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Tag: agricultural development

Empowering women in Zanzibar: the transformative impact of amaranth farming

Written by dmedina on . Posted in Blogs.

Mariam Salim with amaranth grain that is ready to harvest from her vegetable field. (Photo: World Vegetable Centre)

On Pemba Island, part of Tanzania’s Zanzibar archipelago, more women are engaging in vegetable production and value addition, bolstering household nutrition and income security. This movement is significant in areas where modern agricultural technology and awareness of nutrient-rich crops like amaranth—a vegetable high in fiber, protein, and essential micronutrients—are limited.

Mariam Salim, who lives in Mjini Ole village on Pemba Island, is among the women embracing amaranth cultivation. Along with 272 other farmers, 53% of whom are women, she attended a three-day training course on vegetable cultivation and value addition. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through CIMMYT under the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) project, and implemented by the World Vegetable Center, the training covered good agricultural practices, as well as the cultivation and processing of grain amaranth into flour.

The training equipped Mariam with essential knowledge and skills to enhance her agricultural productivity and livelihood.

Sowing seeds for success

Participants received seed kits containing eight varieties of nutritious traditional African vegetables, including African eggplant, African nightshade, amaranth, cowpea, and Ethiopian mustard. Farming a diverse range of crops supports food security and improves community nutrition.

During the training, Mariam realized the potential of growing grain amaranth for seed production. “I discovered that I could produce my own seeds and amaranth flour,” she said. “This opened up new opportunities for me to take control of my farming practices and increase my self-sufficiency.”

Seed production is a vital part of sustainable agriculture, enabling farmers like Mariam to boost productivity, diversify crops, and adopt climate-smart practices. By venturing into seed production, Mariam not only gained a valuable skill but also contributed to conserving and propagating important crop varieties within her community.

Mariam now sells seeds to other farmers, providing her with a new income source while supporting the broader agricultural community by facilitating access to quality seeds. Since the training in July 2023, Mariam has harvested 150 kg of seeds, selling them per kilogram (kg), earning US $450 and enhancing her household income security.

Healthy choices for communities

As the first woman in her community to undertake such an endeavor, Mariam is inspiring other women to explore new farming and food processing opportunities. Through the AID-I project on Zanzibar Island, more than 500 women have started home gardening to access quality vegetables for family consumption and business purposes, introducing new crop varieties and increasing household vegetable consumption.

This light bulb moment underscores the transformative power of education and knowledge-sharing initiatives under AID-I. By providing farmers with information on vegetable grain production and value addition, the project fosters self-reliance and innovation in sustainable farming practices.

Mariam’s detailed description of her seed production process highlights her dedication to agricultural innovation and community health. “It takes three months to harvest seeds, so I must be patient and committed to nurturing healthy crops,” she said. “I must also be precise in caring for the seeds through harvesting, drying, tapping, and sifting.”

The World Vegetable Center promotes home gardening among women. More than 500 participants actively cultivate and process vegetables into nutrient-dense packs. By growing their own vegetables, these women access nutritious food for their families, generate income from surplus produce, and improve health and well-being within the community.

Mariam Salim’s light bulb moment came during a training session on amaranth grain, where she recognized the potential of producing her own seeds. (Photo: World Vegetable Center)

World Food Prize Foundation Recognizes CIMMYT Experts as Agri-Food Pioneers in the 2024 TAP List

Written by dmedina on . Posted in News.

The World Food Prize Foundation names CIMMYT’s former Deputy Director General for Research, Marianne Bänziger, and current post-harvest specialist in the Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) program, Sylvanus Odjo, as two of its inaugural 2024 Top Agri-food Pioneers (TAP). 

The TAP List, introduced by the Foundation in celebration of its 38th anniversary, highlights 38 innovators from 20 countries and six continents who are making groundbreaking contributions to food and agriculture. Working in a wide range of fields, including agriculture, agtech, nutrition, education and advocacy, these pioneers embody the spirit of innovation needed to address the challenges facing global food systems today. 

Leading the way: Meet the Top Agri-Food Pioneers of 2024 

Photo: CIMMYT

Sylvanus Odjo, one of the awardees, is a postharvest specialist focused on the development and implementation of postharvest practices to improve food security in rural communities. He leads a network of research platforms in Mexico, Central America, and Africa, working with collaborators to fill research gaps and provide key recommendations to farmers, the private sector, governments, and NGOs. Odjo holds an M.S. in Food Science and Nutrition and a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, with his doctoral research focused on the effects of drying processes on maize grain quality.

