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research: Partnerships

Empowering women smallholder farmers in Africa with climate-resilient and nutritious maize varieties

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

In the vast landscapes of sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture is the backbone of many communities, the quest for improved maize varieties is a vital step for ensuring food security in the face of climate change. Women, who represent approximately half the clients of maize breeding programs, have been essential in the realm of agricultural research. While significant gender-based differences in trait preferences exist in many African-staple crops, these appear less drastic in maize. However, there are gendered differences in management practices and productivity in maize-based systems.

After decades of work on maize improvement projects, CIMMYT has made a bigger commitment to researching, supporting and delivering drought and heat tolerant maize to smallholders in Zimbabwe. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Recognizing the need to bridge this gap, the CIMMYT-NARES (National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems) regional maize breeding networks in eastern and southern Africa have embarked on a transformative journey to empower farmers, especially women, through their innovative approach to maize breeding. The breeding networks are focused on ensuring smallholder farmers have access to a steady stream of climate-resilient and nutritionally enriched maize varieties that thrive in today’s stress-prone environments. To ensure these new maize varieties meet the needs of diverse users, including women, the breeding networks continue to adapt approaches to increase gender-responsiveness.

Linking science with the realities on the ground

Testing the performance of potential new maize hybrids coming from the breeding pipelines within farmers’ realities is critical to the ultimate success of these new varieties. In collaboration with over 400 farmers in southern Africa, the CIMMYT-NARES maize breeding network conducts extensive on-farm trials to evaluate the performance of these new maize varieties. A similar approach is adopted in eastern Africa. What sets these trials apart is the fact that over 40% of these trials are led by female plot managers. Farmers evaluate these varieties within the context of their own realities, including their own management practices, and provide valuable feedback to the breeding teams on the potential of new varieties.

By involving women in decision-making processes, CIMMYT-NARES networks ensure that their preferences and needs are considered when selecting the most promising hybrids for product advancement, announcement to partners, varietal releases and ultimately commercialization. This inclusive approach not only empowers women but also harnesses the collective knowledge and experience of the farming community. CIMMYT’s research recently showed that there is a relatively high degree of joint management within maize plots, and since 2022, the on-farm trials included a target of approximately 30% jointly managed plots.

Gender is only one axis of social difference that impacts agricultural production, variety selection, and end uses. Social differences including marital status, age, education level, ethnicity, wealth, access to capital, market access and livelihood orientation do play a role in the adoption of new varieties and farm productivity. By embracing the diversity within farming communities, CIMMYT-NARES networks are actively working towards understanding different farm types, while ensuring that the improved maize varieties are tailored to meet the diverse demands of the regions.

As the CIMMYT-NARES maize breeding networks continue to make innovative strides in breeding climate-resilient and nutritionally enriched maize varieties, they are not only transforming agriculture but also empowering individuals and communities. Through collaborative efforts, with the woman farmer at the heart of the approach, they are paving the way for a future where farming communities can thrive and contribute to food and nutritional security.

Fostering agricultural innovation: collaborative meetings with NARC and NSSRC in Nepal

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

On October 4, 2023, Sieglinde Snapp, program director of the Sustainable Agrifood System (SAS) program, along with the country representative of CIMMYT and project lead of the Nepal Seed and Fertilizer Project (NSAF) Dyutiman Choudhary, visited the National Soil Science Research Center (NSSRC) under the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC). The chief of NSSRC, Shree Prasad Vista, and his team welcomed Snapp and the team from CIMMYT. In the meeting, Vista presented an overview of NSSRC’s work and emphasized the collaborative work with NSAF. He focused on the achievements NSSRC has accomplished with the joint efforts of NSAF. He highlighted the launch of the Digital Soil Map and new fertilizer recommendations. He also reflected on the benefits of soil health cards to the farmers that NSAF supported. In addition, he prioritized the importance of collaboration to improve the livelihood of farmers. He appreciated the cross-learning that CIMMYT has been providing for knowledge transfer and adopting best management practices. After the meeting, the team visited the NSSRC’s laboratory, which provided insights about their soil research activities.

