Seed company partners observe the performance of heat-tolerant hybrids in the dry heat of southern Karnataka, India. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Millions of smallholders in the Global South depend on maize, largely cultivated under rainfed conditions, for their own food security and livelihoods. Climate change mediated weather extremes, such as heat waves and frequent droughts, pose a major challenge to agricultural production, especially for rainfed crops like maize in the tropics.
âWith both effects coming together under heat stress conditions, plants are surrounded, with no relief from the soil or the air,â said Pervez H. Zaidi, maize physiologist with CIMMYTâs Global Maize Program in Asia. âClimate change induced drought and heat stress results in a double-sided water deficit: supply-side drought due to depleted moisture in soils, and demand-side drought with decreased moisture in the surface air. â
Extreme weather events
Weather extremes have emerged as the major factor contributing to low productivity of the rainfed system in lowland tropics. South Asia is already experiencing soaring high temperatures (â„40âŠC), at least 5âŠC above the threshold limit for tropical maize and increased frequency of drought stress.
A woman agricultural officer discusses the performance of heat tolerant hybrids at farmersâ field in Raichur districts of Karnataka, India. (Photo: CIMMYT)
âIn todayâs warmer and drier climate, unless farmers have copious amounts of water (which might not be a sustainable choice for smallholders in the tropics) to not only meet the increased transpiration needs of the plants but also for increased evaporation to maintain necessary levels of humidity in the air, the climate change mediated weather extremes, such as heat and drought pose a major challenge to agricultural production, especially for rainfed crops like maize in lowland tropics,â said Zaidi.
To deal with emerging trends of unpredictable weather patterns with an increased number of warmer and drier days, new maize cultivars must combine high yield potential with tolerance to heat stress.
Maize designed to thrive in extreme weather conditions
CIMMYTâs Global Maize Program in South Asia, in partnership with public sector maize research institutes and private sector seed companies in the region, is implementing an intensive initiative for developing and deploying heat tolerant maize that combines high yield potential with resilience to heat and drought.
By integrating novel breeding and precision phenotyping tools and methods, new maize germplasm with enhanced levels of heat stress tolerance is being developed for lowland tropics. Over a decade of concerted efforts have resulted in over 50 elite heat stress tolerant, CIMMYT-derived maize hybrids licensed to public and private sector partners for varietal release, improved seed deployment, and scale-up.
Popular normal hybrids (left) & CAH153, a heat tolerant hybrid (right) under heat stress. (Photo: CIMMYT)
As of 2023, a total of 22 such high-yielding climate-adaptive maize (CAM) hybrids have been released by partners throughout South Asia. Through public-private partnerships, eight hybrids are being already deployed and scaled-up to over 100,000 hectares in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Also, the heat tolerant lines developed by CIMMYT in Asia were used by maize programs in sub-Saharan Africa for developing heat tolerant maize hybrids by crossing these as trait donors with their elite maize lines.
Studies on the new CAM hybrids show that while their yield is like existing normal maize hybrids under favorable conditions, the CAM hybrids outperform normal hybrids significantly under unfavorable weather conditions.
âThe unique selling point of the new CAM hybrids is that they guarantee a minimum yield of at least 1.0 tons per hectare to smallholder farmers under unfavorable weather when most of the existing normal hybrids end-up with very poor yield,â said Subhas Raj Upadhyay, from the Lumbini Seed Company Ltd. in Nepal.
Given the superior performance of CAM seeds in stress conditions, Nepali farmers have expressed willingness to pay a premium price: an average of 71% more with government subsidy, or at least 19% extra without a subsidy for CAM seed. Similarly, the farmers in hot-dry areas of the Karnataka state of India are ready to pay 37% premium price for CAM seed compared to normal hybrid seed. These reports strongly validate the demand of CAM seed and therefore a targeted initiative is needed to accelerate deployment and scaling these seeds in climate-vulnerable marginal agroecologies in tropics.
The Dryland Crops Program (DCP), in collaboration with National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) partners, IITA, Alliance Bioversity & CIAT, and other African institutions, has established the African Dryland Crop Improvement Network (ADCIN). Aiming to strengthen partnerships and collaboration among partner institutions, the network focuses on improving dryland crops through crop enhancement. The ADCIN will have regional governance bodies in West and Central Africa (WCA) and Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA).
Consultative approach to establish ADCIN and governance structure
In 2021, CIMMYT was asked to lead a CGIAR varietal improvement and seed delivery project for dryland crops with an initial focus in Africa and funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the CGIAR Accelerated Breeding Initiative. This aligns with CIMMYTâs 2030 strategic objectives, which will contribute to shaping the future of agriculture to drive climate resilience, sustainable and inclusive agricultural development, and food and nutrition security.
As CIMMYT embarked on its work to further strengthen the work on dryland crops, it held a series of consultation meetings with several NARES in the region. A joint consultation workshop with NARES and CGIAR colleagues was held in Senegal in February 2022. This was followed by the broader network members and stakeholders meeting in Ghana in January 2023. These events brought together experts and representatives from the WCA and ESA regions and various partner institutions to discuss the best approaches to improve the impact of our work on dryland crops through crop improvement. Experts discussed within and across disciplines defining breeding targets using socio-economic and gender information, developing modern breeding processes and approaches, seed systems, data-science, and forging new models of partnerships.
Stakeholders from CGIAR and NARES convene in Ghana for a meeting. Experts, partner institutions, and representatives from the WCA and ESA regions, engage in comprehensive discussions to advance dryland crop improvement strategies. (Photo: Eagle Eye Projects)
One significant outcome of these meetings was the recommendation to establish a formal regional dryland crop improvement network to strengthen and enhance the current partnership among NARES and CGIAR partner institution and scientists. Establishing a governance structure for this network for effective coordination and monitoring of the network partnerships was also recommended. It was agreed that this network will have two regional bodies, one each in ESA and WCA, with their own steering committees.
Later in 2023, two initial regional steering committees were formed following consultations with CGIAR and NARES partners. The goal of the committees is to improve crop varieties in the region while ensuring equitable resource allocation and promoting collaboration among network partners. Each committee is expected to provide regional governance and oversight for the diverse dryland crop networks that operate in each region. Specific roles and responsibilities include prioritizing capacity development activities for network members, approving and allocating budgets for development plans, reviewing infrastructure needs, budgeting and accounting for investments, mobilizing resources from donors, coordinating collaboration among partners, monitoring and evaluating performance, supporting policy issues, and resolving disputes among members.
The African Dryland Crops Improvement Network (ADCIN) structure.
Critical role of steering committees for sustainability of ADCIN
The WCA steering committee comprises 14 members: 11 from NARES and three from CGIAR, met in Saly, Senegal in August 2023. The ESA committee comprises 12 members: nine from NARES and three from CGIAR, met in Nairobi, Kenya. Both committees explored their roles and responsibilities.
The ESA and WCA committees proposed, represented, and discussed several strategic areas. They developed and implemented strategies to enhance capacity and infrastructure, promote effective budget management, establish regional learning mechanisms, and lead resource mobilization to ensure sustained support for the DCP initiatives.
Members of the WCA Steering Committee meet in Senegal for a strategic meeting. (Photo: CIMMYT)
AlliThe committees also discussed the network’s vision, terms of reference, committeesâ governance (by-laws), and a review of the network agreement. They also defined the network’s aspirations and aligned its resources to regional and national infrastructure needs and priorities.
A significant outcome from the meetings was CIMMYT’s allocation of US $1 million to the committees to facilitate personnel and infrastructure development. This budget allocation was decided upon after careful deliberation on how to best use the available resources to meet the network’s needs. Both committees then agreed to call for proposals in various capacity development areas.
