Building on the success of their initial project, CropSustaiN, CIMMYT and the Novo Nordisk Foundation are proud to announce an expanded partnership aimed at tackling agriculture’s biggest challenges. This enhanced collaboration will broaden efforts to transform farming practices, reduce environmental impacts, and support farmers worldwide.
From specific solutions to a broader vision:
The initial partnership focused on developing innovative wheat varieties through Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI), significantly reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizers. Now, this expanded collaboration sets a foundation for exploring a wider range of initiatives, including:
Climate-smart crop systems with reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Advanced agricultural technologies for greater resilience and sustainability.
Inclusive tools to empower farmers globally.
Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT’s director general, said:
“This partnership exemplifies how collaboration and science can transform agriculture, addressing both food security and environmental sustainability on a global scale.”
This next phase reflects a shared commitment to creating a sustainable future by turning scientific innovation into actionable, real-world impact for millions of farmers worldwide.
Germplasm Bank team that participated in the new shipment of seeds to Svalbard (Photo: Jenifer Morales/CIMMYT)
In an act that underlines Mexico’s commitment to biodiversityconservation and global food security, CIMMYT has delivered its ninth shipment of maize seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. This deposit marks a significant milestone, completing 90% of the maize collection and 92% of the wheat collection, making CIMMYT one of the leading custodians of the world’s agricultural biological heritage.
The Svalbard Vault, known as the “vault at the end of the world,” is an impressive repository located on a Norwegian island, more than 8,000 kilometers from Mexico. Its purpose is to store seeds from around the world to protect biodiversity from natural disasters, conflicts, or the effects of climate change. With this latest shipment, Mexico strengthens its role in conserving seeds that, in critical situations, could mean the difference between the collapse or resilience of global food systems.
Cristian Zavala, germplasm conservation specialist at CIMMYT, emphasized the importance of this shipment for the maize and wheat collections. “This shipment is essential to ensure the availability of seeds in the future,” said Zavala, alluding to the long process needed to complete the conservation of the collections. “While this is not the last shipment to Svalbard, it is a critical one to ensure the availability of the seed in the future,” he added.
These efforts are aimed not only at protecting the genetic diversity of these crops but also at ensuring that the seed is available for distribution. Zavala explained, “In addition to supporting 92% of this shipment, the wheat collection has reached 90% availability for distribution, which makes us eligible to participate in long-term funding.” This availability is key to ensuring food security and allows these seeds to be recovered and distributed to regions that may need repatriation.
The CIMMYT Germplasm Bank at Texcoco, which houses the largest and most diverse collections of maize and wheat in the world, serves not only Mexico but all of humanity. Protected as a “global good,” these seeds are available for research, agriculture, and education. “When we talk about a public good or a global good, we mean that all of humanity has the right to enjoy this diversity in a responsible way,” said Zavala.
The Svalbard Vault, with its ability to withstand natural disasters and other threats, is a guarantee to the countries that store their seed collections there. In Zavala’s words, “If this diversity is lost, only these types of gene banks can and will be able to return it to its place of origin.” This reflects the global and collaborative effort needed to conserve agricultural biodiversity.
This achievement is the result of a collective effort. “To make this shipment possible, a large team of people participated. This year, about 50 people supported this set of seeds,” said Zavala. Conservation of genetic resources is a team effort that involves many actors to ensure the availability of these seeds in the future.
The shipment to Svalbard is a reminder of the importance of gene banks as a critical tool in addressing the challenges of climate change and ensuring global food security. The seeds sent are not intended for immediate cultivation but will serve as a backup, ready to be used in the event of a disaster affecting the original collections. In this way, Mexico is contributing to a public good of inestimable value for all humanity.
In a world increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, biodiversity loss, or social instability, these shipments are more than just storage. They are an act of collective responsibility that will allow humanity to maintain its ability to feed and thrive.
The World Food Prize honored Cary Fowler and Geoffrey Hawtin for their lifelong dedication to preserving genetic resources critical to global food security. They have led efforts to protect seeds from over 6,000 crops by establishing germplasm banks worldwide, including the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, to safeguard biodiversity against climate threats. With partners like INIFAP, CIMMYT has played a key role in conserving the genetic diversity of staple crops, ensuring these resources are available for future agricultural resilience.
