Tag: gender and social inclusion

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

Written by dmedina on April 16, 2025. Posted in Blogs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sonia shares with pride:

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

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

The Guardians of Diversity: The Work of Carolina Sansaloni

Written by dmedina on March 3, 2025. Posted in Features.

Carolina Sansaloni, Curator of the Wheat Collection at the Germplasm Bank and a specialist in genotyping highlights the role of women in preserving agricultural biodiversity and encouraging new generations to pursue their passion for research.

Carolina Sansaloni, genotyping specialist and wheat curator, emphasizes the role of women in science and agricultural conservation. (Photo: Gabriela Bracamonte/CIMMYT)

Since childhood, Carolina Sansaloni has been fascinated by nature and genetics. Her desire to find answers led her down a challenging path, but one that ultimately brought her to where she is today: Curator of the Wheat Collection at CIMMYT’s Germplasm Bank, one of the most important in the world. Her work, and that of her team, is fundamental to food security and nutrition, ensuring the protection and accessibility of wheat and maize genetic diversity to meet the challenges of climate change and growing food demand.

“For me, the greatest satisfaction is knowing that what we do at CIMMYT helps more people put food on their tables. It’s not an individual effort; it’s a collective effort for a greater good,”

But the Germplasm Bank’s impact goes beyond conservation. Its team of scientists, technicians, laboratory staff, and field workers plays a critical role in research and safeguarding one of the world’s most valuable collections of maize and wheat. From seed collection and storage to characterization and distribution for genetic improvement programs, each woman on this team is an essential part of CIMMYT’s mission: generating science and innovation for a food-secure and fed world.

The journey for women in science has not been easy. Sansaloni acknowledges that while she has had mentors and support throughout her career, many women still face challenges in the scientific field.

“A woman’s voice in science has to be earned. We face obstacles, but with perseverance, support, and determination, we can overcome them,” she says.

Leaving her home in Argentina to pursue her passion was one of her biggest challenges. “The biggest challenge was leaving my environment, my family, my friends, but I knew that my motivation was science and its power to change the world.” Today, her story inspires many young women to embrace their curiosity and pursue careers in science.

To girls who dream of science, she says, “Explore, question, discover. With effort and dedication, nothing is impossible.”

To parents, she advises: “Encourage your children’s curiosity, let them make their own choices, and you will be amazed at their ability to innovate.”

We honor all the professionals at CIMMYT, whose knowledge, commitment, and dedication are key to achieving a world of food security and nutrition.

If you’ve ever dreamed of changing the world, science is a great place to start.

Advancing gender and social inclusion in agroecology: Insights from the CGIAR Agroecology Initiative in Zimbabwe

Written by mcallejas on February 20, 2025. Posted in Blogs.

Agriculture lies at the core of rural livelihoods, yet longstanding social inequities have stifled the potential of marginalized groups– particularly women and youth– to fully benefit. The CGIAR Agroecology Initiative (AE-I) recognizes gender and social inclusion as critical pillars in achieving sustainable agricultural transformation. By embedding these aspects within its framework, AE-I ensures that marginalized groups—especially women and youth—play a meaningful role in agroecology transitions.

Current realities on women and youth in agriculture

Women and youth are central to Zimbabwe’s agricultural economy, yet they remain underrepresented or excluded in decision-making processes and face barriers to accessing critical resources. Globally, women make up about 48% of the agricultural labor force in Sub-Saharan Africa (World Bank, 2024), yet they consistently face challenges in accessing land, credit, and markets. In Zimbabwe, these disparities are even more pronounced. In Mbire and Murehwa districts, rural economic activities, including agriculture, rely heavily on women and youth. Women make up approximately 70% of the agricultural labor force (UNDP, 2024) in these regions, but they often lack control over resources needed to enhance productivity and economic stability such as land, credit, and markets.

Agroecology Living Landscapes and Gender and Social Inclusion Matter

Embedding gender and social inclusion (GESI) into agroecology is not just a moral imperative but a foundational requirement for achieving lasting and transformative impact. Traditional top-down development approaches have often neglected marginalized groups’ unique needs and contributions, resulting in unsustainable outcomes. In contrast, the AE-I prioritizes inclusive and participatory processes, exemplified by its Agroecology Living Landscapes (ALLs), which serve as collaborative spaces where community members actively co-create locally relevant solutions.

Central to the CGIAR Agroecology Initiative (AE-I) is a commitment to “do no harm—say no harm,” ensuring that the inclusion of women, youth, and other marginalized groups is safe, meaningful, and impactful. Including marginalized groups can disrupt existing power structures and opportunity hierarchies, so it must be done with contextual sensitivity. Young and old women are provided equal opportunities to participate in and contribute to the co-creation of innovations. However, systemic barriers-such as limited agency or entrenched gender norms-continue to hinder meaningful engagement. To address these challenges, AE-I collaborates with key stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MWACSMED), to advocate for gender mainstreaming. Concrete actions have included training programs, documentation of gender norms and their impacts, elevating women and youth role models, and ensuring equal participation in ALL activities. MWACSMED has evolved into a proactive stakeholder in this process. Initially a passive participant in ALL discussions, the ministry now plays a leadership role in addressing gender and social inclusion issues within the landscapes. This deliberate attention to GESI within ALLs has illuminated systemic barriers such as unequal access to resources, rigid cultural norms, and the exclusion of certain social groups.