They also elected the leadership for the committees. The WCA committee elected four officials: the chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, and financial secretary. The ESA committee elected three officials, including the chairperson, vice-chairperson, and secretary.
Subcommittees were also formed to oversee the operations of the steering committees and ensure a comprehensive approach to achieving the networkâs goal. âThese subcommittees are focused on capacity development, finance and monitoring, evaluation and learning and networks sustainability,â said Happy Daudi, the ESA steering committee secretary.
Kevin Pixley, director of CIMMYTâs Dryland Crops Program, highlighted the importance of regional steering committees in promoting agricultural progress, food security, nutritional stability, resources, and partnerships.
“The creation of the ADCIN marks a pivotal moment in our collective journey towards sustainable agricultural development,â said Pixley. âBy bringing together the expertise and resources of CGIAR and NARES partners, ADCIN embodies our shared commitment to turning the challenges of dryland agriculture into opportunities for growth, resilience, and prosperity for the farmers and the communities we serve.”
The meetings also provided an opportunity for the committees to initiate the selection of a unified name for the network. The African Dryland Crop Improvement Network (ADCIN) was decided through a consensus-driven naming process among network members.
The ADCIN also establishes a critical support network for Africa-NARES and breeding programs through the ESA and WCA regional networks, allowing them to co-design and co-implement projects, leverage regional resources and capacity, and sustain dryland crop improvement activities through alignment of investment with priorities, capacity building, and connect the network to other initiatives.
Accelerating progress: from governance to brand identity
Subsequently, the two committees met in December 2023 to discuss and finalize previously discussed key areas. Significant progress had been made in reviewing and confirming the terms of reference and bylaws, which are required for smooth operations and a clear understanding of the governance structure among all the network members.
Following a thorough review and deliberation, the committees agreed on a set of criteria and a template for the call for proposals. The call was made public in December 2023, with submissions due by January 30, 2024. The ESA and WCA steering committees reviewed the applications and communicated the results to the successful applicants. Out of nearly 100 applications submitted, 19 successful candidates are from WCA and 13 from ESA.
Recognizing the importance of a strong and consistent identity, the steering committees established guidelines for the branding and marking process. Part of this process includes creating a logo, which will be shared with the steering committees and the network for a final selection and approval. This step is crucial in developing a visual identity that reflects the networkâs values and objectives.
Reinventing collaborative efforts for the future with a unique model
The network and the steering committees operate on an inclusive model in which CGIAR, NARES, and regional stakeholders collaborate to allocate resources for regional projects. This approach not only addresses each region’s unique needs but also ensures tailored development of infrastructure, human capacity, and coordination, increasing the impact on dryland crop cultivation.
âThis is a one-of-a-kind collaborative model that was meticulously developed within the region by both CGIAR and NARES, who jointly decided on strategic priorities for regional projects and allocated a budget to support their region,” said Harish Gandhi, associate program director. âThe âfit principleâ is critical for infrastructure and human capacity development, as well as improving regional coordination.â
This collaboration is about more than just pooling resources; it’s also about leveraging unique strengths, knowledge, and perspectives to create synergies that will help address complex regional challenges effectively. The network can respond to the specific needs of each region and places the onus of responsibility on the steering committees, allowing them to make critical regional decisions. By ensuring that projects are designed with a thorough understanding of regional needs, ADCIN aims to achieve more long-term and significant results.
Maize is the second most important cereal in Laos after rice, driven primarily by the demand for animal feed in neighboring countries such as China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Laos has an export-oriented maize sector, with most of the countryâs production destined for these markets. The sector reached its peak in 2016, when production levels hit 6 metric tons per hectare across an area of 0.26 million hectares.
Over 90% of Laosâs maize production relies on rain-fed agriculture, with maize grain and stover serving as the primary source of feed for smallholder farmers who depend on mixed crop and livestock farming systems for their livelihoods. However, between 2016 and 2022, total maize area and production declined significantly, contracting by 64% and 70%, respectively. Several factors contributed to this decline, including volatile market prices, competition from cassava and other crops, rising production costs, and yield losses due to pests, diseases, and soil nutrient degradation because of monocropping.
Additionally, Laos relies on imported hybrid maize seed, primarily from Thailand and Vietnam, which creates a dependence on external suppliers and exposes farmers to price fluctuations. Recognizing the importance of improving maize productivity and sustainability, the Laotian government is taking steps to enhance local capacity for seed production and ensure access to affordable high-quality feed.
Enhancing local hybrid maize seed production Â
Recognizing the importance of enhancing the availability and accessibility of quality maize seed and feed, CIMMYT and Laosâs National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) have initiated the evaluation of high-yielding maize hybrids for both grain and stover quality. In 2023, 12 yellow-kernel maize hybrids developed by the CIMMYT-Asia breeding program underwent evaluation in Laos. The same set of hybrids is undergoing evaluation in 2024 to identify stable and suitable germplasm. According to Siviengkhek Phommalath, director of the rice and cash crop research center at NAFRI, the 2023 evaluation provided promising results, with at least two hybrids performing better or on par with widely grown commercial ones in Laos. These hybrids exhibit high productivity, particularly in terms of grain and stover quality. However, further validation is planned for 2024, with the introduction of additional testing sites to assess performance across various environments.
Following thorough evaluations across multiple years and environments, the most suitable dual-purpose maize hybrids will be allocated to NAFRI by CIMMYT along with their parental lines, to kickstart local seed production. However, the capacity of national partners needs to be strengthened to initiate local hybrid maize seed production effectively, and this necessitates the integration and coordination of efforts among all stakeholders in the seed and feed value chains in Laos.
Capacity building across seed and feed value chains
In response to the need for capacity building in local hybrid seed production and ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality seed and feed to Laotian smallholder farmers, NAFRI has collaborated with CIMMYT under the CGIAR Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems (SIMFS), Seed Equal, and Plant Health Initiatives to organize an international training workshop on enhancing access to quality maize seed and feed in the crop-livestock farming system of Lao PDR, which took place from May 7-9, 2024.
Workshop participants. (Photo: NAFRI)
The three-day interactive workshop, held in Vientiane, brought together 28 specialists from various organizations, including NAFRI, Souphanou Vong University, the Upland Agriculture Research Center (UARC), Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Offices (PAFO), as well as maize seed importers and grain traders from different provinces within the country.
The first day was dedicated to understanding the challenges and opportunities of the maize seed value chain. Participants were divided into three groups based on their practical backgrounds and invited to discuss challenges, stakeholder roles, and develop actionable recommendations for better coordination across value chains. This multi-stakeholder platform aimed to comprehend the challenges and opportunities of the crop-livestock farming nexus and integrate them into a more sustainable and productive system. It also served as a forum to promote synergistic partnerships among value-chain actors in enhancing local access to good quality seed and feed. The following days focused on various essential components of quality hybrid seed production, including understanding product profiles and market segments, realizing the economics of hybrid maize seed production, seed quality assurance, management of maize pests and diseases, and enhancing maize stover quality.
A collaborative approach
Workshop participants highlighted the challenges they face in acquiring maize seeds from external sources, citing inconsistent delivery times and limited availability of preferred varieties as factors that posed significant operational constraints. âThe development of a competitive domestic maize seed system would ensure timely seed supply for farmers and save resources for the nation,â said Maisong Yodnuanchan, an agripreneur from Xiangkhouang province. His concerns resonated with fellow agripreneurs Bounmy Si and Teuang Sophapmixay, from Oudomxay and Hua Phan provinces, respectively, who both acknowledged the challenges associated with the current reliance on imported seeds and the potential benefits of a sustainable, locally produced seed supply.
