Direct sowing of wheat seed into a recently-harvested rice field using the âHappy Seederâ implement, a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to burning rice straw, in northern India. (Photo: BISA/Love Kumar Singh)
Compared to conventional tillage practices, sowing wheat directly into just-harvested rice fields without burning or removing straw or other residues will not only reduce pollution in New Delhi and other parts of northern India, but will save over $130 per hectare in farmer expenses, lessen irrigation needs by as much as 25%, and allow early planting of wheat to avoid yield-reducing heat stress, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability.
The practice requires use of a tractor-mounted implement that opens grooves in the soil, drops in wheat seed and fertilizer, and covers the seeded row, all in one pass. This contrasts with the typical method for planting wheat after rice, which involves first burning rice residues, followed by multiple tractor passes to plow, harrow, plank, and sow, according to Harminder S. Sidhu, principal research engineer at the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) and a co-author of the study.
âThere are already some 11,000 of these specialized no-till implements, known as the Happy Seeder, in operation across northern India,â said Sidhu, who with other researchers helped develop, test and refine the implement over 15 years. âIn addition to sowing, the Happy Seeder shreds and clears rice residues from the seeder path and deposits them back onto the seeded row as a protective mulch.â
Covering some 13.5 million hectares, the Indo-Gangetic Plain stretches across Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan and constitutes South Asiaâs breadbasket. In India, the northwestern state of Punjab alone produces nearly a third of the countryâs rice and wheat.
Some 2.5 million farmers in northern India practice rice-wheat cropping and most burn their rice straw â an estimated 23 million tons of it â after rice harvest, to clear fields for sowing wheat. Straw removal and burning degrades soil fertility and creates a noxious cloud that affects the livelihoods and health of millions in cities and villages downwind. Air pollution is the second leading contributor to disease in India, and studies attribute some 66,000 deaths yearly to breathing in airborne nano-particles produced by agricultural burning.
The central and state governments in northwestern India, as well as universities and think-tanks, have put forth strategies to curtail burning that include conservation tillage technologies such as use of the Happy Seeder. Subsidies for no-burn farming, as well as state directives and fines for straw burning, are in place and extension agencies are promoting no-burn alternatives.
A farmer in India uses a tractor fitted with a Happy Seeder. (Photo: Dakshinamurthy Vedachalam/CIMMYT)
As an aid for policy makers and development practitioners, the present study applied econometrics to compare conventional and zero-tillage in terms of yield, input levels and implications for rice residue burning. The study also compared use of the Happy Seeder versus a simple zero-tillage drill with no straw shredder. Participants included more than 1,000 farm households in 52 villages, encompassing 561 users of conventional tillage, 226 users of simple zero-tillage seeding implements, and 234 Happy Seeder users.
They found that only the Happy Seeder was able to sow wheat directly into large amounts of rice residues, with significant savings for farmers and equal or slightly better wheat yields, over conventional tillage. The Happy Seeder also saves time and water.
âGiven the benefits of sowing wheat using the Happy Seeder against the tremendous health and environmental costs of residue burning, the reduction or elimination of straw burning should be pushed forward immediately,â said P.P. Krishnapriya, research scientist at the Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, and a co-author of the article. âInvestments in social marketing and policies that foster the use of the Happy Seeders, including significant subsidies to purchase these machines, must be accompanied by stricter enforcement of the existing ban on residue burning.â
The study also found that the information sources most widely-available to farmers are currently geared towards conventional agricultural practices, but farmers who use the internet for agricultural information are more likely to be aware of the Happy Seeder.
âAwareness raising campaigns should use both conventional and novel channels,â said Priya Shyamsundar, lead economist at the Nature Conservancy (TNC) and co-author of the article. âAs with any innovation that differs signiïŹcantly from current practices, social and behavioral levers such as frontline demonstrations, good champions, and peer-to-peer networking and training are critical.â
In addition, rather than having most individual farmers own a Happy Seeder â a highly-specialized implement whose cost of $1,900 may be prohibitive for many â researchers are instead promoting the idea of farmers hiring direct-sowing services from larger farmers or other people able to purchase a Happy Seeder and make a business of operating it, explained Alwin Keil, a senior agricultural economist with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and lead author of the new study.
âWe are extremely grateful to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Nature Conservancy, and the CGIAR Research Program on Wheat Agri-Food Systems (WHEAT), who supported our research,â said Keil.
The Multimedia team at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and our producers around the world kept busy in 2020. They uploaded 50 videos to our YouTube channel and countless more to our social media, intranet and training platforms!
We shot much of this video on location in Svalbard, north of the Arctic Circle, where freezing temperatures put our cameras to the test â but the most challenging part of production was yet to come. After a global pandemic was declared, we had to shoot our first-ever socially distanced interviews, guide people to record themselves and coordinate editing remotely.
Travel with us to the Global Seed Vault, where maize and wheat seeds from CIMMYT’s genebank are are safely backed up.
Half a century ago, scientists collected and preserved samples of maize landraces in Morelos, Mexico. Now, descendants of those farmers were able to get back their ancestral maize seeds and, with them, a piece of their family history.
It is not very often that we are able to use soap opera-style drama to convey science. In this video, actors dramatize the human stakes of the battle against fall armyworm.
At the end of the video, graphics and images show techniques developed by CIMMYT and partners to help real farmers beat this pest.
An online training takes farmers and service providers though a visual journey on the use of conservation agriculture-based sustainable intensification methods.
A series of videos â available in Bengali, Hindi and English â demonstrates the process to become a zero-till farmer or service provider: from learning how to prepare a field for zero tillage to the safe use of herbicides.
In the first installment of this video series for social media, CIMMYTâs maize and wheat quality experts Natalia Palacios and Itria Ibba explain what whole grains are and why they are an important part of healthy diets.
