence severely disrupt agricultural processes and limit access to food, which in turn forces people to take increasingly perilous actions as they attempt to secure their lives and those of their families. High food prices and hunger cause instability, migration, and civil unrest as people become more desperate.

Using a collaborative approach, partners will design holistic strategies that encompass the multi-faceted nature of agrifood systems and their interconnections with nature, nutrition, and livelihoods. This requires broad-based collaborations, so the Ag4Peace partners welcome other institutions, private sector, and non-governmental organizations that share their aspirations to join them.

Partners are co-constructing the Cross-Sector Collaboration to Advance Resilient Equitable Agrifood Systems (CC-AREAS), the first operational plan for the platform. This is a 10-year proof-of-concept program that applies a holistic, systems approach to achieve resilient agrifood systems and accelerate development of the circular bioeconomy in five low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that are increasingly exposed to food security risks due to climate change and reliance on imported staple foods.

They will support national efforts to upgrade agrifood systems, adopt regenerative agriculture and climate-smart strategies, expand the circular bioeconomy, and achieve nutrition and food security goals.

In all aspects of the initiative (science, planning, implementation, and evaluation), participation priority will be given to small-scale farmers, women, and socially diverse groups, which will maximize positive outcomes and ensure inclusivity.

Benefits for farmers, communities, value chain participants, consumers, and ecosystems will be demonstrated throughout to encourage adoption and continued use of improved technologies and practices and demonstrate effectiveness.

Partner support for Ag4Peace

After the concept was introduced by Bram Govaerts, Director General of CIMMYT and recipient of the 2014 Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, a roundtable discussion with a diverse panel of experts began.

Speakers included Manuel Otero, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Hon. Sharon E. Burke, Global Fellow of Environmental Change and Security Program at the Wilson Center, Per Pinstrup-Anderson, Professor and World Food Prize Laureate, and Alice Ruhweza, Africa Regional Director of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Moderated by Margaret Bath, Chair of CIMMYT Board of Trustees, the panelists conveyed Ag4Peace’s aims of building productive, sustainable, and resilient agrifood systems, improving livelihoods for small-scale producers and other value chain actors, and deliver nutritious, affordable diets.

“Hunger is part of the picture of conflict,” explained Burke. “These strapped communities are often competing for resources with each other, within their own boundaries, and sometimes food is a weapon in these places, just as destructive as a bomb or a gun. Without food there is no peace, in the near or the long-term.”

Trade-offs versus win-wins

Pinstrup-Anderson ruminated on the importance of win-wins, which are solutions that work for supporting human health and protecting our natural environment without sacrificing results in one area for results in another. “We do not have to give up improving nutrition just to save the climate or save the earth – we can do both,” he said.

The significance of strong partnerships arose multiple times, such as when Otero explained, “It is not a matter of working just with the agriculture ministers but also with other ministers – foreign affairs, social development, environmental – because agriculture is a sector that crosses across all these institutions.”

Ruhweza explored whether threats to food security, such as COVID-19, conflict, and climate change, can also bring opportunities. “The right action on food systems can also accelerate the delivery of all our goals on climate and nature,” she said. “WWF is looking forward to partnering with this initiative.”

Final remarks from Julie Borlaug, President of the Norman Borlaug Foundation, where the platform will be housed, reiterated a call for more partners to join the coalition. “This is a learning lesson as we go. We will iterate over and over until we get it right, so we need all of you to be involved in that,” said Borlaug. “Join us as we move forward but let us know as we’re going sideways.”

CGIAR scientist honored with award

The winner of the annual Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application award was announced at the Borlaug Dialogue, which this year went to Mahalingam Govindaraj, Senior Scientist for Crop Development at HarvestPlus and at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, a CGIAR research center.

Govindaraj received the award for his leadership in mainstreaming biofortified crops, particularly high-yielding, high-iron, and high-zinc pearl millet varieties. This work has contributed to improved nutrition for thousands of farmers and their communities in India and Africa, and estimates show that, by 2024, more than 9 million people in India will be consuming iron- and zinc-rich pearl, benefiting from improved nutrition.

Cover photo: The historical moment when Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, joins the Agriculture for Peace initiative with Bram Govaerts, Director General of CIMMYT. (Photo: Liesbet Vannyvel/CIMMYT)

New WIRES initiatives to advance women’s careers in science and research

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on November 15, 2022. Posted in News.

IITA women nutrition scientists perfecting a new recipe. (Photo: IITA)

The CGIAR Women in Research and Science (WIRES) employee-led resource group recently had a virtual engagement to discuss the progress and new happenings in the group. The meeting, themed “Connecting and Mentoring, What’s new with WIRES!” was held on October 24.

Giving the opening remarks, The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Knowledge Sharing Specialist Arwen Bailey stated that the group was launched in July 2020 to empower and increase the visibility of women research and science professionals across CGIAR.

Bailey and other co-coordinators, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Technical Program Manager Aparna Das, IITA HarvestPlus Cassava Breeder Elizabeth Parkes, and International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) Communication Consultant Nada Abdelhamid, shared their reasons for volunteering in WIRES. Participants also highlighted their expectations for the meeting.

Explaining the vision and mission of the group, Das stated that WIRES aims to provide tools and knowledge that support professional development. She added that this would create visibility for CGIAR women in science and research so their voices are heard and their contributions recognized. “We are an open community that accommodates both men and women who are willing to support the vision of WIRES,” she said.

HarvestPlus Cassava Breeder Dr Elizabeth Parkes is one of the WIRES coordinators. (Photo: IITA)

Discussing her reason for sponsoring WIRES, CGIAR Executive Managing Director Claudia Sadoff said she admires the efforts and engagement of the team in supporting women despite having other personal life activities. She added that the increase in the percentage of women scientists calls for more effort to train and empower these women. “Thanks for allowing me to be your sponsor,” she said. International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Director General Jimmy Smith, also a sponsor, stated that his motivation to join the cause stems from his experience raising daughters.

Highlighting how intending volunteers can support WIRES, Das spoke on mentorship as a promising strategy to advance Gender, Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) in the workplace as it offers access and advocacy for women. Explaining the criteria for engagement, she stated that a mentor must be passionate about advancing GDI, while the mentee must be a middle to senior-level career woman researcher/scientist with an appetite to learn. “Registration for the program will begin in November, and the program will kick off in December. Interested mentors and mentees who meet the criteria can register and be trained,” she said.

Other new WIRES initiatives coming up before the end of 2022 include “Random coffee,” where members can schedule to meet physically or virtually to build a vibrant relationship and network, and “Focus groups” for discussions that will ensure continuous improvement for WIRES.

Closing out the meeting, CGIAR Global Director of People and Culture, Fiona Bourdin-Farrell, summarized ways volunteers can help to advance women in science and research in CGIAR. She mentioned that it starts with joining the WIRES team, being a part of the mentoring program, engaging in the random coffee pilot, and joining focus groups. “You can contribute to the information in the newsletter. You can also register as both mentor and mentee as long as you meet the criteria,” she concluded.

Read the original article: New WIRES initiatives to advance women’s careers in science and research

Contributed by Ochuwa Favour Daramola.