CIMMYT and NAFRI open a workshop session. (Photo: NAFRI)
The training workshop offered valuable insights into addressing these concerns, providing a comprehensive overview of effective seed system development and the technical aspects of seed production applicable to a wide range of crops beyond maize. âThis is the first ever training I received in my career and the knowledge gained will be directly applicable to my research activities at the UARC,â said researcher Malay Soukkhy. Recognizing the unique context of Laos compared to most of its neighboring countries with more established seed systems, AbduRahman Beshir, CIMMYTâs seed systems specialist for Asia and the lead trainer and facilitator for the workshop, emphasized the need for a collaborative approach to develop a custom solution for Laos. The workshop itself exemplified this collaborative spirit, incorporating a variety of engaging formats such as group discussions, lectures, assignments, and participant presentations. Subject matter specialists from CIMMYT offices in Nepal, India, and Kenya, as well as experts from Alliance Bioversity-CIAT and ILRI offices in Asia, shared valuable experiences applicable to Laosâs seed and feed systems.
Cementing partnerships
While addressing the participants, Timothy J. Krupnik, regional director for CIMMYTâs Sustainable Agrifood Systems Program in Asia, opened the workshop by acknowledging the invaluable support of NAFRI for organizing the event and collaborating under the CGIAR mixed farming initiative. He highlighted the imminent finalization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CIMMYT and NAFRI, which will pave the way to further cement partnerships and establish a long term CIMMYT operations in Laos.
NAFRI’s Director General, Chanthakhone Bualaphan, presided over the workshop and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between CIMMYT and NAFRI. Bualaphan requested CIMMYT’s continued focus on capacity building in Laos, encompassing both human resource development and institutional strengthening. She further highlighted the establishment of a specific target for domestic hybrid maize seed production, aligning with the government’s self-sufficiency goals. To translate plans into action, Bualaphan emphasized the need for future training programs to be more action-oriented and practical. She concluded by reiterating NAFRI’s unwavering support for CIMMYT’s expanded activities in Laos, with the ultimate objective of significantly improving the livelihoods of Laotian farmers. The workshop culminated with the presentation of certificates to participants and the development of a collaborative follow-up plan for deploying well-tailored maize germplasm within the mixed farming system of Laos.
This is a competitive program in which early- and mid-career NARS scientists from focus countries* are invited to express their motivation to join a CIMMYT research team, e.g. sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, groundnut, chickpea, or pigeon pea improvement in West or Eastern Africa, on an adjunct basis. This program aims to strengthen partnerships between CIMMYT and NARS scientists while empowering the emerging generation of scientists through world-class networking and research opportunities contributing to a regional vision of crop improvement.
Adjunct Scientists will focus on their main discipline, e.g. crop breeding, seed systems, socioeconomics, or data management, by partnering with an appropriate CIMMYT scientist. The Adjunct Scientist will work closely with the hosting CIMMYT scientist to jointly strengthen each otherâs research programs. The Adjunct and his/her CIMMYT host scientist will jointly participate and learn together from exchange visits, proposal writing, strategic meetings, and travel to research fields or conferences.
Candidates must be active employees of a National Agricultural Research Institution in an AVISA-Transition project target country* with a Ph.D. in an appropriate field, awarded not more than 10 years before applying, or an MSc with a proven record of leading breeding programs for 5-10 years. The deadline for applications is June 22, 2024.
Collaboration among diverse seed value chain actors is essential to improving seed systems for dryland crops in Kenya and contributing to food security in an era marked by climate change. This holistic approach is essential at a time when sustainable agricultural practices are increasingly becoming pertinent in semi-arid and high-potential areas, as emphasized by participants attending a multi-stakeholder seed systems meeting in Nairobi.
The Kenya Drylands Crop Seed Systems Workshop in February 2024 brought together various stakeholders from the agricultural sector, including farmers, policymakers, researchers, and the private sector. The main aim of this meeting was to identify practical ways to address critical challenges in the seed system for key dryland cropsâpigeon pea, chickpea, groundnut, millets, and sorghumâessential to the livelihoods of millions in Kenya. Organized by CIMMYT and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), this collaborative effort aimed to gather insights and jointly develop a seed systems strategy to strengthen a seed supply system that matches grain demand for these essential grains.
A group photo of the participants in the Kenya Drylands Crop Seed Systems Workshop. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
While moderating the discussion, Patrick Ketiem, director of agricultural mechanization research at KALRO, highlighted the importance of the situation. âThe demand for drought-tolerant dryland crops and varieties is a clarion call for breeders to innovate further,â he explained. This reflects a broader trend across the country, where even high-potential areas are shifting to dryland crops in response to unpredictable weather patterns.
Addressing farmer needs
The workshop allowed participants to delve into the intricacies of seed systems, from varietal preferences to market readiness, highlighting the importance of collaboration among breeders, distributors, and farmers. Moses Siambi, CIMMYTâs regional director for Africa, emphasized the importance of integrating passion with science to make a tangible difference in the lives of farmers. âOur work is not just about developing varieties,â Siambi remarked. âIt’s about improving livelihoods and ensuring that the benefits of our research reach the smallholder farmer,â he explained, emphasizing the broader impact of CIMMYTâs efforts to boost agricultural productivity, food security, and livelihoods in the face of climate change.
Moses Siambi, CIMMYTâs regional director for Africa, engages in a conversation with a participant. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
Chris Ojiewo, partnerships and seed systems lead at CIMMYT, explained the vision for the Dryland Crops program, referencing the journey of the Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Cereals in Africa (AVISA) project, which was a culmination of a decade of research aimed at introducing new, diverse, and farmer-preferred crop varieties to farming communities through a variety of seed delivery models.
âThe essence of our endeavor is to ensure that the genetic gains from our breeding efforts result in real benefits for the farmers,â he said. âDeveloping seed varieties with the end-user in mind is crucial to ensure that crops not only reach the farmers but also meet their specific needs effectively.â
Chris Ojiewo, partnerships and seed systems lead at CIMMYT, provides insights on the future of the Dryland Crops program, leveraging ten years of research from AVISA. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
Improving seed systems
The workshop discussions also highlighted the importance of innovation in seed delivery models and the need for increased investment in the dryland crops sector as essential strategies for addressing current challenges and capitalizing on new opportunities. Investment decisions will be guided by granular data on local grain demand, enhancing seed production planning. Additionally, insights from institutions such as the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and the State Department of Agriculture, consolidating per capita consumption data, will aid in determining the requisite seed supply per capita. Moreover, there is need for a mechanism for facilitating knowledge through consolidating data from existing projects that tackle comparable challenges related to food security and seed accessibility.
Lusike Wasilwa, crops systems director at KALRO, who represented the organizationâs director general at the event, stressed the importance of seeds in agriculture. âFrom genes to gains, our focus is on developing climate-smart, nutritious crops that not only enhance soil health but also ensure food security in Kenya,â Wasilwa said. She further highlighted the importance of soil health and market development in achieving sustainable food production in arid and semi-arid lands, promoting biodiversity, and sustainable land management practices.
Lusike Wasilwa, the crops systems director at KALRO, who represents the organizationâs director general at the event, emphasizes the importance of seeds in agriculture. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
Cross-cutting issues
The workshop also addressed regulatory and control measures in seed production with Stellamaris Mulika, principal seed inspector from the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), highlighting the importance of stringent quality control measures to ensure the dissemination of quality seed of superior crop varieties.
The importance of gender inclusivity and youth engagement in agriculture was also acknowledged, reflecting women and youth’s critical role in legume and cereal variety selection, diversifying seed sources, and meaningfully contributing to the seed value chain. Veneza Kendi, a student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), proposed several interventions to increase investment capacity for farmers and aggregators, mainly from the assurance of high yields from certified seeds to farmers, serving as a motivation.
