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research: Genetic resources

SPG Coalition: CIMMYT is a leading organization for climate-smart agriculture, nutrient-use efficiency, and pest and fertilizer management

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

The Coalition on Sustainable Productivity Growth for Food Security and Resource Conservation (SPG Coalition) brings together researchers, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners to advance a world with greater access to nutritious food and affordable diets. The Coalition recognizes that increasing the productivity of natural resources through climate adaptation and mitigation is instrumental to reaching this goal.

In a recent report, the SPG Coalition provides a path forward for NGOs, research institutions, and government agencies to strengthen agrifood and climate policies. The report contains real-life, evidence-based examples to further the sustainable production and conservation of natural resources, detailing the potential impacts on social, economic, and environmental conditions.

CIMMYT features prominently in the report as a leading organization focused on 4 main areas: climate-smart agriculture, nutrient-use efficiency (NUE), and pest and fertilizer management.

Nutrient-use efficiency and fertilizer management

While chemical fertilizers increase crop yields, excessive or improper use of fertilizers contributes to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and increases labor costs for smallholders. Efficient NUE is central to nutrient management and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Women using spreader for fertilizer application. (Photo: Wasim Iftikar/CSISA)

In India, CIMMYT, along with the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), CGIAR Research Centers, and regional partners, tested digital tools like the Nutrient Expert (NE) decision support tool which measures proper fertilizer use for optimized yields and provides nutrient recommendations based on local soil conditions.

The majority of smallholders who applied the NE tool reported higher yields while emitting less GHG emissions by 12-20% in wheat and by around 2.5% in rice as compared with conventional fertilization practices. Farmers also recorded double economic gains: increased yields and reduced fertilizer costs. Wider government scaling of NE could enhance regional food security and mitigate GHG emissions.

The Feed the Future Nepal Seed and Fertilizer (NSAF) project, led by CIMMYT and USAID, advocates for climate-smart agriculture by linking smallholders with improved seed, providing capacity-building programs, and promoting efficient fertilizer use. With a vast network established with the support from the Government of Nepal, NSAF successfully provides smallholders with expanded market access and nutritious and climate-resilient crop varieties.

Climate-smart maize breeding 

Since its arrival to sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 2016, fall armyworm (FAW) has devastated maize harvests for countless smallholders on the continent. Economic uncertainty caused by unstable yields and climate stressors like drought coupled with this endemic pest risk aggravating food insecurity.

Fall armyworm. (Photo: Jennifer Johnson/CIMMYT)

CIMMYT and NARES Partner Institutions in Eastern and Southern Africa are spearheading a robust pest management project to develop, screen, and introduce genetically resistant elite maize hybrids across SSA. South Sudan, Zambia, Kenya, and Malawi have already deployed resistant maize varieties, and eight other countries in the region are projected to release their own in 2023. These countries are also conducting National Performance Trials (NPTs) to increase awareness of host plant resistance for the sustainable control of FAW and to sensitize policymakers on accelerating the delivery of FAW-tolerant maize varieties.

The establishment of FAW screening facilities in Africa permits more rapid detection and breeding of maize varieties with native genetic resistance to FAW, facilitating increased deployment of these varieties across Africa. The sustainable control of FAW demands a rapid-response effort, overseen by research organizations and governments, to further develop and validate genetic resistance to fall armyworms. Achieving greater impact for maize smallholders is critical to ensuring improved income and food security in Africa. It is also paramount for biodiversity conservation and removing labor burden on farmers applying additional synthetic pesticides to prevent further losses by the pest.

“The SPG Coalition report emphasizes the power of partnership to enhance financial and food security for smallholder communities in the Global South. This is fully in line with the recently launched CIMMYT 2030 strategy. It’s also an important reminder to assess our strong points and where more investment and collaboration is needed,” said Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general.

CIMMYT director general and cropping system scientist to receive the 2023 Glenn Anderson Lectureship Award

Written by Mike Listman on . Posted in News.

The Canadian Phytopathological Society (CPS) will bestow on Bram Govaerts, director general of CIMMYT, the 2023 Glenn Anderson Lectureship Award, during the upcoming International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP2023) in Lyon, France, on August 21, 2023.

Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general, participates in the World Food Prize and Borlaug Dialogue. (Photo: CIMMYT)

The award honors the legacy of Robert Glenn Anderson (1924-81), eminent Canadian agricultural scientist and former CIMMYT wheat research director who helped ignite in India the “green revolution,” a rapid modernization of agriculture during the 1960s-70s and by which that nation went from grain shortages and hunger to becoming a leading grain exporter.

A bioscience engineer and soil scientist who is a PhD graduate from Belgium’s Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and has worked in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Govaerts will give the keynote address “Agrifood system for a food and nutrition secure world: From efficiency to resilience,” describing in part the relevance of CIMMYT and its partners’ work.