A farmer in Nepal operates a water pump for drip irrigation. (Photo: Sharad Maharjan/IWMI)
Taken together, digital monitoring and readily available data on the status of groundwater resources provide a critical foundation for sustainable irrigation development. While much is known about surface water resources and hydrological and meteorological linkages between the Terai, Mid-Hills and Himalaya regions of the country, Nepal currently lacks a comprehensive system for groundwater resource monitoring.
To respond to this crucial information gap, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and International Water Management Institute (IWMI) are partnering with the Government of Nepalâs Groundwater Resources Development Board to conduct a pilot which will develop and test a potential groundwater monitoring system with the goal of identifying an approach which can be gradually scaled out after project completion.
To this end, the project team organized an Inception and Consultation Workshop, which took place virtually on October 14, 2020. This was the first in a series under the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) Nepal COVID-19 and Resilience project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Nepal, which supports farmers and rural economies in their response to COVID-19 and addresses, among others, various issues and ways forward for sustainable irrigation development.
The session aimed to introduce the digital groundwater monitoring pilot to local stakeholders, identify monitoring objectives and information needs, facilitate multi-stakeholder and inter-ministerial dialogue, and generate feedback and endorsement of the project plan. Participants were from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, and included members of local and national authorities, research centers and universities.
Participants meet virtually at the multi-stakeholder dialogue for Nepalâs Digital Groundwater Monitoring pilot (Photo: Tim Krupnik/CIMMYT)
Madhukar Rajbhandari, director general of the Government of Nepalâs Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, opened the event and during his address highlighted the importance of groundwater irrigation for Nepalâs farming systems and livelihoods. He also captured the challenges which the country faces when developing groundwater irrigation, from polluted water resources through urbanization to lack of market access and the high maintenance costs of irrigation infrastructure. Rajbhandari noted that âagricultural and irrigation projects lack coordinationâ and expressed his hope that âthrough this pilot, the way is paved for a collaborative approach to develop practical groundwater solutions for farmers.â
The session introduced participants to the project and its background, leading breakout sessions for two groups: the first containing local, state and national government representatives; the second comprising farmers, researchers and members of industry. Each group was asked to identify the groundwater monitoring objectives and information needs that they would have as different types of users, and to provide feedback and recommendations to improve the project work plan.
The feedback showed that while government representatives are largely interested in developing a better understanding of the groundwater development potential, researchers and farmers are more concerned with possible discharge and water quality. Monitoring frequency was also identified as useful for daily to monthly timescales.
The group discussion revealed participantsâ keen interest in consolidating and monitoring groundwater information, which highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement when developing pilots such as these, to ensure that when scaling is achieved, it caters to specific needs. Participants also expressed a strong interest in bringing the results of the project within the ambit of national policy, which would achieve the streamlining of data collection protocols for standardized, publicly accessible, data collection mechanisms.
âIt is very encouraging to see such active participation and engagement from all the participants throughout the workshop,â noted Timothy Krupnik, project leader and a senior scientist at CIMMYT. âWe look forward to maintaining this momentum, to support Nepalâs efforts in strengthening its capacity for sustainable irrigation.â
In 1970, Norman Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his important scientific work that saved millions of people from famine. Today, humanity faces an equally complex challenge which requires the commitment of all nations, leaders, investors and strategic partners: avoiding the next food crisis.
The Government of Mexico, the Nobel Peace Center and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Borlaugâs Nobel Prize with a call to action to develop a transformational response of agriculture for peace, with an emphasis on nutrition, environment and equity.
Join us on December 8, 2020, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. (CST, GMT-6).
This special event is part of the run-up to the United Nations Summit of Agrifood Systems of 2021. It will feature international experts in each of the five action tracks of the summit: ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all; shift to sustainable consumption patterns; boost nature-positive production; advance equitable livelihoods; and build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stress.
Guest speakers will include:
Marcelo Ebrard CasaubĂłn – Mexicoâs Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Kjersti FlĂžgstad – Executive Director, Nobel Peace Center
Victor Villalobos – Mexicoâs Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development
Martin Kropff – Director General, CIMMYT
Margaret Bath – Member of CIMMYTâs Board of Trustees
Alison Bentley – Director of CIMMYTâs Global Wheat Program
Robert Bertram – Chief Scientist, USAIDâs Bureau for Resilience and Food Security
Nicole Birrell – Chair of CIMMYTâs Board of Trustees
Julie Borlaug – President of the Borlaug Foundation
Gina Casar – Assistant Secretary-General of the World Food Programme
Martha Delgado – Mexico’s Deputy Secretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights
Marco Ferroni – Chair, CGIAR System Board
Federico GonzĂĄlez Celaya – President of Mexicoâs Food Banks Association
Bram Govaerts – Deputy Director General for Research and Collaborations a.i. and Director of the Integrated Development Program, CIMMYT
Juana HernĂĄndez – Producer from the community of San Miguel, in Ocosingo, Chiapas, Mexico
Rut KrĂŒger Giverin – Norwegian Ambassador to Mexico
Sylvanus Odjo – Postharvest Specialist, CIMMYT
Lina Pohl – FAOâs Mexico Representative
B.M. Prasanna – Director of CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program and the CGIAR Research Program on Maize
Tatiana Ramos – Executive Director, Conservation International Mexico
Alfonso Romo – Private Sector Liaison, Government of Mexico
Bosco de la Vega – President Mexicoâs National Farmerâs Agricultural Council (CNA)
A young man uses a precision spreader to distribute fertilizer in a field in India. (Photo: Mahesh Maske/CIMMYT)
Although nitrogen has helped in contributing to human dietary needs, there are still large areas of the world â namely sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia â that remain short of the amounts they need to achieve food and nutritional security. Â