Conversations with farmers during ALLs meetings (Photo: CIMMYT)

Agroecology recognizes that inclusion is not merely about representation but about fostering environments where meaningful transformation can happen. For instance, cultural norms often limit the participation of women and youth in mixed-group activities. To address this, the AE-I initiated monthly “dialogues with elders,” engaging traditional authorities and community leaders to reconcile cultural traditions with transformative gender and social inclusion goals. These dialogues have yielded positive shifts in such perspectives. As one elder participant noted, “We value inputs from women and acknowledge their critical role in our community.”

The transformative impacts of AE-I’s inclusive approach are increasingly visible. Across Murehwa and Mbire districts, Agroecology Living Landscapes (ALLs) are reshaping community dynamics by empowering previously marginalized groups, such as elderly women, to contribute to agricultural innovation. Within some of the activities of the Initiative, women and youth engagement is quite impressive, with over 60% of participants in seed fairs and field days. These figures highlight the significant potential for expanding women’s and youth’s opportunities to advance agroecological goals through gender- and youth-focused interventions. It also demonstrates their eagerness to engage in knowledge-sharing opportunities. Such initiatives improve livelihoods and build women’s and youths’ agency as active contributors to agricultural innovations.

Inclusivity within ALLs is further is reinforced by low barriers to entry, emphasizing a willingness to learn and transform their crop and livestock production rather than asset ownership. This approach has expanded participation among resource-poor farmers, breaking down traditional exclusionary practices brought by other Donor programs.

As one farmer remarked, “In the past, only those with cattle or fenced homesteads could join such programs on transformative change. Now, even those of us without such assets can participate.”

Such practices have strengthened the confidence of marginalized farmers, enabling them to navigate complex production dynamics collectively.

Building Economic Independence and Transforming Food Systems

The AE-I’s focus on inclusive value chains has begun to yield tangible economic benefits. In Mbire and Murehwa, women are transitioning from subsistence farming to economic independence by engaging in agroecological business models. For example, Sasso poultry farming has become a viable income-generating activity, allowing women to reinvest in their farm-level activities. Youth are also leveraging their involvement in agriculture to build assets, diversify income and nutritional sources, and secure a more stable future.

A critical challenge remains exploitative market dynamics that limit farmers profitability. Farmers have raised concerns about the informal urban markets, where asymmetric power dynamics and a lack of competitive pricing mechanisms enable buyers to dictate unfavorable prices. Middlemen in the poultry markets suppress prices by 40%, while unstructured sorghum buyers pay 20–30% below market rates, eroding farmers’ profitability.

Addressing these bottlenecks through cooperative-led marketing, digital trading platforms (e.g., Hamara App), and guaranteed off-take agreements ensures equitable economic participation and a resilient food system.

Drudgery and Women in Agri-Food Systems

The transition to agroecology offers both opportunities and challenges, particularly for women, who bear the brunt of agricultural labor. In many rural communities, women are responsible for labor-intensive activities, including land preparation, weeding, and post-harvest handling.

While agroecological practices promote sustainability and resilience, some approaches—such as conservation agriculture—can initially increase women’s workload, exacerbating drudgery and limiting their time for other economic or social activities.

To ensure that agroecology transitions are both equitable and scalable, it is essential to integrate appropriate-scale mechanization that reduces labor burdens while maintaining ecological integrity. By embedding gender-responsive technologies into agroecological systems, AE-I can foster inclusive, productive and sustainable farming solutions.

Women in Murehwa receiving training on how to use the basin digger (Photo: CIMMYT)

To address this, the Initiative has facilitated the adoption of labor-saving technologies, improving access to mechanized solutions that ease women’s workload. In Mbire and Murehwa districts, 43 out of 95 women farmers now have access to basin diggers, significantly reducing the effort required to establish planting basins in conservation agriculture. Additionally, four multigrain threshers have been introduced in each district, enabling women to process small grain cereals more efficiently, cutting down the time spent on post-harvest handling.

These innovations not only alleviate physical strain but also increase productivity, allowing women to participate in value-added activities and play a greater role in decision-making processes within the food system.

By prioritizing appropriate-scale mechanization, the AE-I ensures that agroecology transitions foster inclusivity, sustainability, and economic empowerment for women farmers.

Wrap up

The CGIAR Agroecology Initiative’s work in Mbire and Murehwa provides a step forward for centering gender and social inclusion into agricultural development. Through participatory methods, inclusive partnerships, and a focus on actor agency and opportunity for behavior change, the Initiative has redefined what it means to build sustainable and equitable food systems. For donors, partners, and other stakeholders, the AE-I offers a compelling case for investing in inclusive approaches that transform agriculture and uplift entire communities. As agroecology continues to evolve, centering gender and social inclusion will remain vital for achieving sustainable, impactful outcomes.

