Theme: Capacity development

CIMMYT training courses play a critical role in helping international researchers meet national food security and resource conservation goals. By sharing knowledge to build communities of agricultural knowledge in less developed countries, CIMMYT empowers researchers to aid farmers. In turn, these farmers help ensure sustainable food security. In contrast to formal academic training in plant breeding and agronomy, CIMMYT training activities are hands-on and highly specialized. Trainees from Africa, Asia and Latin America benefit from the data assembled and handled in a global research program. Alumni of CIMMYT courses often become a significant force for agricultural change in their countries.

Student reflection: my visit to CIMMYT-Hyderabad, India

Written by on November 6, 2013. Posted in Blogs.

Alex Renaud is a third-year graduate student pursuing a doctorate degree in plant breeding and genetics from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.

When given the opportunity to travel to India to work on heat tolerance in maize, I leaped at the prospect. I was excited by the potential for professional development and the chance to experience a different culture. My visit was part of the Heat Tolerant Maize for Asia (HTMA) collaborative project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development Feed the Future Initiative. The project supports graduate students in plant breeding to learn about and contribute to completing initiative objectives. HTMA is a public-private partnership (PPP) led by CIMMYT-Asia. Partners include Purdue University, Pioneer Hi-Bred and other seed companies and public sector maize programs in South Asia.

CIMMYT-Asia in Hyderabad, India, provides an ideal environment to evaluate or phenotype maize genotypes for heat stress tolerance. Temperatures regularly reach 40°C or higher and the relative humidity is usually below 30 percent during the reproductive development of maize planted during spring season. Additionally, the CIMMYT facilities in Hyderabad provided an excellent laboratory environment for testing hypotheses concerning the basis of heat stress tolerance in maize.

Having never been to India, I really enjoyed my stay in Hyderabad, from both research and cultural standpoints. I enjoyed getting to know the research scientists and technicians involved in the research project and had ample opportunities to learn in workshops, trainings, field visits and over dinner. My stay, which was longer than two months, provided me with the opportunity to build both personal and professional relationships. Anyone who has visited Hyderabad in May will understand just how hot it can be. It took time for me to adapt to the heat. As I was leaving the U.S. for India, my hometown received 300 millimeters of snow in 24 hours. During my first week in Hyderabad, the temperatures exceeded 40°C. It was quite a change.

Alex Renaud (middle) with CIMMYT-Hyderabad field staff. Photo: By Alex Renaud

In addition to taking advantage of research opportunities, I visited several interesting cultural sites, including the Taj Mahal. My favorite memories include sampling many different types of food, from Hyderabadi biryani to India’s version of Kentucky Fried Chicken; I never tried anything I did not like! As an aspiring plant breeder, this was a great experience, and I hope to continue my involvement with the PPP as it develops heat-stress-tolerant maize for South Asia.

I would like to sincerely thank Mitch Tuinstra, professor of plant breeding at Purdue University for providing me with this opportunity as well as P.H. Zaidi, senior maize physiologist at CIMMYT-Hyderabad and project leader of HTMA, and his wonderful team for everything that made my two-month stay professionally productive and personally memorable.

Course teaches farming system analysis

Written by on November 1, 2013. Posted in News.

By Frédéric Baudron /CIMMYT

An international group of Ph.D. students was trained on farming systems and rural livelihoods during a course this month in Ethiopia. CIMMYT, Hawassa University and Wageningen University organized “Farming System and Rural Livelihoods: Adaptation and Vulnerability” from 6-18 October.

Twenty-five Ph.D. students from 17 countries – including Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, the Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Portugal, Rwanda, South Africa, Sweden, Uganda, the United States and Zimbabwe – participated. CIMMYT Ph.D. students Yodit Kebede, Tesfaye Shiferaw and Alain Ndoli also attended the course. The course provided participants with the theory behind farming systems analysis; participatory methods to characterize farming systems; practical use of the sustainable rural livelihood framework; methods of farm-scale yield gap analysis; and methods for scenario analysis and optimization. The four study sites were targets of the Sustainable Intensification for Maize-Legume systems in Eastern and Southern Africa (SIMLESA) project in southern Ethiopia. Frédéric Baudron from CIMMYT Ethiopia was one of the course supervisors. He co-organized field activities, assisted students with group assignments and gave a lecture titled “Farming System (Re)Design and Scenario Development.”

Kenya: Seed companies see maize hybrids

Written by on November 1, 2013. Posted in News.