“Early warning and surveillance systems are key to building resilience in food insecure communities and regions,” said Govaerts. “Supporting this, in concert with national agricultural research systems and private partners, CIMMYT crop breeding programs yearly disseminate dozens of disease resistant, climate resilient varieties of maize, wheat, and dryland cereals, where they are most needed.”

“The Center’s science and partnerships have helped prevent the spread of deadly crop pests and diseases in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia,” he added, “and we have new ‘Glenn Andersons’ who are doing exactly what is needed to strengthen global food security, with plant health innovations and systemic thinking.”

Borlaug’s wish: Take it to the farmer

Working with scientists, training specialists, extension agents, farmers, and communications and technology experts, a CIMMYT program led by Govaerts for over a decade in Mexico applied the admonition of Norman E. Borlaug, Nobel laureate and colleague of Anderson, to “take it to the farmer,” combining the right seed with the right conservation agriculture production practices embedded in integrated markets, while recognizing and incorporating farmer knowledge.

“Ongoing efforts of the Center and national and local partners are promoting the adoption of conservation agriculture-based sustainable intensification to transform food systems throughout the Global South” Govaerts explained. “The training offered, and the advisory systems supported by CIMMYT’s work aim to empower women and disadvantaged social groups, while offering opportunities for fulfilling livelihoods to a new generation of farmers who will grow nutritious food for all.”

A CIMMYT scientist since 2007 as a Post-doctoral Fellow, Maize and Wheat based Cropping Systems Management, and current director general, in 2014 Govaerts received the World Food Prize’s “Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application from the World Food Prize” for the development and spread of sustainable agricultural systems. He is A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University and, in 2020, was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) for outstanding contributions to the field of agronomy.

The Robert Glenn Anderson lecture series on the security of the world food supply was first given at joint meetings of the Canadian Phytopathological Society (CPS) and American Phytopathological Society (APS) in 1986 and an endowment fund was then established by the CPS. More recently, the Lecture has been given at the International Congresses of Plant Pathology (ICPP1998 to 2018).

As a Robert Glenn Anderson lecturer, Govaerts enters the hallowed company of other distinguished scientists who have been invited to give the address, including Norman E. Borlaug (1992); Per Pinstrup-Andersen, Emeritus Professor of Cornell University (2000), South African researcher Jennifer A. Thomson (2015); and late World Food Prize laureate and CIMMYT wheat director, Sanjaya Rajaram (2019).

For more information or interviews:

Ricardo Curiel
Communications manager to the director general
CIMMYT
r.curiel@cgiar.org

CIMMYT releases 32 new elite maize lines

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

Maize ears of the newly released set of CIMMYT maize lines. (Photo: CIMMYT)

CIMMYT is pleased to announce the release of a set of 32 new CIMMYT maize lines (CMLs). These maize lines have been developed by CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The lines have diverse trait combinations and are suitable for the tropical/subtropical maize production environments targeted by CIMMYT and partner institutions.

CMLs are freely available to both public and private sector breeders worldwide under the standard material transfer agreement (SMTA).

CIMMYT seeks to develop improved maize inbred lines for different product profiles, with superior yield performance, multiple stress tolerance, and enhanced nutritional quality. CMLs are released after intensive evaluation in hybrid combinations under various abiotic and biotic stresses, besides optimum (non-stress) conditions in the target population of environments. Suitability as either female (seed) or male (pollen) parent is also evaluated. As done in the last announcement of CMLs in 2021, to increase the utilization of the CMLs in the maize breeding programs of the partner institutions, all the new CMLs are tested for their heterotic behavior and assigned to specific heterotic groups of CIMMYT: A and B.

The release of a CML does not guarantee high combining ability or per se performance in all the environments; rather, it indicates that the line is promising or useful as a parent for pedigree breeding or as a potential parent of hybrid combinations for specific mega-environments. The description of the lines includes heterotic group classification, along with information on their specific strengths and their general combining ability with some of the widely used CMLs or CIMMYT coded lines under different environments.

More information:

Summary of the characteristics: CIMMYT maize lines CML616A to CML647A (PDF)

Pedigree and characterization data of all the CMLs released to date, including the latest set (CIMMYT Research Data repository).

Seed for these new set of CMLs will be available from November 1, 2023.  A limited quantity of seed of the CMLs can be obtained by sending a request to the CIMMYT germplasm bank via this link: https://staging.cimmyt.org/resources/seed-request/ or contact, a.chassaigne@cgiar.org.

Please contact for any further details regarding the released CMLs: 

Dr B.M. Prasanna, Global Maize Program Director, CIMMYT & OneCGIAR Maize Breeding Lead (b.m.prasanna@cgiar.org)

CIMMYT announces 2030 Strategy

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

The world’s food systems are under threat by escalating armed conflicts, economic stagnation, the effects of the climate crisis and natural resource degradation. Against this backdrop, the next seven years are crucial in meeting the challenges of keeping the world’s growing population fed and secure.

Recognizing that business as usual will not be sufficient, CIMMYT has embarked on a journey to proactively face the new challenges of the 21st century. This novel approach to agrifood systems is the core of CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy, which has the potential to shape the future of agriculture.