Scientific careers that are transforming the future of food for humanity

Written by dmedina on February 14, 2025. Posted in Blogs.

María Luisa Cabrera in the laboratory where she conducts her research at CIMMYT. (Photo: Francisco Alarcón / CIMMYT)

The progress of science and technology depends on the diversity of talent that contributes to its development. However, the participation of women in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remains limited. In Mexico, only 22% of women enrolled in higher education choose STEM fields, and according to the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), only 13.5% graduate.

This situation presents both challenges and opportunities. Science, especially in critical areas such as food security and nutrition, needs a greater presence of women to drive significant change. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has highlighted the urgency of integrating more women researchers into agricultural science to accelerate innovations that improve production and the well-being of rural communities.

One example of the transformative impact of women in science is María Luisa Cabrera Soto. Since childhood, Luisa was inspired by female scientists she saw in the media, which fueled her dream of working in a laboratory. “These women were my reference, my source of inspiration. I visualized myself and said, ‘I want to work in a lab.'” But her journey was not easy. Coming from a family with traditional gender expectations, she faced resistance to her desire to pursue a career in science.

The first obstacle she encountered was her family’s outright disapproval. “I come from a family of six women and a patriarchal figure. Hearing phrases like ‘you are not capable of studying something as complex as science or mathematics’ was the first barrier I had to overcome,” she recalls.
“I had to break these family stigmas, these traditions, and say to myself: ‘I am capable of studying what motivates and inspires me, which is science. Being a woman does not limit me to domestic activities.'”

Today, the girl who once dreamed of working in a laboratory is part of the CIMMYT research team. As a research assistant, her work in chromatography—a process that allows the separation, identification, and quantification of chemical components in various mixtures—helps assess the nutritional quality of various crops, primarily maize. Her work has a direct impact on the nutrition and health of various populations, as well as the livelihoods of agricultural producers.

María Luisa’s story has become an inspiration to her sisters, who have also ventured into the world of science, demonstrating how one personal choice can inspire change across generations. “I broke the paradigm in my family, and fortunately my four younger sisters also chose science. It was a change that broke down a major barrier in my home.”

Through their scientific work, Luisa and other female researchers at CIMMYT are making a significant contribution to improving the human condition in a sector where women play a critical role in food production and security, from the field to the laboratory.

The low percentage of women in STEM fields in Mexico and globally is not only an issue of equity—it is also an obstacle to developing innovative solutions in key sectors. According to UNESCO, only 33.3% of researchers worldwide are women. Luisa’s message to girls and young women in Mexico is clear: “Follow your dreams, question the world, and don’t let social ideologies or family traditions dampen your curiosity and enthusiasm. More and more women are joining this field, and we must support one another.”

Atubandike: Breaking down gender barriers in Zambia’s agricultural advisory services

Written by dmedina on December 17, 2024. Posted in Blogs.

A digital champion trained by CIMMYT in climate-smart agricultural practices, shares her knowledge with her community (Photo: Moono Mwiinga Sekeleti/CIMMYT)

Zambia’s agricultural sector has long grappled with significant gender disparities, particularly in rural areas where women often face unique barriers to accessing essential agricultural information. Despite playing a critical role in food production, women remain significantly underrepresented as agricultural extension agents, a trend that persists not only in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) but also globally. Changing this narrative demands a coordinated effort from government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector and communities to challenge deep-rooted stereotypes about women’s roles and capabilities in agriculture.^[1]

The Atubandike approach, a key part of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, addresses these challenges head on. Through initiatives focusing on gender-inclusive seed systems and agricultural advisories on climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices, Atubandike is actively working to increase women’s representation among Zambia’s agricultural advisors. By equipping communities with inclusive advisory services and training women and men digital champions, Atubandike is paving the way for a more equitable agricultural future.

This blog delves into the gender biases uncovered during recent community consultations organized by the AID-I Atubandike team in Zambia’s Southern Province across various rural districts, held in November 2023, as well as July 2024.^[2] These consultations, aimed at addressing gender and youth stereotypes in agriculture, highlighted Atubandike’s initiatives to reshape the agricultural landscape for women and marginalized groups.

Community dialogues reveal deep-rooted gender biases in advisory access and spring up encouraging perspectives for female advisors

Staying true to the name, Atubandike—meaning “Let’s Chat” in Tonga—the AID-I team implementing the initiative, facilitated community discussions with over 1,700 farmers in Zambia’s Southern Province to explore underlying gender challenges in agriculture. Through these conversations, deep-seated gender biases emerged as a significant barrier. Many female agricultural advisors contend with cultural stereotypes that undermine their leadership and technical skills. As one participant noted, “Women are mostly seen as subordinates to men, so it is only natural that female agricultural advisors are viewed as less capable.” Such remarks highlight the difficult path women often tread to establish their authority in agricultural roles. Unfortunately, this bias isn’t limited to men; some female farmers also expressed a preference for male advisors, sharing the belief that “a fellow woman cannot provide valuable information.”