Conversely, synthetic nitrogen has become increasingly crucial in todayâs intensive agricultural systems, but nearly half of the fertilizer nitrogen applied on farms leaks into the surrounding environment. It is possible that we have now transgressed the sustainable planetary boundary for nitrogen, and this could have devasting consequences. Â
Given this conflicting dual role this compound plays in agricultural systems and the environment â both positive and negative â the nitrogen challenge is highly relevant across most of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations.Â
Facing a global challengeÂ
The challenge of nitrogen management globally is to provide enough nitrogen to meet global food security while minimizing the flow of unused nitrogen to the environment. One of the key approaches to addressing this is to improve nitrogen use efficiency – which not only enhances crop productivity but also minimizes environmental losses through careful agronomic management – and measures to improve soil quality over time.Â
Globally, average nitrogen use efficiency does not exceed 50%. Estimates show that a nitrogen use efficiency will need to reach 67% by 2050 if we are to meet global food demand while keeping surplus nitrogen within the limits for maintaining acceptable air and water qualities to meet the SDGs.Â
This target may seem ambitious â especially given the biological limits to achieving a very high nitrogen use efficiency â but it is achievable. Â
Earlier this year, J.K. Ladha and I co-authored a paper outlining the links between nitrogen fertilizer use in agricultural production systems and various SDGs. For instance, agricultural systems with suboptimal nitrogen application are characterized with low crop productivity, spiraling into the vicious cycle of poverty, malnutrition and poor economy, a case most common in the sub-Saharan Africa. These essentially relate to SDG 1 (no-poverty), 2 (zero-hunger), 3 (good health and well-being), 8 (decent work and economic growth) and 15 (life on land). Â
On the other hand, excess or imbalanced fertilizer nitrogen in parts of China and India have led to serious environmental hazards, degradation of land and economic loss. Balancing the amount of N input in these regions will contribute in achieving the SDG 13 (climate action). Equally, meeting some of the additional SDGs (5, gender equality; 6, clean water and sanitation; 10: reduced inequalities; etc.) requires optimum nitrogen application, which will also ensure âresponsible consumption and productionâ (SDG 12).Â
A diagram shows the impact of fertilizer nitrogen use on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. (Graphic: CIMMYT/Adapted from CCAFS)
So, how can we achieve this? Â
Increased research quantifying the linkages between nitrogen management and the SDGs will be important, but the key to success lies with raising awareness among policy makers, stakeholders and farmers.Â
Most agricultural soils have considerably depleted levels of soil organic matter. This is a central problem that results in agroecosystems losing their ability to retain and regulate the supply of nitrogen to crops. However, poor knowledge and heavy price subsidies are equally to blame for the excess or misuse of nitrogen. Â
While numerous technologies for efficient nitrogen management have been developed, delivery mechanisms need to be strengthened, as does encouragement for spontaneous adaptation and adoption by farmers. Equally â or perhaps more importantly â there is a need to create awareness and educate senior officials, policy makers, extension personnel and farmers on the impact of appropriate soil management and intelligent use of nitrogen fertilizer, in conjunction with biologically integrated strategies for soil fertility maintenance. Â
An effective and aggressive campaign against the misuse of nitrogen will be effective in areas where the compound is overused, while greater accessibility of nitrogen fertilizer and policies to move farmers towards soil quality improvement will be essential in regions where nitrogen use is currently sub-optimal.Â
It is only through this combination of approaches to improved system management, agricultural policies and awareness raising campaigns that we can sufficiently improve nitrogen use efficiency â and meet the SDGs before itâs too late.Â
Read the full study âAchieving the sustainable development goals in agriculture: the crucial role of nitrogen in cereal-based systemsâ in Advances in Agronomy.Â
Nitrogen is the most essential nutrient in crop production but also one of the most challenging to work with. The compound is central to global crop production â particularly for major cereals â but while many parts of the world do not have enough to achieve food and nutrition security, in others excess nitrogen from fertilizer leaks into the environment with damaging consequences.Â
What is nitrogen?Â
Around 78% of the Earthâs atmosphere is made up of nitrogen gas or N2 â a molecule made of two nitrogen atoms glued together by a stable, triple bond. Â
Though it makes up a large portion of the air we breathe, most living organisms canât access it in this form. Atmospheric nitrogen must go through a natural process called nitrogen fixation to transform before it can be used for plant nutrition. Â
Why do plants need nitrogen?Â
In both plants and humans, nitrogen is used to make amino acids â which make the proteins that construct cells â and is one of the building blocks for DNA. It is also essential for plant growth because it is a major component of chlorophyll, the compound by which plants use sunlight energy to produce sugars from water and carbon dioxide (photosynthesis).Â
The nitrogen cycleÂ
The nitrogen cycle is the process through which nitrogen moves from the atmosphere to earth, through soils and is released back into the atmosphere â converting in and out of its organic and inorganic forms.Â
It begins with biological nitrogen fixation, which occurs when nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live in the root nodules of legumes convert organic matter into ammonium and then nitrate. Plants are able to absorb nitrate from the soil and break it down into the nitrogen they need, while denitrifying bacteria convert excess nitrate back into inorganic nitrogen which is released back into the atmosphere.Â
The process can also begin with lightning, the heat from which ruptures the triple bonds of atmospheric nitrogen, freeing its atoms to combine with oxygen and create nitrous oxide gas, which dissolves in rain as nitric acid and is absorbed by the soil.Â
Excess nitrate or that lost through leaching â in which key nutrients are dissolved due to rain or irrigation â can seep into and pollute groundwater streams.Â
A diagram shows the process through which nitrogen moves from the atmosphere to earth, through soils and is released back into the atmosphere â converting in and out of its organic and inorganic forms. (Graphic: Nancy Valtierra/CIMMYT)
What about nitrogen fertilizer?Â
For thousands of years, humans didnât need to worry about nitrogen, but by the turn of the Twentieth Century it was evident that intensive farming was depleting nitrate in the soil, which raised concerns about the worldâs rising population and a possible food crisis. Â