Photo: CIMMYT

Marianne Bänziger, also recognized on the TAP list, received her Ph.D. in plant physiology from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1992. She is the former Deputy Director General for Research at CIMMYT, where she coordinated efforts to develop drought-tolerant maize varieties for smallholder farmers, promoting innovative approaches such as stress breeding methods and participatory trials. 

Throughout her career, she has held positions in both science and management. Bänziger has an impressive publication record, with more than 50 articles and book chapters in peer-reviewed international journals and books. 

As the first cohort of the TAP List, this group of pioneers will grow annually to form a global network dedicated to fostering collaboration and shared learning across food systems. These pioneers will also be featured at the 2024 Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa, October 29 to 31. 

CIMMYT scientists deliver training to improve agriculture in Uzbekistan

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

Scientists from the Research Institute of Plant Genetic Resources in Uzbekistan (RIPGR) attended training on gene bank management and genetic resources, coordinated by CIMMYT-Türkiye on 13-20 April 2024. Hosted at the Turkish Department of Agricultural Economics and Project Management (TAGEM), the training is supported by the World Bank Group, which is helping Uzbekistan to modernize the country’s agriculture. With one of the highest levels of wheat consumption in Central Asia, the modernization project aims to increase Uzbekistan’s wheat yield and meet demand for the crop.

The course included lectures on status and activity of the Turkish Seed Germplasm Bank (TSGB), policy instruments and international perspectives on plant genetic resources, herbarium techniques, biotechnology studies, and genetic resources. Uzbek scientists also became acquainted with scientific laboratories, visiting the field station in İkizce Gölbaşı and learned about the breeding, pathology, and agronomy activities at the station as well as the collaboration activities between CGIAR Research Centers and TAGEM.

Country-wide expertise

In addition to sessions at CIMMYT’s office in Türkiye, participants also visited the National Gene Bank in Ankara and the National Gene Bank of Izmir.

At the latter location, experts delivered sessions on a range of topics, such as the Plant Diversity and Genetic Resources Program of Türkiye; in vitro and cryopreservation techniques; the conservation, data recording, and documentation of plant genetic resources; conservation and utilization of vegetable genetic resources; conservation studies on mushroom genetic resources; studies on wheat genetic resources and wheat breeding at the international winter wheat breeding program; regional collaboration to combat wheat rust disease in Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA); and international winter wheat breeding strategies.

In addition to the seminar sessions, the participants also visited several locations to familiarize themselves with scientific processes in field and laboratory conditions. They visited the field gene banks, guided by Fatih Çağir, who provided brief information about the fruit genetic resources activities of Türkiye. They also visited the plant collection activities and herbarium techniques laboratory, the National Gene Bank, Herbarium, Fungarium & Seed Physiology Laboratory of the Plant Genetics Resources Department & Plant Tissue Center, and the Regional Cereal Rust Research Center.

The importance of the training course for Uzbek scientists is to study the system of rational use, conservation, and management of plant genetic resources of Türkiye and to introduce new innovative knowledge in Uzbekistan. It also consists of discussing aspects related to bilateral cooperation and sustainable development in the field of plant genetic resources as well gene bank management.

The delegation from Uzbekistan, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the director of the Research Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, Zafarjon Mashrapovich Ziyaev, expressed their deep gratitude to the organizers and departments for this training course.

Transforming agricultural systems in Mozambique

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

With 96% of its population engaged in farming and crop production, residents of the province of Niassa in the northern part of Mozambique rely heavily on agriculture for both their own nutritional needs and household income.

Famers in Niassa face many challenges in achieving successful agricultural development, including a 60% yield gap between male head of household farms and female led farms and while improved crop varieties are available, their rate of adoption is uneven across the province.

Implemented by CIMMYT in partnership with key collaborators and supported by Irish Aid, the Transformative Dryland Crops Project aims to enhance food security and boost incomes for more than 14,000 farm families in Niassa.