By Michael Arunga/CIMMYT

Informative presentations, lively discussions and a research station field trip were highlights of a Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) course on maize seed production and management held last week in Nairobi.

The two-day course targeted seed companies that will commercialize drought-tolerant maize hybrids from the WEMA project. Seed company representatives were accompanied by the WEMA Product Deployment Team (DEPT) and members of WEMA partner countries (Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda). Representatives from CIMMYT, Monsanto, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) and a member of the National Agricultural Research Organisation Board of Trustees attended.

The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF)-led WEMA DEPT team and CIMMYT organized the course. During the plenary session, seed experts – including John MacRobert and Mosisa Regassa from CIMMYT and Jonga Munyaradzi from AATF – presented on hybrid seed production, distinguishing characteristics of inbred lines, certification standards and inspection procedures, quality assurance procedures and stewardship. William Munyao, an inspector at the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, explained why standards and inspection are crucial to achieve credibility.

Paul Imo (left), a participant at the seed production and management course, compares notes on his phone with a colleague during a visit to the Kiboko research station. Photo: Michael Arunga/CIMMYT

Participants raised concerns about the slow implementation of maize seed regulatory standards by regional bodies such as the Economic Community of West Africa States, the East Africa Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. Seed companies said they want to see these standards implemented as soon as possible because they will give farmers greater access to improved varieties. After the plenary session, CIMMYT hosted participants on a visit to the KARI-CIMMYT Kiboko Crops Research Station. Stephen Mugo, Yoseph Beyene and Kiru Pillay led the tour, during which participants had the opportunity to evaluate selected hybrids and lines from demonstration plots. More than 50 hybrids are being grown under managed drought stress and optimal conditions.

The hybrids are in their first or second year of national performance trials in Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. The participants also visited the recently-developed doubled haploid (DH) lines in a seed increase nursery. Sotero Bumagat, the CIMMYT DH manager, led participants on a tour of the newly-commissioned DH facility. James Karanja and Regina Tende presented insect-protected confined field trials. MacRobert, a CIMMYT expert in seed production and management, told participants to embrace realistic approaches when producing seed. He emphasized the importance of hiring skilled personnel who have a genuine interest in seed production. “Emphasis should not be entirely on academia,” MacRobert said. “We should not insist on diploma, undergraduate, master’s or even doctorate degrees as prerequisites for hiring a productive worker. A farm hand who does not have these qualifications but has excellent seed production experience may be an excellent employee.”

MasAgro introduces new maize hybrids for lowland tropics

Written by on October 30, 2013. Posted in News.

Seed specialists evaluate white and yellow maize hybrids from MasAgro’s Collaborative Testing Network for the Tropics. Photo: Alberto Chassaigne/CIMMYT

By Alberto Chassaigne/CIMMYT

Participants in the Sustainable Modernization of Traditional Agriculture (MasAgro) initiative witnessed the introduction of six new maize hybrids aimed at increasing productivity in rainfed areas of Mexico’s lowland tropics. Along with representatives of 16 Mexican seed companies and a national public sector research institution, the guests attended a demonstration at CIMMYT’s Agua Fría experiment station in the state of Puebla on 10 October.

The event also included a talk on the agronomic practices and pest and disease control measures commonly used in that region. Alberto Chassaigne, CIMMYT maize seed systems specialist, reported on the progress of entering the maize hybrids and varieties evaluated through MasAgro’s Collaborative Testing Network for the Tropics into the National Catalog of Plant Varieties of Mexico’s National Seed Inspection and Certification Service. Information on the characterization of these materials will be available to network seed producers for the effective selection of seed lots to produce certified seed, he added.

Ubaldo Marcos, CIMMYT’s seed production manager, and Manuel Velázquez, seed technology and production consultant, gave a talk on seed production technology. The participants also observed grain harvested from the six new hybrids, as well as their parents, to determine their potential for producing certified seed. In closing, Félix San Vicente, leader of MasAgro-Maize, invited seed producers to identify the best tropical hybrids being tested through the network by examining the plants in the test plots and the harvested grain. This exercise confirmed the competitiveness of white and yellow grain hybrids, which performed better than the commercial controls. Participants will continue to attend other training and dissemination events.

Seed companies learn business management

Written by on October 30, 2013. Posted in News.

By Guillermina Sosa Mendoza/CIMMYT

Supporting seed producers will help MasAgro to make a bigger impact, one of its leaders said last month. Experts from MasAgro’s maize component hosted a seed business management workshop for 22 representatives of small- and medium-sized Mexican enterprises from 9-13 September. The workshop took place at El Batán and included presentations and practical activities.