The chief of NSSRC briefs Sieg Snapp on farmers’ health card. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Following the visit to NSSRC, Snapp and CIMMYT colleagues visited the NARC Head Office within the same premises. The Executive Director of NARC, Dhurbaraj Bhattari, welcomed the delegates in his office. The ED presented an overview of NARC and its primary focus. He emphasized the importance of collaborative work with CIMMYT. After the presentation, the delegates from CIMMYT, NARC and NSSRC discussed critical issues regarding sustainable agricultural practices. The primary focus of the meeting was the strategies to boost sustainable agricultural productivity to enhance crop yields, value chain enhancement for farmer’s benefits, policy development for collaboration and harmonization to encourage horizontal and vertical cooperation between different stakeholders, need for investment in research and infrastructure at the grassroots level for addressing the challenges faced by farmers.

Addressing the meeting, Snapp focused on the importance of partnership aligning with CIMMYT’s latest strategies to facilitate knowledge transfer and the adoption of best practices. She also raised her concerns regarding the loss of crops between harvest and storage. She reflected on the commitment of CIMMYT to improving agriculture through science and innovation to change the livelihood of farmers. She showed her commitment to ongoing collaboration for sustainable agricultural development.

The meeting provided a platform to strengthen the longstanding collaboration between CIMMYT and NARC to address the challenges faced by farmers to enhance agricultural productivity through sustainable approaches. The Executive Director of NARC extended heartfelt gratitude for CIMMYT’s support, which has played a pivotal role in transforming the lives of countless farmers. He also expressed hope for continued collaboration in the future.

The CIMMYT and NSSRC team at NSSRC offices. (Photo: CIMMYT)

Snapp visited CIMMYT Nepal from October 3-7, 2023. 2023. During her visit, she interacted and engaged with various stakeholders, including Nepal staff, farmers in the field, agricultural cooperatives, government authorities, seed growers, suppliers and feed mills.

LIPS-Zim empowers smallholder farmers

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in In the media.

The Livestock Production Systems in Zimbabwe (LIPS-Zim) project implemented by CIMMYT and various research institutions in partnership with the government expects to increase incomes and ensure food security for more than 50,000 rural Zimbabweans.

Read the full story.

 

Research local: co-creation generates novel options to tackle global problems

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

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are broad mandates for transitioning to fair and sustainable agrifood systems. However, because of their global view, they often operate at a scale not clearly seen or understood by local stakeholders.

New research led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) scientists offers participatory action research (PAR) as a potential bridge between the macro scope of the SDGs and the needs and desires of local communities.

The article, Participatory action research generates knowledge for Sustainable Development Goals, published in the June 2023 issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, examines two decades of participatory action research activities in Malawi, a highly rural society dependent on rainfed agriculture.

Trying out conservation agriculture wheat rotation alongside conventionally grown maize, farmer’s field, Mexico. (Photo: E. Phipps/CIMMYT)

“Participatory research is known for giving voice to farmers, for accelerating adaptation and for impact,” said lead author Sieglinde Snapp, director of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems program at CIMMYT. “What is novel in this study is that new discoveries were documented, showing the scientific contributions possible through PAR.”

Co-creation

Participatory action research is a knowledge generation process, characterized by a series of steps to facilitate improved understanding and development of innovations, within a local context. The PAR approach involves engaging stakeholders, to co-create solutions with researchers.

Because knowledge is often local, access to natural resources is highly heterogeneous, climate variability is unpredictable and socioeconomic circumstances are context-dependent, any intervention must be flexible and locally specific to ensure sustainability.

PAR prioritizes empowerment of marginalized communities to build long-term partnerships which support transformational changes at local, regional and national levels.

Yet the evidence base for PAR methodology remains fragmented and is often inaccessible.

“This is the first paper that shows how action research produces new knowledge through a systematic, iterative process that derived ‘middle ways’, such as shrubby food crops as a farmers preferred form of agroforestry,” said Snapp.

Solving wicked problems

Participatory research is well-suited to address conflicts and trade-offs that are key aspects of so-called wicked problems. For instance, annual crops—maize and soybean—are excellent producers of food but feature limited aboveground vegetation and belowground activity to regenerate soil nutrients, while perennials provide soil regeneration services but no food products.

By engaging closely with local stakeholders, PAR identifies “goldilocks options,” or middle ways, such as semi-perennial shrubs and vines that produce food while also promoting soil health.

Genetic and agronomic improvement efforts have almost entirely overlooked semi-perennial plant types to address food–soil trade-offs.