Delegation from CIMMYT and the Embassy of Ireland led by Moses Siambi, Africa’s regional director, and Adrian Fitzgerald, chief of cooperation at the Embassy of Ireland, during discussions at the launch of the Transformative Dryland Crops Project in Mozambique. (Photo: Mozambique)

Speaking at the launch meeting, Niassa’s Secretary of State, Lina Maria da Silva Portugal said, “This project focuses on leveraging technology and innovative approaches to bolster resilience and sustainability which will benefit all of Niassa.”

The Transformative Dryland Crops Project will focus on crops known for their drought tolerance, such as pigeon peas, groundnuts, common beans, and soybeans. By adopting a ‘hub-model’ approach, the project will enhance learning and technology dissemination, facilitating collaboration among farmers, farmer organizations, service providers, buyers, and processors. This collaborative effort will ensure the effective implementation of the project and maximize its impact on the ground.

“Through collaborative efforts with local stakeholders, we aim to narrow the gender yield gap, increase adoption rates of improved crop varieties, and enhance overall agricultural productivity, said Irish AID Ambassador, Adrian Fitzgerald.

Governor of Lichinga, Judite Massengele, Niassa’s capitol, said, “The launch of this project marks a significant milestone in the journey towards enhancing food security and improving livelihoods here in Niassa.”

Governor of Niassa, Judite Massengele, hosts a meeting in her office during the launch of the transformative dryland crops project in Mozambique. (Photo: Mozambique)

Transformative changes

Besides increased agricultural productivity, enhanced food security, and income generation, the Transformative Dryland Crops Project promotes gender equity, increases resilience to climate shocks, implements sustainable resource management, builds capacity among farmers and extension agents and facilitates inclusive market systems.

“The Transformative Dryland Crops Project will impact many different parts of the agricultural system of Niassa,” said Moses Siambi, CIMMYT Africa regional director. “The key part of our implementation plan is the knowledge that all these systems and stakeholders are interconnected and any intervention in one of part of the system must account for its effects on the entire system in order to be sustainable.”

CIMMYT calls for direct agricultural investment to address Sudan’s food crisis

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on . Posted in Press releases.

Nairobi, Kenya — 26 June 2024 — CIMMYT calls upon the global community to take immediate and decisive action to address the worsening food crisis in Sudan. As the country teeters on the brink of a famine that could surpass the devastating Ethiopian famine of the 1980s, CIMMYT emphasizes the critical need for both emergency food aid and long-term investment in Sudanese agriculture.

Urgent humanitarian needs and long-term solutions

Recent reports indicate that the ongoing civil war in Sudan has created the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis, with millions of people facing acute food shortages due to the impact of climate change, blocked aid deliveries, failing agricultural systems and infrastructure, and continued conflict. In response, CIMMYT highlights the necessity of balancing emergency aid with sustainable agricultural development to prevent recurring food crises.

“The escalating food crisis in Sudan demands not only immediate emergency assistance but also strategic investment in the country’s agricultural sector to ensure food security and stability,” said Director General of CIMMYT, Bram Govaerts. “We must break away from the aid-dependency model and support Sudanese farmers directly, empowering them to rebuild their livelihoods and contribute to the nation’s recovery as well as todays food availability.”

CIMMYT’s commitment to Sudanese agriculture

CIMMYT, alongside other international organizations and NGOs, has been actively working in Sudan to support farmers and improve agricultural productivity as part of the Sustainable Agrifoods Systems Approach to Sudan (SASAS) project in collaboration with USAID. With the outbreak of the civil war, SASAS has pivoted to be acutely focused on interventions that support and underpin food security in Sudan, with 13 partners operating across 7 States as the largest operating consortium on-the-ground in the country. Activities range from the provision of improved seeds and agricultural technologies to vaccination campaigns and community resource (water, land) management.

Investing in agricultural resilience

CIMMYT’s initiatives have shown significant impact, even amidst conflict. For example, the Al Etihad women-led farmer cooperative in South Kordofan has empowered its members to improve their production and incomes through collective resource management, training on best practice farming techniques, provision of agricultural inputs, and structured business planning. This cooperative model is essential for building resilience and ensuring food security in Sudanese communities.

“Sudan’s need for food assistance is growing exponentially, but donors have provided only 3.5 percent of requested aid. This gets the story backwards. Food insecurity is at the root of many conflicts. Peace remains elusive without well-functioning agricultural systems, and it is unreasonable to expect viable agricultural production without peace,” Govaerts stated.