Women participating during a focus group discussion (Photo: Moono Mwiinga Sekeleti/CIMMYT)

Studies on agricultural extension services confirm that gender disparities in advisory roles severely limit women farmers’ access to timely, high-quality information in SSA and other developing regions. This, in turn, impedes their ability to boost productivity and provide for their families.^[3]Agricultural Advisory Services (AAS) are often designed with men as the primary beneficiaries, overlooking the need to make services more accessible and relevant to women. The dominance of male extension agents further exacerbates this issue, especially in societies where cultural norms restrict interactions between women and men outside their immediate family. These societal norms reinforce traditional gender roles, undermining the effectiveness of women as agricultural advisors. As a result, women are often excluded from opportunities that would enable them to fully participate in, and benefit from, agricultural development. This exclusion not only limits their potential but also perpetuates poverty and inequality.

On a positive note, a more nuanced perspective also emerged during the discussions. Some community members recognized the unique strengths that female advisors bring to their work. As one participant observed, “Female advisors are more careful and easier to talk to,” noting that women often prioritize technical knowledge, while men may base advice more on personal experience. This insight provides a glimmer of hope: with increased exposure and trust, farmers could become more receptive to female advisors, recognizing their effectiveness alongside their male colleagues.

A female farmer shares her experience during a CIMMYT visit to her village where farmers were discussing gender youth and social inclusion (Photo: Moono Mwiinga Sekeleti/CIMMYT)

In some settings, women farmers even prefer female advisors, feeling more comfortable discussing issues and having a greater sense of shared experiences. According to a study conducted in Mozambique, women farmers were more likely to be reached as well as learn when agricultural content was delivered by female advisors.^[4] This highlights the potential impact of gender-sensitive approaches in improving the efficacy and accessibility of advisory services for women.

Achieving equal footing for women in AAS requires addressing a broader range of barriers. This not only entails efforts to recruit and retain women in these roles but also providing equal opportunities for education and training, as well as developing explicit policies to safeguard women advisors from gender-based discrimination.

Breaking barriers: How Atubandike is transforming AAS

The goal of the Atubandike approach is to identify, understand and dismantle entrenched gender barriers in agriculture. By adopting an innovative and inclusive strategy, this initiative equips both men and women with the tools they need to become digital champions and agricultural advisors, playing pivotal roles in their communities. With a deliberate focus on increasing female representation, Atubandike ensures that at least 50% of these champions are women, amplifying their visibility and influence in the sector.

Central to Atubandike is its emphasis on community engagement through a feedback-driven process. This approach facilitates open dialogue among community members, urging them to confront existing social biases and develop practical solutions. Through these discussions, the initiative fosters collective action aimed at promoting gender equity and social inclusion. Additionally, Atubandike provides comprehensive training on gender, diversity, and inclusion, equipping its digital champions not only with technical knowledge but also with the skills required to challenge and navigate gender biases effectively.

One of the initiative’s most transformative elements is its focus on diverse role models. By ensuring that half of its village-based digital champions are women, Atubandike boosts their digital literacy, agricultural expertise, and standing as leaders and role models within their communities.^[5] These women are featured prominently in digital content and on talk shows, reshaping perceptions of women as agricultural leaders and breaking down longstanding negative narratives that have historically sidelined them.

Sustaining Atubandike’s momentum: Community-driven support for female advisors

Community members balanced the discussions by proposing valuable insights and strategies to overcome the deeply rooted stereotypes that challenge female agricultural advisors. Raising community awareness about the value of female advisors emerged as a crucial approach to fostering their acceptance. As one participant emphasized, “More training on gender norms is essential so that the community can become more open-minded.” Others argued that establishing trust in female advisors from the outset could empower them as agents of change: “If we begin by placing our trust in female agricultural advisors, we can encourage other communities to do the same.”

Community leaders were urged to facilitate meetings to address any disrespect toward agricultural advisors, irrespective of gender. A farmer emphasized the necessity of mutual respect, stating, “The community should be encouraged to work cooperatively with their agricultural advisors.”

Participants also highlighted that agricultural advisors must actively demonstrate their competence to build trust. In one community, it was stressed that both female and male advisors “must practice the agricultural technologies they promote so that people can have faith in their competence.” Additionally, participants suggested that advisors wear uniforms to clearly distinguish their professional roles, signaling their commitment to serving the community in an official capacity.