Each year, the Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa, becomes a dynamic platform where global leaders in agriculture, policy, research, and youth come together to address the critical issues surrounding global food security. The event is marked by the World Food Prize ceremony, which celebrates groundbreaking achievements that improve the accessibility, quality, and availability of food around the world. This year, CIMMYT’s role was significant, reflecting its unwavering commitment to reimagine the future of food and agriculture. CIMMYT’s presence was impactful and deeply resonant, representing its dedication to sustainable agricultural solutions for vulnerable communities. The following highlights capture these pivotal moments and showcase our role in promoting science and innovation for a food- and nutrition-secure world.
DialogueNEXT Mexico: Fostering Global Collaboration and Resilience
This year’s DialogueNEXT Mexico, themed “Nurturing Farmer Resilience,” celebrated the power of uniting leaders from across continents to address the urgent need for sustainable, resilient food systems. The event focused on innovative strategies to empower farmers and ensure food security in the face of climate challenges and resource constraints. Key initiatives presented included CIMMYT’s Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS), which provides farmers with improved crop varieties and conservation techniques. Expanded to Africa through the Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I), these programs exemplify CIMMYT’s commitment to building resilience and reducing poverty through sustainable agriculture.
DialogueNext Mexico Session at Borlaug Dialogue (Photo: WFPF/Scott Morgan 2024
CIMMYT Experts Honored on the 2024 TAP List
A standout moment came with the recognition of Sylvanus Odjo and Marianne Banziger among the 2024 Top Agri-food Pioneers (TAP), honoring their invaluable contributions to sustainable agriculture. Their work embodies CIMMYT’s mission to empower communities and advance resilient food systems. This honor celebrates their contributions to building resilient, equitable food systems worldwide.
TAP List (Photo: WFPF/Scott Morgan 2024
Empowering Future Innovators and Expanding Global Alliances
CIMMYT showcased its commitment to sustainable agriculture through key initiatives and partnerships. The Global Maize Program Director, B.M. Prasanna, led an engaging session on the CIMMYT Academy’s role in shaping the next generation of plant breeders by equipping young scientists to tackle food security challenges with innovation, ensuring that CIMMYT’s mission will continue to advance with adaptability. Prasanna’s session underscored the vital role of mentorship and capacity-building in securing food systems for future generations.
One of the Dialogue’s highlights was the “Realizing Borlaug 2.0” event, where CIMMYT, USAID, and USDA launched the Feed the Future Global Wheat Health Alliance. This initiative aims to protect wheat from climate-related threats such as fusarium, wheat blast, and rust. Announced with a call for additional partners, this foundational investment marks a global commitment to protect wheat and strengthen food security. By linking research and breeding programs, the Alliance will accelerate the discovery and deployment of disease-resistant wheat varieties, ensuring a resilient future for one of the world’s staple crops.
In the footsteps of Dr. Borlaug Session (Photo:WFPF/Scott Morgan 2024)
Strengthening Global Alliances for Climate-Smart Agriculture
At the Borlaug Dialogue 2024, CIMMYT highlighted its commitment to sustainable agriculture and climate resilience through several impactful partnerships and collaborations. In a key session with the VACS partnership, CIMMYT addressed the urgent need for adaptable crops and resilient soils in the face of climate change, emphasizing the importance of global cooperation to secure food systems against environmental stresses. CIMMYT furthered its mission by establishing a groundbreaking partnership with the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG) of Honduras to strengthen food security and promote sustainable agricultural growth in Latin America.
Strategic discussions with FAO and the African Development Bank Group reinforced CIMMYT’s commitment to scaling climate-smart initiatives across regions, creating a powerful network of allies in building resilient food systems. The Dialogue also honored award winners Cary Fowler and Geoffrey Hawtin, whose work on crop biodiversity aligns with CIMMYT’s core mission of conserving agricultural diversity and improving food security worldwide.
Geoffrey Hawtin and Cary Fowler (Photo: WFPF/Scott Morgan 2024)
Through its contributions to the Dialogue, CIMMYT underscored its role as a global leader in transforming agri-food systems. Guided by a vision of a food-secure future, CIMMYT continues to empower farmers and build resilient communities around the world.