Gloria Mutheu, a seed merchant at Dryland Seed Company, highlighted the need for government support in investing in the grain sector, citing the school feeding program as an initiative to pull seed demand. Mutheu urged the government to expand the crop types in legumes and cereals, such as chickpeas, included in these school feeding programs to increase demand. This, she argued, would gradually establish an inclusive seed system for increasing uptake of these underutilized but opportunity nutrient-dense crops.
Gloria Mutheu, a seed merchant at Dryland Seed Company, and Veneza Kendi, a student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), discuss the vital role of youth in the seed systems value chain. (Photo: Maria Monayo/CIMMYT)
The consensus was clear: to enhance the seed systems for dryland crops, there must be collaboration across the entire value chainâfrom breeders to farmers, from policymakers to the private sector. This integrated approach is critical for Kenya’s climate change adaptation, food security, and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices.
Spearheaded by CIMMYT with financial support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the AVISA project seeks to improve breeding and seed systems of dryland crops, as well as the livelihoods of small-scale producers and consumers in sub-Saharan Africa. CIMMYT is leveraging this opportunity to advance research and expand its influence through its 2030 strategy that shapes the future of agriculture as a driver of food and nutrition security, and climate resilient, sustainable, and inclusive agricultural development.
In a landmark initiative to bolster sustainable agriculture and food security, the consultative workshop ‘Bottlenecks to Expansion of Pearl and Finger Millets in Africaâ marked a pivotal step towards revitalizing millet cultivation across the continent. Spearheaded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in collaboration with CIMMYT and the Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research (ISRA), a meeting held in Senegal united global experts to unlock the untapped potential of millets as a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture and food security in Africa.
The discussions included identifying the symptoms of the problem, underlying issues causing these symptoms, and the interventions needed to be implemented to address these issues. This collaborative efforts among national and international organizations including government bodies, research institutes, and NGOs, demonstrated the goal of revitalizing millet cultivation through partnerships.
A group photo of the participants in the ‘Bottlenecks to Expansion of Pearl and Finger Millets in Africa’ workshop in Senegal. (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2023 the International Year of Millets to raise awareness of and direct policy attention to millets’ nutritional and health benefits and their suitability for cultivation under adverse and changing climatic conditions.
Long overlooked but brimming with potential, millets offer a sustainable solution for both farmers and consumers in terms of profitability, adaptability, and sustainability in farming, as well as healthier dietary options for consumers.
Lessons learned from India
India, a key player in millet production, provided valuable insights into millet cultivation and consumption, providing a potential model for Africa to emulate in its millet-related strategies.
To understand the growth of millets in India, the Indian Ambassador to Senegal, Naba Kumar Pal, highlighted the strategies used by the Indian government to raise awareness about millets as a nutritious cereal that contributes to food security and provides a nutritious dietary option aimed at eliminating hunger and improving nutrition in his opening remarks.
âThe first step the government did was to rebrand millets from âcoarse grainsâ to ânutri-cerealsâ, a move that has significantly increased domestic consumption and market interest of millets in India,â said the ambassador.
Indian Ambassador to Senegal, Naba Kumar Pal, highlights the Indian government’s efforts to promote millets as a nutritional powerhouse. (Photo: Marion Aluoch/CIMMYT)
In Africa, millets are under appreciated and not utilized as crops. They are often labeled as a ‘poor manâs crop,’ ‘neglected crop,’ or ‘orphan cropâ. Â The negative connotations have, among other areas, influenced consumers’ perceptions. By changing the vocabulary from demeaning to empowering, milletsâ image can be transformed from an overlooked option to a crop of choice in Africa.
The workshop also delved into policy advocacy and commercialization efforts in India, and how these strategies could be replicated in African contexts. Tara Satyavati and Dayakar Rao, representing Indian institutions, shared insights on millet production, nutritional evaluation, and the development of value-added products. The importance of policy intervention, such as increasing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for millets and including them in public meal programs in India, was discussed. These measures not only provided financial incentives to farmers but also increased accessibility and consumption among the general population.
The two asserted that âmillets offer a sustainable solution for both farmers and consumers in terms of profitability, adaptability, and sustainability in farming, as well as healthier dietary options for consumers.â
Millets are adaptable to diverse climates, have low water requirements, and provide nutritional benefits. African countries, which face similar issues in terms of climate change and food security, can use millets as a crop to promote environmental sustainability and economic viability.
National and international collaborations
A panel discussion shed light on national and international initiatives that highlighted collaborative efforts in crop improvement and millet innovations. On the national level, Hamidou Diallo from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Equipment, and Food Sovereignty of Senegal (MAERSA) outlined a multi-pronged approach for Senegal. These approaches included increasing millet production, providing high-quality seeds, equipping local producers with essential tools and equipment, providing fertilizers to farmers, and expanding the overall cultivated areas of millet. These efforts represent a focused approach to leveraging agricultural innovation in millets to improve livelihoods and income for small-scale farmers.
âAligning with the needs of the local community ensures the initiatives are impactful and resonate with the agricultural landscape and community needs,â he emphasized.
Insights into the international initiatives included discussions on innovative initiatives in the Dryland Crop Program (DCP), presented by Dryland Crops Program Director and Wheat Program Director Kevin Pixley, included the establishment of the African Dryland Crops Improvement Network, gene editing, a legumes mining project and the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) project, that will include millets as a prioritized crop.
âWe need to find innovative ways to reach more farmers with options to improve their livelihood and popularize millets across different market segments,â said Pixley.
From left to right: Damaris Odeny (ICRISAT India), Geoff Morris (Colorado State University), Douglas Gayeton (co-founder of The Lexicon), Hamidou Diallo (MAERSA, Senegal), Kevin Pixley (director of the Dryland Crops Program), and Makiko Taguchi (FAO), engage in a panel discussion on the importance of national and international initiatives in promoting crop improvement and millet innovations, highlighting the collaborative spirit driving agricultural progress.
Other topics covered included insights from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) innovation lab on sorghum and millets, emphasizing the importance of African-led projects and addressing the knowledge gap between African and U.S. researchers.
Makiko Taguchi of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) emphasized the importance of global engagement in promoting millets as a sustainable and nutritious food source for global food security and agricultural development and highlighted the various initiatives and projects born of the International Year of Millets. Douglas Gayeton, co-founder of The Lexicon emphasized the role of effective messaging in changing people’s perceptions of millets. He underscored the importance of shifting away from terms like âneglectedâ and âorphanedâ crops to more positive empowering language that resonates with consumers and policy makers.
CIMMYT’s role in dryland crop innovation
Recognizing the ever-evolving needs of society at large, CIMMYT began an initiative to advance research and broaden its impact by implementing the Dryland Crops Program. This approach is based on CIMMYT’s 2030 strategy, which will shape agriculture’s future as a driver of climate resilience, sustainable, and inclusive agricultural development, and food and nutrition security, all while meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Africa 2063 by promoting food security, improving nutrition, and mitigating the effects of climate change.
The meeting underscored the immense potential of millets in Africa to contribute to a resilient and nutritious future, reinforcing the need for continued collaboration, innovation, and investment in this vital crop. With the right mix of policy support, technological innovation and market development, millets could be the key to Africaâs resilient and sustainable agricultural future. The workshop concluded with a call to action for stakeholders to collaborate and implement innovative practices to enhance the growth of the millet sector in Africa.
Participants from the Kenya PDT meeting held in Nairobi. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Product design teams (PDTs) are a CGIAR Accelerated Breeding Initiative innovation created to address the aforementioned challenges under the CGIAR-NARES partnership through coordinating SPMS and related TPPs. Each seed product market segment, which in the case of CGIAR is defined at sub-regional level, represents a unique set of requirements. Attached to the segment is a TPP which describes the ideal product to meet the requirements. Taken together, the framework provides a starting point for discussions by breeding teams on investment opportunities.