Challenges

Building relationships between researchers and stakeholders; the investment required in selecting representative sites, action learning activities, synthesis of findings, communication and documentation; and the inherent variability of research conducted under real-world conditions are barriers to establishing PAR systems. Living laboratories and education on PAR approaches need investment. Reward structures may need to shift, with greater attention to considering research impact on SDGs and awareness that time lags may occur in publishing scientific findings through PAR.

Demonstrating conservation agriculture to other farmers in Malawi. (Photo: T. Samson/CIMMYT)

“Our findings detailing the efficacy of PAR shows that the potentially high upfront costs to invest in relationship building and learning across disciplines, this is a worthwhile trade-off,” said Snapp.

Through PAR, human condition and social-science questions can be addressed, along with biological and environmental science questions, as illustrated in this Malawian case study.

The findings generated by PAR have relevance beyond the sub-Saharan Africa context because they provide new insights into the development of nature-based solutions that meet local needs, a critical requirement for rural communities in many parts of the globe.

CIMMYT welcomes US Department of State visit

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

U.S. Department of State Special Representative for Global Partnerships Dorothy McAuliffe visited CIMMYT in Texcoco, Mexico, on July 7, 2023. The visit aimed to strengthen ties between the United States government and CIMMYT—reaffirming commitment to fostering partnerships to achieve food and nutrition security goals.

McAuliffe examined maize germplasm from the U.S. (Photo: CIMMYT)

McAuliffe toured the CIMMYT gene bank, museum and conservation agriculture trial plots. CIMMYT scientists explained their efforts to protect one of the largest maize and wheat seed collections through research and collaboration with CGIAR and seed health initiatives.

She also received a detailed briefing about the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative Rapid Delivery Hub (AID-I), a regional project in southern and eastern Africa led by CIMMYT with the backing of Office of Special Envoy for Global Food Security and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). CIMMYT practitioners briefed McAuliffe on AID-I’s inspiration in a successful model implemented in Mexico, MasAgro, with the potential to inform policy makers and transform agrifood systems in Central America to respond to migration.

Partner seed companies and project leaders shared significant milestones already achieved in Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania to expand access for smallholder farmers to market actors, high-yielding seeds and climate-adaptable, resilient crop varieties.

(Left to right) Bram Govaerts, Daniela Vega, and Dorothy McAuliffe toured conservation agriculture trial plots. (Photo: CIMMYT)

After the tour of CIMMYT facilities, McAuliffe heard private and public partners share success stories and current initiatives jointly led with CIMMYT on regenerative agriculture, gene bank development across CGIAR and climate-smart and scale-appropriate mechanization technologies.

“Through partnership, we can work on R&D goals for better nutrition, data-driven decision making and promotion of regenerative agriculture so that farmers produce diversified crops. On behalf of CIMMYT, I’d like to thank the U.S. government and the American people, who have historically made scientific innovation possible, leaving a huge footprint to feed the world,” shared Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general.

Regenerative Agriculture Boosts Second Green Revolution

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in In the media.

CIMMYT leds different regenerative agriculture projects with companies like Nestlé and Bimbo that positively impact food security and rural communities in Mexico. These initiatives aim to boost productivity through regenerative agriculture practices to positively impact food security, the environment and social inclusion in the Mexican countryside.

Read the full story.

 

Agricultural Transformation in Africa

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

Reiterating the commitment to leading agriculture innovation across Africa, Bram Govaerts, director general of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), took part in the 8th Africa Agribusiness and Science Week (AASW8), June 5-8, 2023, in Durban, South Africa.

Partners discuss how to generate greater impact for farmers through regional partnerships between One CGIAR and African stakeholders (Photo: Liesbet Vannyvel/CIMMYT)

The theme of the AASW8 was linking science, innovation, and agribusiness for resilient food systems.

CGIAR System Board Chair Lindiwe Sibanda called for increased research and innovation to achieve an impact at scale and benefit African farmers at the opening ceremony.

Govaerts moderated a partner panel discussion regarding opportunities to strengthen the collaboration between One CGIAR and African research stakeholders.

Organizations represented on the panel included leaders from Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation, Total Landcare, Lupiya, Chitetezo Farmer Federation, and Green Sahel.

The African Development Bank, the African Union Commission, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, and CGIAR also launched the Action Plan for the Abidjan II Communiqué that aims to build Africa’s resilience to future shocks by bolstering agricultural research and innovation systems to give farmers access to the science and technologies that they need to thrive.