Félix San Vicente, leader of the International Maize Yield Consortium – MasAgro’s maize component – highlighted the importance of maintaining close communication with seed companies to learn their needs and expectations. “What we are looking for is impact. That’s what we all want, and the better-focused the impact, the greater it will be,” San Vicente said. “We know we need to support the national seed producers and look ahead.”

The workshop fostered teamwork among companies that sometimes compete in the market. One activity asked seed producers to simulate the establishment of new enterprises and design marketing strategies to foster growth under optimal conditions. Manuel Velázquez, CIMMYT external consultant, presented on the background and development of the seed sector; Alfonso Hernández, general manager of Semillas Ceres, spoke about marketing strategies, seed sale and customer service; and Beda Anghern, from Empresa Unisem, gave a talk on seed enterprise management.

John MacRobert, CIMMYT maize expert, offered advice on strategic planning, product development, seed production and business management. MacRobert focused on seed production cycles, main production challenges and the distribution process. Participants also visited companies including the Celaya branch of BIDASEM Productora y Comercializadora de Semillas and Monsanto’s Villagrán branch.

Demonstration showcases maize hybrids

Written by on October 29, 2013. Posted in News.

O.P. Yadav, director of the Directorate of Maize Research explains a promising hybrid to S. Ayyappan, director general of ICAR.

By O.P. Yadav/Indian Council of Agricultural Research

More than 120 researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders participated in a commercial hybrid demonstration and maize brainstorming sessions organized by the Directorate of Maize Research, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The National Demonstration of Maize Commercial Hybrids and sessions were held 21-22 September in New Delhi.

The event demonstrated 106 maize hybrids, including leading hybrids from the public and private sectors. Visitors included S. Ayyappan, ICAR Director General; Ashish Bahuguna, secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation for the Government of India; H.S. Gupta, director of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute; B.S. Dhillon, vice chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University; J.S. Sandhu, commissioner of agriculture; R.P. Dua, assistant director general of food and fodder crops; J.S. Chauhan, assistant director general of seeds; S. Mauria, assistant director general of intellectual property & technology management; and more than 100 researchers from the national agricultural research system. P.H. Zaidi, B.S. Vivek and A.R. Sadananda from the Global Maize Program based in Hyderabad represented CIMMYT.

While visiting the demonstration, Ayyappan said he was impressed with the national maize program’s efforts to develop diverse maize hybrids that meet farmers’ needs in India’s different agro-ecological regions. He lauded the development and fine-tuning of maize production technology that has resulted in many improvements in the last decade. Bahuguna said the initiative was a unique showcase of hybrid technology that can improve farmers’ income. Providing farmers with a wide variety of hybrids can help achieve crop diversification in different regions, he noted. Bahuguna was also interested in new hybrids likely to be available to farmers in the near future.

Gupta emphasized the opportunities that exist to replace low-yielding, traditional maize varieties with hybrids, while Dhillon highlighted the importance of an effective seed production program to fully harness the hybrids’ benefits. Other topics included the objective of the demonstration and how to expand the scale of hybrid initiatives. Chauhan said the demonstration exhibited the strength of public research and development. Three brainstorming sessions – “Public-Private Partnerships,” “Trait Prioritization in Breeding” and “Improving Drought Tolerance” – followed the demonstration. They were led by S.K. Datta, deputy assistant director general for crop sciences, B.S. Dhillon and Sain Das, while Vivek and Zaidi contributed as panelists. More than 100 personnel from the public and private sectors participated. Datta underlined the role of both sectors and called upon scientists to identify areas where they can work together.

Wheat training gets boost from former program director

Written by on October 28, 2013. Posted in News.

By Emma Quilligan/CIMMYT

Two additional trainees will have the opportunity to participate in CIMMYT’s wheat improvement course next year, thanks to the generous donation of US $20,000 by Sanjaya Rajaram, former director of CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program (GWP). Presenting the check to CIMMYT, Rajaram said he “hoped it would serve as an example to other people who believe in training.”

Rajaram started his CIMMYT career as a post-doctoral fellow, working alongside Norman Borlaug. He then went on to lead the bread wheat breeding team from 1973-1995 and develop wheat varieties among the most widely-grown worldwide.