Discussions on market segments and TPPs need to develop over time as new insights are gained. Some requirements might be overlooked, and others may be emerging due to client requirements and changes in the context. There is a need for a greater understanding of the evolving requirements of the seed companies, farmers, processors, and consumers in the market segments that CGIAR serves. It must be recognized that not all requirements of farmers or consumers are amenable to breeding or efficient to incorporate in breeding pipelines â for example, some post-harvest losses or weed management can be best addressed by appropriate storage mechanisms and improved agronomic practices, respectively.
Product design teams (PDTs) were created to address the aforementioned challenges under the CGIAR-NARES partnership by and coordinating SPMS and related TPPs. A PDT is a group of crop breeding and seed systems stakeholders for a particular crop, who work together to design or redefine TPPs. PDTs have been envisioned to be cross-functional teams that meet annually with the following aims:
Review the market segments at subregional and national levels, addressing critical questions, such as:
Do the subregional segments capture country-level requirements?
What is the opportunity for impact from breeding investments across market segments?
Are there important market segments that have not been captured?
What are the potential future segments that the team needs to consider?
Review and update TPPs for each segment, addressing questions such as:
Are any important traits missing?
Are country-specific trait values factored?
Are country-specific market-dominant varieties included in the market segment?
Discuss the needs for market intelligence for the PDT:
Unknowns regarding client requirements.
Gaps regarding product design parameters.
Director of the Global Maize program at CIMMYT, B.M. Prasanna, said, âPDT meetings serve as an important platform to understand the perspectives of diverse and relevant stakeholders. These discussions enable us to reach a common understanding of the current market requirements and redefine TPPs to reflect needs across value streams through co-creation and shared responsibility.â
The impact of PDTs
Pieter Rutsaert, seed systems specialist at CIMMYT and the CGIAR Market Intelligence Initiative, participated in several PDTs on maize and other crops, such as groundnut. âPDTs are a useful format to understand the unknowns in terms of farmer, processor, and consumer requirements and generate questions that guide future work in market intelligence,â said Rutsaert.
Product Design Team (PDT) meetings bring together breeding and seed systems stakeholders to improve understanding of country and regional needs for a specific crop. (Photo: CIMMYT)
“PDTs will help in routine review of the product requirement for a specific country and will help to remove breeder bias and ensure that all stakeholdersâ views are heard and consideredâ, said Aparna Das, technical program manager for the Global Maize program at CIMMYT.
The main requirements for constituting PDTs for a specific country are:
A multidisciplinary team with 7 to 15 members, ensuring diversity of experience and providing reasonable time for decision-making.
Must consist of a range of stakeholders, such as: breeders from NARES (often the PDT convener/lead) and CGIAR; representatives of farmersâ groups, seed companies, and food processors; gender specialists; and market intelligence specialists.
30% of members should be female.
Should include a member from another crop breeding network, to bring a different perspective.
Bish Das, NARS coordinator, Dragan Milic, breeding specialist, and Lennin Musundire, breeding optimization specialist, from the CGIAR Accelerated Breeding Initiative team said, âUltimately, the client-led approach to priority setting that CIMMYTâs Global Maize program is implementing in southern and eastern Africa ensures strong alignment with partnersâ priorities and client requirements and better targeting of CGIAR regional maize breeding efforts.â
Case study: maize seed systems
CIMMYTâs Global Maize program has refined variety development to meet market needs across the value chain including farmers, processors, and consumers, thus enhancing variety adoption, which is the end goal of breeding pipelines. This has been implemented through the regional CGIAR-NARES-SMEs collaborative breeding networks and having âa bottom-upâ approach towards developing market segments and TPPs. This refers to building an understanding of end-users’ needs through inclusive in-country and regional stakeholder PDT meetings. PDTs also ensure that there are CGIAR-NARES-SME defined roles: a national mandate for NARES partners focusing on niche markets, the consolidated national mandate for CGIAR/NARES/SMEs, and a regional mandate for CGIAR Research Centers like CIMMYT.
In 2023, maize PDT teams were established and held meetings for five countries in eastern and southern Africa: Zambia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. These meetings brought together stakeholders from different fields who play an important role in product development and seed systems (national partners and seed companies), varietal release (representatives from regulatory agencies) and end-product users (for example, millers).
The advantages of TDPs are emphasized by Godfrey Asea, director of Research and Daniel Bomet Kwemoi, maize breeder at the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) in Uganda. They highlighted that the NARO maize program has now begun a systematic journey toward modernizing its breeding program. The PDT team validated the countryâs market segments and aligned five product profiles with two major target production environments (TPEs), with the mid-altitude regions taking 85% of the maize seed market and the highlands accounting for 15%. âThese TPPs will be reviewed annually by the PDT since market segments tend to be dynamic. The breeding program has reclassified and aligned breeding the germplasm to TPPs, which will guide effective resource allocation based on the market shares,â said Asea.
Feedback on PDT meetings so far suggests positive experiences from stakeholders. Wendy Madzura, head of agronomy at SeedCo in Zimbabwe, said, âThe unique PDT meeting held at CIMMYT in Zimbabwe provided a conducive environment for public and private stakeholders to have meaningful and honest discussions on the current market segments and TPPs.â Plans for continuous improvement are embedded in the PDT model. âAs a follow-up to the PDT meeting, there is a need for further involvement of various stakeholders at the village, ward, and district levels to enable deeper insights and reach because the client needs are constantly changing,â said Madzura.
Annual AID-I meeting participants gather for a group photo. (Photo:Christabel Chabwela)
Implementing partners of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) project, or MasAgro Africa, converged in Arusha, Tanzania, for the project’s first annual review and planning meeting. The event, which brought together 58 participants from 28 allied organizations coordinating and implementing activities as part of the flagship USAID-funded initiative, provided an opportunity to review progress towards targets set at the project launch in September 2022. During the event, partners also took time to collaboratively plan for stronger implementation in the projectâs second year, while discussing challenges faced in the previous year and coming up with practical solutions for these. Similar planning meetings took place in Malawi and Zambia during the same month.
Speaking during the meetingâs opening session, USAID Tanzania Mission Feed the Future Coordinator Melanie Edwards expressed excitement about the achievements of in-country partners in the past year. âThe Tanzania component of the project was performing very well,â she said, âand it was exciting to see the proposals coming, meaning that the number of partners was expanding.â Edwards noted that there is still a lot more to be done by the AID-I project and a call for new partner proposals was going to be issued soon to augment ongoing work. She also emphasized the importance of expanding the number of partners and was eager to see planned activities for the second year of the project.
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Tanzaniaâa key partner in the AID-I initiativeâAbel Mtembenji outlined the government’s priorities: increasing productivity, creating decent jobs, enhancing extension services, improving resilience for food security, and expanding market and credit access. Mtembenji was pleased that AID-I interventions aligned with these and encouraged stakeholders to coordinate their efforts with the Tanzanian government to enhance the sustainability of project activities. He further encouraged stakeholders to notify the government of their initiatives to foster collaboration during implementation. Mtembenji recognized the support from USAID, through CIMMYT and thanked all partners for their participation and contribution to agricultural development in Tanzania.
Showcasing early successes
The AID-I initiative provides targeted assistance to up to three million African smallholder farmers by improving soil health and fertilizer management; strengthening local seed systems; connecting to financial products and services; and delivering extension and advisory services. An update presentation made by SAS Program Manager Grace Mwai revealed that through its 42 partners across Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia, AID-I had in the past 12 months set up 125 mega-demonstrations for the 2022-2023 season. Forty-two of these were managed by farmer groups themselves, with 60% managed by women.
