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Sonia Jannat: defying odds, reaping success as a combine harvester MSP

Written by dmedina on . Posted in Blogs.

In the male-dominated realm of agricultural machinery services, Sonia Jannat, a 28-year-old from Jhenaidah, Bangladesh, has inscribed her name as a successful Machinery Solution Provider (MSP). Her determination—and the transformative power of new technologies—has launched her on an extraordinary journey of empowerment and financial independence.

Growing up in a farming household, Sonia was already familiar with cultivation. Rooted in agriculture, she harbored a longstanding ambition to make a meaningful impact in this field. To realize her vision, she consistently stayed abreast of the latest technologies and machinery designed to boost production while minimizing labor and time. However, life took an unexpected turn when her father fell ill with heart disease, forcing Sonia to shoulder the responsibility of financially supporting her family while pursuing her honors degree. This phase of hardship proved to be a turning point in her life.

Sonia Jannat operates one of her combine harvesters in Jhenaidah, Bangladesh. (Photo: CIMMYT)

During this challenging period, Sonia came across a YouTube video showcasing a combine harvester—a cutting-edge machine that could revolutionize harvesting. She immediately recognized its potential to transform farming practices and offer a reliable income stream. The first major hurdle was overcoming her family’s financial constraints and convincing them to invest in a machine without any tangible proof of its benefits.

In October 2020, Sonia and her family attended a live demonstration organized by the private sector, where she successfully persuaded her father to invest in a combine harvester. With the support of a machinery subsidy, she selected the best model suited to her business needs.

Sonia took part in business expansion meetings, built linkages with spare parts shop owners, dealers, and commission agents, and received operational and maintenance training—for both herself and her machine operators.

In the first season of 2021, Sonia’s combine harvester generated an impressive income of approximately US$10,000 (excluding operational and labor costs). This early success fueled her ambition, and with her family’s support, she invested in a second combine harvester, expanding the business.

Today, Sonia Jannat proudly owns three combine harvesters, generating an annual income of BDT 30 lakh (approximately US$33,000). Her customer base has grown to span around ten geographical divisions across Bangladesh. Sonia’s achievements have not only reshaped her own financial future but have also broken deep-rooted societal stereotypes. Once ridiculed for her unconventional path as an unmarried woman, she now commands respect and admiration from the very community that once doubted her.

Sonia shares with pride:

“The same society that once criticized me with comments like, ‘Why is an unmarried girl traveling around to earn money? Why is she breaking social norms?’ is now praising me. After witnessing my talent, social contributions, and support for my family, they now see me as one in a thousand girls!”

With academic credentials that include honors and a master’s degree in Bangla, Sonia’s aspirations continue to grow. She now envisions launching a new entrepreneurial venture offering a wider range of agricultural machinery services. She is committed to empowering women by actively engaging them in her business model—aiming to be an inspirational entrepreneur for many others.

CIMMYT and IICA Partner to Strengthen Agricultural Innovation and Economic Growth in the Americas

Written by dmedina on . Posted in Press releases.

Nairobi, 2025 – The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and CIMMYT have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance agricultural research, innovation, and trade across the Americas. 

This strategic partnership aims to advance productivity, resilience, and economic opportunities for farmers by leveraging science, technology, and strong international collaboration. The MoU focuses on key areas such as innovation and bioeconomy, trade and regional integration, climate-resilient agriculture, family farming, agrifood digitalization, and agricultural health and safety. 

Dr. Bram Govaerts, Director General of CIMMYT, highlighted the importance of innovation and market-driven solutions: “Partnerships like CIMMYT–IICA turn science into scale. Together, we’re accelerating innovation, supporting farmers, and strengthening food systems across the Americas—because global challenges demand connected solutions.” 

Dr. Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, added: “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to strengthening agricultural resilience, enhancing food security, and promoting economic growth in rural areas. With the increasing global demand for transforming food systems, IICA views this partnership as another testimony to its commitment to ensuring that farmers and agribusinesses across the Americas benefit from science, innovation and responsible resource management .” 

Through this agreement, CIMMYT and IICA will implement joint research initiatives, promote knowledge exchange, and support innovation-driven solutions that empower farmers, enhance supply chains, and expand market opportunities. 

For more information, visit iica.int and cimmyt.org 

An entrepreneur’s journey in aquaculture: Fueled by partnership, innovation, and resilience

Written by dmedina on . Posted in Blogs.

Cosmas Chachi’s demo fishpond – one of the nine ponds where he trains locals in fish farming (Photo: Cosmas Chachi)

Cosmas Chachi, a 46-year-old businessman, owns Triple Blessing Supermarket in Zambia’s Luwingu District. In 2000, Cosmas identified an opportunity to address the growing demand for fresh fish in his community and started selling the product in his local area. Like many rural entrepreneurs, Cosmas faced initial challenges such as unreliable supply chains, insufficient cold storage, and limited access to financing, all of which prevented him from meeting the rising demand from local customers. Undeterred, Cosmas embarked on a transformative journey into aquaculture.  

The turning point for Cosmas occurred in April 2023 when he participated in a training program on integrated aquaculture under the aegis of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, led by CIMMYT. The training implemented by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), one of the key implementing partners of the project, emphasized sustainable intensification and equipped Cosmas with advanced skills in sustainable feed management, water quality control, efficient harvesting methods, and business management, among other areas.   

A view of Cosmas Chachi’s Triple Blessings Supermarket, a thriving hub where he sells fish from his fishponds and manages his off-taking business (Photo: Cosmas Chachi)

“The training equipped me with expert knowledge in aquaculture management and skills to design and operate efficient fishponds,” Cosmas said. 

With his new-found expertise, Cosmas upgraded three of his existing fishponds and built six more, each measuring 13×15 meters. To meet customer demand, he introduced a strategic stocking system, staggering the placement of 1,000 fingerlings across his nine ponds. This innovation ensured consistent fish supply even during Zambia’s annual fish ban. “By stocking and harvesting my ponds, I can maintain a steady supply even during the national fish ban when local supply decreases because some other farmers who supply my supermarket depend on fish from natural water bodies,” Cosmas shared.  

Creating livelihoods and building resilience

Cosmas’ aquaculture enterprise has become an economic engine in his community, employing 25 permanent workers, primarily local youth, and offering seasonal jobs to 12 more. For Emmanuel Makumba, a shop attendant at Triple Blessing supermarket for the last eight years, the opportunity has been life changing. “The job at the supermarket helped me relocate from my village, build my own house, and send my children to a private school,” said Emmanuel. 

In June 2024, his business received a significant boost with the installation of a 15-ton cold storage facility, funded by IWMI through the AID-I project. The upgrade significantly reduced post-harvest losses and enhanced Cosmas’ fish storage capacity. It ensures a steady supply for his business and the farmers he supports, strengthening the local aquaculture value chain.  

“In the past, we could only purchase 50 to 100 kilograms (kg) of fish at a time, selling it at US$ 2.50 per kg,” Cosmas shared. With the new cold storage facility, Cosmas can now buy and store up to 700 kg of fish per harvest without the risk of spoilage. The effort not only secures a reliable supply for his business but also creates a dependable market for local consumers, fostering growth and sustainability in the region’s aquaculture sector.  