Ethiopian Seed Enterprise maize crop for multiplying seedlings of DT maize. (Photo: Peter Lowe/CIMMYT)

“We understand that the challenges facing food security are complex, varied and rapidly changing. For instance, the effects of COVID-19 and Ukraine-Russia conflict on food systems are still being felt today. With that in mind, we set out to develop a strategy that is both robust and nimble. The best way to create a sustainable and inclusive strategy was to engage directly with CIMMYT scientists and staff, the people on the front lines of this effort to deliver food and nutrition security to the world,” said CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts.

Looking back to move forward

The first step in crafting the 2030 Strategy was looking at where does CIMMYT want the world to be in 2100. In answering this question, CIMMYT crafted a long-term vision of how it wants to engage in a changing world and achieve the transformation to a food and nutrition secure world within planetary boundaries. CIMMYT has integrated the use of foresight and specifically a set of 2030 Food and Agriculture scenarios to explore potential changes in intervention areas over the strategic period and help prepare engagements in different contexts across the globe. These scenarios are a decision-making tool that has underpinned the development of the strategy to ensure that it is context-driven and focused on the most pressing challenges facing the agrifood systems in which CIMMYT operates.

From the future CIMMYT looks back at its history and examines how its core business has evolved over the years to proactively meet ever-changing needs across the world.

At each stage of CIMMYT’s evolution, it has taken its strengths and the skills it has built and added to its experience, and expanded on what it delivers while maintaining the core strengths.

Norman Borlaug teaching trainees. (Photo: CIMMYT)

In CIMMYT’s earliest days, the mission was developing and improving germplasm and agronomic practices, then CIMMYT began working more closely with farmers (1980s), broadened emphasis in genetic improvements (2000), embarked on sustainable multidisciplinary projects (2010s), and most recently, advancing technologies in participatory innovation systems (2015-2022). All leading to the mission codified in the 2030 Strategy: accelerating food systems transformation by using the power of collective action.

Now, in 2023, CIMMYT’s progress is being shaped by the CGIAR mission statement: “To deliver science and innovation that advance the transformation of food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis.”

Building the Strategy

To define the 2030 Strategy, CIMMYT responded to the following core questions:

  • What does success look like?
  • Where can CIMMYT deliver the most value?
  • How can CIMMYT deliver value for communities?

“As an organization, we have concentrated on strategies that foster collaboration and adapt them for a non-profit international organization whose vision is not to grow as an institution but to deliver greater value for the communities they serve, to innovate for the end users of their products and to ensure a better future for our global community,” said Govaerts.

The tools used to develop the elements of this strategic plan leveraged the framework provided in the CGIAR Research and Innovation Strategy to guide the process. Staff from across the Center engaged in a consultative process to develop the objectives for following strategic components: Excellence in Science and Innovation, Excellence in Operations, Talent Management, Resource Mobilization, Partnership, and Influence.

Developing the Excellence in Science and Innovation component serves as an example of this collaborative, bottom-up approach. Planning was led by the Emerging Thought Leaders Group, made up of 24 early and mid-career scientists across the breadth of CIMMYT’s global and program portfolio. The group worked collaboratively with CIMMYT researchers and staff to first delineate the challenges facing agri-food systems and then workshopped solutions which now serve as the foundation of the 2030 Strategy.

Workshop participants study seed samples in CIMMYT’s Seed Health Laboratory. (Photo: Xochiquetzal Fonseca/CIMMYT)

“Each component complements the others,” said Govaerts. “This is our answer to the core questions. Only by working collectively can we initiate sustainable solutions that reach everyone.”

Together, the components create a network to support CIMMYT’s three pillars: Discovery (research and innovation), SystemDev (working collaboratively to innovate foundational systems), and Inc. (incubating startups and new ways of doing business in the agri-food system space).

CIMMYT is leading the way in shaping a sustainable and prosperous agricultural landscape

The goal to facilitate food security where sustainable agriculture is part of the solution to the climate crisis and agriculture provides an avenue to build household resilience and enables communities to pull themselves out of poverty requires the strategic use of resources. CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy, built from the bottom up on a foundation over 50 years’ experience and the expertise of scientists, staff, and farmers maximizes resources, enhances dynamic partnerships, and both retains and recruits a world-class staff in a world of growing challenges to food security.

Read the 2030 Strategy: Science and Innovation for a Food and Nutrition Secure World: CIMMYT’s 2030 Strategy 

Reflections from the Sorghum Conference: Insights and Inspiration for the Future

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in News.

The recently concluded Sorghum Conference brought together researchers, scientists, and experts from around the world to discuss the potential and challenges associated with this resilient crop. Participants shared their key takeaways, experiences, and insights during the event, shedding light on the importance of sorghum and its potential applications.