Across all three project countries, AID-I also reached approximately 5.3 million farmers with various agronomic advisory messages through radio and television, 160,000 listeners through interactive voice response (IVR) messages. Over 9,000 farmers were linked to inputs and outputs markets, of which 40% were women. Mwai added that the project had also conducted 5,143 seed company demonstrationsâof which 2,400 took place in Tanzaniaâand had harvested and processed 13,000 metric tons of certified maize and legume seed, which was expected to directly benefit around one million smallholder farmers across the hub.
Partners demonstrate seed packages to meeting participants. (Photo: Christabel Chabwela)
On the second day of the meeting, partners organized themselves into three small groups based on the three AID-I pillarsâSeed Systems, Agriculture Advisories, and Market Linkagesâto discuss forthcoming activities and what they hoped to do better in the coming season. The meeting concluded with discussions on issues including financial reporting, establishing and nurturing collaborations, and leveraging technology for improved project outcomes. During his closing remarks, Legume and Seed Systems Specialist under AID-I, Peter Setimela, emphasized the importance of timely proposal submission for the second year.
Written by mcallejas on . Posted in Uncategorized.
Peter Setimela is CIMMYT Country Representative for Zambia and Legume Seed Systems Lead for the AID- Project.
Setimela is a seed systems scientist with over 20 years of experience in CG centers, universities, and national agricultural research institutes.
A credible and innovative scientist with strong technical, commercial, and financial acumen and extensive experience in leading multi-cultural teams to deliver ground-breaking agricultural initiatives primarily in the Eastern and Southern African regions. Demonstrates a comprehensive portfolio of skills including research and development, technology scaling, program management, advocacy, partnerships, capacity building, logistics, team leadership, operations, fundraising, and training. An adaptable and resilient leader with strong communication and influencing skills and the ability to unite diverse agendas to achieve outstanding results.
Certified soyabean seed from Afriseed. (Photo: AFRI archives)
In Zambia, smallholder farmers obtain their seed from a variety of sources. Over 75 percent of farmers in Zambia have adopted certified maize seed and about 30 percent in southern Africa, overall. The private sector has been instrumental in creating demand for certified and timely delivery of seed to remote areas, and the Government of Zambiaâs Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) has largely contributed to better accessibility to certified seed for farmers. In 2022â2023, of the three million registered smallholder farmers in Zambia, more than one million accessed certified seed through FISP.
Afriseed is a seed company in Zambia that has been gaining ground in local seed markets. It has emerged as a catalyst for helping smallholder farmers transition to new, high-yielding legume varieties. Afriseed provides solutions to help smallholders increase their agricultural productivity with improved seed varieties of cereals and legumes and assist them with technology transfer. The company aims to increase the food security and incomes of Zambiaâs smallholder farming community, which accounts for 90 percent of agricultural output in the country. During the 2022â2023 farming season, a critical turning point was reached when Afriseed became a partner in the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, or MasAgro Africa, a two-year project under CIMMYT, with the aim of scaling-up production of certified seed varieties of soybean and common bean.
Under the partnership, Afriseed promotes the cultivation of improved legume seed through a smallholder farmer seed multiplication approach. By engaging with practicing smallholder farmers and signing grower contracts, basic seeds are multiplied into certified seed for soybean and common bean. Certified seed is a known variety produced under strict seed certification standards to support varietal purity. In collaboration with the Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI), the countryâs national seed authority, contracted farmers received training on climate-smart agricultural techniques and seed production guidelines. Through extension services to seed growers, smallholder farmers can adhere to the seed production guidelines set out in the National Seed Act to ensure the quality of certified seed produced.
Smallholder farmers hold improved, certified seed. (Photo: AFRI archives)
Afriseed has invested more than USD 335,000 toward supporting the production, aggregation, and processing of 317 t of certified climate-smart legume seedsâ265 metric tonnes (MT) for soybean and 52 MT for common bean. Data have shown that the seeds were aggregated from 313 smallholder seed growers, 40 percent of whom were women, in Zambiaâs Eastern Muchinga, Copperbelt and the Northern provinces. Seed aggregation improves access to quality seed varieties, increases crop yields and incomes, enhances integration into value chains, and creates market links for smallholder farmers.
Notable progress has been made with the contracted farmers, who have applied improved crop management practices and technologies on more than 600 ha of land to produce the seed. With this encouraging progress, Afriseed intends to scale up its last-mile seed distribution strategy to reach and directly help an estimated 35,000 underserved rural smallholder farming households with improved legume seeds in the 2023â2024 cropping season.
AID-I is one of the ways in which Feed the Future, the U.S. Governmentâs global food security and hunger initiative led by USAID, is taking immediate action to help cushion the blow of high fuel and fertilizer prices on farmers. One of the projectâs initial actions is to strengthen local seed systems so that agribusinesses can reach smallholder farmers with a diversity of improved seeds varieties, including climate-resilient and more nutritious varieties for maize and legumes.
Excited farmers pose after purchasing seed in preparation for the upcoming cropping season. (Photo: CIMMYT)
More than 1,300 smallholder farmers, across the Mwenezi and Masvingo districts of Zimbabwe, braved the hot morning sun to attend the fourth edition of the seed and mechanization fair organized by CIMMYT and partners in early October 2023. The event, themed âHarnessing improved seed and mechanization for climate resilience,” saw these farmers from all walks of lifeâfirst timers to past attendeesâeager to participate, learn and explore the innovations on display.
Evolving over time, the seed and mechanization fair has continued to serve as a strategic platform to connect local farmers with private sector companies while enhancing the uptake of drought-tolerant maize varieties and scale-appropriate machinery. âSince 2020, CIMMYT-driven seed fairs have encouraged smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas, to grow the right seed at the right time to avoid any shortcomings due to unpredictable of weather patterns,â said Christian Thierfelder, principal cropping systems agronomist at CIMMYT.
Fast approaching farming season
El Niño continues to pose a threat to farmers especially in semi-arid areas such as in Mwenezi district situated in southern Zimbabwe and Masvingo district in south-eastern Zimbabwe which are drought prone areas characterized by high temperatures, rainfall deficit, among other challenges. Through the seed fairs, CIMMYT, a consortium member of the World Food Program projects, R4 Rural Resilience and the Zambuko Livelihoods Initiatives supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and USAID, has been at the forefront, advocating for and inspiring local farmers to buy and use seed varieties suitable for their environment, while encouraging farming as a business. In addition, the regional project Ukama/Ustawi Diversification in East and Southern Africa joined efforts to support farmers in income diversification from pure cereal-based systems to more diversified cereal-legume and mechanized farming systems.
âI believe this is the right function at the right time as we prepare for the next farming season. From this event, we anticipate that farmers will say, âYes we have received new technology, yes we have knowledge on new varieties, yes we have information about the weather forecastâ. We now have confidence that farmers are well-equipped and ready for the season to achieve the Zimbabwe Vision 2030,â said Isaac Mutambara, district development coordinator from Mwenezi.
Building resilience with drought-tolerant varieties
Amid climate change, equipping farmers with climate-smart knowledge and the right seed varieties has been central to the seed fairs. Working hand in hand with the government, CIMMYT has been breeding drought tolerant, orange maize with high nutritional value. âWe encourage the growing and consumption of crops with nutritional value for household food security. Furthermore, we have different varieties of orange maize which are drought-tolerant,â said Thokozile Ndhlela, maize line development breeder. In addition, CIMMYT as part of HarvestPlus, has been encouraging the growing and consumption of nutritious NUA45 beans which are high in iron and zinc.