A ripple effect of progress: Expanding aquaculture for community impact

Today, Cosmas’ success goes beyond his supermarket. He owns a thriving restaurant, offering customers a unique dining experience with fresh fish from his ponds. “The training I received during the AID-I workshops helped me transform my passion for aquaculture into a successful business. Now, in addition to the supermarket, I own a popular restaurant and outdoor fishponds, offering customers a unique dining experience,” he said.  

Fish from local fish farmers before being stocked at Triple Blessings Supermarket (Photo: Cosmas Chachi)

Building on his business success, Cosmas has further expanded his impact by transforming his fishponds into practical classrooms, offering free, hands-on training to aspiring fish farmers. Over the past year, he has trained 50 farmers in sustainable aquaculture best practices.  

As more farmers in Luwingu adopt these practices, local food security improves, and income streams diversify. Cosmas’ leadership is stabilizing the community’s food supply and improving diets with nutrient-rich fish. This aligns with AID-I’s broader goal to promote sustainable and scalable agricultural models.  

By September 2024, the AID-I project, through IWMI’s efforts, had supported 297 fish farmers with training, market linkages, and tools for success across Northern and Luapula Provinces: creating a ripple effect of progress and also addressing Zambia’s fish supply and demand gap. The project empowers communities to adopt innovative and sustainable aquaculture practices, driving growth in fish production and ensuring a more reliable supply to meet the needs of a growing population. As fish is a critical source of protein and essential nutrients, fostering a sustainable aquaculture sector is vital for supporting Zambia’s food security and nutritional goals.  

Cosmas’ journey exemplifies the power of partnerships, innovation, and resilience in driving community progress. It underscores the potential for a robust aquaculture sector in Zambia, where challenges spur solutions and success benefit entire communities. Through AID-I’s comprehensive interventions, Cosmas’ story of transformation offers a vision for sustainable development in rural Zambia, led by innovation and community empowerment.

The first harvest from the fish demonstration was attended by Mr. Sakala, District Livestock Coordinator, who was invited to observe the progress and assess the impact of the initiative (Photo : Cosmas Chachi)

 

Innovation and Partnerships for a Food, Nutrition, and Climate-Secure Future

Written by dmedina on . Posted in News.

Every two years, CIMMYT hosts its Science and Innovation Week (SIW), a moment not only for reflection but also for action. SIW2025 is more than a gathering; it is a call to action, challenging us to create lasting change and transformative impact. Each day, we wake up with a bold mission: to make our work meaningful to the ultimate beneficiaries – smallholder farmers.

To kick off this year’s Science Week, CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts reminded participants that at the heart of our work is real-world impact. More than an opportunity to evaluate strategies, Science Week is about envisioning and driving the future of food systems.

“CIMMYT’s work connects communities worldwide, from labs to corn harvests. Your tireless research deserves accolades as profound as a Nobel Prize” said Ted McKinney, CEO of the JS National Association of State Departments of agriculture, NASDA & Former USDA Undersecretary. Recognizing this urgency, CIMMYT convened leading scientists, researchers, and decision-makers at its headquarters in Texcoco, Mexico, for Science Week 2025.

This flagship event brought together experts at the intersection of agriculture, climate and food security to foster collaboration and inspire action for resilient food systems. With CIMMYT’s research agenda focused on addressing the world’s most pressing agricultural challenges, Science Week served as a key platform to shape the future of innovation, strengthen partnerships, and accelerate impact on global food security. Through knowledge sharing and strategic discussions, participants explored transformative solutions that will empower smallholder farmers, build crop resilience, and ensure a sustainable future for food systems worldwide.

A platform for collaboration and innovation

The first day set the stage for a dynamic exchange of ideas, bringing together global experts to address agriculture’s most pressing challenges. Discussions explored climate-smart agriculture, the role of digital transformation, and the resilience of seed systems, highlighting the need for innovation to ensure food security. Advances in crop breeding and cutting-edge research took center stage, reinforcing CIMMYT’s commitment to developing scalable, science-based solutions that empower farmers.

Sessions covered a wide range of topics, including climate-smart agriculture, digital transformation in agriculture, resilience of seed systems, and advances in crop breeding. High-level panels and thought leaders highlighted the importance of collaboration, from integrating AI and strategic partnerships to amplifying research impact, while deep diving into CIMMYT’s scientific breakthroughs. The challenge was clear: think beyond the event, push boundaries, and make a meaningful impact that extends far beyond this week.

From data-driven decision-making to sustainable food production, discussions reinforced the need for strategic collaboration, digital transformation, and responsible innovation. With a strong focus on open data and climate resilience, day two underscored CIMMYT’s commitment to translating science into real-world impact for farmers and food systems worldwide.

With CIMMYT generating around 122 datasets annually, experts stressed the importance of improving data quality, integrating new information, and standardizing workflows for greater transparency and efficiency. The discussions also tackled food security, conflict, and economic instability. With 8.4 million people affected by food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean, experts highlighted the urgent need for social protection systems, digital solutions, and adaptive policies.

Moving forward, CIMMYT must bridge science and action, ensuring that research translates into tangible solutions for farmers and food systems worldwide – because resilience is not just an option; it is the foundation of sustainable agriculture.

Scientific excellence in action

As Science Week 2025 drew to a close, discussions focused on two key themes: partnerships and communicating impact. To kick off the session, Aaron Maniam, Fellow of Practice and Director, Digital Transformation Education, Oxford University Blavatnik School, challenged participants to rethink collaboration – not just as coordination but as a balance between integration and fragmentation. Collaboration is non-negotiable, and positioning CIMMYT as the partner of choice will be critical to advancing its mission.

Today’s challenges are too complex to tackle alone, and strategic partnerships are essential to amplify impact, leverage resources, and scale innovation. But successful partnerships go beyond collaboration – they require trust and shared goals. Science must be accessible, compelling, and strategically packaged to engage diverse audiences and drive real-world change. As we move forward, the challenge is clear: Embrace, amplify, and boldly communicate our impact to shape the future of food and agriculture. The work does not stop here, this is just the beginning of the next chapter in transforming global food systems for a food and nutrition secure world.

Breaking barriers in Mshewe: How Zinduka Women are Transforming Agriculture and Empowering Communities

Written by dmedina on . Posted in Features.

(Photo: CIMMYT)

In the sleepy village of Mshewe in Tanzania’s Mbeya District, a group of women is quietly revolutionizing their community through a powerful blend of agricultural entrepreneurship and social transformation. Since its inception in 2010, the Zinduka Women group has grown from a collective of women survivors of gender-based violence to an inspiring force for change that is uplifting families and challenging societal norms. 

Empowerment through economic independence is at the heart of their mission, and their name “Zinduka”— a Swahili word meaning “to wake up, come to one’s senses, or gain consciousness,”—aptly describes the group’s journey. Supported by the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) project, these women have moved beyond the shadows of their past to redefine their future. Today, they stand as role models, not only in agriculture but as champions of women’s empowerment.  

From Beans to Big Dreams 

Since their inception in 2010, the women of Zinduka have faced the challenges of limited yields and outdated farming methods. Taking a leap of faith, they sought out partnerships that could provide them with the necessary tools and training. Collaborating with the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the women embarked on an ambitious two-year journey of modern agricultural training, transforming their humble bean farm into a scalable, profitable venture. By adopting improved seed varieties like the Zinc and iron-rich Jesca beans, the group saw their yields soar from 120 kg to over 500 kg per hectare—a testament to the power of education and perseverance.