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) demonstrated valuable insights and technological advances in a variety of sessions, helping to shape the future of sorghum cultivation and products. CIMMYT has initiated a crop improvement program, known as the Dryland Crop Program (DCP) focusing on sorghum, millet, chickpea, pigeon pea and groundnuts. The program is establishing a network with stakeholders in 17 countries in Africa to collaboratively create, develop, and implement a crop improvement network. This approach will enable CIMMYT and the network to identify suitable products for specific market segments, establish joint breeding pipelines, conduct germplasm testing, and ultimately release and scale up superior seed varieties, thereby improving the quality and yield of these dryland crops, ensuring food security, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Among the speakers and presenters at the conference were six National Agricultural Research Extension Systems (NARES) partners. They presented their findings, addressing critical topics such as adaptation genetics and genomics, climate and environmental change, sorghum yield optimization techniques, and the development of new sorghum products for human consumption.

These are some of their reflections:

Exploring the diverse applications of sorghum

Henry Nzioka from Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research (KALRO) focused on the resiliency, adaptability, and versatility of sorghum. He appreciated the presentations that highlighted the resilience of sorghum in harsh environments. His research presentation focused on biological control measures and genetic resistance for managing the striga weed in sorghum. His findings aligned with one of the objectives of the conference, which was to develop climate-aware weed management technologies. Nzioka acknowledged the need to bridge the gap between research and the various actors in the sorghum value chain. In addition, he gained valuable knowledge regarding the application of modeling tools and farmer research networks.

“The knowledge gained here can contribute to the advancement of sorghum-related industries or research. However, its relevance will be country specific as different countries have different preferences and it may also depend on level of technological advancement of respective countries. Countries can be provided with a basket of options from which they can pick the best bet for advancement.”

Charles Bett engages a participant in conversation during his poster presentation (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

The importance of collaboration and the potential of sorghum

Charles Bett of KALRO, commended the high quality of the research papers and posters presented and emphasized the event’s timeliness and extensive use of technology. Bett was motivated by the research methodologies employed by other participants and gained new insights that he intends to incorporate into his own work. He summarized the impact of the conference as the realization of sorghum’s enormous potential for reducing food and nutrition insecurity and boosting household incomes. Bett presented on the evaluation of agricultural mechanization levels in the sorghum value chain, which aligned with the conference’s goal of reducing losses and increasing productivity. His reflections and lessons learned include the necessity of a broader coverage of thematic areas at future conferences and the dissemination of existing sorghum technologies to address productivity limitations. “While it is important to continue working on technology development, more efforts should be put on dissemination of existing technologies and address productivity depressing constraints.”

Promoting Sorghum as the future crop

Baba Haoua from INRAN, Niger emphasized the future potential of sorghum. The presentations and discussions inspired him and reinforced his belief that sorghum is destined to become a major player in the global agricultural landscape. Haoua’s own research on dual-purpose sorghum perfectly aligns with the objectives of the conference and he left the event knowledgeable and well-connected, eager to continue his work with vigor.

Promoting agroecological transition and regional research on sorghum

Assitan Daou, from the Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) in Mali emphasized the suitability of sorghum as a crop for growing populations in varying climates and the significance of an agroecological transition for adaptation to climate change. His poster presentation centered on sorghum cropping systems under rainfed conditions, which aligned with the conference’s goals of increasing crop productivity, adapting to climate variations, and bolstering the resilience of small-scale farmers. He considers the viability of sorghum production, the breaking of boundaries in the sorghum value chain, and the factors driving future sorghum demand. The exchange with other researchers, as well as the opportunity to improve his communication skills and establish contacts for future collaboration, satisfied Daou’s expectations for the conference. He learned new research techniques, such as crop modeling, and believes the knowledge he gained at the conference will advance sorghum-related industries and research.

A photo with a participant on a poster presentation by Haoua Baba (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

Recognizing the resilience and potential of sorghum

Rekiya Abdoulmalik, from the Institute of Agriculture Research (IAR) in Nigeria, presented about the stability evaluation of recently released dwarf sorghum lines, which aligned with the conference’s objective of revealing the genetic potential of sorghum in various environments. The conference motivated her to explore new ideas and directions for her research, particularly regarding the significance of root system architecture for drought resistance. She left the conference with new knowledge and a vision for climate-smart sorghum varieties that can meet food and feed requirements.

Exposing the economic worth of sorghum

Alex Zongo, from the Institut de l’Environnement et des Recherches Agricoles (INERA) / CNRST in Burkina Faso, was inspired by the conference to shift the focus of his research to understanding the value of sorghum for inclusive and sustainable agriculture. He gained a deeper understanding of sorghum’s uses, such as in baking, brewing, and animal feed. Zongo was inspired by the conference to investigate the economic contribution of sorghum and increase stakeholder awareness. “New knowledge shows that crop association (which mobilizes sorghum to a greater extent) helps to stabilize crop yields through soil fertility management. We therefore need to study its economic contribution.”

Unveiling the potential of sorghum to shape sustainable agriculture

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in News.