In 1908, a German chemist named Fritz Haber devised a process for combining atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen under extreme heat and pressure to create liquid ammonia â a synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. He later worked with chemist and engineer Carl Bosch to industrialize this process and make it commercially available for farmers. Â
Once production was industrialized, synthetic nitrogen fertilizer â used in combination with new, high-yielding seed varieties â helped drive the Green Revolution and significantly boost global agricultural production from the late 1960s onwards. During this time Mexico became self-sufficient in wheat production, as did India and Pakistan, which were on the brink of famine. Â
In todayâs intensive agricultural systems, synthetic nitrogen fertilizer has become increasingly crucial. Worldwide, companies currently produce over 100 million metric tons of this product every year, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations predicts that demand will continue to rise steadily, especially in Africa and South Asia.Â
Is it sustainable?Â
As demand continues to rise worldwide, the challenge of nitrogen management is to provide enough to meet global food security needs while minimizing the flow of unused nitrogen â which is 300 times more polluting than carbon dioxide â to the environment. Â
While many regions remain short of available nitrogen to achieve food and nutrition security, in others nearly half of the fertilizer nitrogen applied in agriculture is leaked into the environment, with negative consequences including increased environmental hazards, irreparable land degradation and the contamination of aquatic resources.Â
This challenge can be addressed by improving nitrogen use efficiency â a complex calculation which often involves a comparison between crop biomass (primarily economic yield) or nitrogen content/uptake (output) and the nitrogen applied (input) through any manure or synthetic fertilizer. Improving this ratio not only enhances crop productivity but also minimizes environmental losses through careful agronomic management and helps improve soil quality over time. Â
Currently, average global nitrogen use efficiency does not exceed 50%, which falls short of the estimated 67% needed to meet global food demand in 2050 while keeping surplus nitrogen within the limits for maintaining acceptable air and water qualities. Â
A woman in India uses a precision spreader to apply fertilizer on her farm. (Photo: Wasim Iftikar)
Blue-sky technologyÂ
Much progress has been made in developing technologies for an efficient nitrogen management, which along with good agronomy are proven to enhance crop nitrogen harvest and nitrogen use efficiency with lower surplus nitrogen.Â
Scientists are investigating the merits of biological nitrification inhibition, a process through which a plant excretes material which influences the nitrogen cycle in the soil. Where this process occurs naturally â in some grasses and wheat wild relatives â it helps to significantly reduce nitrogen emissions.Â
In 2007, scientists discovered biological nitrification traits in a wheat relative and in 2018 they succeeded in transferring them into a Chinese spring wheat variety. The initial result showed low productivity and remains in the very early stages of development, but researchers are keen to assess whether this process could be applied to commercial wheat varieties in the future. If so, this technology could be a game changer for meeting global nitrogen use efficiency goals.Â
A new small-mechanization pilot initiative launched in July is equipping farmers with the business and technical skills they need to provide mechanization services to communities in six wards of Masvingo district, Zimbabwe.
With funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) managed by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is leading implementation of the pilot in collaboration with Kurima Machinery and the Zimbabwe Agriculture Development Trust (ZADT), who are supporting the technical training and financial management, respectively.
Anchored on a strong business model, 15 farmers have signed up to become service providers and invested an initial deposit of $500 to access the mechanization package comprising a two-wheel tractor and trailer, a direct planter and a maize cob sheller. Through a âlease-to-ownâ credit facility, eligible service providers will have 24 months to pay the remaining balance for the set of equipment.
âThis approach addresses re-payment challenges in past interventions, where equipment was distributed without a firm commitment from the service providers and without putting in enough effort to establish a viable business,â says Christian Thierfelder, a cropping systems agronomist at CIMMYT. âAn advantage of this new form of financial commitment by the service providers is that it guarantees full participation and a change in their perception towards farming as a business.â
Since 2013, smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe have been exposed to the benefits of combining small-mechanization with conservation farming systems to improve productivity â land preparation, planting and harvesting to achieve higher yields while reducing production costs. Besides making farming tasks more efficient for individuals, this set of equipment can be used to provide critical services to other farmers in their wards.
The two-wheel tractor can have various implements attached to it for services such as planting, transportation and shelling. It can also be used to run other important implements such as water pumps, mills or threshers.
This mechanization pilot therefore presents an additional pathway out of poverty and into sustainable production and income generation at household level, while boosting the local economy and rural employment in Masvingo district.
Service providers, extension officers and CIMMYT staff pose for a group photo after completing a training course at Gwebi Agricultural College, Zimbabwe. (Photo: Shiela Chikulo/CIMMYT)
Training for local service provision
Eligible service providers were recently invited to attend a one-week specialized business and technical training course at Gwebi Agricultural College, just outside of Harare. The training package consisted of two main components: business management; and two-wheel tractor operation, maintenance and repair.
Elliot Zvovovo, a participating service provider, explains how the balanced training approach equipped him fully with all the knowledge and skills he needs to run his business. âI learned different ways of record keeping, managing income and treating my clients professionally,â he says.
âOn the machinery side, I learned about of all the parts of a two-wheel tractor and practiced assembling the engine so that maintenance and repair will be easy for me.â
Julius Shava, another participating service provider, agrees, adding that knowing how to maintain the two-wheel tractor and troubleshooting will also minimize costs of hiring external mechanics to attend to faults. âI realized the importance of routine checks for oil and water levels, how to crank-start the tractor and hitch the planter all by myself.â
Supporting agricultural extension in line with service providers is critical to mainstreaming transformational change in rural areas. As such, seven local extension officers â key partners in the implementation of small-mechanization activities â were also invited to participate in the training.