Mechanizing agriculture
Live demonstration of the basin digger in Mwenezi. (Photo: CIMMYT)
The joint participation of the USAID funded âFeed the Future Zimbabwe Mechanization and Extension activityâ, helped to emphasize the importance of transforming smallholder agriculture through scale-appropriate equipment. At the event, machinery manufacturers such as Prochoice, Kurima and Mahindra showcased cutting-edge machinery, designed to ease farming operations. These companies showed live demonstrations of two-wheel tractors, basin diggers, multiple crop threshers amongst others, effectively emphasizing the benefits of scale-appropriate mechanization. The innovations on display demonstrated the unwavering dedication of the private sector towards supporting farmers and driving agricultural innovation. âIt has been a truly exciting opportunity operating the peanut sheller, while appreciating the different machinery in live action. I will consider buying this machine as it reduces the added burden of shelling and processing,â said Lungiwe Nyathi, a local farmer from Mwenezi.
Partnerships for growth
Various seed companies, including AgriSeeds, SeedCo, Farm and City, Super Fert, National Tested Seeds, Intaba Trading, Sesame for Life and K2, marketed appropriate seed varieties that ensure bumper harvests. Sales of seed, fertilizer and other inputs were high, with the total value of sales reaching US6,450. Vouchers were distributed to farmers who made high cash purchases of seeds. âI bought 45kgs of seed which I believe is a great start, and I am happy that I do not have to pay extra money for transporting the seed to my home,â said Martha Chiwawo, a farmer from ward 16 in Masvingo.
The fairs would not be complete without CIMMYT partners. While Zambuko Livelihoods Initiative shared their expertise in the district, SNV has been encouraging sustainable savings and lending schemes among farmers to purchase machinery while facilitating market access and reducing post-harvest losses. The World Food Programme (WFP) encouraged farmers to become resilient and self-sufficient through valuable knowledge and skills to improve their lives. In addition, the Mwenezi Development Training Centre (MDTC) focused on encouraging small livestock which are adaptable to the area. Additional partners Cesvi and Sesame for Life, who both operate in ward 6 of Mwenezi district, participated in the seed fairs for the first time. Both partners advance the production of high value cropsâpaprika and sesameâwhich have a ready export market and favorable prices for smallholder farmers. Government extension departments showed strong support while researchers from the Makoholi Research Station in Masvingo used the opportunity to talk to farmers about their research initiatives.
As the day came to an end, farmers were brimming with excitement and ready to embark on the season ahead with purchased, improved seed and a wealth of knowledge on innovative conservation agriculture practices. The event proved to be an invaluable opportunity for uniting farmers, government, seed companies, and partners in a shared mission to promote sustainable farming practices and ensure food security.
Bram Govaerts and Amsal Tarekegne compare a maize hybrid. (Photo: Katebe Mapipo/CIMMYT)
Maize is a vital crop in Zambia and Tanzania, both for farmers’ economic livelihoods and for delivering nutrients and sustenance to a large group of people. But maize is threatened by climate change, like more severe droughts, and from pests like fall army worm (FAW), which can completely devastate farmers’ fields.
Against this backdrop of looming threats, CIMMYT, as part of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, or MasAgro Africa, is partnering with the Zambia Seed Company Limited (Zamseed) to distribute seeds that are drought tolerant and resistant to the ravages of FAW. And because maize is a staple of many peopleâs diets, CIMMYT and Zamseed are also developing and distributing maize varieties enhanced with vitamin A.
To uphold maize variety integrity, CIMMYT and Zamseed are engaged in the capacity building of quality assurance and quality control for local stakeholders.
CIMMYTâs engagement with Zamseed involves efforts to popularize high yielding, drought-tolerant, and vitamin enhanced maize varieties in Zambia and Tanzania. Some of these efforts include demonstrations of the new varieties, field days held at different stages of maize development, and deliberate engagement of women throughout the entire seed selection, planting and harvesting effort.
âOur partnership with Zamseed started in October 2022,â said Ir Essegbemon Akpo, a CIMMYT maize seed systems specialist. âIt has been a fruitful collaboration, delivering significant outputs to thousands of farmers in Zambia and Tanzania.”
To date, Zamseed has held 300 and 500 demonstrations in Tanzania and Zambia, respectively. The company has held many field days at the demonstration sites to showcase drought tolerant and vitamin A enhanced maize to hundreds of small-scale farmers.
âWe have witnessed many farmers who visited the demonstration activities who are excited to see the new high yielding and drought tolerant varieties,â said Amsal Tarekegne of Zamseed.
Seeded by funds from the AID-I project, Zamseed is producing 60kg of Early Generation Seed (EGS) of parents of a FAW-tolerant hybrid maize variety. The company plans to produce 200kg of this hybrid for commercialization and launch in 2024.
To ensure that seeds delivered to farmers are of the highest quality, CIMMYT is working with Zamseed to develop quality assurance and control frameworks, involving genotyping of selected seeds at various times during the seed multiplication and distribution process.
Zamseed has been servicing the requirements of farmers in the sub-Sahara region since 1980, focusing on products that will enhance the profitability of the small-scale farmer and ensure household food security.
To bring together farmers with seed distributors and other stakeholders, the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) Rapid Delivery Hub, or MasAgro Africa, held a seed fair with the theme âPromoting Access to Drought Tolerant Seed and Appropriate Scale Technologies,â in Zambiaâs Chongwe district. The objectives of the fair were to create a platform for farmers and input suppliers to engage before the onset of the planting season. Over 1,200 farmers attended the seed fair.
Zambian government officials and CIMMYT staff tour fair stands. (Photo: Nancy Malama/CIMMYT)
âThe seed fair plays a critical role in linking farmers to seed companies and exposes them to appropriate technologies. The links created with agro-dealers and other suppliers ensure farmers gain access to sufficient volumes of appropriate multiple stress tolerant maize hybrids, legume seed and agricultural inputs locally. Access to drought tolerant seed and technology in the times of climate change is timely and critical to today’s farmers. This fair will help our farmers acquire inputs at their doorsteps, promoting food security,â said Kasuba, the district agriculture officer.
AID-I is also using these fairs to provide information on agronomic practices such as conservation agriculture, climate-smart agriculture and small mechanization options to support smallholders not only to learn but also enjoy the events through participation in fun quizzes. Farmers purchase seed and other inputs when they redeem vouchers provided by participating companies who develop the questions for farmers.
A farmer who redeemed a voucher said, âI came from Nyimba, because I heard that there is a seed fair here. What I found was very interesting, and I learned a lot. I saw a lot of seeds from different companies. I have also managed to win this pesticide by answering a question, and I am very happy about this project.â
Farmer redeems a voucher for beneficial pesticides. (Photo: Christabel Chabwela/CIMMYT)
These add-ons to the seed fair ensure farmers learn about climate-smart practices and how they can mitigate climate change effects and crop damage caused by pests by using drought and pest resistant varieties. Pests such as fall armyworm (FAW) are a major threat to smallholder farmers and their crops, as these can destroy crops and lead to a significant decrease in yields and income for the farmer.
Some of the outcomes and benefits for the private sector, and farmers alike include farmers to access different seed hybrids at one location, reduced costs of transportation for farmers who often travel long distances to get inputs. Zamseed, an AID-I partner, was able to promote 600 packs of their ZMS 451-medium and ZMS 721-late maturity seeds. SeedCo, another AID-I partner was able to support farmers with 500 seed packs of their medium maturity SC 303-ultra early, SC 555-early and 657-medium maturity maize seed varieties to farmers. Seed input suppliers noted that maize seed packed in smaller bags weighing 10 kgs and of medium maturity variety seed were the most sought-after and have now influenced how they can reach much larger numbers of smallholder farmers through this observation on improved packaging and demand.
In addition to Zamseed and SeedCo, AID-I partners who participated in the seed fair include the Ministry of Agriculture, CRS, Afriseed, Synergy, Animive Enterprises, Bayer, Amiran, Syngenta, Omnia Fertilizer, and Corteva.