Witness Kayanga, the group’s chairperson, recalls the turning point for the women of Zinduka: ‘We realized that to break the cycle of poverty and oppression, we needed more than just hard work; we needed knowledge and resources. That’s when things started to change.’

Innovation Meets Empowerment 

With support from USAID, through CIMMYT’s AID-I project, the Zinduka Women’s Group has made remarkable progress. Today, 11 of the 38 group members are Quality Declared Seed (QDS) producers, enabling them to contribute to local food security by producing high-quality seeds while also generating a sustainable income. The group has also received a production machine that has significantly improved their efficiency. When not in use by the group, the machine is rented out to others in the community, creating an additional revenue stream.

The group’s association with NMB Bank has given them access to credit facilities that have strengthened their financial position. Furthermore, the acquisition of a digital weighing scale has brought much-needed precision to their work. These developments have enabled them to expand their business, and the impact is visible not only in their increased earnings but also in their confidence. One group member proudly shared, ‘We used to face heavy losses as some traders exploited us by using tampered tins, causing us to sell more grain for less. Now, we are more than just farmers; we are businesswomen.’

This support has empowered the Zinduka Women’s Group to not only improve their agricultural output but also elevate their standing in the community as businesswomen.

Recognizing the untapped potential for value-added products, they began producing bean flour, cakes, and pastries, which quickly gained popularity in their village and beyond. Bean flour has emerged as a healthier, more nutritious alternative, leading to an increase in demand within Mshewe. As part of their forward-thinking approach, the Zinduka Women’s Group is now exploring the introduction of premium packaging for their high-zinc and iron-rich Jesca beans. This differentiation will enable them to command higher prices in the market, further increasing their profitability and sustainability.

The group still needs more support in terms of access to capital and mechanization, as their production scale increases and so does their reliance on equipment and market linkages. Efficiently matching seed supply with market demand remains critical to avoid the risk of selling valuable seed stocks as regular grain. Nonetheless, their progress is a testament to how access to training, tools, and financial services can transform the lives of smallholder farmers and strengthen local food systems.

Beyond Agriculture: A Beacon for Women’s Rights 

While the Zinduka Women Group’s agricultural success is impressive, it is their role as advocates for gender equality that truly sets them apart. Most members have overcome significant personal trauma, using their economic success as a shield against future abuse. The group’s work is now seen as a model for integrating gender empowerment into rural development.

Not only are they transforming their own lives, but they are actively mentoring other women and youth in the region, amplifying their impact. Their success has attracted attention from various organizations, keen to replicate their model of combining agricultural innovation with social change.

A Future Built on Partnership and Hope 

USAID’s support has unlocked a future of potential for the women’s group. By equipping them with the tools to succeed in agriculture and beyond, the foundation has been laid for sustainable growth, not only for the Zinduka Women’s Group but for the entire community.

(Photo: CIMMYT)

Enhancing the resilience of our farmers and our food systems: global collaboration at DialogueNEXT

Written by Mike Listman on . Posted in Features.

“Achieving food security by mid-century means producing at least 50 percent more food,” said U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security, Cary Fowler, citing a world population expected to reach 9.8 billion and suffering the dire effects of violent conflicts, rising heat, increased migration, and dramatic reductions in land and water resources and biodiversity. “Food systems need to be more sustainable, nutritious, and equitable.”

CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy aims to build a diverse coalition of partners to lead the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems. This approach addresses factors influencing global development, plant health, food production, and the environment. At DialogueNEXT, CIMMYT and its network of partners showcased successful examples and promising directions for bolstering agricultural science and food security, focusing on poverty reduction, nutrition, and practical solutions for farmers.

Without healthy crops or soils, there is no food

CIMMYT’s MasAgro program in Mexico has enhanced farmer resilience by introducing high-yielding crop varieties, novel agricultural practices, and income-generation activities. Mexican farmer Diodora Petra Castillo Fajas shared how CIMMYT interventions have benefitted her family. “Our ancestors taught us to burn the stover, degrading our soils. CIMMYT introduced Conservation Agriculture, which maintains the stover and traps more humidity in the soil, yielding more crops with better nutritional properties,” she explained.

CIMMYT and African partners, in conjunction with USAID’s Feed the Future, have begun applying the MasAgro [1] model in sub-Saharan Africa through the Feed the Future Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I), where as much as 80 percent of cultivated soils are poor, little or no fertilizer is applied, rainfed maize is the most widespread crop, many households lack balanced diets, and erratic rainfall and high temperatures require different approaches to agriculture and food systems.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and CIMMYT are partnering to carry out the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) movement in Africa and Central America. This essential movement for transforming food systems endorsed by the G7 focuses on crop improvement and soil health. VACS will invest in improving and spreading 60 indigenous “opportunity” crops—such as sorghum, millet, groundnut, pigeon pea, and yams, many of which have been grown primarily by women—to enrich soils and human diets together with the VACS Implementers’ Group, Champions, and Communities of Practice.

The MasAgro methodology has been fundamental in shaping the Feed the Future Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, an effort between government agencies, private, and public partners, including CGIAR. AID-I provides farmers with greater access to markets and extension services for improved seeds and crop varieties. Access to these services reduces the risk to climate and socioeconomic shocks and improves food security, economic livelihoods, and overall community resilience and prosperity.

Healthy soils are critical for crop health, but crops must also contain the necessary genetic traits to withstand extreme weather, provide nourishment, and be marketable. CIMMYT holds the largest maize and wheat gene bank, supported by the Crop Trust, offering untapped genetic material to develop more resilient varieties from these main cereal grains and other indigenous crops. Through the development of hardier and more adaptable varieties, CIMMYT and its partners commit to implementing stronger delivery systems to get improved seeds for more farmers. This approach prioritizes biodiversity conservation and addresses major drivers of instability: extreme weather, poverty, and hunger.

Food systems must be inclusive to combat systemic inequities

Successful projects and movements such as MasAgro, VACS, and AID-I are transforming the agricultural landscape across the Global South. But the urgent response required to reduce inequities and the needed investment to produce more nutritious food with greater access to cutting-edge technologies demands inclusive policies and frameworks like CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy.

“In Latin America and throughout the world, there is still a huge gap between the access of information and technology,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras, Laura Elena Suazo Torres. “Civil society and the public and private sectors cannot have a sustainable impact if they work opposite to each other.”

Ismahane Elouafi, CGIAR executive managing director, emphasized that agriculture does not face, “a lack of innovative science and technology, but we’re not connecting the dots.” CIMMYT offers a pathway to bring together a system of partners from various fields—agriculture, genetic resources, crop breeding, and social sciences, among others—to address the many interlinked issues affecting food systems, helping to bring agricultural innovations closer to farmers and various disciplines to solve world hunger.

While healthy soils and crops are key to improved harvests, ensuring safe and nutritious food production is critical to alleviating hunger and inequities in food access. CIMMYT engages with private sector stakeholders such as Bimbo, GRUMA, Ingredion, Syngenta, Grupo Trimex, PepsiCo, and Heineken, to mention a few, to “link science, technology, and producers,” and ensure strong food systems, from the soils to the air and water, to transform vital cereals into safe foods to consume, like fortified bread and tortillas.