A model for inclusive agricultural development

Atubandike transcends the role of a conventional agricultural advisory initiative; it stands as a beacon of inclusive development, extending its impact across Zambia and setting a model for the region. By delving into the roots of gender bias and driving practical, community-led solutions, Atubandike aligns with the AID-I project’s mission of “delivering with a difference.” Through empowering female digital champions and fostering dialogues on social equity, Atubandike demonstrates that meaningful change is both attainable and sustainable. As a testament to AID-I’s dedication to equitable innovation and resilience, Atubandike is not only reshaping gender norms in Zambia but is also establishing itself as a blueprint for inclusive impact across Southern Africa’s agricultural landscape.

[1] BenYishay, A., Jones, M., Kondylis, F., & Mobarak, A. M. (2020). Gender gaps in technology diffusion. Journal of development economics, 143, 102380.

[2] The informed consent statement and methodology used in the community conversations are available upon request m.fisher@cgiar.org.

[3]Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2020). Gender and agricultural advisory services. https://www.gatesgenderequalitytoolbox.org/wp-content/uploads/BMGF_AG-Advisory-Services-Brief_web.pdf

[4] Kondylis, F., Mueller, V., Sheriff, G., & Zhu, S. (2016). Do female instructors reduce gender bias in the diffusion of sustainable land management techniques? Experimental evidence from Mozambique. World Development, 78, 436-449.

[5] Lecoutere, E., Spielman, D. J., & Van Campenhout, B. (2023). Empowering women through targeting information or role models: Evidence from an experiment in agricultural extension in Uganda. World Development, 167, 106240.

How Atubandike dialogues are redefining gender and youth inclusion in Zambian agriculture

Written by mcallejas on December 10, 2024. Posted in Blogs.

Women and youth are essential drivers of agricultural and economic resilience in Zambia’s rural farming communities. However, they frequently encounter significant barriers such as restrictive social norms and inadequate access to vital resources which hinder their ability to participate fully in the economy.

Female youth sharing her views (Photo: Moono Seleketi).

Recognizing the critical roles of women and youth in shaping the present and future of Zambian agriculture, the ‘Atubandike’ approach, under CIMMYT’s USAID-funded Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub project, has been actively engaging with communities to address systemic barriers faced by these groups. This initiative combines digital tools with face-to-face interactions, creating spaces where community members can share their stories, challenges, and questions to co-create solutions.

Atubandike, which means ‘let’s have a conversation’ in the local Tongo language, was launched in Zambia in 2023 as an advisory service. The model represents a scalable, community-led approach that empowers marginalized groups, including women and youth, as active contributors and leaders in agriculture. With each interaction building upon the previous one, this ongoing work advances the broader mission of fostering inclusivity and resilience across Zambia’s agricultural sector.

To uncover and tackle the structural barriers faced by women and youth, the Atubandike team recently engaged over 1,700 farmers across 14 communities in Southern Zambia, gaining critical insights into the biases that persist in rural areas.

Stereotypes and structural barriers

The community conversations highlighted generational divides and deeply rooted stereotypes that cast youth as disengaged or disinterested in farming. Older community members opined that young people are more drawn to urban lifestyles and reluctant to take on the demanding labor associated with agriculture. One elderly farmer said: “Many youths prefer a comfortable lifestyle and quick money. They don’t have the patience for the hard work farming requires.”

In contrast, younger participants shared that this perception overlooks the genuine obstacles they face such as limited access to land, financing, training, and mentorship opportunities. They emphasized that their lack of involvement often stems from these barriers rather than a lack of motivation.

Young male farmer speaking (Photo: Moono Seleketi).

The consultations also underscored pervasive gender norms that limit women’s roles in agriculture. Despite their significant contributions to household food security, female farmers are often relegated to secondary roles, focusing on ‘women’s crops such as groundnuts, while men cultivate staple crops such as maize and cash crops such as soybean. A participant shared, “The community always perceives men as the real farmers because they are considered the heads of the household.” This perception frequently limits women’s access to critical resources and their decision-making power within the agricultural sphere.

However, through Atubandike’s sessions, communities are beginning to confront these entrenched norms, shedding light on the vital contributions of women and youth in agriculture. This shift is laying the groundwork for a more equitable approach, where both men and women, young and old, are recognized as essential to farming success and household resilience. As these conversations grow, Atubandike is paving the way for solutions that promise meaningful and lasting change for both women and youth in agriculture.

Community-driven solutions

Building youth capacity through skills and leadership: Many community members expressed a strong desire to see more youth involved in agricultural activities, emphasizing the importance of hands-on training. “We need to get the youth involved in actual farming [tasks] such as irrigation and crop management. It keeps them busy and teaches them valuable skills,” shared one local leader.

To support this vision, Atubandike is training young community members as digital champions, equipping them with both technical expertise and leadership skills that allow them to mentor their peers and encourage youth participation in agriculture. These digital champions not only extend the reach of Atubandike’s initiatives but also serve as relatable role models, inspiring other young people to engage in agriculture as well as see it as a viable and rewarding path.

Towards a more inclusive future for Zambian agriculture
The Atubandike initiative – by fostering open community dialogue, empowering digital champions, and promoting household-level collaboration – lays the foundation for a more inclusive future for Zambian agriculture. As each community engagement builds momentum, CIMMYT, through the AID-I project, creates a cycle of empowerment and growth that ensures women and youth are not only heard but also empowered to lead.