The World Food Prize this year celebrates the essential role of genebanks in global food security—a mission at the heart of CIMMYT’s work. Through its maize and wheat collections, CIMMYT’s genebank preserves crop diversity that is critical for developing resilient, climate-adapted varieties. Highlighted by former CIMMYT maize curator Denise Costich, this recognition underscores the value of conserving genetic resources, which allow CIMMYT and its partners to create solutions for a rapidly changing agricultural landscape. As a vital part of the global genebank network, CIMMYT’s efforts ensure that biodiversity remains a foundation for food security and resilience worldwide.
CIMMYT contributed over 5,400 maize and wheat samples to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault’s recent historic deposit, reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding crop diversity essential for global food security. These deposits protect genetic resources vital for adapting to climate change and improving resilience, especially in vulnerable regions. This backup effort ensures CIMMYT’s research on these staple crops remains available to support sustainable food systems and address crises worldwide.
With food insecurity affecting 733 million people worldwide, the need for solutions is urgent as World Food Day draws near. CIMMYT’s leadership in promoting sustainable agricultural systems is exemplified by Sieglinde Snapp, Director of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Program, who emphasizes the role of biodiversity in building resilient food systems. By encouraging the use of resilient crops like millet and sorghum, CIMMYT is working to improve soil health and enhance farmers’ livelihoods, especially in regions like sub-Saharan Africa. Empowering women and ensuring smallholder farmers have access to resources are key elements in transforming global food systems, a cause CIMMYT is deeply invested in.
That’s how much farmers have saved this century, through use of disease-resistant wheat varieties. Modern wheat can thank its “wild relatives” — grassy cousins millions of years old and tested through extremes of earth’s climate — for most of its resistance genes.
Despite such remarkable achievements in wheat breeding, we’ve only scratched the surface of the genetic potential in wheat’s wild relatives. With climate change intensifying and the rapid evolution and spread of pathogens — a new strain of fungus can circulate in the jet stream—it’s imperative that we increase investment in researching this largely untapped genetic diversity. Doing so could revolutionize wheat production, ensuring food security while dramatically reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint.
Without such efforts, epidemics or pandemics could devastate yields, potentially leading to massive applications of toxic agrochemicals and increased selection pressure for pests and diseases to develop resistance. The consequences would be far-reaching, impacting not only food security and the environment, but also geopolitical stability, potentially triggering human migration and conflict.
Today, wheat is the most widely grown crop on Earth, providing 20% of all human protein and calories and serving as the primary staple food for 1.5 billion people in the Global South.
However, with its future under threat, standard breeding approaches can no longer keep up with the pace of climate change. Research shows that climate shifts from 1980-2008 reduced wheat harvests by 5.5%, and global wheat production falls 6% for every degree-centigrade increase in temperature.
Wheat science urgently requires enhanced investments to scale up genetic studies of wild relatives, utilizing next-generation breeding tools. These tools include gene sequencing technologies, big-data analytics, and remote sensing technologies. Satellite imagery makes the planet a laboratory, allowing researchers to monitor traits like plant growth or disease resistance globally. Artificial intelligence can super-charge breeding simulations and quickly identify promising genes that enhance climate-resilience.
The basic genetic resources are already available: more than 770,000 unique seed samples are stored in 155 seed banks across 78 countries. These samples represent the full scope of known wheat genetic diversity, from modern varieties to ancient wild relatives and landraces developed at the dawn of agriculture.
What’s missing is funding to accelerate the search for specific genes and combinations that will fortify wheat against harsher conditions. This requires political will from key decision-makers and public interest. Nothing is more important than food security and the environmental legacy we leave to our children.
Harnessing the power of microorganisms
The genetic variation in seed banks is largely absent in modern wheat, which became genetically separate from other grass species 10,000 years ago and has undergone recent science-based breeding, constricting its diversity. Wheat needs its cousins’ diversity to thrive in a changing climate.
Beyond climate resilience and disease resistance, wild wheat relatives offer another exciting avenue for environmental benefits: enhanced interactions with beneficial microorganisms. These ancient grasses have evolved intricate relationships with soil microbes largely absent in modern wheat.
Some wild wheat relatives can inhibit soil microbes that convert ammonium to nitrate. While both are usable nitrogen forms for plants, nitrate is more prone to loss through leaching or gaseous conversion. Slowing this process of conversion, called nitrification, has profound implications for sustainable agriculture, potentially mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, improving nitrogen-use efficiency, and decreasing synthetic fertilizer use.
As proof of concept, the first and only crop (so far) bred to promote microbiome interaction is wheat, using a gene from a wild relative (Leymus racemosus) to slow nitrification.