He served as director of the GWP from 1996 to 2002. In his four decades at CIMMYT, Rajaram trained more than 400 wheat scientists. “He influenced so many trainees who lead wheat breeding in their home countries and many became national research leaders,” said current GWP Director Hans-Joachim Braun. Thank you, Raj, for your dedication to training the next generation of wheat breeders!

MasAgro seed network specialists receive training in new technologies for maize improvement

Written by on October 26, 2013. Posted in News.

By Vijay Chaikam/CIMMYT

The Sustainable Modernization of Traditional Agriculture —or MasAgro— program organized a five-day training in El Batán this month to develop skills in the use of new technologies to increase maize productivity in Mexico.

MasAgro is a collaboration between CIMMYT and Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA). Eighteen specialists from national seed companies attended, as well as two scientists from public institutions and research assistants from CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program. Scientists from the program and specialists from the Biometrics and Statistics Unit spoke on maize breeding. Researchers working in tropical, subtropical and highland areas described their methods to improve and evaluate germplasm. The presentations highlighted the superior CIMMYT germplasm for agroclimatic zones in Mexico.

Specialists addressed the identification of diseases and different approaches to manage them; improving diseaseresistant germplasm; techniques for evaluating traits such as low nitrogen and drought tolerance; the use of molecular markers and genomic selection; phenotyping methods; and statistical analysis of phenotypic and genotypic data. Discussions also addressed the importance of nutritional quality and the evaluation of quality characteristics.

The last three days centered on doubled haploid technology, which allows accelerated development of inbred lines, featuring theoretical and practical sessions. The maintenance of the haploid inducer and seed production methods were shown during the visit to the El Batán experiment station. The visit also provided firsthand information on the use of doubled haploid lines in CIMMYT’s highland breeding program. At the Agua Fría experiment station, workshop participants visited the facilities for doubling chromosomes. Practical demonstrations emphasized staff safety and the careful management of waste generated during chromosome duplication.

Dr. Vijay Chaikam shows the group how to identify haploid seeds. Photo: CIMMYT

Participants also saw induction nurseries and the phenotypic evaluation of doubled haploid lines. A field trip to the experimental site of the National Institute for Forest, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP) – Celaya showcased the agronomic management of a treated haploid nursery (D0) and the use of doubled haploid lines in INIFAP’s maize breeding program.

Trained maize breeders can bring huge benefits to Africa

Written by on October 22, 2013. Posted in News.

By Cosmos Magorokosho/CIMMYT

CIMMYT recently conducted an intensive, three-week course in Kenya for 37 young maize breeders – including 10 women – to provide them the knowledge and skills to use modern breeding methods efficiently in their maize programs. The course included participants from national programs and seed companies in 14 African countries.

Dennis Kyetere, the executive director of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), who officially opened the course, said the smallholder agriculture sector in Africa loses billions of dollars worth of agriculture produce annually. Kyetere said maize breeders have a significant role in reducing these losses and increasing smallholder farmers’ productivity. Courses included refresher sessions on principles of applied maize breeding, statistical data analysis and the use of information technology tools in managing breeding, analyzing data and managing breeding information.

Emphasis was placed on breeding maize for abiotic stress tolerance. Presenters also focused on maize lethal necrosis disease (MLN), including background on the disease in Africa, efforts made to breed for MLN resistance in African germplasm and strategies to prevent the spread of the disease. During the course, a mini-workshop emphasized the application of technologies such as molecular markers, doubled haploids (DH) and transgenics. Course attendees toured the Kenya Agriculture Research Institution’s (KARI) Kiboko field station and Olerai farm.

In Kiboko, participants learned about the practical aspects of drought and low-nitrogen screening and toured the new CIMMYT-KARI DH facility. Participants were encouraged to send their elite breeding populations for DH production. “I have improved my general understanding of maize breeding theory and learned about breeding for drought tolerance,” Dunlop said. “This should speed up selections and make more efficient use of time.” GMP breeders Cosmos Magorokosho, Stephen Mugo and Dan Makumbi organized the course while Catherine Kalungu handled logistics. Participants were sponsored through various GMP projects, including Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA), Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA), Improved Maize for African Soils (IMAS), a USAID project, Harvest Plus and the private seed companies Pannar, MozSeed, Zamseed and Seedco.

Workshop advances promising maize and wheat technology modeling

Written by on October 18, 2013. Posted in News.