Call for global action

CIMMYT urges the international community to –

  1. Increase funding: Support the UN humanitarian appeal for Sudan, which has received only 16% of the necessary funds.
  2. Facilitate aid deliveries: Press all parties in the conflict to allow unobstructed humanitarian access, particularly through critical routes such as the Adré crossing from Chad.
  3. Invest in agriculture: Commit to immediate agricultural development by supporting Sudanese farmers with training, resources, and infrastructure improvements so they can produce locally the needed food.
  4. Do not forget: It is easy to overlook the war in Sudan with more publicized conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Leaders must continue to highlight the challenges Sudan faces and the global reverberation of their precarious food security situation.

A path forward

The confluence of conflict, climate change, and economic instability has overwhelmed Sudan. However, by investing directly in the country’s agricultural sector, the international community can help break the cycle of crisis, fostering economic activity and political stability. Let us not forget, no food without peace and you cannot build peace on empty stomachs, so no peace without food.

About CIMMYT

CIMMYT is a cutting-edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow’s problems today. It is entrusted with fostering improved quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, triticale, sorghum, millets, and associated crops through applied agricultural science, particularly in the Global South, through building strong partnerships. This combination enhances the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers while working towards a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries.

Media Contact: Jelle Boone
Head of Communications, CIMMYT
Email: j.boone@cgiar.org
Mobile: +52 595 124 7241

For more information about CIMMYT’s work in Sudan and other initiatives, please visit staging.cimmyt.org.

Representatives of the Norwegian Government visit innovative plot in Guatemala

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

Visit of Norway’s Minister and Ambassador to Mexico at an Innovation Module in Guatemala. (Photo: Francisco Alarcón/CIMMYT)

The visit of Anne Beathe, Norway’s Minister of International Development, and Ragnhild Imerslund, Norway’s Ambassador to Mexico and Central America, to the Lomas Abajo demonstration module in San Jacinto, Chiquimula, Guatemala—part of the InnovaHubs promoted by CIMMYT and its collaborators in that country through the AgriLAC Resiliente initiative—on June 5.

The presence of the minister and the ambassador highlights the Norwegian government’s support for initiatives like CGIAR’s AgriLAC Resiliente, which shares a common vision of Latin American regional development within a framework of triangular cooperation between the Norwegian Embassy, the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID), and CIMMYT.

This cooperation framework seeks to strengthen the innovation management model known as InnovaHub because it promotes constant interaction between farmers and their local allies, with whom technicians and researchers work hand-in-hand on the plots that are part of the physical infrastructure, such as the modules visited by the Norwegian government representatives, which serve as spaces for co-learning and validation of sustainable practices and technologies for the region.

The work and actions in Guatemala are part of a methodology for accelerating agricultural innovation built on CIMMYT’s successful experiences in Mexico. In this sense, CIMMYT, together with other CGIAR Research Centers in the region—the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, the International Potato Center (CIP), and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)—lead AgriLAC Resiliente and, through collaboration with various regional partners, have succeeded in establishing and operating two InnovaHubs in Guatemala—one in the eastern region and another in the western region—where organizations like ADIPAZ and ASORECH work closely in disseminating sustainable practices suited to each agricultural and sociocultural context.

For the Norwegian government, which seeks to strengthen ties with the governments and societies of Mexico and Central America, the InnovaHubs model is ideal for connecting not only with national governments but also with local governments, producers, and a wide range of strategic actors.

The Norwegian government, which, together with CIMMYT, already promotes Agriculture for Peace—drawing on the legacy of Norman Borlaug to promote peaceful and resilient societies through sustainable and inclusive agriculture—considers agriculture a vital means to promote social stability in rural areas as it supports income generation and contributes to political stability, hence its interest and support for the InnovaHubs’ efforts in promoting innovative and sustainable agriculture.