“African countries must systematically review what is needed for the transformation of agrifood systems taking into consideration the present and future needs, and significantly increase investment in agricultural research and development,” said Govaerts.

Local and regional agribusiness is an essential industry playing a significant role in Africa’s prospects for economic growth and ensuring food security of its citizens. Still, challenges include regional harmonization of crop variety releases, surveillance of transboundary pests, and the growing threats of climate change.

“CIMMYT is dedicated to collaborating with local stakeholders to facilitate policies at the national, regional, and continental levels to promote proactive and eco-friendly management of transboundary plant health threats,” said Govaerts.

Tracking the development and reach of CIMMYT’s climate research

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Publications.

Research for development organizations generate a wealth of knowledge. However, due to time and resource restraints, this knowledge has not been systematically analyzed, and the dynamics of how research is shared online have not been fully understood.

Today, technical advances in text mining, network analysis and hyperlink analysis have made it possible to capture conversations around research outcomes mentioned almost anywhere on the web. New digital research methodologies have emerged offering comprehensive approaches to leverage data across the web and to synthesize it in ways that would be impossible to carry out using traditional approaches.

In a study published in Nature Scientific Reports, scientists from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) teamed up with researchers from the University of Coimbra and University of Molise to investigate how CIMMYT research in climate change and climate sensitive agriculture is developing and the extent to which the center is exchanging knowledge with communities around the world.

Using text mining, social network analysis and hyperlink analysis to uncover trends, narratives and relationships in digital spaces such as research databases, institutional repositories, and Twitter, the team found that CIMMYT has steadily increased its focus on climate change research and is effectively sharing this knowledge around the world. The authors also found that CIMMYT’s climate research was centered on three main countries: Mexico, India, and Ethiopia.

The novel analytical framework developed by the team will help scientists track where their research is being shared and discussed on the web, from traditional scientific journal databases to social media.

“The web analytics framework proposed in this paper could be a useful tool for many research for development organizations to assess the extent of their knowledge production, dissemination, and influence from an integrated perspective that maps both the scientific landscape and public engagement,” said Bia Carneiro, first author of the paper.

The results of the study showed that sharing of CIMMYT’s climate science research was strongest on academic and research platforms but was also reflected in social media and government and international organization websites from across the Global North and South.

The findings from the study are important for the decolonization of science and the democratization of scientific debate. They show that CIMMYT is decolonizing climate science by sharing, creating, and co-creating knowledge with communities across the globe, particularly in Latin America, South Asia and Africa. On Twitter, the team noted that almost all countries were mentioned in CIMMYT’s Twitter conversations.

The study also shows that CIMMYT is bringing climate science and climate-sensitive agriculture into public debate, particularly through social media platforms, though they note there is potential to share more knowledge through these channels.

According to CIMMYT Agricultural Systems and Climate Change Scientist and coordinator of the study, Tek Sapkota, these types of analyses help research for development organizations to understand how people around the world view their expertise on subject matter, identify their comparative advantage and develop the value proposition of their work going forward.

Read the study: Digital artifacts reveal development and diffusion of climate research

Cover photo: Twitter mentions network for the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center official account (@CIMMYT). (Credit: Nature Scientific Reports)

Agriculture for Peace platform launches at Borlaug Dialogue

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Features.

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

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

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

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

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

The Ag4Peace concept

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

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

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

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

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

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

Partner support for Ag4Peace

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

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

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

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

Trade-offs versus win-wins

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

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

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

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

CGIAR scientist honored with award

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

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

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

Advice for food systems in crisis featured in GAP Report

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in News.

Farm worker Charles Gitero checks wheat Robin for traces of disease at Ndabibi Farm, Naivasha, Kenya. (Photo: Peter Lowe/CIMMYT)

Expertise from CIMMYT on transforming food systems in a crisis-stricken world features in the yearly Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report 2022, released October 4.

As a partner to the GAP Initiative, CIMMYT’s submission to the report is part of the Stories of partnership and productivity growth section. It explores the interdependency and vulnerability of food systems to market shocks and the long-term impacts of these shocks on vulnerable communities, particularly in the Global South.

To build agricultural resilience that can overcome threats of food insecurity and malnutrition, CIMMYT recommends targeted expansion of agricultural production and high levels of investment in research and capacity development.