âThe training proved to be very effective, particularly the emphasis on mastering business principles and on the technical side, integrating service providersâ existing knowledge of conservation farming with small-mechanization,â says Canaan Zhakata, an extension officer for Ward 15.
Through the practical sessions, all service providers have now learned how to operate a two-wheel tractor, calibrate the direct planter for seed and fertilizer rates and use the sheller â giving them full technical skills and knowledge,â explains Dorcas Matangi, a research associate at CIMMYT.
The certification they have received will increase farmersâ confidence as they return to Masvingo to commence service delivery, with continued on-site support from their local extension officers. âOnce we return to Masvingo, we can assist the new service providers by monitoring their service delivery to ensure full compliance with the technical requirements for operating the machinery,â says Tsvakai Dumbu, an extension officer for Ward 17.
A service provider starts a two-wheel tractor while other participants look on at a training at Gwebi Agricultural College, Zimbabwe. (Photo: Shiela Chikulo/CIMMYT)
A profitable business for the local economy
This mechanization pilot is poised for success as it draws on existing positive results gained by the women and youth service providers in western Zimbabwe, who are running successful mechanized enterprises following the recently completed Farm Mechanization and Conservation Agriculture for Sustainable Intensification (FACASI) project.
âDuring a recent seed fair, we heard of a youth group in Makonde that is making up to $7,000 just from maize shelling services,â says Zvovovo. âKnowing that it takes just one day to shell up to three tons of maize with the sheller, I now know that reaching such an income is achievable.â
This pilot will prove that there is scope for small-mechanization to expand on productivity through the two-wheel tractor, trailer and sheller, as shown in other parts of eastern and southern Africa. It will explore leverages on the opportunities and demand for services in Masvingo.
Cover image:Â An extension officer from Masvingo district drives a two-wheel tractor during a training for service providers and extension officers at Gwebi Agricultural College, Zimbabwe. (Photo: Shiela Chikulo/CIMMYT)
Ethiopia-born Rahel Assefa began her career as a software engineer in a childrenâs hospital in Washington DC, USA. Although she enjoyed this work for the first few years, she found that it was not as fulfilling as she had initially hoped.
Rahel slowly started shifting gears towards a new career, initially pursuing an MSc in Project Management. âI knew that I was meant to work in an area where I would have direct interaction and impact, so I really thrived in that environment,â she explains.
Her work was highly appreciated by senior managers and she quickly progressed in this new career path. âI was soon recruited to help build a project management office from scratch and that solidified my interest in the field.â
A return to Africa
Rahel remained in health care for the next few years, taking on roles in portfolio and business relationship management but ultimately, she knew her next step would be to return to Africa and work in a field that contributes to supporting peopleâs livelihoods.Â
In 2015, Rahel learned of a job opening at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) which was suitable to her skillset and would also serve her desire of moving to Africa. She applied and joined the organization in February 2016, moving to Addis Ababa with her young family in tow. âWe had always discussed returning to Africa, and preferably to Ethiopia, so this was a welcome move. But it was also a big leap into the unknown because both my husband and I had left Ethiopia during our formative years,â she says.
Rahel had also never worked in the agricultural sector before joining CIMMYT, so there was a steep learning curve to contend with, as well as the cultural shifts she had to make to adjust to her new work environment. âI remember spending my first few days on the job taking the time to just observe, listen actively and ask questions.âÂ
Rahel now works as a project manager and as the regional program manager for CIMMYTâs Sustainable Intensification Program in Africa. âWorking at CIMMYT is interesting because I get to collaborate with such a diverse group of people, and we can see that our work has a direct impact on the day-to-day lives of farmers,â she says. âItâs always rewarding to see first-hand how the life of a farmer, woman or young person is transformed because of the work we do.â
âI also find working at CIMMYT’s Ethiopia office enjoyable simply because everyone gets along well,â she explains. Rahel particularly appreciates the Thursday morning coffee gatherings for staff hosted at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) campus, and her frequent interactions with colleagues in Kenya and Zimbabwe, where she travels regularly. âI love having the opportunity to see the work colleagues do on the ground across Africa and Iâm always in awe of their dedication to the work they do.â
When sheâs not visiting projects in Nairobi or Harare, Rahel cherishes the time she spends with her family and young son, Adam, who seems to be developing a keen interest in agriculture himself. âHe loves visiting âmommyâs officeâ from time to time,â she explains, âand as a result he has recently even attempted to plant maize and wheat in our back garden.â
Rahel Assefa tests out farm machinery in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (Photo: Simret Yasabu/CIMMYT)
Rahel Assefa works with CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program, serving as regional project manager for Africa and project manager for various projects across East and Southern Africa.
Rahel works closely with project leaders and head office units to develop operational plans, and manages budgets, contracts and subgrants. She supports donor reporting and proposal development, serves as a liaison with donors and implementing partners, and more.
A solar powered irrigation pump in use, India. (Photo: Ayush Manik/CCAFS)
Climate change is a major challenge for India, which faces large-scale climate variability and is exposed to high risk. The countryâs current development model reiterates the focus on sustainable growth and aims to exploit the benefits of addressing climate change alongside promoting economic growth.
The government has been heavily emphasizing the importance of solar power in India, and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) recently launched an ambitious initiative to further this cause. The Pradhan Mantri-Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme aims to support the installation of off-grid solar pumps in rural areas, and reduce dependence on the grid in grid-connected areas.
However, there has been a knowledge gap about the potential use of solar energy interventions in the context of climate change and their scalability. In an effort to bridge this gap, scientists from the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) have comprehensively synthesized existing pilot initiatives on the deployment of solar powered irrigation systems (SPIS) across different agro-climatic zones in India and tried to assess their scalability. This in turn has led to the identification of efficient and effective models for sustainable development in accordance with the regionâs socioeconomic and geopolitical situation.