Anne Beathe, Norway’s Minister of International Development, at an Innovation Module in Guatemala. (Photo: Francisco Alarcón / CIMMYT)

During their visit to Guatemala, Minister Beathe and Ambassador Imerslund were accompanied by Jelle Van Loon, associate director of CIMMYT’s Sustainable Agrifood Systems Program, the operational team of AgriLAC in Guatemala; Elder Cardona, mayor of San Jacinto; as well as representatives of Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, ADIPAZ, and ASORECH, with whom they toured InnovaHubs facilities and engaged in a lively dialogue with various producers participating in AgriLAC Resiliente, particularly with a group of women farmers who shared their experiences on how the knowledge gained through the initiative has led to empowerment and better living conditions.

During the visit, the context of Chiquimula, the Chortí region, and the Dry Corridor was also explained, highlighting the challenges and limitations; the activities carried out with AgriLAC, including research platforms, post-harvest processes, and training; ongoing agronomic research, proposals for families, agronomic management programs, and crop diversification, Agroclimatic Technical Tables (MTAs), among other topics.

Finally, it was emphasized that, with the triangular cooperation between the Norwegian Embassy, AMEXCID, and CIMMYT, actions are planned for CIMMYT to train field advisors from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, with the aim of continuing the efforts of Agriculture for Peace for the benefit of the countries in the region.

Agricultural research adds billions of dollars to economy

Written by Sarah McLaughlin on . Posted in Publications.

As the world searches for effective solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change while navigating the cost-of-living crisis, delivering food security goals alongside robust economic value is more imperative than ever in agricultural research.

CGIAR plays a vital role in this mission, aiming to transform food, land, and water systems in collaboration with its 15 Research Centers, such as CIMMYT. Now, a new study published in World Development comprehensively analyzes CGIAR’s fiscal impact on global agricultural over nearly 60 years.

The economic impact of CGIAR-related crop technologies on agricultural productivity in developing countries, 1961–2020 suggests that adoption of these technologies equates to US $47 billion annually in economic benefits, with an overall economic benefit of US $1,334 billion for the years covered by the study.

Additionally, investment in productivity gains for staple crops in developing countries has aided entire populations by securing lower food prices and generating large local growth multipliers, thus achieving a greater impact on poverty reduction when compared to productivity growth in other sectors.

CIMMYT contributes 40% of total CGIAR varietal impact

At least 221 million hectares in at least 92 countries were occupied by CGIAR crop technologies in 2020. Between 2016 and 2020, CIMMYT maize varieties accounted for 24.5 million hectares (11%) of this figure, while CIMMYT wheat varieties made up almost 74 million hectares (33%).

An example of how these CIMMYT varieties impact farmers can be seen in sub-Saharan Africa, where using improved maize seed led to an overall average increase of 38.9% in yields to 1,104 kilograms per hectare (kg/ha), equal to an increase of 429 kg/ha. With increased yields come increased profits and employment security for farmers and their families.

The frequency with which technologies are upgraded also signifies the impact of agricultural research and development (R&D) on crop productivity and the economy. On the 221 million ha planting area, many farmers utilize second or third generation technologies. For example, average varietal generation in maize is estimated to be 1.1, meaning that 10% of farmers use a second-generation variety, and most wheat farmers were also using second or third generation modern varieties. This highlights that ongoing crop research continued to impact productivity, even when the size of the adoption area remained constant.

Expanding the impact

As CGIAR’s reach and capacity have grown, economic benefits are now apparent in an increased number of global regions compared to when its work began. Initially, most economic benefits came from wheat and rice farming in Asia; however, 30% of CGIAR crop technologies now occupy sub-Saharan Africa, generating a significant share of its impact. This region remains heavily reliant upon CGIAR-related varieties, so continued investment is encouraged to maintain and build on the positive outcomes achieved to date.

“Considering the urgent need to attain nutrition security, CIMMYT always seeks ways to assure global food systems,” said Bram Govaerts, director general of CIMMYT. “This thorough analysis is a strong validation of CIMMYT’s work and its significance not just for farmers and their immediate families, but for communities and generations into the future. Our collaborative partnerships with CGIAR Research Centers and National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) are integral in delivering successful projects that enable smallholder farmers to maximize the potential of their land.”

While similar studies have been undertaken in the past, this work takes a unique approach by drawing on a wider range of evidence built on country- and crop-specific data, such as the adoption of crop improvement technologies and productivity impacts per hectare, thereby providing a more granular assessment of CGIAR’s economic inputs.

Read the full study: The economic impact of CGIAR-related crop technologies on agricultural productivity in developing countries, 1961–2020.