Scientists, researchers and stakeholders from around the world gathered at the global sorghum conference from June 5-9, 2023, in Montpellier, France, to discuss the latest developments in sorghum research, innovation, challenges and sustainable practices in the face of climate change.

The Dryland Crops Program (DCP) partners pose for a group photo at the Sorghum Conference (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

Participating as a sponsor, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) demonstrated valuable insights and technological advances in a variety of sessions. Two CIMMYT representatives and six National Agricultural Research Extension Systems (NARES) partners, presented findings, addressing critical topics such as adaptation genetics and genomics, climate and environmental change, sorghum yield optimization techniques and the development of new sorghum products for human consumption.

CIMMYT has initiated a crop improvement program, known as the Dryland Crop Program (DCP), focused on sorghum, millets (pearl and finger millet), chickpea, pigeon pea and groundnut. The program is in the process of establishing a CGIAR-NARES network with stakeholders form 17 countries in Africa to collaboratively create, develop and implement a crop improvement network for these crops in Eastern, Southern, Western and Central Africa. This cooperative approach will enable CIMMYT and the network to identify suitable products for specific market segments, establish joint breeding pipelines, conduct on-farm germplasm testing and ultimately release and scale up superior seed varieties. This will ultimately lead to improving the quality and yield of these dryland crops, ensuring food security and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Nebie Baloue from CIMMYT Senegal providing information about the Dryland Crops Program (DCP) program to visitors at the CIMMYT’s booth (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

Abhishek Rathore presented “Understanding sorghum race level diversity and development of sorghum genomic resources by using deep learning-based variant calling approach,” which examines sorghum’s racial diversity and the creation of genomic resources. Using a deep learning-based variant, researchers identified race-specific genetic signatures and gained a comprehensive understanding of sorghum race structure and domestication processes. These discoveries pave the way for more targeted breeding programs and the identification of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) markers.

Baloua Nebie presented a poster on “Crop improvement network approach to co-develop market required products and strengthen partners’ capacities in Africa.” He indicated the dryland crops improvement programs are in collaboration with CGIAR-NARES programs, with CIMMYT acting as a facilitator within the network to deliver varieties more quickly and efficiently in response to market demand. The network is comprised of 10 NARES in Western and Central Africa, seven NARES in Eastern and Southern Africa, as well as farmer organizations and seed companies. In addition to their national roles, NARES partners will contribute to regional activities based on their comparative advantages; these roles include co-sharing of regional pipelines development, early to late testing of breeding lines, product release and scaling. Through consultative meetings and program evaluation, these activities will be aligned with the regional and country-specific market segments identified by stakeholders.

Alex Zongo of the Institut de l’Environnement et des Recherches Agricoles (INERA) / CNRST – Burkina Faso, a NARES partner, presented research analyzing the macro-institutional determinants of the adoption of new sorghum/millet varieties. He shed light on the obstacles associated with the adoption of new sorghum/millet varieties. The research uncovered the economic and social incentives that prevent their scaling through a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Mr. Jeffrey Ehlers Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation engages in conversation with Nebie Baloua from CIMMYT Senegal at the CIMMYT’s booth (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

With climate change posing a significant threat to global agriculture, NARES partners involved in regional networks have delved into the pressing issues of enhancing sorghum production’s climate resilience. Rekiya Abdoulmalik, from the Institute of Agriculture Research (IAR) in Nigeria, presented a poster on the threats to sorghum cultivation in Nigeria posed by current security issues and potential climate change effects. The study evaluated 14 varieties of dwarf sorghum in multiple locations. The analysis identified stable, high-yielding varieties with the potential to contribute to Nigeria’s food security in the face of shifting environmental conditions.

Other NARES partners presenting posters included Henry Nzioka from Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research (KALRO), who made a case for the biological control of the striga weed in sorghum. Citing technological advancements, he illustrated how the integration of climate-smart weed management technologies can lead to the control of the weed.

Another presentation by Charles Bett of KALRO focused on mechanization in the sorghum value chain, which revealed that investments in machinery and traction power have a positive and significant effect on sorghum yield. The findings recommend a shift in policy to help farmers afford small-scale machinery and gradually replace ox power with affordable machinery.

Baba Haoua, from INRAN, Niger, highlighted that introducing specific genes into sorghum varieties through conventional breeding will increase their nutritional content and identify promising lines for local farmers, providing a sustainable solution for improving sorghum for both grain and livestock feed applications.

Assitan Daou from the Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) in Mali emphasized the suitability of sorghum as a crop for growing populations in varying climates and the significance of an agroecological transition for adaptation to climate change. His poster presentation centered on sorghum cropping systems under rainfed conditions, which aligned with the conference’s goals of increasing crop productivity, adapting to climate variations and bolstering the resilience of small-scale farmers.

The conference, according to Chris Ojiewo, Strategic Partnerships and Seed Systems lead for the Dryland Crops Program at CIMMYT, played a crucial role in sharing the latest sorghum research findings and their outcomes. “The conference provided an important platform for communicating advances in research and associated outputs and outcomes on sorghum as an important cereal grain contributing to food, nutrition and income securities and overall resilience in agrifood systems especially to smallholder farmers in areas prone to drought stress and more so in the face of changing and variable climates,” said Ojiewo.