Reduced digital gaps can facilitate knowledge-sharing to scale-out improved agricultural practices like intercropping. The Rockefeller Foundation and CIMMYT have “embraced the complexity of diversity,” as mentioned by Roy Steiner, senior vice-president, through investments in intercropping, a crop system that involves growing two or more crops simultaneously and increases yields, diversifies diets, and provides economic resilience. CIMMYT has championed these systems in Mexico, containing multiple indicators of success from MasAgro.

Today, CIMMYT collaborates with CGIAR and Total LandCare to train farmers in southern and eastern Africa on the intercrop system with maize and legumes i.e., cowpea, soybean, and jack bean. CIMMYT also works with WorldVeg, a non-profit organization dedicated to vegetable research and development, to promote intercropping in vegetable farming to ensure efficient and safe production and connect vegetable farmers to markets, giving them more sources for greater financial security.

Conflict aggravates inequities and instability. CIMMYT leads the Feed the Future Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS) which aims to deliver latest knowledge and technology to small scale producers to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen local and regional value chains, and enhance community resilience in war-torn countries like Sudan. CIMMYT has developed a strong partnership funded by USAID with ADRA, CIP, CRS, ICRISAT, IFDC, IFPRI, ILRI, Mercy Corps, Near East Foundation, Samaritan’s Purse, Syngenta Foundation, VSF, and WorldVeg, to devise solutions for Sudanese farmers. SASAS has already unlocked the potential of several well-suited vegetables and fruits like potatoes, okra, and tomatoes. These crops not only offer promising yields through improved seeds, but they encourage agricultural cooperatives, which promote income-generation activities, gender-inclusive practices, and greater access to diverse foods that bolster family nutrition. SASAS also champions livestock health providing food producers with additional sources of economic resilience.

National governments play a critical role in ensuring that vulnerable populations are included in global approaches to strengthen food systems. Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, Victor Villalobos, shared examples of how government intervention and political will through people-centered policies provides greater direct investment to agriculture and reduces poverty, increasing shared prosperity and peace. “Advances must help to reduce gaps in development.” Greater access to improved agricultural practices and digital innovation maintains the field relevant for farmers and safeguards food security for society at large. Apart from Mexico, key government representatives from Bangladesh, Brazil, Honduras, India, and Vietnam reaffirmed their commitment to CIMMYT’s work.

Alice Ruhweza, senior director at the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and Maria Emilia Macor, an Argentinian farmer, agreed that food systems must adopt a holistic approach. Ruhweza called it, “The great food puzzle, which means that one size does not fit all. We must integrate education and infrastructure into strengthening food systems and development.” Macor added, “The field must be strengthened to include everyone. We all contribute to producing more food.”

Generating solutions, together

In his closing address, which took place on World Population Day 2024, CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts thanked the World Food Prize for holding DialogueNEXT in Mexico and stressed the need for all partners to evolve, while aligning capabilities. “We have already passed several tipping points and emergency measures are needed to avert a global catastrophe,” he said. “Agrifood systems must adapt, and science has to generate solutions.”

Through its network of research centers, governments, private food producers, universities, and farmers, CIMMYT uses a multidisciplinary approach to ensure healthier crops, safe and nutritious food, and the dissemination of essential innovations for farmers. “CIMMYT cannot achieve these goals alone. We believe that successful cooperation is guided by facts and data and rooted in shared values, long-term commitment, and collective action. CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy goes beyond transactional partnership and aims to build better partnerships through deeper and more impactful relationships. I invite you to partner with us to expand this collective effort together,” concluded Govaerts.

[1] Leveraging CIMMYT leadership, science, and partnerships and the funding and research capacity of Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry (SADER) during 2010-21, the program known as “MasAgro” helped over 300,000 participating farmers to adopt improved maize and wheat varieties and resource-conserving practices on more than 1 million hectares of farmland in 30 states of Mexico.

Visual summaries by Reilly Dow.

How livestock vaccination campaigns support breeders in conflict-ridden Sudan

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

Ali Hassan is a 38-year-old herder living in Al Showak, Gadarif, Sudan. Like thousands of traditional animal breeders in Sudan, Ali works hard to take care of his fast-growing flock of animals.

During the past few months, with the ongoing civil war, Ali was a little concerned that he was not getting the veterinary advice that he needed, because of the limited coverage in his area by veterinary services, and that he might lose some of his animals due to the lack of a vaccination service.

Ali was very happy when his neighbor Ahmed told him that Catholic Relief Services (CRS) had trained him as a community animal health worker (CAHW) through the USAID-funded SASAS. Ahmed started to visit Ali to check on his animals and give him valuable advice and tips on how to keep his animals healthy and better fed.

CAHWs vaccinate a sheep in animal-rich Gadarif State. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Due to the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan, the local animal health care service has been massively interrupted. CRS, through the USAID-funded SASAS, are currently conducting an animal vaccination campaign in Gadarif in the eastern part of the country.

Catholic Relief Services uses trained community networks to inform herders of the locations where animal vaccinations are taking place and to raise awareness of the importance of having their animals vaccinated.

Trained CAHWs, led by official animal health workers, are driving a massive animal vaccination campaign targeting 150,000 head of goats and sheep in the Gala Alnahal, Al Fao, and Al Showak localities in the traditionally animal-rich Gadarif state.

CAHWs receive veterinary kits in Gadarif State after attending an extensive practical training session on animal health. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The well-trained and sufficiently well-equipped CAHWs are driving the campaign showing unflagging dedication and using innovative methods to significantly reduce animal disease, making a remarkable achievement in the ongoing fight against deadly diseases. CAHWs actively promote the dissemination of veterinary education and health care locally, and the improvement of animal health and husbandry through education, veterinary services, enterprise development, and enhanced trade.

CAHWs receive bicycles to facilitate their mobility in providing veterinary services in Gadarif State. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“At SASAS, we work to transform the livestock meat value chain to become productive, sustainable, and market oriented. Further, SASAS works with community members in the targeted localities to equitably share natural resources and peacefully engage in mutually beneficial activities”, said Abdelrahman Kheir, SASAS chief of party in Sudan.

The CAHWs were extensively trained and provided with firsthand experience of the basic principles of animal health; animal husbandry and production; basic clinical and husbandry procedures; basic animal disease management; safe food; drug administration; meat inspection at slaughterhouses; common animal diseases; community engagement; and running animal health service activities. In addition, CAHWs check the health of the animals at the slaughterhouses in the various areas targeted by the project.

CAHWs check on animal health and advise herders in Gadarif on the best animal breeding techniques. (Photo: CIMMYT)

To ensure gender equity and make sure that no one is excluded, both male and female community members are trained as CAHWs. Fatima is 45 years old and is a local female herder living in Al Fao, Gadarif State; she was looking for a chance to improve her skills in animal breeding and in helping herders within her community. After getting the necessary theoretical and practical training in animal health, Fatima was equipped with a veterinary toolkit and a donkey cart to increase her mobility, while male CAHWs were provided with bicycles to help them travel around and provide veterinary services within their communities.