Tek Sapkota, Agricultural Scientist and System/Climate Change Specialist with CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program, was a speaker at the launch event, which explored the outlook for agricultural productivity growth in the face of conflicts, COVID-19 and climate change. Presenters also examined where agricultural productivity is stagnating or falling and its repercussions for food security and the environment, and how to accelerate sustainable productivity growth at all scales of production.

Read or download the report: 2022 GAP Report

About the Global Agricultural Productivity Report:

The Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report is a source for productivity data, analysis, and policy recommendations that inspire action. In collaboration with partners in the private sector, NGOs, conservation organizations, universities, and global research institutions, the annual report and year-round engagement provides a roadmap toward progress.

Quality protein maize: a road ahead

Written by Leslie Domínguez on . Posted in Publications.

Maize, along with wheat and rice, provides around 30% of food calories to more than 4.5 billion people in 94 developing countries. These statistics declare that maize is an important crop to ensure food and nutritional security for poor communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Limited diversification in dietary food and higher per capita maize consumption indicates that a great proportion of the population in developing countries are lacking in essential nutrients like micronutrients and amino acids.

Rigorous efforts by International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) maize breeder Surinder K. Vasal and cereal chemist Evangelina Villegas in the early 1980s led to the development of an improved maize kernel with higher yield and vitreous appearance by combining the opaque-2 and genetic modifier systems by using backcrossing and recurrent selection. These efforts led to development of an improved maize known as quality protein maize (QPM).

QPM ensures the nutritional security of maize dependent communities. It is described as nutritionally superior maize with high lysine, tryptophan and leucine contents along with high biological value and high protein intake. QPM also has higher contents of non-zein protein (albumin, globulin and glutelin fractions), which are rich in lysine and tryptophan.

The development of QPM was comprised of a series of efforts across many decades to develop promising varieties. CIMMYT described the term QPM for maize genotypes with improved lysine and tryptophan contents and hard endosperm texture. Now, QPM is referred to maize genotypes with homozygous o2 alleles, increased lysine and tryptophan contents, and without harboring the negative pleiotropic effects of soft endosperm.

In recent years, CIMMYT has developed several QPM varieties across many countries with different genetic backgrounds. However, to fast track the deployment of QPM at scale, it needs a vibrant seed system in place and a viable business model which ensures an active engagement of seed producers, farmers and consumers.

This review article discusses the importance and timeline of various events in QPM development and dissemination, genetic basis and systems, breeding strategies, challenges and potential opportunities for QPM adoption. “We can consider the article as a compendium of QPM where it addresses historical background and scientific breakthroughs which will be useful to researchers, students and others who are looking for a comprehensive information on QPM,” said AbduRahman Beshir, CIMMYT’s senior scientist and maize seed systems specialist for Asia, who co-authored the publication.

Read the full study: Quality protein maize (QPM): Importance, genetics, timeline of different events, breeding strategies and varietal adoption

Cover photo: Scientists have discovered that Quality Protein Maize (QPM) can mitigate the protein deficiency found in regular maize. (Credit: CIMMYT)

Opinion: Feeding people on this warming Earth requires future-proofing our agri-food systems. Here’s how.

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in In the media.

The existing model of funding for agricultural research and development (R&D) is not equipped for the challenges it needs to meet, according to an opinion piece for MarketWatch, penned by Bram Govaerts, Director General of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and Elizabeth Cousens, President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Nations Foundation.

To tackle climate change, address hunger and malnutrition, and revive rural livelihoods, Cousens and Govaerts call for increased and more balanced investment in R&D for agri-food systems, using a participatory model to take advantage of knowledge sharing.

Co-designed projects, such as MasAgro, which involve local communities and value chain actors, can be vital in bridging the R&D gap.

Read the article: Opinion: Feeding people on this warming Earth requires future-proofing our agri-food systems. Here’s how.

MasAgro is “a gift for Africa”

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in News.

Francisco Mayorga joins the CIMMYT Board of Trustees to reflect on MasAgro. (Credit: Francisco Alarcón/CIMMYT)

Between June 20-23, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) hosted its Board of Trustees meeting, with presentations spanning the breadth of its global projects.

One particular project captured the imagination of attendees: MasAgro, which promotes the sustainable intensification of maize- and wheat-based production systems in Mexico. Through implementing collaborative research initiatives, developing improved varieties, and introducing sustainable technologies and farming practices, the program aims to improve livelihoods and production systems for farmers by enhancing their connections with local value chain actors.