A community leader in Baliakandi inspires women empowerment in agriculture: Promila Rani Mondol

Written by Nur-A-Mahajabin Khan on . Posted in Features.

Thirty-three-year-old Promila Rani Mondol lives in Baliakandi Upazila in Bangladesh with her husband, four daughters, and mother-in-law. The family’s main source of livelihood is agriculture. Promila has become a successful machinery solution provider (MSP), under the USAID-funded Feed the Future Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia–Mechanization Extension Activity (CSISA-MEA). She and her husband are the main earning members of the family.

In Rajbari district, around 100 miles away from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, agriculture is the primary livelihood for the community. Farmers engage in crop cultivation across three different seasons, focusing on crops such as rice, wheat, maize, jute, mustard, spices, and vegetables. In 2014, Promila’s family had barely two acres of cultivable land, and her husband was the sole breadwinner. Their average monthly income was US $91, which made it challenging to cover everyday expenses. To increase their family income, she began assisting her husband in crop production activities by planting seeds of jute, maize, wheat, mustard, and spice crops.

In 2014, the family became involved with the CSISA-MI project. Initially, they owned a power tiller. The project assisted them to purchase a power tiller-operated seeder attachment for land cultivation and line sowing. In 2018, Promila received training in line sowing techniques, including seed calibration using the power tiller operated seeder (PTOS) machine which was equipped with a starter kit. She began line sowing Rabi crops such as wheat, mung beans, sesame, and mustard. During the Kharif season, she engaged in line sowing jute.

After the launch of the CSISA-MEA in 2019, Promila participated in several activities including hands-on training on rice transplanter operation, one-acre mechanized rice transplantation demonstration by CSISA-MEA for her service business expansion, seedling raising training, two-day training on agricultural machinery operation maintenance and troubleshooting, and two exposure visits on rice transplanter service business models. With the assistance of CSISA-MEA, she organized several meetings to connect mat seedling (seedlings grown on a special mat or seedling tray), entrepreneurs, farmers, and MSPs, which led to the expansion of her business prospects. Additionally, CSISA-MEA linked her with the Department of Agricultural Extension, where she procured 1,750 seedling raising trays and 750 kg of seed support for mat seedling raising, significantly boosting her business growth.

In 2023, Promila bought a rice transplanter before Aman season (mid-July to mid-November-December) with a 50% government subsidy. CSISA-MEA helped her get the government subsidy and connected her with the VPKA foundation, which provided her with loan at a low-interest rate of 4%, along with a flexible repayment plan.

Promila Rani Mondol uses a rice transplanter to plant rice in the field in Rajbari, Bangladesh. (Photo: Asmaul Husna/CIMMYT)

During the Aman season, she provided rice transplantation services in 20 hectares of land benefiting approximately 150 farmers. During that season, her total earning was US $1,640. Additionally, in 2023, she earned approximately US $1,047 by line sowing aus rice and jute; and line sowing wheat, sesame, and mustard by PTOS during the Rabi season. Through her network of contacts with farmers across three blocks (shalmara, baliakandi, and nobabpur in Rajbari district), she offers machine rice transplantation services using the seedlings.

What sets her apart is not just her success as an MSP, but her commitment to breaking gender norms and inspiring other women in her community. Currently, with an annual income of US $2,276 and a profit margin of US$1,184, she has become a community leader, encouraging 15 other women to venture into farming and seedling raising services.

“With just one day of cultivation and seeding service, I can cover my daughter’s tutorial expenses for an entire month. The support from CSISA-MEA has made me more self-reliant as an MSP and increased my confidence in meeting family expenses,” says Promila.

Currently, 15 women in her community offer farming and seed planting services. Others, such as Sunita Rani, Niba Rai, Rakoli, Dipti, Mita, and Angoli, are inspired by her. While seven women can now operate the rice transplanter machine in the fields, others are showing an interest in the same. This is a significant and positive change in the community initiated by Promila.

Her impact extends beyond her own success; she has sparked a positive change in her community’s perception of women in agriculture. As the vice president of the MSP Networking Committee in Rajbari district, she continues to shoulder responsibilities, contributing not only to her family’s well-being but also to the larger narrative of women empowerment in Bangladesh.