In addition, wild relatives often form more effective symbiotic relationships with beneficial soil fungi and bacteria, enhancing nutrient uptake, drought tolerance, and natural pest defenses. Reintroducing these traits could reduce chemical inputs while improving soil health and biodiversity.
The benefits extend beyond the field. Wheat varieties that use water and nutrients more efficiently could reduce agricultural runoff, protecting water bodies. Enhanced root systems could increase soil carbon sequestration, contributing to climate change mitigation.
By systematically exploring wild wheat’s microbial interaction traits, wheat varieties can be developed that not only withstand climate challenges but also actively contribute to environmental restoration.
This represents a paradigm shift from crop protection through chemicals to resilience through biological synergies. Indeed, even a fraction of the US $1.4 trillion spent annually on agrochemical crop protection could work wonders to fortify wheat against present and future challenges.
The path forward is clear: increased investment in researching wild wheat relatives can yield a new generation of wheat varieties that are not just climate-resilient, but also environmentally regenerative. This will be a crucial step towards sustainable food security in a changing world.
Perth, Australia – September 24, 2024 – Esteemed Professor Matthew Reynolds, Head of Wheat Physiology at CIMMYT, will deliver a pivotal plenary at the International Wheat Congress, centering on enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in wheat through the integration of complex traits by combining cutting-edge artificial intelligence with genetic diversity. This significant session promises to contribute valuable insights towards addressing the pressing global challenge of food security.
Pioneering Research to Future-Proof Wheat
Crop yield depends on a myriad of traits that interact across various dimensions such as growth stage, plant architecture, and growing environment. Until now, the complexity of these interactions has impeded precision breeding for traits like abiotic stress tolerance, input use efficiency, and yield potential. However, recent advancements in AI, remote sensing, and gene sequencing are making more deterministic breeding feasible.
In his presentation, Professor Reynolds will introduce a series of wiring diagrams representing trait interactions over time for wheat. These diagrams, based on empirical data and crop models, will serve as a framework for AI-assisted simulations to explore different breeding strategies. This innovative approach enables the genetic control of complex traits, allowing for more resilient wheat varieties that can withstand environmental stresses.
Collaborative Efforts Driving Innovation
This initiative is a collaboration between CIMMYT, the University of Florida, University of Queensland, and Wageningen University. The goal is to leverage advanced technologies to combine complex genetic traits in wheat, improving its tolerance to drought, heat, and poor soil conditions. This research holds significant promise for farmers worldwide, ensuring stable yields even under challenging growing conditions.
Impact and Benefits
Global Food Security: By developing high-yielding, climate-resilient wheat varieties, this research contributes to global food security, particularly benefiting farmers in South Asia and Africa.
Environmental Sustainability: Innovative research in Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) addresses nitrogen pollution and enhances nitrogen use efficiency in wheat, contributing to environmental sustainability.
Disease Resistance: Advanced breeding techniques are being employed to develop wheat varieties resistant to devastating diseases like wheat rust, protecting yields and ensuring food security.
“By combining cutting-edge AI and genetic diversity, we are future-proofing wheat to thrive in challenging environments,” said Professor Matthew Reynolds.
The session will take place during Plenary Session 4 on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, from 8:30 am to 8:50 am at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
About CIMMYT
CIMMYT is a cutting-edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow’s problems today. By fostering improved production systems for maize, wheat, and other cereals through applied agricultural science, CIMMYT enhances the livelihoods and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers while working towards a productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries.
A new study by CIMMYT, published in Global Change Biology, reveals that ancient wild relatives of wheat, which have adapted to extreme environmental conditions for millions of years, could be key to securing our future food supply. These wild varieties offer valuable genetic traits that can help modern wheat resist diseases, build climate resilience, and reduce agricultural emissions, making them essential for adapting to increasingly challenging growing conditions.
Melinda Smale’s groundbreaking work in agricultural economics, particularly her collaboration with CIMMYT, has played a pivotal role in advancing the understanding of crop diversity conservation. At CIMMYT, Smale worked with plant breeders and agronomists to analyze maize landraces and wheat genetic diversity, contributing to the development of strategies that support sustainable agriculture and food security. Her research has informed CIMMYT’s efforts to preserve biodiversity and enhance the resilience of farming systems, directly aligning with the organization’s mission to improve global food security through science and innovation.