By Sika Gbegbelegbe, Kindie Tesfaye and Uran Chung/CIMMYT

A workshop on modeling promising maize and wheat technologies brought together modelers, breeders, physiologists and socio-economists in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 27 to 30 August. The workshop was organized by the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions and Markets (PIM). Workshop attendees reviewed progress made on modeling maize and wheat technologies; reached agreement on the conceptual framework developed for modeling benchmark, promising and ‘ideal’ technologies; identified and prioritized traits and crop management practices for foresight analysis of maize and wheat systems; identified plausible adoption pathways relative to estimating the benefits of investments in promising and “ideal” technologies; and facilitated interaction and data exchange among scientists working in different fields.

Bekele Shiferaw presented on workshop objectives, the importance of foresight analysis – or studies on the future of agriculture – in identifying priorities, threats to food security and the role modeling plays in foresight. Progress on modeling maize and wheat technologies was presented by Sika Gbegbelegbe, Kindie Tesfaye and Uran Chung from CIMMYT. Senthold Asseng, a crop modeler from the University of Florida, shared insights on the methodological concepts used in crop modeling. CIMMYT’s Kai Sonder presented progress on improving maize and wheat mega-environments – or specially classified maize and wheat growing regions – and domains that are important for geospatial crop modeling. Breeders and physiologists shared their insights on relevant traits and performance characteristics of improved germplasm. P.H. Zaidi and Biswanath Das presented on maize while Bekele Abeyo and Marta Lopes presented on wheat. Participants also discussed the bioeconomic impact of climate change, including the impact of weather extremes on food security in the developing world.

Participants visited ongoing wheat and maize research activities at the Kulumsa and Melkassa Agricultural Research Centers. CIMMYT collaborates with both research centers, which are part of the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute (EIAR). Attendees talked about the role of modeling in foresight, breeding and physiology, trait identification for modeling, model data requirements, data availability and data gaps during working sessions. The maize working group agreed on minimum datasets that need to be collected in field trials for modeling and progress on breeding improved germplasm with tolerance to drought, heat and other stresses. It also agreed on the need to revise the current maize mega-environments.

The wheat working group focused its discussion on tolerance to drought and heat stresses and key traits that influence yield potential. The wheat breeders and physiologists shared their knowledge on key traits and reached an agreement with the crop modelers on how such traits should be translated in crop models.

Capacity building works to combat wheat rusts

Written by on October 17, 2013. Posted in News.

For the fifth consecutive year, scientists from around the world met at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) facility in Njoro for training on “Standardization of Stem Rust Note-taking and Evaluation of Germplasm.” The course, conducted 22 September to 2 October, attracted 30 scientists from 15 countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda, United States, Yemen and Zambia). The course created increased awareness about the threat of rusts (especially Ug99) on wheat production. The wheat research scientists were trained on new approaches in fighting the rust diseases (including genetics, pathology, breeding and molecular genetics) and taught common approaches in identifying, scoring and evaluating rust diseases both in the field and in experimental plots.

Practical demonstrations focused on rust methodologies and handson experience in recording disease scales both in the greenhouse and field, according to Sridhar Bhavani, CIMMYT wheat pathologist/ breeder and course coordinator. Participants had the opportunity to work with the East African component of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) and Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat (DRRW) projects in Kenya. These are designed to monitor further migration of Ug99 and its variants; facilitate field screening of international germplasm; identify new sources of resistance; understand the genetic basis of resistance; develop durable, targeted breeding programs; and enhance the capacity of national programs. Participants had the opportunity to interact with international scientists, and trainers learned of emerging problems from the participants.

Attendees also visited the KARI breeding program and farmers’ fields to inspect the new varieties. Members of CIMMYT’s Board of Trustees and Management Committee as well as KARI dignitaries also visited the screening site at KARI Njoro on 26 September and interacted with Oliver Nightingale from Menangai Farms, a progressive farmer who demonstrated one of the new varieties (“Kenya Robin”) which was planted on 1,000 acres of his farm near Njoro. “Wheat farmers in Kenya have benefited greatly with the new varieties developed by CIMMYT and released by KARI. These varieties are not only resistant to rust but generate yields 10 to 15 percent higher than the local varieties and are resistant to stem rust,” Nightingale told the group. Two varieties – “Kenya Robin” and “Kenya Eagle” – are CIMMYT introductions which have become very popular with farmers and currently occupy 25 to 30 percent of the wheat area in Kenya. “Kenya Robin has bold grains, good straw strength, still stands after three hail storms and yields between 6.8-7 tons per acre, whereas the older variety ‘Kwale’ lodged flat in farmers’ fields in similar conditions,” added Nightingale.