To enhance the livestock value chain, the CRS are constructing slaughter slabs in the areas targeted by the project in coordination with the local animal health authorities and the community.

Agriculture, including livestock and fishing, is the most important economic sector in Sudan, contributing about a third of the country’s GDP and providing a livelihood for about two-thirds of the active population. The export of livestock has become an increasingly important part of the economy, competing with cash crop sales as the fastest growing, non-oil export sector. Camels, cattle, sheep, and goats are exported mainly to Saudi Arabia, other Gulf States, and Egypt. Around 25 percent of the exported livestock comes from Darfur, after a sharp decline in Darfur’s export capacity due to conflict. Increased export sales have caused an increase in domestic livestock prices in all markets.

Specialist centers empower women and youth farmers

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

Joseph Gambi began as a groundnut seed producer in Ukwile village, Mbozi District, Songwe, Tanzania. He struggled to make a living from agriculture, an experience shared by many young people and women in his village. Low yields, limited opportunities in agricultural value chains, and low productivity in current production systems meant that there were fewer opportunities for income generation, which all negatively impacted the involvement of youth and women.

Based on his experience as a young farmer, Joseph believed groundnut farming could be more profitable than maize. “Although groundnut farming is promising and earns good money, its productivity is very low. Most of us opt for maize because quality seeds and other inputs are available, despite its high capital needs,” said Joseph.

To improve the situation, CIMMYT’s Dryland Crops Program aims to increase the adoption of quality seeds among youth and women farmers through behavior change interventions. Led by CIMMYT and implemented in partnership with the Center for Behaviour Change and Communication (CBCC) and the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), the project targets sorghum and groundnut improvement in Tanzania’s Songwe region.

Joseph was selected by his community to lead the way in changing perceptions of groundnut in his village and trained as a last-mile change agent, equipped with knowledge on social behavior change. As a youth champion and seed producer in Ukwile village, he has created awareness about quality seeds and good farming practices among at least 600 farmers across more than 15 villages in the district.

As a dedicated youth champion and seed producer, Joseph educates over 600 farmers on quality seeds and advanced farming practices. (Photo: CBCC)

Seed demand creation

Through the Drylands Crop Program, Joseph has been trained in various awareness and demand creation strategies, such as farmer mobilization. He uses these skills to raise farmers’ interest in different technologies and products, creating demand for various agricultural inputs and seeking out suppliers.

His efforts have attracted a variety of stakeholders to his village. These include four TARI centers, five seed companies, three non-government organizations (NGOs), one agrodealer, and two off-takers. While most stakeholders partner with him to demonstrate and promote their technologies to the farmers he has mobilized, others enter into agreements and pay him a commission for each sale he facilitates.

In the first season, Joseph created demand for more than two tons of groundnut seed, partnering with Pavig Agro, a groundnut seed company, to distribute almost 1.2 tons of quality seed to farmers in his village. The seed company could not adequately meet the aggregated demand, creating an opportunity for Joseph and 17 others to train as Quality Declared Seeds (QDS) producers.

Dedicated support for youth and women

After creating traction for quality seeds, inputs, and other agricultural services, the project established the Youth and Women Quality Center (YWQC) in Ukwile, managed by Joseph and three other community champions. The center serves more than 1,000 farmers across five villages and currently hosts more than ten demonstration plots featuring nine varieties of groundnut, maize, five bean varieties, and sorghum.

Furthermore, the center is now registered and licensed to distribute seeds and offers services such as seed planting using a manually operated seed planter, pesticide and herbicide spraying, extension support, market information, farmers’ advisory services, input demand creation and distribution, and produce aggregation.

Joseph at the Youth and Women Quality Center (YWQC) in Ukwile. The center is managed by three other community champions and serves farmers in five villages. (Photo: CBCC)

The project has proved to be transformational for Joseph, who has now received certification as a seed producer and dealer, as well as for his family and wider community. Before the training, Joseph allocated half an acre for groundnut production each season; he now uses three acres, with an additional acre for sorghum seed and a further half acre for bean seed production.

He has also mobilized and supported the registration of ten farmer groups, three of which were trained as seed producers and now produce groundnut seed and mentored five youths and women to become seed producers. This work means that the Ukwile YWQC now has 12 seed producers cultivating 13.5 acres of groundnut seed. Joseph and other experienced seed producers multiply basic seed to produce QDS 1, which is then sold to other seed producers at affordable prices.

Thanks to Joseph’s awareness and demand creation initiatives, Ukwile YWQC generated US $4,000 in revenue from seed and input distribution between November 2022 and January 2024. From two acres alone of groundnut seed production, Joseph earned US $1,456 from selling groundnut QDS between December 2023 and January 2024.

His increased income has supported his family, including paying for education for his four children, and has purchased a plot of land, on which he is constructing a three-bedroom house.

Cover photo: Joseph at his groundnut seed farm (Naliendele variety) in Ukwile Village, Songwe. (Photo: CBCC)

Rekindling and revitalizing chicken farming in Zambia

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

Priscilla Chewe, a poultry farmer in Kapiri Mposhi district of Zambia, checks on her chickens. June 2024. (Photo: CIMMYT)

In Zambia, women play a major role in agriculture and constitute much of the labour force for cash crop production and home consumption. In Chilayabale area of Chongwe district in Zambia, a group of women founded Tuyumepo Women Cooperative with support from Zambia’s Farmer Input Support Program (FISP). Initially focused on commercial soya milk and okra coffee production, members shifted to poultry production in 2022, which they had identified as a game changer. They successfully developed a business plan that was funded by the World Food Programme, providing 150,000 Kwacha (USD 5,600) for broiler chicken production. Part of the funds were used to construct a poultry house and acquire 200-day-old chicks.

However, their excitement soon turned into despair. What had appeared a very profitable venture turned into a loss-making enterprise. The group could not understand why the birds, despite being provided with the required feed and vaccines, had a high mortality rate. They eventually abandoned the broiler production business.

Despite setbacks, the group’s determination remained strong. Like many other smallholder poultry producers in Zambia; they recognized the immense potential of chicken farming. But they were constrained by various production challenges such as limited access to improved chicken breeds or day-old chicks, limited access to key vaccines, basic chicken health services, quality feed, and essential extension services. These challenges led to poor productivity, high mortalities and underperformance of the enterprise and the chicken value chain in general.

However, a ray of hope emerged earlier this year with the arrival of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative – Livestock (AIDI-L) in Bimbe. A sensitization meeting organized by AIDI-L reignited their enthusiasm for poultry farming. What stood out was AIDI-L’s commitment not only to provide starter kits but also to offer training on best poultry farming practices. This renewed optimism prompted members of the Tuyumepo Women Cooperative, along with other farmers in the area, to attend training sessions on poultry production at Kambekete Camp, Chongwe District, Lusaka Province on 8 April 2024.

The participants were trained on general poultry production and marketing, and how to effectively train others on the same in the targeted districts. The target trainees were commercial poultry farmers, brooders, and lead farmers. Each training was attended by about 30 participants comprising lead farmers, brooders, and commercial poultry farmers in the district.

Led by Venture37, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and local government livestock officers, these sessions covered various aspects of poultry farming, from chicken health and housing to marketing and business development.

To many, the training was an eye-opener.