Bargaining for Better: How gender roles in household decision-making can impact crop disease resilience

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

‘A better understanding of the links between gender roles in household decision-making and the adoption of technologies can enhance the uptake of innovations in smallholder farming systems,’ concludes a recently published paper by CIMMYT. The paper connects women’s bargaining power in households with the adoption of rust resistant wheat varieties, based on the work of Accelerating Genetic Gains in Maize and Wheat (AGG) in Ethiopia.

“While an emerging body of literature finds positive correlations between women’s influence in household decision-making and socioeconomic, health, and nutritional outcomes, few studies have analyzed the links between intra-household decision-making and the adoption of agricultural technologies,” said Michael Euler, agriculture research economist at CIMMYT.

A case study in Ethiopia

For this study, researchers used a dataset from Ethiopian wheat-producing households.

Ethiopia is the second-largest wheat producer in Africa, with an aggregate grain production of 5.5 million metric tons and 4-5 million farmers engaged in cultivation. The Ethiopian Highlands are a hot spot for wheat rust. With recurrent epidemics in the last decade, the emergence of new strains of wheat rust increased production risks. On the positive side, farmers seem to be responsive to the management of rust diseases. Rust-resistant bread wheat varieties, released since 2010, have been widely adopted by smallholder farmers across Ethiopia.

The CIMMYT study surveyed 1,088 wheat-producing households in Ethiopia to analyze the links between women’s role in household decision-making concerning crop production and the adoption and turnover rates of rust-resistant wheat varieties. Female and male members from the same households responded separately, which facilitated capturing individual perceptions and the intra-household dynamics in decision-making.

Farmer Shumuna Bedeso weeds her wheat field. (Photo: Peter Lowe/CIMMYT)

Intra-household decision-making arrangements and wheat varietal choice

Overall, the study reveals a positive association between women’s role in decision-making regarding the selection of wheat seed and the adoption of rust-resistant wheat varieties and wheat varietal turnover. Findings may be related to differences in risk aversion between women and men farmers. While women farmers may tend to advocate for the adoption of rust resistant varieties to avoid potential financial difficulties that arise from purchase of fungicide in the growing season, men farmers may be more inclined to adopt high yielding varieties and use fungicides to combat rust within the season.

Spouses may agree or have different opinions regarding their decision-making roles. Spousal agreement on the woman having a role in making crop variety decisions is associated with higher adoption rates compared to spousal agreement that the woman has no role. Joint decision-making with mutually uncontested spousal roles may yield better outcomes due to larger combined exposure to information, as well as spousal discussion and reflection on potential implications of the varietal choice decision.

Conclusion: It is about negotiation, contestation and consensus

Household decisions, including the decision to adopt agricultural technologies often result from negotiation, contestation, and consensus between wife and husband. This process is shaped by diverging interests, motivations and objectives, while its results are determined by different levels of individual bargaining power. “Our findings indicate that women’s ownership of agricultural land and household assets is strongly associated with their active role in household decisions on wheat varietal choice, and with spousal agreement,” said Moti Jaleta, senior agricultural economist at CIMMYT. The dynamics in intra-household decision-making are likely to influence households’ adoption of agricultural technologies.

Disregarding the dynamics in decision-making implies that households are unilateral decision-makers, a scenario which probably does not hold true considering the level of spousal disagreement regarding their roles and influence in choosing crop varieties. A deeper understanding of the connections between gender dynamics in household decision-making and adoption choices can enhance the efficiency of public extension systems, increase the adoption rates of modern innovations, improve agricultural productivity, and enhance livelihoods in smallholder agriculture.

Read the complete paper here.

Mechanization can transform but scaling is a challenge

Written by dmedina on . Posted in In the media.

CIMMYT advances agricultural mechanization to boost smallholder farming, targeting efficiency and inclusivity. Addressing challenges like financial access and market collaboration, it fosters mechanization scaling through initiatives like MasAgro in Mexico, MasAgro Africa and tools like Scaling Scan. This approach aims to rejuvenate agriculture for youth, under the guidance of director general Bram Govaerts, ensuring sustainable and globally inclusive agricultural systems.

Read the full story.

CIMMYT’s Hub Model – a learning field in Mexico for the Indian Scientists

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in In the media, News.

CIMMYT’s partnership with the Government of India, which spans more than five decades, is one of the longest and most productive in the world.