Francisco Mayorga, businessman and former Secretary of Agriculture for Mexico, and Lindiwe Sibanda, CIMMYT board member and member of the CGIAR System Board, presented on the creation of CIMMYT’s MasAgro program and its results. Sibanda interviewed Mayorga to learn where the project’s achievements can be scaled and replicated, describing the project as a “gift for Africa” from Mexico.

Farmers load hybrid maize cobs in sacks for horse transportation over the mountains in Chiapas, Mexico. (Credit: P. Lowe/CIMMYT)

What’s in it for farmers?

Built on the premise of ‘take it to the farmers’, MasAgro helps farmers understand the broader context of agrifood systems in order to facilitate their successful transition to sustainable farming practices. This is accomplished through innovation hubs: core spaces defined by similar agroecological conditions that promote participatory innovation processes and co-implement functional structures for the validation, adaptation, and scaling of sustainable solutions.

Innovation hubs facilitate mentorship by providing closeness between farmers and value chain actors. A physical and virtual network of research platforms, demonstration modules and extension areas support actors to gain skills and knowledge to achieve common objectives. For example, farmers can learn how about agricultural tools and practices and where best to use them on their land, and they now consider the impact of fertilizers on the soil and ecosystem and seek alternatives.

Useful information is provided via multiple communication tools, including mobile messaging, to enable effective knowledge sharing and innovation between actors. The network has led to farmers independently adapting and adopting new practices after learning from others.

The selling point for farmers is understanding why sustainable agriculture creates opportunities for their livelihoods and lives – with improved practices, they can establish a successful long-term setup to increase their yield and income. These opportunities will appeal to smallholders worldwide.

Silvia Suarez Moreno harvests maize in Chiapas, Mexico. (Credit: P. Lowe/CIMMYT)

Benefits for the public and private sector

What also differentiates MasAgro is the emphasis on public and private sector partnerships. CIMMYT collaborated with partners to develop the MasAgro mindset and build their capacity to deliver seed to small- and medium-sized farms. Sibanda praised the use of CIMMYT’s presence in Mexico for developing these connections.

Mayorga highlighted the importance of securing funding and support from the Ministry of Agriculture in the project’s success. He said he initially persuaded colleagues to invest by emphasizing MasAgro’s holistic approach, which considers all elements of farming, rather than dealing with them as individual elements.

Using the different government instruments to support the theory of change towards the impact of MasAgro is part of the success. For example, for businesses, the Mexican government provided funding for laboratory equipment and training needs after identifying seed company partners to support through their research programs and regional markets. Mayorga also celebrated partnerships with small and medium enterprises (SMEs), who were supported by CIMMYT engineers to design more effective machinery and think around scale-appropriate business models. This created additional businesses in the agricultural sector.

Through these partnerships, private sector organizations have invested in agricultural research and development that will benefit smallholders, prevent food insecurity, and support a shift to sustainable farming. Countries in Africa can benefit from similar investment, which could be achieved through exporting and recreating the MasAgro model.

Tzeltal farmer harvests beans in her maize field. (Credit: P. Lowe/CIMMYT)

Flexible government support

Practical support and policy change from the Mexican government further encouraged farmers to adopt sustainable practices. Mayorga explained how a subsidy for farmers’ fuel was replaced with alternative financial support for equipment. Sibanda described this initiative as “visionary” and “a triple win” – farmers could purchase a machine at a subsidized rate, use less labor, and cause less damage to the environment.

To incentivize large companies in Mexico that buy a lot of wheat, Mayorga tapped into their desire “to encourage an economic behavior in the farmer” and introduce a more entrepreneurial approach to agriculture. They encouraged businesses to buy grains from farmers at a better price and learn more about the MasAgro approach.

“You don’t stay with an idea as a policy advisor and politician – you popularize it, look for new champions, walk the talk and put money into it,” summarized Sibanda. “I think that’s a legacy.”

Regenerative agriculture in Mexico: the case of Bimbo

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in In the media.

Grupo Bimbo has two pilots with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in the Mexican states of Sonora, Sinaloa and Jalisco to embed sustainable practices.

Through regenerative agriculture, an approach which aims to improve soil health and protect water resources and biodiversity, Grupo Bimbo has set the goal of ensuring that 200,000 hectares of wheat are cultivated with regenerative agriculture practices by 2030, ensuring that by 2050 100% of its key ingredients will be produced with this type of practices.

Read more: Regenerative agriculture in Mexico: the case of Bimbo