Women celebrating at community meeting (Photo: Moono Seleketi).

Amidst the challenges of erratic weather patterns and economic constraints, building resilience through cross-generational and gender-inclusive collaboration is crucial. Atubandike is addressing these geographic and social challenges and paving the way for a future where every farmer, regardless of age or gender, plays a pivotal role in Zambia’s agricultural success.

Sustainable Agri-Food Colombia: a boost for resilient agriculture

Written by mcallejas on November 29, 2024. Posted in News.

Biofortified corn crop in Colombia (Photo: CIMMYT)

CIMMYT, in collaboration with the Bioversity-CIAT Alliance and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Colombia, is contributing to the Sustainable Agri-Food Colombia project. This transformative initiative aims to reshape Colombia’s agricultural sector by fostering sustainable and resilient agri-food systems. Several research institutions are also part of this mission as strategic implementing partners.

The goal of Sustainable Agri-Food Colombia is to address the environmental and production challenges facing Colombian agriculture, while ensuring food security and sustainability. Through the implementation of innovative technologies, better agricultural practices and adaptation to climate change, it aims to improve the competitiveness of Colombian producers and reduce pressure on natural resources. In this sense, the project contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to climate action, life on earth and reducing inequalities.

CIMMYT is collaborating in this project to join efforts to strengthen farmers’ capacities, as Sustainable Agri-Food Colombia focuses not only on agricultural production, but on the entire agri-food system, seeking to build more inclusive and efficient value chains, from production to the consumer, emphasizing community participation and knowledge transfer in an inclusive manner, involving women, youth and marginalized rural communities in decision-making processes and technology adoption.

The collaboration between international CGIAR research centers, such as the Bioversity-CIAT Alliance and CIMMYT, together with key stakeholders in Colombia, demonstrates that the future of agriculture depends on an integrated vision that combines science, innovation and collaboration. This lays the foundation for transforming agriculture and food in Colombia for the benefit of people and the planet.

Atubandike (“Let’s Chat”)

Written by dmedina on November 26, 2024. Posted in Uncategorized.

Atubandike (“Let’s Chat”) is a phygital platform co-developed by CIMMYT, Viamo, and farmers to transform agricultural information channels in Zambia’s Eastern and Southern Provinces. Through the toll-free 667 platform, 4,000 farmers – more than 50% of whom are women – access an interactive voice response (IVR) menu powered by a Viamo Database (see infographic). The platform delivers timely and engaging pre-recorded messages on climate-smart agriculture (CSA); enables farmers to ask questions, which informs content for the platform’s biweekly “talk shows” (like radio shows but on a mobile phone); and provides a space for them to share their stories as “peer farmer experiences” on the platform.

(Infographic: Eugune Mumiah, Project Milieu Group)

Atubandike’s model involves farmers as co-creators, not merely recipients, of advisory content. Their contributions are curated by a content committee – with farmer, government, and scientist representation – before being published on the 667 platform. Village-based digital champions (50% women, 42% youth aged 18-29) play a crucial role in supporting farmers’ digital skills and promoting trust in digital advisory; they also act as intermediaries between farmers and CIMMYT to address time-sensitive farming questions immediately.

The Atubandike initiative mobilizes local communities to take collective action in challenging social norms that underpin digital access divides. Through community-driven efforts, digital champions are nominated and social changemakers selected to promote inclusive access to the platform.

Together, we are advancing awareness and uptake of CSA practices to boost agricultural productivity and climate change adaptation, using on-the-ground insights to continuously refine Atubandike’s services and ensure every farmer, across the spectrum of demographic groups, thrives in today’s dynamic agricultural landscape.

Listen to Atubandike’s Talk Show:

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

Written by dmedina on October 22, 2024. Posted in Features.

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

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

From Beans to Big Dreams

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

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

Innovation Meets Empowerment

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

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

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

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

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

Beyond Agriculture: A Beacon for Women’s Rights

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

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

A Future Built on Partnership and Hope

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

CIMMYT Expands Climate-Smart Interventions in Southern Africa

Written by dmedina on October 17, 2024. Posted in Press releases.

As Southern Africa faces unprecedented drought conditions CIMMYT continues to lead efforts in reducing the devastating impact of extreme weather. Through its role as a partnership convener, CIMMYT has brought together climate change advisories and climate-smart agriculture to empower farmers, who are demonstrating incredible resilience by continuing to produce food for their families and communities.

“The current climate crisis highlights the urgency of scaling resilient agricultural practices. At CIMMYT, we believe that empowering farmers to adopt drought-tolerant crops and sustainable methods is essential to securing food systems and ensuring communities can weather the challenges ahead,” said Bram Govaerts, Director General of CIMMYT.