In October, a group of about 18 scientists from Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU) visited CIMMYT headquarters in Mexico to participate in the course on “Innovation in Agri-food Systems through the Hub Model”.

Read the full story.

Farmers’ Hub launched in Nigeria to boost food security and agricultural development

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in Blogs.

In a strategic move to improve food security and promote agricultural development, Syngenta Foundation Nigeria, one of the key partners in the Dryland Crops Program (DCP), has introduced a new initiative known as the AVISA Farmers’ Hub. The initiative was launched at an event in the Murya Community of Obi Local Government Area in the Nasarawa State of North Central Nigeria. The Farmers’ Hub aims to support and empower farmers in the region, contributing to the overall objectives of the DCP.

The introduction of the Farmers’ Hub comes at a time when smallholder farmers in the region are grappling with limited access to essential resources such as knowledge, high-quality inputs, modern technology, and reliable markets, all of which are critical for achieving high-quality agricultural productivity.

A farmers’ hub (FH) is an all-inclusive commercial platform that provides diverse inputs such as seeds, seedlings, fertilizers, and crop protection products, as well as price and weather information. In addition, it provides farmers with value-added services such as aggregation, cleaning, sorting and grading of produce, bulk sales, training, equipment leasing and rental, financing, and trade credit. Smallholder farmers can now take advantage of the opportunities provided by the Farmers’ Hub by transitioning from subsistence agriculture to a commercially oriented system.

Inside the farmer’s hub. The hub is all-inclusive platform offering a wide range of inputs including seeds, seedlings, fertilizers and more (Syngenta Foundation Nigeria).

During the event, the Country Program Manager of Syngenta Foundation Nigeria, Isaiah Gabriel, emphasized the foundation’s dedication to commercializing AVISA crops: “The foundation is working to facilitate the commercialization of cowpea, sorghum, groundnuts, and pear millet.” Gabriel also emphasized the importance of raising awareness among farmers and establishing a platform that provides smallholder farmers with improved seeds, seedlings, fertilizers, mechanization, and other value-added services. He urged farmers in the state to maximize their utilization of the Farmers’ Hub and its services, which are intended to facilitate improved seed production and service delivery.

The Farmers’ Hub was established with the goal of resolving access issues, optimizing yields, aggregating grains, and overcoming market challenges. Finally, the hub hopes to improve food security and increase the income of smallholder farmers.

Prof. Mary Yeye, the National Coordinator of AVISA, commended the initiative and emphasized the importance to farmers of taking advantage of the project and making prudent use of its resources as she addressed the participants.

Experts in attendance, that included Prof. Lucky Omoigui, a seed system specialist from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Prof. SG Gaya, a groundnut breeder from Bayero University Kano (BUK), and Prof, Alhassan Lalihu from the Federal University Lafia, discussed several of the obstacles to high agricultural productivity. These factors include restricted access to improved seeds, expensive fertilizers, and security concerns. The experts lauded the Farmers’ Hub as the final step in delivering resources to smallholder farmers. In addition, they urged all levels of government to intensify efforts to subsidize input costs and improve farmers’ security.

The program manager of the Nasarawa State Agricultural Development Program, Emmanuel Alanama, responded by thanking Syngenta Foundation for selecting Nasarawa State for this significant project. He acknowledged that 75 to 80 percent of the state’s population are farmers and expressed the willingness of the state government to collaborate and support any agricultural initiatives.

Farmers participating in a training session at the farmers hub. (Syngenta Foundation Nigeria)

Rowland Alaku, manager of the Farmers’ Hub, assured farmers that they would have guaranteed access to quality seeds. The farmers in attendance expressed their gratitude for the initiative and promised to utilize the hub fully in order to benefit their own farming endeavors.

Other dignitaries in attendance included Prof. Johnson Onyibe from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria; Dr. Teryima Iorlamen from the University of Agriculture, Makurdi; and several village heads. More than 150 farmers, stakeholders, and government officials attended the event, highlighting its importance.

Seed fairs set for Mwenezi, Masvingo

Written by mcallejas on . Posted in In the media.

CIMMYT holds the fourth edition of seed and mechanization fairs in Mwenezi and Masvingo rural districts, and introduces a groundbreaking mechanization component thanks to the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Mechanization and Extension Activity.

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