A climate resilient agriculture program for the state of Bihar, India, launched in 2019 by the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) and the state government, was operating in 190 villages and had by 2022 improved water, soil nutrient, energy, labor and time use efficiency by at least 20% with around 35% higher yields and a reduced environmental footprint, as well as helping rice-wheat farmers to diversify their production with crops such as maize, millet and mungbean, among others.
This is just one of the achievements cited in a recent 2023 end-of-year reflection involving members of the BISA Executive Committee in New Delhi, India, including Bram Govaerts, director general of CIMMYT and BISA, and Arun Kumar Joshi, managing director of BISA.
âBISA has achieved significant milestones and is progressing towards organizational goals,â said Joshi. âThe long-standing and productive partnership with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and agricultural councils of other countries in South Asia became more robust, as strategies that focused on building capacities and improving seed systems for the whole of South Asia were implemented.â
Established jointly by CIMMYT and ICAR in 2011, BISA is a non-profit international research institute dedicated to food, nutrition, livelihood security and environmental rehabilitation in South Asia, home to more than 300 million undernourished people. Its work harnesses the latest genetic, digital, resource management technologies, and research-for-development approaches.
BISAâs flagship projects benefit millions of farmers and include the Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA), the testing of experimental wheat that carries grass genes associated with the inhibition of nitrification in the soil near crop roots, a climate resilient agriculture program for South Asia, and implementation of the CGIAR Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) initiative.
âOf the top 10 bread wheat varieties in India, 6 are derived from the ICAR-CIMMYT-BISA collaboration,â Joshi explained.
âBISA has grown tremendously in the last few years,â said Govaerts. âThe diverse arena of projects shows the capabilities and potential that BISA holds today. The flagship programs are undoubtedly creating a huge impact and would contribute to solving tomorrowâs problems today.â
BISA has renewed and diversified its research projects each year, according to T.R. Sharma, deputy director general of Crops, ICAR. âBISAâs impact on genetic innovation in wheat through ICAR-CIMMYT-BISA collaboration is indeed praiseworthy,â he said. Govaerts also attended an interactive session with CIMMYT-BISA India staff, presenting an analysis of the CIMMYT 2030 strategy and encouraging everyoneâs contributions towards the goals.
Quality seed is a crucial agricultural input for enhancing crop production and productivity per unit of land. However, in many developing countries, including Bhutan, ensuring the availability, affordability, and accessibility of quality seed, especially of preferred varieties, remains a significant challenge for farmers. Maize is the second most important cereal in Bhutan after rice. However, the total area dedicated to cereal cultivation in Bhutan has been decreasing due to factors such as rural-urban migration, urban expansion, and the effects of climate change.
Between 2016 and 2021, the areas under rice and maize cultivation have contracted by 55% and 64%, respectively (FAOSTAT, 2022). This huge reduction in cereal cultivation, combined with relatively low productivity, has led Bhutan to rely on imports to bridge the gap and meet the demand for essential food crops, including maize. The Bhutanese government is committed to enhancing domestic capacity and fostering self-sufficiency in major food crops and discourages the import of seed, especially of hybrid maize.
AbduRahman Beshir, seed systems specialist at CIMMYT, displays incomplete fertilization of maize cobs. (Photo: Passang Wangmo/ARDC-Wengkhar)
Hybrid maize seed to offset deficit
Recognizing the significance of improving maize productivity, the Agriculture Research & Development Center (ARDC) in Bhutan is working on the development and deployment of hybrid maize that has the potential to double yields compared to non-hybrid varieties. In 2020, Bhutan officially released its first hybrid maize variety, Wengkhar Hybrid Maize-1 (WHM-1), which was sourced from CIMMYT. Furthermore, several other hybrid maize varieties from CIMMYT are currently in the pipeline for release and evaluation, including those tolerant to fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), the most important maize pest in Bhutan.
Despite the testing and release of hybrid maize varieties, the production of high-quality seedâvital for realizing the benefits of hybrid maize for Bhutanese farmersâhas yet to take place. The seed industry in Bhutan is primarily informal, with the majority of farmers relying on farm-saved seed of often inferior quality. The absence of a formalized seed system, coupled with a lack of the necessary skills and technical expertise across the seed value chain, presents considerable challenges in building a competitive and vibrant seed sector in Bhutan.
Training workshop emphasizes the strengthening of seed systems
To ensure a consistent supply of high-quality maize seed to Bhutanese farmers, which is essential for seed and food security and improved productivity, ARDC in collaboration with CIMMYT, under the CGIAR Seed Equal Initiative, carried out an international training workshop on quality seed production and distribution, with the main focus on hybrid maize, from 13â15 November 2023 at ARDC-Wengkhar, Mongar.
The three-day workshop involved 30 participants from diverse organizations, including the National Seed Centre, the College of Natural Resources, extensions agents from the eastern region, the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority, and agriculture research and development centers. The workshop aimed to enhance participantsâ technical skills in understanding and applying the principles and practices of quality hybrid maize seed production; to promote synergistic partnerships among various seed sector stakeholders for initiating and scaling up quality hybrid maize seed production in Bhutan; and to exchange experiences and lessons to be learned from South Asian countries that can be applied to strengthening Bhutan’s seed system.
Participants discuss during the workshop. (Photo: AbduRahman Beshir/CIMMYT)
âThis is the first kind of training I have received on hybrid maize seed production, and it was very relevant, action-oriented and applicable to our condition in Bhutan,â says Kinley Sithup, a researcher at ARDC-Wengkhar, Mongar, and adds that the training workshop was a useful forum for identifying key challenges and the role of stakeholders across the seed value chain, which were discussed in detail during the group work in the training.
Recently, the Bhutanese government has restricted the import of hybrid maize seed in order to promote import substitution and enhance local seed production. âIn light of the unavailability of imported hybrid seeds, it’s crucial for us to intensify our efforts in scaling up local seed production,â says Dorji Wangchuk, project director of the Commercial Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood Enhancement Program (CARLEP), while addressing the participants during the opening.
The training workshop covered courses on seed system components, maize breeding concepts, hybrid seed production principles, the development of a seed roadmap on production and marketing, hybrid seed pricing and marketing approaches, seed quality control and certification, among others. A field visit along with hands-on training at ARDSC Lingmethang enriched the learning experience. In addition, experiences from other South Asian countries on hybrid seed production and marketing were shared during the training.
A group photo with the participants of the seed systems training workshop in Bhutan. (Photo: ARDC)
Team up for seed production
A significant outcome is the planned initiation of the inaugural hybrid maize seed production group in Udzorong, Trashigang, scheduled for January 2024 in collaboration with extension, the National Seed Center, and the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority. This initiative, supported by CARLEP-IFAD and CIMMYT, reflects a dedicated effort to strengthen Bhutan’s seed sector and enhance maize production for the benefit of local farmers. Fast-track variety release and seed deployment are important to Bhutanese smallholder farmers to mitigate the challenges of lower productivity. âCIMMYT is ready to continue working with partners in Bhutan,â says Program Director of the Global Maize Program at CIMMYT and the One CGIAR Plant Health Initiative lead, BM Prasanna, while delivering his messages online. Prasanna added that CIMMYT has licensed three fall armyworm-tolerant hybrids for Bhutan, and partners need to team up for the release and seed-scaling of the hybrids.
The training workshop on hybrid maize seed was the first of its kind to be held in Bhutan and was conducted under the CGIAR Seed Equal Initiative in collaboration with ARDC and CARLEP. AbduRahman Beshir, seed systems specialist at CIMMYT, delivered the main courses, with additional virtual presentations from CIMMYT staff from India and Kenya.