The World Food Prize Foundation names CIMMYT’s former Deputy Director General for Research, Marianne Bänziger, and current post-harvest specialist in the Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program, Sylvanus Odjo, as two of its inaugural 2024 Top Agri-food Pioneers (TAP).
The TAP List, introduced by the Foundation in celebration of its 38th anniversary, highlights 38 innovators from 20 countries and six continents who are making groundbreaking contributions to food and agriculture. Working in a wide range of fields, including agriculture, agtech, nutrition, education and advocacy, these pioneers embody the spirit of innovation needed to address the challenges facing global food systems today.
Leading the way: Meet the Top Agri-Food Pioneers of 2024
Photo: CIMMYT
Sylvanus Odjo, one of the awardees, is a postharvest specialist focused on the development and implementation of postharvest practices to improve food security in rural communities. He leads a network of research platforms in Mexico, Central America, and Africa, working with collaborators to fill research gaps and provide key recommendations to farmers, the private sector, governments, and NGOs. Odjo holds an M.S. in Food Science and Nutrition and a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, with his doctoral research focused on the effects of drying processes on maize grain quality.
Photo: CIMMYT
Marianne Bänziger, also recognized on the TAP list, received her Ph.D. in plant physiology from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1992. She is the former Deputy Director General for Research at CIMMYT, where she coordinated efforts to develop drought-tolerant maize varieties for smallholder farmers, promoting innovative approaches such as stress breeding methods and participatory trials.
Throughout her career, she has held positions in both science and management. Bänziger has an impressive publication record, with more than 50 articles and book chapters in peer-reviewed international journals and books.
As the first cohort of the TAP List, this group of pioneers will grow annually to form a global network dedicated to fostering collaboration and shared learning across food systems. These pioneers will also be featured at the 2024 Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa, October 29 to 31.
CIMMYT, Mexico, August 27, 2024 — Crop wild relatives that have survived changing climates for millions of years may provide the solution to adapting wheat, humanity’s most widely grown crop, to climate change. Two new studies led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) reveal how tapping into this ancient genetic diversity can revolutionize wheat breeding and safeguard global food security.
As the weather becomes more erratic and extreme, wheat — providing 20% of all calories and protein globally and serving as the primary staple food for 1.5 billion people in the Global South — faces unprecedented threats. These include heat waves, delayed rains, flooding, and new pests and diseases.
“We’re at a critical juncture,” says Dr. Matthew Reynolds, co-author of both studies. “Our current breeding strategies have served us well, but they must now address more complex challenges posed by climate change.”
The research points to a vast, largely untapped reservoir of nearly 800,000 wheat seed samples stored in 155 genebanks worldwide. These include wild relatives and ancient, farmer-developed varieties that have withstood diverse environmental stresses over millennia. Although only a fraction of this genetic diversity has been utilized in modern crop breeding, it has already delivered significant benefits.
Photo CIMMYT: Wheat diversity spikes
Proven impacts of wild wheat genes
One of the studies, a review published today in Global Change Biology (GCB)*, documents the immense impact of wild relatives’ traits, including on environmental sustainability. It finds that the cultivation of disease-resistant wheat varieties has avoided the use of an estimated 1 billion liters of fungicide just since 2000.
“Without transferring disease-resistant genes from wild relatives to wheat, fungicide use would have easily doubled, harming both human and environmental health,” says Dr. Susanne Dreisigacker, Molecular Breeder at CIMMYT and co-author of the review.
Sharing of new wheat breeding lines through the CIMMYT-led International Wheat Improvement Network, comprising hundreds of partners and testing sites around the world, increases productivity worth USD 11 billion of extra grain every year. The extra productivity has saved millions of hectares of forests and other natural ecosystems from cultivation.
The review highlights other key breakthroughs using wheat wild relatives, including:
Some experimental wheat lines incorporating wild traits show up to 20% more growth under heat and drought conditions compared to current varieties.
Genes from a wheat wild relative have generated the first crop ever bred to interact with soil microbes, reducing the production of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, and enabling the plants to use nitrogen more efficiently.
New, high-yielding cultivars in Afghanistan, Egypt and Pakistan were developed using wild genes and have been released as they are more robust to the warming climate.