Solar powered irrigation systems in India
A compendium has been developed as part of the research carried out by CCAFS, in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), Deutsche Gesellschaft fĂŒr Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
The main objectives for bringing forth this compendium are: to qualitatively document various deployment models of SPIS and to understand the factors impacting the scalability of SPIS in India. The authors collected detailed information about the process of installing SPIS, their use and maintenance, and documented the different approaches in the form of case studies developed through primary and secondary research. They aimed to capture the key technical, social, institutional and financial attributes of the deployment approaches to enable comparative analysis and synthesis.
In total, 16 case studies from across India were documented â 1 case for centralized SPIS, 2 distributed SPIS and 13 examples for decentralized systems.  Though each of these was designed with unique objectives, detailed analysis reveals that all the cases revolve around the improvement of the three factors: accessibility, affordability and sustainability â the trinity against which all cases have been described. Grid-connected areas such as Gujarat and Maharashtra offer an immense scope of selling surplus energy being produced by SPIS, to energy-deficient electricity suppliers while areas such as Bihar and Jharkhand offer the potential for scaling the decentralized model of SPIS.
Two smallholders use a solar powered irrigation system to farm fish in Bihar, India. (Photo: Ayush Manik/CCAFS)
Assessing scalability
For inclusive and sustainable growth, it is important to consider the farm-level potential of solar energy use with multiple usages of energy. The compendium documents examples of the potential of solar irrigation systems in India for adaptation and mitigation benefits. It also assesses on the scalability of different deployment approaches such as solar pump fitted boats in Samastipur, Bihar, or the decentralized solar powered irrigation systems in Gujrat and West Bengal. Through the compendium, the authors study the five key stages of the scaling-up process to assess whether these initiatives are scalable and could reduce or replace fossil fuel dependence in agriculture.
While some of the documented cases are designed exclusively to address a very specific problem in a particular context, others are primarily designed as a proof-of-concept for wider applicability and policy implications â with or without suitable modifications at the time of scaling. In this compendium, both types of cases are included and assessed to understand their relevance and the potential contribution they can make in advancing the goal of solarizing irrigation and agriculture in a sustainable and effective way.
The authors conclude that all the cases have different technical, financial, and institutional aspects which complement each other, have been designed based on community needs and are in line with the larger objective of the intervention integrating three factors â accessibility, affordability and sustainability â to ensure secured availability of resources and to facilitate scalability.
Given that India is a diverse country with varied socioeconomic and geopolitical conditions, it is important to have set guidelines that lay out a plan for scaling while allowing agencies to adapt the SPIS model based on local context and realities in the field.
This article was originally published on the CCAFS website.
How do you create the largest market for stress-tolerant seed away from a major business center and attract over 1000 smallholder farmers in two days? Organize a seed fair to strengthen knowledge and information sharing.
The availability, access and use of climate-resilient seed by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe is often hampered by transport costs, the distance between farming areas and viable seed markets, lack of public transport to business centers, and the inflated prices of seed and inputs by local agro-dealers. As a result, resource-poor farmers who cannot afford to purchase inputs resort to exchanging local seed retained or recycled from informal markets. This has devastating effects on farmersâ productivity, food and nutrition security.
Under the Zambuko/R4 Rural Resilience Initiative, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is promoting climate-smart technologies and appropriate seed varieties alongside conservation agriculture (CA) systems in Masvingo district, Zimbabwe. Since 2018, mother and baby trials have successfully yielded results for smallholders in Ward 17 and additional mother trials have been introduced in Ward 13.
To overcome the challenges of seed access, CIMMYT partnered with eight seed companies â including Agriseeds, Mukushi and SeedCo â to host two seed fairs in October, targeting farmers in Wards 13 and 17. The intervention sought to address seed insecurity while reducing the knowledge gap on available stress-tolerant seed varieties by smallholder farmers.
Groundwork preparations led by the Department of Agriculture and Extension Services (AGRITEX) mobilized farmers from the host wards as well as farmers from neighboring wards 15, 19 and 25. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, regulations relating to social distancing, the use of masks and sanitization were adhered to throughout the events.
Climate-smart seed choices
A key message delivered to the more than 1000 farmers who attended the seed fairs was the importance of their preference when selecting the right seed for their field. âFarmers must be critical when selecting seed and ensure that their preferred seed will perform well under the prevailing climatic conditions to give a good harvest,â said CIMMYT seed systems specialist Peter Setimela.
Seed company representatives were offered a platform to market their varieties and explain the benefits of each product on the market while leaving it to the farmers to decide on the most suitable variety for their own needs. âFarmers came early for the seed fairs and showed interest in our products,â said Norman Chihumo, a regional agronomist at Syngenta Distributors. âWe recorded fairly good sales of seed and chemicals through cash purchases and vouchers.â
Later in the day, farmers toured the seed company stands to see the diverse maize varieties and small grains on offer â including millet and sorghum, cowpeas and groundnuts â and heard testimonials from participants in the mother and baby trials. âListening to a success story from a farmer I know gives me the confidence to follow suit and buy seed that works in this harsh climate of ours,â said Joice Magadza, a farmer from Ward 17.
Local farmer Happison Chitono agreed. âI never used to grow cowpeas on my plot,â he explained, âbut after learning about the ability it has to fix nitrogen into my soil and possibility of rotating the legume with maize, I am now gladly adding it to my seed input package.â
Muza Vutete, a baby-trial farmer shares the advantages of adopting conservation farming principles at a seed fair in Masvingo, Zimbabwe. (Photo: Shiela Chikulo/CIMMYT)
A seed fair is also a knowledge market
A key highlight of the seed fair was the learning platform promoting CIMMYTâs ongoing activities under the Zambuko/R4 Rural Resilience Initiative. Here, cropping systems agronomist Christian Thierfelder shared the objectives of this initiative with participating farmers.