“I have just realized that our broilers were dying not because of diseases, but because of poorly ventilated housing structure,’ stated Annie, a brooder and a lead farmer in the area.”

With the newfound partnership, the cooperative plans to acquire 200 chicks.

Elizabeth Mwalusoke, a farmer from Lobolola Village, Chongwe District, had long recognized the potential of poultry farming but lacked the necessary knowledge and skills on good poultry husbandry, such as appropriate housing, hygiene, pests and diseases, and their control. She was lucky to have attended the AIDI-L sensitization meeting at Bimbe and Kambekete Camp in February 2024.

“This project will definitely help us develop our chicken business.”

The venture is even more appealing to Elizabeth, who owns two hectares of farmland, ideal for chicken rearing but not for large livestock farming.

For the ambitious Festus Nchenesi, the initiative provides opportunities for expanding and diversifying his commercial chicken enterprise. Nchenesi, a retired accountant, started with 100 broilers in 2017 at his one-hectare farm after relocating from Chongwe Town. He has steadily increased the flock to 300 birds but would have kept more if it had not been for the challenges he has encountered.

His attempts to venture into improved chicken farming failed due to a lack of knowledge of chicken brooding.

“I would have over 10 chicken brooding with at least 10 eggs each. But once one of the chickens had chicks, all the others would abandon their eggs and start fighting to care for the few hatched chicks. To circumvent this, I acquired a 32-egg capacity incubator, hoping not only to build my flock but also to brood and supply to other farmers in the area. However, the 6,000 Kwacha incubator could only hatch 3-5 eggs per incubation for reasons the supplier could not even explain. I am very optimistic that the project will turn my fortunes around. My target is to have at least 1,000 improved chickens because of their good marketability and returns and reduce the broiler flock.”

Others like retired Captain Ceasar Chibiye, a commercial poultry farmer in Kapiri District, Central Province, are more than ready to seize the market linkage opportunities that the project is bringing, being one of the major hurdles the farmers have been grappling with in the chicken value chain.

Laurence Ochieng, an ILRI veterinarian, was impressed with the enthusiasm and passion of the participants. He was optimistic that the project will greatly revitalise chicken farming in target regions.

“Most of the attendees seem to be involved in village chicken rearing.  For instance, those from Shamutinta village will benefit from disease control measures such as Newcastle disease vaccination as this seems to be their greatest challenge in rearing the birds to productive stage. Most of them had lost their flocks due to diseases, predominantly Newcastle and fowl pox.”

Esther Omosa, ILRI nutrition specialist, sensitized the participants on the importance human nutrition, promising to conduct a detailed TOT training on high impact nutrition sensitive interventions that need to be implemented at community level to prevent malnutrition.

Esther Omosa, ILRI nutrition specialist, sensitizes participants on the importance human nutrition during a training on poultry production in Kapiri District, Central Province on 10 April 2024. (Photo: ILRI)

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development, the two-year AIDI-L project aims to help 15,000 small-scale, poultry-keeping households acquire increased access dual-purpose backyard village chicks; and reduce morbidity and mortality of poultry byfacilitating access to, and vaccination of, poultry to key economically impactful diseases such as Newcastle Disease. With a holistic approach that addresses both production and market challenges, the project holds promise for revitalizing chicken farming in Zambia. Thousands more households will be reached through media advisories on the importance of vaccinations and improved husbandry practices for chickens.

The original article was published by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). 

With courage, they are an example of innovation in the field

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

Women and the milpa in Chiapas, Mexico. (Illustration: FMG/OpenAI, 2024)

With its transversal focus on gender and social inclusion, CGIAR’s Latin American regional initiative AgriLac Resiliente shows how, through sustainable agriculture, women in the Latin American countryside are a fundamental piece to building resilient and inclusive food systems.

One of the most inspiring examples comes from the Tzotzil women’s group of TzabalĂł, in LarrĂĄinzar, Chiapas, Mexico. These women have found in the Chiapas Hub a platform that has allowed them to contribute significantly to the development of their households and environments.

“We are a group of women who have worked in pig and chicken farming for some years now. In 2022, we started working with CIMMYT and DAI (Desarrollo Alternativo e InvestigaciĂłn AC). We liked it a lot because we see that they are interested in women. They give us the opportunity to learn which awakens our interest in working in the field because we want to help our husbands, but with knowledge,” they said.

According to their testimonies, the opportunity to train in sustainable agriculture has been transformative. Previously, their participation in agricultural activities was limited. Now, with new knowledge acquired, they are producing healthy and nutritious food.

“If we just stay at home, we don’t do much, but when we go out to the countryside, we feel free, we clear ourselves of so many tasks around the house, and we bring tender beans and fresh vegetables. Now we can produce our food free of toxins and store our maize in airtight containers without chemicals,” they pointed out.

The experience has given them not only autonomy in making decisions about their food but also a sense of freedom and purpose when working in the field where the power of group work has also been a major factor in their success.

“It is always better to work in a group than individually, but it is necessary to find a good manager or leader to guide you and teach you how to work. As a group, we have obtained knowledge that we share among ourselves, we learned to prune fruit trees, we no longer burn stubble to recycle nutrients, there is more production and the product is bigger, and we also expect good fruit production.”

Plot in Chiapas where sustainable practices have been implemented. (Photo: GarcĂ­a, RamĂ­rez and Meentzen/CIMMYT)

However, the path has not been without challenges. The community faces a sociopolitical context that makes collaboration between groups difficult, although these women persist and demonstrate with their achievements that female participation in agriculture is fundamental for community development.

“What we do, people see it badly and ask us why we go to the countryside to learn something that is not for us, that we leave because we don’t have chores at home, but we don’t get discouraged. When they see the results of the work, they ask us how we did it, and we tell them what we learned by not staying alone at home, and we invite them to join the group,” they mentioned, emphasizing that if you are in the group, it does not matter what political group you belong to because the only thing that matters is knowledge and the desire to improve oneself.

Their courage and determination have not only transformed their own lives but is also inspiring other women to join and follow this path of empowerment through sustainable agriculture.

These success stories are proof of the positive impact that the inclusion of women in the field can have. Their voice and experience are fundamental to building more resilient and sustainable food systems, where gender equity and the active participation of all actors are pillars for a prosperous future in rural areas of Latin America.

How improved seeds empower women farmers in South Kordofan

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

Fanta Mohamed, a 48-year-old widow with three children, lives in Aldagag village in South Kordofan. For years, Fanta has worked on her small farm to feed her children. Fanta used local seeds, and her agricultural yield was very poor. It made her wonder where she was going wrong. Fanta, like thousands of women farmers in remote and hard-to-reach areas of South Kordofan in central Sudan, has limited access to quality inputs and agricultural extension services.

In South Kordofan, Mercy Corps, aided by USAID-funded Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS), trained 15 local farmers and producers in the Farmer Field School methodology and climate-smart agriculture with the support of officials from the State Ministry of Agriculture.

“At SASAS, we work to empower women farmers, especially those who live in remote areas such as South Kordofan. We help them with agricultural inputs such as improved seeds, new agricultural skills, and techniques to increase their production and help enhance food security amid the looming food crisis in Sudan,” said Abdelrahman Kheir, SASAS chief of party.