Nebie Baloua from CIMMYT Senegal engaging with visitors at the CIMMYT’s stand (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)

CIMMYT also set up an exhibition booth that provided an overview of the various activities undertaken as a part of its dryland crop programs and CGIAR-NARES improvement network. Senior officials of donor organizations consulted CIMMYT staff regarding approaches to dryland crops improvements, key achievements and the possibility of new partnerships.

The next 21st Century Global Sorghum Conference will be hosted by Texas University in Lubbock in September 2026.

Bram Govaerts appointed as CIMMYT Director General

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

Bram Govaerts, renowned scientist and leader, has been appointed as CIMMYT’s Director General for the period 2023-2028 as of July 1, 2023, after holding the position on an interim basis for two years and steering the organization through the unprecedented global challenges of the pandemic and ongoing food insecurity.

Under Govaerts’ leadership, CIMMYT has expanded its research portfolio and strengthened its work in key regions. Govaerts has also started an effort to streamline internal processes and operations to speed up CIMMYT’s response capacity and impact across the world.

Bram with Zamseed staff holding pro-vitamin A orange maize (Photo: Katebe Mapipo/CIMMYT)

Govaerts holds a PhD in Bioscience Engineering – Soil Science, a master’s degree in Soil Conservation and Tropical Agriculture, and a bachelor’s degree in Bioscience Engineering, all from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. He has also received multiple awards during his career: the Development Cooperation Prize from the Belgian Federal Government in 2003, the Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application in 2014, the Premio Tecnoagro, awarded by an organization of 2,500 Mexican farmers in 2018, and Fellow of The American Society of Agronomy (ASA). In addition to leading CIMMYT, Govaerts is an A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University.

“With Bram’s appointment, I am excited and confident about CIMMYT’s future,” said Margaret Bath, Chair of CIMMYT’s Board of Trustees. “We look forward to many great days ahead for CIMMYT staff across the globe, who lift smallholder farmers and their communities to achieve better and more sustainable livelihoods and to ensure that food security is delivered, and human potential maximized.”

CIMMYT at the Group of 20

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

The G20 MACS is composed of the ministries or governmental bodies responsible for agricultural research in each G20 state and leading research institutions, including CIMMYT as part of CGIAR, which strategically advise these decision makers. The G20 MACS addresses diverse global challenges in agriculture affecting the people and planet through joint agricultural research and innovation strategies and implementation of initiatives under new cooperation formats.

“CIMMYT is working for a world with resilient agri-food systems and protecting biodiversity with a multi-crop, multi-institutional, and multi-disciplinary approach,” said Govaerts during the recent MACS meeting. “70% of wheat and over 50% of maize varieties sown worldwide are derived from CIMMYT materials, and we are improving livelihoods in over 50 countries.”

Wheat and maize plots at the CIMMYT experimental station in El Batán, Mexico. (Photo: Alfonso Cortés/CIMMYT)

In its efforts to ensure biodiversity, CGIAR genebanks hold over 770,000 accessions, of which 80% are immediately accessible. As an added measure of security, duplicates of 78% of the seeds reside at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Because wheat provides 20% of the global population’s daily protein intake, protecting it from disease, pests, and the effects of climate change is paramount. And to keep pace with the growing population, yields must increase in sustainable manners. To meet those challenges, CIMMYT coordinates the International Wheat Improvement Network, which involves hundreds of partners and testing sites worldwide. The Network has established a global phenotyping network, with platforms hosted locally so that environments are optimal for specific trait phenotyping.

Battling pests

In efforts to combat the threat of wheat blast, CIMMYT has established a regional collaboration which includes testing centers (over 15,000 lines tested), surveillance networks, and the release of blast resistant varieties in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In addition, CIMMYT has trained 100 extension agents from 10 countries in wheat blast identification and surveillance protocols.

Examining Ug99 stem rust symptoms on wheat. (Photo: Petr Kosina/CIMMYT)

Fall armyworm, is a voracious pest in both Africa and Asia, has caused up to $13 billion per year in crop losses in sub-Saharan Africa since 2016, threatening the livelihoods of millions of farmers throughout the region. CIMMYT has developed hybrid maize varieties resistant to this pest by identifying and validating sources of native genetic resistance.

International Year of the Millet: 2023

Within its presence in CGIAR, CIMMYT is working in networks with African NARS and private sector partners to share resources and knowledge and innovating sustainable crop and crop-livestock systems. This will directly support the Millets And Other Ancient Grains International Research Initiative (MAHARISHI), inaugurated at the G20 MACS conference. The initiative facilitates research collaboration on climate-resilient and nutritious grains, including millets and other underutilized grains. CIMMYT is also initiating and supporting crop improvement programs for sorghum, millet, groundnut, pigeon pea, and chickpea, in a model that empowers the national research centers.