âWe know how good this seed is, but we also have to grow it in a sustainable way, so we make best use of the limited rainfall we receive in this area while we improve our soils,â he explained to farmers. âCropping systems such as conservation agriculture combine no-tillage, mulching and crop rotation in a climate-smart agriculture way which enables farmers to harvest enough, even under heat and drought stress.â
Thierfelder also demonstrated the use of farm equipment promoted by CIMMYT in collaboration with Kurima Machinery, explaining how these can help reduce drudgery and save time on planting, transport and shelling.
Representatives from Kurima machinery conduct a demonstration of the two-wheel tractor during the seed fair in Masvingo, Zimbabwe. (Photo: Shiela Chikulo/CIMMYT)
Vouchers for transparent seed access
The seed fairs culminated in the distribution of seed and input vouchers. One hundred farmers were selected through a transparent raffle and redeemed their vouchers at their preferred seed company stands. They then also had the option to purchase additional seed, fertilizer and chemicals using their own cash.
Particularly high sales were recorded for Provitamin A orange maize, which sold out on both seed fair days. Stress-tolerant varieties such as ZM 309 and ZM 523 from Zimbabwe Super Seeds, ZM521 from Champion Seeds, and MRI 514 from Syngenta were also favorites among the farmers, while white sorghum and cowpea varieties such as CBC2 also sold well. Most of these varieties were already known to farmers as they had seen them growing for two years in CIMMYTâs mother trials of Ward 17.
The seed fairs ended on a high note with a total of 1.2 tons of seed sold to farmers on both days and agro-dealers hailed the fairs as a timely business venture for creating linkages and bringing seed suppliers on-site to assess their shops. A post-seed fair monitoring exercise will soon follow up on farmersâ use of the seed and the performance of demo packs and purchased varieties.
The Zambuko/R4 Rural Resilience Initiative supported by the United States Agency for International Aid (USAID), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the World Food Programme (WFP) aims to increase farmer resilience and capacity to withstand climatic shocks and stresses in rural communities of Masvingo, Mwenezi and Rushinga in Zimbabwe.
The first meetings of the Accelerating Genetic Gains in Maize and Wheat for Improved Livelihoods (AGG) wheat and maize science and technical steering committees â WSC and MSC, respectively â took place virtually on 25th and 28th September.
Researchers from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) sit on both committees. In the WSC they are joined by wheat experts from national agricultural research systems (NARS) in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, India, and Nepal; and from Angus Wheat Consultants, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), HarvestPlus, Kansas State University and the Roslin Institute.
Similarly, the MSC includes maize experts from NARS in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Zambia; and from Corteva, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), SeedCo, Syngenta, the University of Queensland, and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
During the meetings, attendees discussed scientific challenges and opportunities for AGG, and developed specific recommendations pertaining to key topics including breeding and testing scheme optimization, effective engagement with partners and capacity development in the time of COVID-19, and seed systems and gender intentionality.
Discussion groups noted, for example, the need to address family structure in yield trials, to strengthen collaboration with national partners, and to develop effective regional on-farm testing strategies. Interestingly, most of the recommendations are applicable and valuable for both crop teams, and this is a clear example of the synergies we expect from combining maize and wheat within the AGG project.
All the recommendations will be further analyzed by the AGG teams during coming months, and project activities will be adjusted or implemented as appropriate. A brief report will be submitted to the respective STSCs prior to the second meetings of these committees, likely in late March 2021.
The Government of Ethiopia has consistently prioritized agriculture and sees it as a core component of the countryâs growth. However, despite considerable efforts to improve productivity, poor management of soil health and fertility has been an ongoing constraint. This is mainly due to a lack of comprehensive site-and context-specific soil health and fertility management recommendations and dissemination approaches targeted to specific needs.
The government envisions a balanced soil health and fertility system that helps farmers cultivate and maintain high-quality and fertile soils through the promotion of appropriate soil-management techniques, provision of required inputs, and facilitation of appropriate enablers, including knowledge and finance.
So far, a plethora of different research-for-development activities have been carried out in support of this effort, including the introduction of tools which provide location-specific fertilizer recommendations. For example, researchers on the Taking Maize Agronomy to Scale in Africa (TAMASA) project, led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), have created locally calibrated versions of Nutrient ExpertÂź (NE) â a tool for generating fertilizer recommendations â for maize farmers in Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania.
Nutrient ExpertÂź is only one of the many fertilizer recommendation tools which have been developed in recent years covering different levels of applicability and accuracy across spatial scales and users, including smallholder farmers, extension agents and national researchers. However, in order to make efficient use of all the resources available in Ethiopia, there is a need to systematically evaluate the merits of each tool for different scales and use cases. To jump start this process, researchers from the TAMASA project commissioned an assessment of the tools and frameworks that have been developed, adapted and promoted in the country, and how they compare with one another for different use-cases. Seven tools were assessed, including Nutrient ExpertÂź, the Ethiopian Soil Information System (EthioSIS) and RiceAdvice.
For each of these, the research team asked determined how the tool is currently being implemented â for example, as an app or as a generic set of steps for recommendation generation â and its data requirements, how robust the estimates are, how complicated the interface is, how easy it is to use, the conditions under which it performs well, and the spatial scale at which it works best.