Women farmers apply new agricultural techniques in South Kordofan. (Photo: CIMMYT)

To address the challenges of poor seed quality, Mercy Corps contracted local supplier Alzahra Seed for Trade to sell improved seeds at a subsidized price and expand access by establishing last-mile seed retail networks. Alzahra Seed for Trade would also deliver agronomic extension training to farmers in remote villages such as Aldagag.

Fanta recalls how she and other women farmers came to know about the improved seeds. “We were at a coffee gathering at my neighbor’s house, when one of the women told us that Alzahra Seed for Trade’s retail agent had brought improved seeds from Dilling town for sale. We were not even aware of the existence of improved seeds,” she said.

With accessible and affordable improved seeds in Aldagag, Fanta was one of the smallholder farmers who bought seeds from a retailer in her village. She bought groundnut and vegetable seeds and received basic agronomic extension training from the retailer who offered it as an embedded service. In addition to getting access to improved seeds, Fanta was visited by an extension officer from Alzahra Seed for Trade.

Women farmers participate in an agronomic extension training. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Fanta recalls how she managed her farm before she was introduced to improved seeds. “In the seasons before I got the training, my farm looked disorganized. Like other farmers in my area, I didn’t care about the distances between the plants. Local seeds yielded about four or five sacks of groundnut per one feddan (unit of area in Sudan),” she shared. Post training, Fanta planted two feddans of groundnut using the improved seeds and followed the agronomic guidance. “I harvested 18 sacks from the two feddans–much higher than before.”

Increased income provides women farmers with greater financial resources, and many of them feel empowered. “Women famers in my area who have used improved seeds and followed new agricultural techniques have become stronger and feel confident enough to have a voice within our community,” said Fanta.

A sustainable agrifood systems approach in conflict-ridden Sudan

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in Blogs, Multimedia, Videos.

Sudan, the third largest country in Africa, has long been an epicenter of food production, due to its fertile lands and rich history of agricultural cultivation. But modern Sudan faces chronic food insecurity rooted in social and geopolitical challenges. A situation that has been exacerbated by the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023. The armed conflict has caused a sudden, further decline in agricultural productivity, displacing large populations and pushing millions of Sudanese into high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity.

In response to this crisis, CIMMYT, through the USAID-funded Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS), is supporting agricultural development by creating robust and sustainable food production systems. SASAS adapts a modular and multi-crop approach to implement an integrated agrifood system that underpins food security, employment, and equity.

As the planting season of 2024 approaches, the project strives to strengthen food production to support the people of Sudan during these challenging times.

Experts speak: SASAS focuses on five key areas

Abdelrahman Kheir, SASAS chief of party, highlights how the agricultural innovations of the project are impacting multiple regions in Sudan. The focus of the project is on five broad intervention areas: promoting agricultural production for smallholder farmers, improving value chains and business development, supporting community management of natural resources, and providing horticultural and livestock services such as vaccination campaigns.

Further in the video, Murtada Khalid, country coordinator for Sudan, explains how the SASAS Food Security Initiative (SFSI) will provide 30,000+ farmers with a diversified package of four inputs: fertilizer, seeds, land preparation, and agricultural advisory services, to prepare for the upcoming 2024 sorghum and groundnut planting season. SFSI is a critical element of SASAS that uniquely provides agricultural development aid during a time of conflict to directly improve the food security situation in Sudan.

How women farmers benefit from SASAS

SASAS works directly with women farmers and pastoralists to ensure an equitable approach to food security in the country. Hear farmers from the women-led El-Harram Agricultural Cooperative in Kassala, Sudan, explain how SASAS has positively impacted their lives and families.

Ali Atta Allah, a farmer in Kassala expresses her gratitude for SASAS support. “They provided us with seeds including jute, mallow, okra, and sweet pepper. We planted them, and they thrived.” Ali highlighted the financial gains—a bundle of jute mallow sells for 500 Sudanese Pound (SDG). The income from the entire area amounts to 200,000 to 300,000 SDG. “The seeds provided by SASAS are of superior quality,” she affirmed.

Aziza Haroun from El-Ghadambaliya village, shares her story of how improved seeds provided by SASAS activities helped double her yields compared to previous years. “We used to farm in the same land and the yield was poor. Mercy Corps, a SASAS partner, introduced us to a new method of planting legumes as natural fertilizer. Now our yield has increased significantly,” she said.

Roots of resilience: my journey as a Conservation Agriculture champion

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

I am Grace Malaicha, a proud native of the Zidyana Extension Planning Areas in Central Malawi, where my journey with Conservation Agriculture (CA) began. In 2005, I observed neighboring farmers practicing CA techniques on their land. Intrigued and inspired, I decided to embark on this path myself, joining the CA program initiated by CIMMYT and Total LandCare in 2006. I started practicing it on my demonstration plot and observed that yields were getting higher from the second year onwards.

My dedication to CA has changed not only myself but also influenced other members of my farming community. As a mother trial host farmer under the CGIAR Initiative: Diversification for resilient agribusiness ecosystems in East and Southern Africa today, I have been implementing different treatments, which include maize doubled-up legume system and improved drought-tolerant maize varieties planted under CA on flat land and comparing it to the traditional ridge tillage system that involves substantial soil movement.

But what does CA mean to me? It is more than just a set of principles that I apply like minimum soil disturbance, mulching, and crop rotation. CA reduces drudgery, secures yields, and maintains productivity in times of climate change. CA has changed my approach to farming, transforming my once conventional maize monocrop into a diverse maize-legume system. By intercropping with two crops, I have spread the risk of unanticipated crop failure, while incorporating groundnut, cowpeas, and pigeon pea into the mix, which are more drought tolerant. I increased the land area under CA and tried it on many other crops including different legumes as rotation or intercrops, birds-eye chili, vegetables, and cassava.

Over the years, I have witnessed firsthand the harsh realities of a changing climate in central Malawi, from intense heat to prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall patterns. This year, 2024, has even been worse due to the prolonged dry spells between January and February, and the erratic rainfall during this time. Despite these challenges, our CA plots have continued to thrive, showcasing the resilience and adaptability of climate-smart farming practices.

Grace trains farmers on Conservation Agriculture. (Photo: Christian Thierfelder/CIMMYT)

Recognizing the power of knowledge sharing and from the encouragement by CIMMYT and Total LandCare, I started to train fellow farmers, both locally and across borders. At first, I worked with women groups around my homestead and trained about 100 female farmers on the principles of CA. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to train other farmers in other districts of Malawi. Since 2008, I have also trained farmers in eastern Zambia and from Mozambique where all farmers speak my language Chichewa. Farmers believe other farmers more and are now realizing the benefits of implementing CA in their own fields.

I enrolled to be a local trainer in CA within my community in 2016. My passion for teaching and catalyzing change has led to the adoption of CA by numerous farmers. I embrace my commitment to ongoing learning through carefully implementing these CA trials and playing an active role during awareness meetings.

My life had changed so much. I was speaking on the radio and television. In 2012, the Minister of Agriculture visited my plot, and I was asked to speak in front of a Parliamentary Committee about my experiences as a smallholder woman farmer in Malawi. I spoke about what women can do in agriculture and what changes I made on my land. From representing my country at high level meetings, each step has shaped me into a resilient and empowered woman.