By strengthening seed systems and applying global best practices, CIMMYT has empowered farmers across Zambia and Malawi to adapt to drought, ensuring nutritional security and improved livelihoods. The adoption of innovations, including conservation agriculture and resilient legume systems, is increasing farmers’ resilience and buffering against future shocks.

Strengthening Early-Warning Systems

CIMMYT has expanded access to early-warning systems and climate advisories through the GROWSMART campaign, which has reached over 1 million farmers in Zambia and Malawi. Through a network of digital champions and voice-activated advisories accessible via simple mobile phones, CIMMYT has provided critical, real-time information. This has enabled farmers to plan more effectively, reducing crop losses and optimizing planting schedules in response to changing weather patterns.

Scaling Resilient Solutions

CIMMYT has strengthened private sector and civil society partnerships to significantly expand the production of climate-resilient legumes, which were harvested early to provide nutritious food. In combination with maize hybrids like SC 555 and Ntondo (MH35), these legume systems have improved the food security of over 700,000 smallholder farmers.

Moving forward, CIMMYT plans to expand seed systems further, aiming to support the adoption of game-changing crops and conservation agriculture by the end of 2025. This expansion will provide farmers with the tools needed to mitigate the impacts of unpredictable weather patterns, ensuring food security in the face of persistent droughts.

Empowering Women and Youth in Agriculture

Recognizing the vital roles that women and youth play in agriculture, CIMMYT has prioritized gender-sensitive training programs and access to financing for women farmers, who comprise 78% of Zambia’s agricultural workforce. In Malawi, youth-focused initiatives, such as the LUANAR Agribusiness Hub, are helping young agro-entrepreneurs adopt climate-resilient farming methods. These efforts are not only boosting food production but also driving economic empowerment.

Climate-Resilient Maize and Legume Systems: A Lifeline for Farmers

CIMMYT’s Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) as part of the USAID Feed the Future investments has played a key role in providing smallholder farmers access to drought-tolerant maize hybrids like SC 555 in Zambia and Ntondo (MH35) in Malawi. These hybrids, combined with legume systems such as groundnut and pigeonpea, are designed to thrive under extreme weather conditions, improving soil health and ensuring profitable, nutritionally secure cropping systems.

In Zambia, the SC 555 maize hybrid has shown exceptional resilience during the 2023-2024 season. Farmers like Mr. Chizela from Chinwe Mpongwe, who faced a six-week dry spell, have harvested abundantly despite the drought, ensuring food security and income stability. Similarly, in Malawi, the Ntondo (MH35) hybrid has demonstrated remarkable drought tolerance at Msunga Farm, with yields of up to 4.37 tons per hectare—far exceeding those of non-drought-resistant varieties.

Building for the Future

CIMMYT’s ongoing research and innovation efforts are focused on developing even more resilient maize and legume varieties to withstand both drought and extreme temperatures. Set for release by 2025, these new varieties will offer farmers sustainable, high-yield solutions to address the growing threat of climate change.

About CIMMYT

CIMMYT is a cutting-edge, nonprofit, 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, building strong partnerships. This combination enhances the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers while working toward a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries.

CIMMYT is a core CGIAR Research Center, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources.

For more information, visit cimmyt.org.

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

Written by Mike Listman on July 26, 2024. Posted in Features.

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

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

Without healthy crops or soils, there is no food

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

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

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

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

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

Food systems must be inclusive to combat systemic inequities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Generating solutions, together

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

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

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

Visual summaries by Reilly Dow.

Children, native maize, and gender perspectives

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on July 9, 2024. Posted in Blogs.

A farmer in Nariño, Colombia on a diversified chagra with native maize, potato, oca, squash, fava bean, and other perennial and wild crop harvests. (Photo: González, Alpala, Pinzón, Rodríguez, Bolaños, Romero, González)

In the mountains of Nariño and the Cauca Valley, Colombia—as in many other rural regions of Latin America—farming systems are usually family-operated and divided by gender. Women’s and men’s roles are separate and differ in terms of expertise, involvement, and decision-making.

Roles traditionally assigned to women often limit their capacity to bring about changes in agriculture. “Food preparation, house cleaning, family care, and especially childcare, limit their ability to participate in agricultural training”, says a team of CIMMYT specialists who recently carried out a series of participatory diagnostics in these regions of Colombia.

Participatory diagnostics are designed to document and understand farmers’ perspectives on native maize conservation and the desertion of rural regions in order to jointly develop conservation strategies for these regions. However, CIMMYT specialists noted that women farmers struggle to participate and learn when they are burdened with childcare.

Group of women farmers discuss men’s and women’s roles in native maize conservation in Córdoba, Nariño, Colombia. (Photo: González, Alpala, Pinzón, Rodríguez, Bolaños, Romero, González)

“Even when women try hard to attend events, they cannot fully take in the new information because they are busy tending to their children.” In response, the event organizers came up with a novel solution: providing childcare during workshops. “So, mothers can focus on what they are doing during workshops, children partake in organized games and exploratory and artistic activities in a safe space where their mothers can see them.”