Farmer Gudeye Leta harvests his local variety maize in Dalecho village, Gudeya Bila district, Ethiopia. (Photo: Peter Lowe/CIMMYT)
Combining efforts and information
The results of this initial assessment indicate that the type of main user and the scale at which decisions are made varied from tool to tool. In addition, most of the tools considered have interactive interfaces and several â including Nutrient ExpertÂź and RiceAdvice â have IT based platforms to automate the optimization of fertilizer recommendations and/or analyze profit. However, the source codes for all the IT based platforms and tools are inaccessible to end-users. This means that if further evaluation and improvements are to be made, there should be a means of collaborating with developers to share the back-end information, such as site-specific response curves and source codes.
Because most of the tools take different approaches to making fertilizer application site-specific, each of them renders unique strengths and trade-offs. For example, Nutrient ExpertÂź may be considered strong in its approach of downscaling regionally calibrated responses to field level recommendations based on a few site-specific responses from farmers. By contrast, its calibration requires intensive data from nutrient omission trials and advice provision is time consuming.
Overall, the use of all the Site-Specific Decision-Support Tools (SSDST) has resulted in improved grain yields compared to when farmers use traditional practices, and this is consistent across all crops. On average, use of Nutrient ExpertÂź improved maize, rice and wheat yields by 5.9%, 8.1% and 4.9%, respectively. Similarly, the use of RiceAdvice resulted in a 21.8% yield advantage.
The assessment shows that some of the tools are useful because of their applicability at local level by development agents, while others are good because of the data used to develop and validate them. However, in order to benefit the agricultural system in Ethiopia from the perspective of reliable fertilizer-use advisory, there is a need to develop a platform that combines the merits of all available tools. To achieve this, it has been suggested that the institutions who developed the individual tools join forces to combine efforts and information, including background data and source codes for IT based tools.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted efforts to convene discussions around this work, CIMMYT has and will continue to play an active advocacy role in supporting collaborative efforts to inform evidence-based reforms to fertilizer recommendations and other agronomic advice in Ethiopia and the wider region. CIMMYT is currently undertaking a more rigorous evaluation of these tools and frameworks as a follow up on the initial stocktaking activity.
The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is proud to partner with the Whole Grain Initiative in celebrating International Whole Grain Day on November 19, 2020.
In terms of diet and nutrition, ours is an age of contradiction. While populations in wealthy countries are faced with unprecedented levels of diet-related disease, close to 2 billion people globally remain food insecure. At the same time, global agriculture has an enormous role to play in the transition towards an environmentally sustainable future.
International Whole Grain Day 2020 is a good day to step back and consider the continued role of whole grains in the healthy, sustainable diets of today and tomorrow. Explore our content to learn what whole grains are, how weâre working to make whole grain wheat and maize even more nutritious, and discover some our favorite recipes.
For a deeper dive into the subject, check out our explainer on whole grains: What they are, why they are important for your health, and how to identify them.
The grain or kernel of maize and wheat is made up of three edible parts: the bran, the germ and the endosperm. (Graphic: Nancy Valtierra/CIMMYT)
CIMMYTâs âA Grain a Dayâ cookbook highlights the big role maize and wheat play in diets around the world, and brings global cuisine to your own kitchen. (Note: not all recipes call for whole grains.) Learn more.
Join members of the Whole Grain Initiative, the FAO and global leaders on November 19 as they discuss the role of whole grains in meeting the âtriple challengeâ of ensuring global food security and improving the livelihoods of agri-food workers in an environmentally sustainable manner. Join the webinar: Building Healthy, Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems.
Interested in learning more about how CIMMYT is working to make grain-based diets healthier and more nutritious? Check out our archive of health and nutrition content.
Featured image: Little girl eating roti, Bangladesh (S. Mojumder/Drik/CIMMYT)
Where agriculture relies heavily on manual labor, small-scale mechanization can reduce labor constraints and contribute to higher yields and food security. However, demand for and adoption of labor-saving machinery remains weak in many areas. Paradoxically, this includes areas where women face a particularly high labor burden.
âHow do we make sense of this?â asks Lone Badstue, a rural development sociologist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). âWhat factors influence womenâs articulation of demand for and use of farm power mechanization?â
To answer this question, an international team of researchers analyzed data from four analytical dimensions â gender division of labor; gender norms; gendered access to and control over resources like land and income; and intra-household decision-making â to show how interactions between these influence womenâs demand for and use of mechanization.
âOverall, a combination of forces seems to work against womenâs demand articulation and adoption of labor-saving technologies,â says Badstue. Firstly, womenâs labor often goes unrecognized, and they are typically expected to work hard and not voice their concerns. Additionally, women generally lack access to and control over a range of resources, including land, income, and extension services.
This is exacerbated by the gendered division of labor, as womenâs time poverty negatively affects their access to resources and information. Furthermore, decision-making is primarily seen as menâs domain, and women are often excluded from discussions on the allocation of labor and other aspects of farm management. Crucially, many of these factors interlink across all four dimensions of the authorsâ analytical framework to shape womenâs demand for and adoption of labor-saving technologies.
A diagram outlines the links between different factors influencing gender dynamics in demand articulation and adoption of laborsaving technologies. (Graphic: Nancy Valtierra/CIMMYT)
Demand articulation and adoption of labor-saving technologies in the study sites are shown to be stimulated when women have control over resources, and where more permissive or inclusive norms influence gender relations. âWomenâs independent control over resources is a game changer,â explains Badstue. âAdoption of mechanized farm power is practically only observed when women have direct and sole control over land and on- or off-farm income. They rarely articulate demand or adopt mechanization through joint decision-making with male relatives.â
The study shows that independent decision-making by women on labor reduction or adoption of mechanization is often confronted with social disapproval and can come at the cost of losing social capital, both within the household and in the community. As such, the authors stress the importance of interventions which engage with these issues and call for the recognition of technological change as shaped by the complex interplay of gender norms, gendered access to and control over resources, and decision-making.
In 1970, 