“Breeding the first beneficial interaction with the soil microbiome — in this case biological nitrification inhibition, or BNI-wheat — is a landmark achievement by CIMMYT and JIRCAS, opening up a whole new spectrum of opportunities to boost cropping systems’ resilience and reduce environmental footprints,” says Victor Kommerell, co-author of the GCB review, and Director of CropSustaiN, a new research initiative to determine the global climate mitigation and food security potential of BNI wheat.
The second study in Nature Climate Change* showcases the urgent need to scale-up exploration and use of genetic diversity for improved climate resilience. Among the traits needed are deeper, more extensive root systems for better water and nutrient access; photosynthesis that performs well across a wider temperature range; better heat tolerance in reproductive processes; and improved survival during delayed rains or temporary flooding.
“Tapping into the complex climate-resilient traits so urgently needed today requires both access to greater genetic diversity and a paradigm shift in breeding approaches,” explains co-author of the GCB review, Dr. Julie King of Nottingham University.
Modern crop breeding has focused on a relatively narrow pool of ‘star athletes’: elite crop varieties that are already high performers and that have known, predictable genetics. In contrast, the genetic diversity of wild wheat relatives offers complex climate-resilient traits — but their use has been more time-consuming, costly and riskier than traditional breeding approaches with elite varieties. Now, new technologies have changed that equation.
Making the impossible possible
“We have the tools to quickly explore genetic diversity that was previously inaccessible to breeders,” explains Dr. Benjamin Kilian, co-author of the review and coordinator of the Crop Trust’s Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods and Development (BOLD) project that supports conservation and use of crop diversity globally.
Among these tools are next-generation gene sequencing, big-data analytics, and remote sensing technologies, including satellite imagery. The latter allows researchers to routinely monitor traits like plant growth rate or disease resistance at unlimited numbers of sites globally.
However, realizing the full potential of these genetic resources will require global cooperation. “The most significant impacts will come through widespread sharing of genetic resources and technologies,” says Dr. Kilian.
New technologies allow crop researchers to precisely identify and transfer beneficial traits from wild relatives, making what has been seen as a risky, time-consuming process into a targeted, efficient strategy for climate-proofing crops. “Satellite technology turns the planet into a laboratory,” says Dr. Reynolds, “Combined with artificial intelligence to super-charge crop-breeding simulations, we can identify whole new solutions for climate resilience.”
This research, which also applies to any crop with surviving wild relatives, promises to enhance global food security and make cropping systems more environmentally sustainable. Developing more resilient and efficient wheat varieties will help feed a global population while reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint.
Photo CIMMYT: Wheat diversity spikes
Study information and links
*Wheat genetic resources have avoided disease pandemics, improved food security, and reduced environmental footprints: A review of historical impacts and future opportunities. King J, Dreisigacker S, Reynolds M et al., 2024. Global Change Biology (Study available under embargo upon request)
Headquartered in Mexico, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT) is a not-for-profit agriculture research and training organization. The center works to reduce poverty and hunger by sustainably increasing the productivity of maize and wheat cropping systems in the developing world. Learn more at staging.cimmyt.org
About the Crop Trust
The Crop Trust is an international organization working to conserve crop diversity and protect global food and nutrition security. At the core of the Crop Trust is an endowment fund dedicated to providing guaranteed long-term financial support to key genebanks worldwide. The Crop Trust supports the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and coordinates large-scale projects worldwide to secure crop diversity and make it available for use, globally forever and for the benefit of everyone. The Crop Trust is recognized as an essential element of the funding strategy of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Learn more at www.croptrust.org
About the Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods and Development (BOLD) Project
BOLD is a 10-year project to strengthen food and nutrition security worldwide by supporting the conservation and use of crop diversity. The project works with national genebanks, pre-breeding and seed system partners globally. Funded by the Government of Norway, BOLD is led by the Crop Trust in partnership with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and the International Plant Treaty.
Written by mcallejas on . Posted in Uncategorized.
Fredrick Otiato is a highly analytical and process-oriented researcher with extensive expertise in research methodologies, data management, and statistical analysis. He holds an MSc in Applied Statistics from the University of Nairobi and a BSc in Statistics from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. With a career spanning more than a decade in roles such as Senior Research Analyst and Data and Insights Manager, Fredrick has led complex data operations and supported the design and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative research. He has also contributed to various research projects, resulting in multiple scientific publications. Passionate about using data to drive meaningful insights, Fredrick is dedicated to creating actionable outcomes that foster growth and development.