During a recent diagnostic “several activities were planned, like board games—CIMMYT developed memory and bingo games, as well as snake and ladder board games on principle maize practices and pests—and some art projects allowing the children to talk about how they interact with the land and what it means to them. At the end, they displayed their work about what they learn with their mothers and family in the tulpa (fire pit) or chagra,” the specialists explain.

“These types of activities are important and enriching for the children because they replace day-to-day cellphone play with recreational games about agriculture. So, it seems that we should make sure that the local children know about these types of events,” expressed the attendees. They also reflected on how this type of inclusion helps strategies addressing generational replacement, particularly in places like Nariño, where the number of young people in the fields is notably decreasing.

With this in mind, including young people in program development and design is key to “ensuring a future rural population, given that they introduce the community to new, fresher ideas and visions,” says Don José, a farmer from Córdoba, Nariño, making note of how the Herederos del Planeta Los Tucanes represents a victory. It is a space where girls, boys, and young people can use their voices to influence issues related to natural reserves, their education, and the preservation of native seeds.

This is how the children—who originally could only hope to be expected to sit silently or play on their phones— became an important part of the participatory processes in Nariño. And now, with this support, women from rural communities, don’t just have the opportunity to expand their knowledge. They can also make positive contributions to household decisions and phytogenetic resource conservation.

Girls make a presentation about their territory to their mothers and fathers, based on the activities during the workshops in Nariño, Colombia. (Photo: González, Alpala, Pinzón, Rodríguez, Bolaños, Romero, González)

“Yes ma’am, the children’s space was the best because that way we were able to focus on the topics,” reported a woman in Cumbal. This is an example of how an agricultural extension strategy requires us to identify the preferences, interests, and incentives of men and women in relation to their gender roles in order to create environments that facilitate the development of sustainable agricultural technologies and practices. We must understand that the work women farmers perform both in the fields and within the household are inextricable from each other.

These types of strategies are crucial for combatting the environmental and food crisis because small-scale farmers implement sustainable agrifood systems and promote agrobiodiversity conservation. We find the resources essential for agrifood security in their milpas, orchards, backyards, and chagras—in Mexico and Colombia—where they handle, use, and preserve native crops and determine the selection of improved climate-resilient varieties.

Transforming agricultural systems in Mozambique

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on July 5, 2024. 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.”

Everyone is welcome! Building an inclusive and respectful workplace at CIMMYT: our 2030 vision and commitment

Written by Julian Bañuelos-Uribe on June 28, 2024. Posted in News.

CIMMYT’s strategy integrates gender equity and social inclusion into all areas of its research and operations. Organizational values of excellence, integrity, and teamwork guide CIMMYT’s mission of innovation and agrifood systems transformation.

“We believe that access to food is a human right that must be provided to everyone regardless of identity markers,” said CIMMYT’s Director General, Bram Govaerts. “CIMMYT was founded in a time of great need to prevent hunger. Today, we remain tasked with ensuring that nutritious food is available to everyone. Our mission explains our commitment to social inclusion.”

Aligned with CGIAR and CIMMYT’s Framework for Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion (GDI) and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, CIMMYT established a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Steering Committee. This committee tracks progress and champions the implementation of the GESI Action Plan, aiming to close gender and diversity gaps and foster inclusivity in all our activities.

“CIMMYT is a diverse, multicultural space that benefits from varied talents and perspectives. Our collective workforce is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment. It’s rewarding to see the results of our efforts, and I am proud to be part of this journey,” said Director of the Genetic Resources Program, Sarah Hearne.

CIMMYT joins the international community in recognizing June as a month to celebrate diversity and raise awareness on issues impacting communities based on identity. CIMMYT reiterates its commitment to implementing its GESI Action Plan under one main principle:

CIMMYT is a non-discriminatory place for all. Our code of conduct does not tolerate treating individuals less favorably because of their sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation.

Aide Molina, GESI champion and research associate, added, “The GESI initiative is a crucial starting point. While change takes time, starting is key. As an international institution, CIMMYT leads in both technological and social aspects. Declaring itself a ‘non-discrimination zone’ sets a powerful example for other institutions to follow.”

Achieving greater inclusion requires consistency and effort, and 2024 is not different. Our collective commitment includes ensuring that our current policies and initiatives are inclusive and supportive in accordance with local regulations.

“Our leadership team has to be proactive in integrating an inclusion lens into our research and operations and also address the needs of inclusion and equality for all, considering local contexts,” said Govaerts.

CIMMYT has made notable strides in gender parity and inclusion, for example, female hiring rates have increased from 21% in 2020 to 43% in 2023.

“We’ve made significant progress in better serving smallholders and creating a non-discriminatory working culture that promotes innovation,” said Govaerts. “Our transformation must be intersectional. While this is continuous work, we must accept that some populations are still left behind. It’s our job to bring them in. Everyone is welcome; CIMMYT is a non-discriminatory place for all!”