However, my journey has not been without obstacles, including hardships in my personal relationship. In 2012, I made the decision to join my husband in South Africa where I took up menial jobs to earn a living, abandoning my plot back home. But my true passion lay in farming, and I decided to make the bold decision to come back home, leaving my husband and continue with farming. Through perseverance and determination, I have overcome these challenges, and I am now much stronger.

Grace Malaicha stands in her field. (Photo: Christian Thierfelder/CIMMYT)

Today, I stand with pride in front of my CA plot, not only sustaining my family but also sending all my children to school. I now converted all my land to conservation agriculture, 3ha are under maize and 2ha under groundnuts. Beyond farming, I have investments in housing, claiming rentals in the nearby town of Salima to sustain my financial income and expand in farming.

I will continue on this path as I learned so much over the years and believe that CA may be the only climate-smart agriculture response in reach of smallholder farmers that everybody can apply, and I will continue to support others as a champion of CA.

Women farmers enhance agricultural production in conflict-torn Sudan

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

Women farmers show their harvested vegetables, Kassala, East Sudan. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The ongoing conflict in Sudan continues to contribute to a food crisis threatening the lives of over 18 million people. Farmers, especially smallholders and vulnerable women, are facing extraordinary challenges in obtaining needed agricultural inputs, and access to markets is diminishing.

In Kassala State, East Sudan, which hosts hundreds of thousands of people displaced by ongoing armed conflict including Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees, the USAID-funded Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS) is working with women farmers to prepare and safeguard the upcoming growing season. This work is critical to help meet the unprecedented demand for vegetables in the region and achieve sustainable development goals.

“At SASAS, we are working to empower women farmers, especially those who lost their traditional livelihood resources, and help them to acquire skills and techniques to increase their agricultural production to help improve food security,” said Abdelrahman Kheir, SASAS chief of party in Sudan.

Women farmers participate in a training on vegetable growing, Kassala, East Sudan. (Photo: CIMMYT)

SASAS works with the El-Haram Agricultural Cooperative, a women-led farmers group, based in Kassala, to help increase vegetable production. SASAS trains El-Haram Agricultural Cooperative members on modern agricultural techniques, irrigation techniques, pest control, and organic fertilizers to increase crop yields.

“SASAS trained us on new ploughing and land preparation techniques, which we never used before and then provided us with improved seeds of okra, tomato, chili, and mallow, and encouraged us to use legumes as organic fertilizers,” said Imtithal Atta, a farmer from the Alsawagi neighborhood in Kassala. “In the past, I used to buy vegetable seeds from the local market, but they grow poorly. The improved seeds given by SASAS are germinating extremely well. My income has doubled; I almost made $250 from my first harvest of vegetables.”

The ongoing conflict has interrupted traditional livelihood activities in many regions. In some areas, farmers missed the harvest, leading to a dramatic reduction in agricultural production and debilitating price increases for cereals and vegetables. SASAS is helping to restore agricultural production in key growing regions by ensuring farmers have timely access to necessary production inputs, including fertilizer and climate-adapted seeds.

SASAS staff examine the germination of vegetables in women-led farms, Kassala, East Sudan. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“For years, I have worked tirelessly on my family’s farm, season after season, without earning a good income, and I was not sure what was wrong. Luckily, this cultivation season, SASAS trained us on new ploughing techniques to better prepare the land for cultivation, using organic fertilizers to enrich the soil and offering us improved vegetable seeds,” said Fatima Ahmed, a woman farmer and a mother of three children from the El-Haram Agricultural Cooperative.

“Thanks to SASAS, both the quality and the quantity of my agricultural products have greatly improved. I am so happy that I got some good money from my vegetables. I feel empowered and now I can have a strong voice within my community. I am more confident and gained the courage to participate in important decision-making processes within my family and express my opinions without fear,” said Ahmed.

A critical part of SASAS are efforts to diversify food production in Kassala, where malnutrition among children under 5 years old, and breastfeeding, lactating, and pregnant women, are prevalent.

Women farmers process their onions, Kassala, East Sudan. (Photo: CIMMYT)

“I used to go to the main market in town to get my daily needs from vegetables, but now I buy what I need from women farmers closer to my home. They are selling me fresh vegetables at a good price. The taste of the vegetables is quite fresh and healthy, this is something I have been missing for a long time,” said Hanan, a resident of Alswagi.

“The vegetables produced by members of the El-Haram Agricultural Cooperative has led to an increased supply in the local market. I buy vegetables from women farmers and sell them here in the neighborhood market. This has cut my transportation cost as I used to buy vegetables from markets a long distance away,” said Osman, vegetables trader, also in Alswagi.

Flowers, learning, and a gender-based approach

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

Gender and social inclusion are fundamental themes for the Latin American regional initiative AgriLac Resiliente, which is why numerous regions bordering Guatemala and Honduras have been selected to implement priority actions with a gender approach.

In order to integrate a guideline that clears up why gender and social inclusiveness are relevant matters and incorporate it in all InnovaHubs activities in Guatemala and Honduras, social inclusion and gender experts from AgriLac have implemented a participatory process in the South Pacific and Chiapas Hubs to gather information and document research results to facilitate the Hub model for replication, developed by CIMMYT in Mexico and other countries.

In this way, Alejandrina Garcia in Oaxaca, Alejandro Ramirez in Chiapas, and Angela Meentzan, head of the AgriLac Gender and Social Inclusion Team, conducted individual and group interviews to learn how the different actors involved in the hubs perceived their own participation: farmers, workers, managers, and staff of the hubs, as well as partners who participated in this participatory process.

There are numerous and successful cases of rural women’s participation in the centers of Oaxaca and Chiapas that have been collected in this process. “It is expected that these case studies will become part of an annex to the guideline, just to illustrate why the participation of rural women is essential in their own vision,” said Meentzen, who highlights the case of Juanita, a Tzeltal woman from La Providencia in Ocosingo, Chiapas, Mexico.

“About five years ago, I started working alongside CIMMYT. Before we knew them, we were only planting maize and beans, but then we couldn’t produce any more. The plants stopped growing, and we had a lot of problems with pests, so we used to burn all the stubble. When the engineers came, they invited us to join them. At first, we weren’t that interested, but we let them teach us. They taught us how to grow other crops like sunflowers, peanuts, vegetables, and fruit trees like lemon and soursop,” said Juanita.

“Now we don’t burn all the stubble and we have crops all year round. We also grow other types of plants and use a lot of organic products that they taught us how to prepare. Our production has increased, and we sell more and more at the market. My daughter and I take care of the sale of the crops: beans, corn, vegetables, squash, corn, and flowers; the latter have given us such good results that we have earned some extra money,” said Juanita.

“The benefits we got from our land allowed us to give our children a future. Some of them have graduated from college and have jobs; others are about to graduate, but they have all learned to work the land. It feels a little harder, but I have been able to take care of both: my family and the land. I don’t know how I did it, but I did it,” said Juanita proudly, noting that the scientific knowledge gained from the research platform and Hub modules has had a real and positive impact on her and her family.

Photo: Juanita, a Tzeltal woman from La Providencia in Ocosingo, Chiapas, stands in her field. (Garcia, Ramirez and Meentzen/CIMMYT)Â