Malawian farmer in her groundnut plot under conservation agriculture. (Photo: T. Samson/CIMMYT)

This work dovetails with the recently announced Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I), in which CIMMYT is catalyzing efforts to scale up existing and high potential innovations, technologies, and business models as opposed to starting new ones in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Creating sustainable solutions

CIMMYT is also pioneering the development of a hub network which supports adaptive research and integrated development for sustainable agrifood systems. With particular attention paid to inclusivity, these hubs are changing the perception of women’s roles in agriculture.

“CIMMYT is building towards future-proof solutions that foster empowerment through raising family income and food security, working with partners in the Global South for the benefit of the Global South,” said Govaerts.

Scientists breed new cereals

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in In the media.

A well-functioning seed system is key to timely access to low cost and quality seed by farmers. Improved varieties are critical to increase grain production in terms of both quality and quantity.

CIMMYT is working with the National Agricultural Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI) to strengthen seed systems for millet, sorghum, and groundnuts.

Read the full story here.

Crop Trust leadership visits CIMMYT

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

Maize under conservation agriculture (CA) in Malawi (Photo: T. Samson/CIMMYT)

With many stresses facing agricultural food systems, including climate change, disease epidemics, growing populations, there is not one solution that will answer all the challenges. However, a foundational part of any attempt to strengthen food systems is the effort to conserve crop diversity. Maintaining a robust set of plant varieties serves as a building block for developing favorable traits, like increased yield, increased disease resistance, and drought tolerance, among others.

Dedicated to conserving crop diversity, the Crop Trust is a non-profit international organization with the mission of making that diversity available for use globally, forever, for the benefit of everyone.

On April 3, 2023, Crop Trust’s Executive Director, Stefan Schmitz, and Director of Programs, Sarada Krishnan, visited the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) for the first time to examine CIMMYT’s maize and wheat genebanks, with the goal of establishing a set of standards for genebanks around the world. The parties also discussed future collaborations between the two institutions that will be best amplify each organization’s strengths.

A key part of the Crop Trust’s mission is support for collections of unique and valuable plant genetic resources for food and agriculture held in genebanks.

“CIMMYT is — and has been — one of the key partners in making sure crop diversity is safe and available for all of humanity,” said Schmitz. “Their maize and wheat genebanks serve a crucial role in assuring crop diversity, especially in Latin America.”

Maize seed samples, CIMMYT germplasm bank (Photo: Xochiquetzal Fonseca/CIMMYT)

CIMMYT manages the most diverse maize and wheat collections. CIMMYT’s germplasm bank, also known as a seed bank, is at the center of CIMMYT’s crop-breeding research. This remarkable, living catalog of genetic diversity comprises over 28,000 unique seed collections of maize and 123,000 of wheat.

“CIMMYT is honored to host the Crop Trust as any global solution requires global collaboration,” said CIMMYT Director General, Bram Govaerts.

Advances in genebank management

Representatives of the Crop Trust were eager to learn more about CIMMYT’s efforts in Digital sequence information (DSI). CIMMYT is using DSI to analyze structure, redundancies, and gaps within its own genebank and is now working to bring DSI tools to national genebanks in Latin America.

This visit builds on ongoing work, such as the third workshop of the Community of Practice for Latin America and the Caribbean on the use of genomic and digital tools for the conservation and use of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (GRAA) held in November 2022.

Among CIMMYT led initiatives, the Mining Useful Alleles for Climate Change Adaptation from the CGIAR Genebanks project, is expanding the use of biodiversity held in the world’s genebanks to develop new climate-smart crop varieties for millions of small-scale farmers worldwide.

The doomsday vault

In 2020, CIMMYT was the largest contributor to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, providing 173,779 maize and wheat accessions from 131 countries.

The Seed Vault, managed by the Crop Trust, is a repository collection holding duplicates of seeds from over 1,700 genebanks around the world.

CIMMYT’s most recent donation to the Seed Vault was in October 2022.

Colleagues from CIMMYT’s germplasm bank prepare a delivery of 263 accessions of maize and 3,548 accession of wheat. (Photo: Francisco Alarcón/CIMMYT)

“All CIMMYT staff we met were passionate about their work and welcomed us kindly, generously sharing their knowledge and time with us. We look forward to continuing our collaboration, to strengthen it, and make sure that the crop collections held at the CIMMYT genebank are safe and available, forever,” said Schmitz.

CIMMYT at AIM for Climate Summit

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

AIM4C Call to Action (Photo: SterlingComs)

With the harmful effects of climate change, including drought and extreme temperatures moving from the abstract into the practical, the development and deployment of sustainable investments and support for climate action in agricultural and food systems must be accelerated.  

A hotter and drier world will significantly affect the average yields of key staple crops. Researchers at the International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) estimate that, without adaptation of climate-smart solutions, each Celsius degree increase in global mean temperatures will cut average maize yields by 7.4 percent and wheat yields by 6.0 percent. 

“Those would be catastrophic losses, affecting every part of the global food system,” said CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts “Already we see havoc being caused in food insecure regions like southern Africa. With that in mind, it’s time not only to keep developing climate smart solutions, but we need to speed up the distribution of innovations.”  

CIMMYT is a partner in the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4C) initiative, which aims to raise global ambition and drive more rapid and transformative climate action in all countries by bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, producers, civil society groups, and scientists and researchers. 

The AIM for Climate Summit, May 8-10, in Washington DC, brought together a global coalition of climate partners, including CIMMYT, all working towards the mission of rapid dissemination of climate-smart innovations.  

Bram Govaerts delivered closing remarks at IFPRI (Photo: CIMMYT)

As part of its participation in the Climate Summit, CIMMYT is reshaping its strategy for contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  

The new strategy places CIMMYT research within three main pillars: (1) discovery, (2) systems development, and (3) inclusivity, all within the framework of climate adaptation and mitigation.  

“Our new approach ensures that CIMMYT will be a partner of choice and a contributor to science and technology development. All while keeping the focus on smallholder farmers and establishing guidelines to ensure advances are sustainable and fair, as we engage previously underrepresented stakeholders,” said Govaerts.  

Establishing frameworks for rapid innovation 

At the Summit, CIMMYT updated partners on the progress of two Innovation Sprints, which are key components of the AIM and intended to achieve innovations for climate smart agri-food systems in an expedited time frame.  

CIMMYT is leading two sprints: Climate-Resilient soil fertility management by smallholders in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and Fast Tracking Climate Solutions from CGIAR Genebank Collections. 

The Right Fertilizer at the Right Time 

The Climate-Resilient soil fertility management by smallholders in Africa, Asia, and Latin America Innovation Sprint provides targeted interventions for fertilizer application and overall soil health to smallholder farmers.  

Fertilizers are essential for increasing crop yields and ensuring food security, yet fertilizer use for food and fodder is severely skewed at the global level, leading to over-fertilization in some regions and under-fertilization in others. 

“We need innovations that promote local adaptation and agency by smallholder farmers. By tailoring fertility management practices to specific conditions, smallholders will optimize productivity, enhance climate resilience, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions,” said Sieglinde Snapp, Innovation Sprint Leader and Program Director of CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems.  

Sieg Snapp participated in a breakout session (Photo: SterlingComs)

Withdrawals from genebanks 

CIMMYT’s germplasm bank, also known as a genebank, is at the center of CIMMYT’s crop-breeding research. This living catalog of genetic diversity conserves over 28,000 unique seed collections of maize and 150,000 of wheat. Many other CGIAR institutions hold similar genebanks for other key crops. The Genebank Sprint unlocks potential climate smart solutions lurking in varieties held in genebanks. 

Sarah Hearne spoke on the potential of utilizing CGIAR genebanks (Photo: CIMMYT)

Research has developed integrated approaches for six major crops (cassava, maize, sorghum, cowpea, common bean and rice), providing a scalable model for the rapid and cost-effective discovery of climate-adaptive alleles. 

“Genetic diversity is a key part of our responses to climate change,” said Sarah Hearne, CIMMYT Principal Scientist. “By utilizing the vast diversity catalogue in our CGIAR genebanks, we can disseminate climate resilient varieties to smallholder farmers around the world.” 

Working towards speeding up deployment  

In addition, CIMMYT’s Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I), a partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and based on the MasAgro model in Mexico, works toward improving legume seed and maize varieties. So far, 35 local partners are employing solutions in Zambia, Tanzania, and Malawi, and there have been 125 mega demonstrations, a majority managed by women, for farmers of improved seeds.  

In conjunction with the Summit’s focus on rapid implementation, CIMMYT is ready to deploy a similar project immediately in Central America, a historically under-funded region, which would improve livelihoods throughout the area.  

“CIMMYT is dedicated to accelerating food systems transformation by using the power of collective action for research and innovation to foster productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood systems that ensure global food and nutrition security,” said Govaerts. 

Ulises Daniel Alvarez Chavez

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Ulises Daniel Alvarez Chavez is a Laboratory Research Technician with the Genetic Resources Program at CIMMYT HQ in Mexico. His work includes:

  • DNA and RNA Insolation, culture of groundnut for development aflatoxins resistant varieties.
  • Tissue culture and molecular biology to complement gene editing experiments.
  • Development and standardization of protocols and PCR.
  • Virus inoculation and plant phenotyping.
  • Development of high performance allele selection methods and identification of the desired cross material.

Leslie Salazar Salas

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Leslie Salazar Salas is an Administrative Assistant with the Genetic Resources Program in Mexico.

Harish Gandhi

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Harish Gandhi is a Breeding Lead for Dryland Legumes and Cereals in CIMMYT’s Genetic Resources program in Kenya. He is a transformative plant breeding and genetics professional, with more than 15 years experience of driving genetic gains, building effective teams, and pioneering innovative research and development.