He thanked CIMMYT and KARI for introducing high-yielding varieties in Kenya. The 2013 main season screening nursery has more than 25,000 wheat accessions from 15 countries and research institutions to be evaluated for resistance to Ug99 and close to 50,000 accessions are tested every year. According to Bhavani, more than 300,000 lines have been tested at KARI-Njoro since 2006 and eight varieties have been released since 2008 in Kenya and more than 40 Ug99-resistant varieties/advanced lines have been released globally. “Every year as a part of CIMMYT-Kenya shuttle breeding nearly 1,000 F3 and F4 populations are selected under high disease pressure for two generations at KARI-Njoro and several high-yielding lines with good levels of Ug99 resistance have been identified,” added Ravi Singh, CIMMYT distinguished scientist.

The KARI-CIMMYT screening nursery has produced global benefits that go beyond Kenya’s borders – with spillover effects reaching neighboring countries including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. “Commitment to the cause through global partnership, free exchange of germplasm, scientific expertise and donor funding have been the key features leading to the success of this project,” said Hans Braun, director of CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program. He continued, stating, “CIMMYT Board members were impressed with the progress in the fight against Ug99, the logistics that go into operating this global rust screening platform in Njoro and the impact that has been achieved through release and adoption by farmers of rust-resistant varieties around the globe.” The annual course is part of the wider BGRI/DRRW project in Kenya, an initiative of Cornell University that is being implemented by CIMMYT and KARI in collaboration with 16 other research institutions worldwide. The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Department for International Development. To date, more than 100 pathologists, breeders and geneticists have been trained at KARI-Njoro. Scientists from Australia, Kenya, the United States and CIMMYT lectured on several aspects of wheat rust research. As Zambian participant Lutangu Makweti said: “It time for us to utilize the knowledge gained in the training course and implement better surveys and breeding activities in our countries.” Participants thanked CIMMYT and KARI for the opportunity to learn about rusts, the practical, handson training and the opportunity to interact with the global rust community. The long-term partnership between CIMMYT and KARI is achieving numerous milestones in the fight against the Ug99 race group and producing outcomes that benefit the entire global wheat community. For more information contact Dr. Sridhar Bhavani, wheat breeder/ coordinator DRRW-screening for stem rust in East Africa, CIMMYT-Kenya at S.Bhavani@cgiar.org.

Climate change workshop addresses research outputs in Ethiopia

Written by on October 17, 2013. Posted in News.

By Kindie Tesfaye

Climate change research in Ethiopia must be nationally relevant for research outputs to be used broadly – from farms to influencing policy – a CIMMYT researcher said at the country’s National Climate Change Adaptation Workshop last month. The Biometrics, GIS and Agrometeorology Directorate (BGAD) of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) organized the event with CIMMYT, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and the Rockefeller Foundation. More than 50 participants from CGIAR centers, the community, federal and regional research institutions, NGOs, the media and universities attended the workshop in Addis Ababa on 19 September. The purpose of the workshop was to receive feedback from stakeholders on the climate change research EIAR is conducting with its partners.

Major issues presented, discussed and displayed at the workshop included: decadal and seasonal climate forecast information provided to farmers; the mainstreaming of climate change; the trends and implications of extreme climatic events; downscaling future climate data for local climate change analysis; drought frequencies and trends; climate change vulnerability mapping; and climate database building. Fantahun Mengistu, Director General of EIAR, said climate change is already affecting Ethiopian agriculture in the form of frequent droughts and floods, which affect the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers. He added that the Ethiopian government is aware of the challenges posed by climate change and has policies, strategies and programs in place to increase the resilience of the agriculture sector and the economy, such as the national Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy.

CIMMYT’s Kindie Tesfaye said the major reason CIMMYT-CCAFS works with EIAR and other stakeholders in Ethiopia is to make its climate change research applicable on a national level. The climate research outputs generated by BGAD and partners were used as inputs during the development of Ethiopia’s CRGE strategy and in advising the firm developing the national climate change adaptation strategy. BGAD Director Andualem Shimelis highlighted the importance of agriculture in Ethiopia’s economy and its vulnerability to the threat of climate change. He said Ethiopia needs to adapt agriculture to the threat of climate change because agriculture is crucial in achieving food security and advancing rural development. Promoting integrated agricultural technologies and knowledge of climate science in Ethiopia’s development arena is not a choice, but a matter of survival, Mengistu said. All those involved in climate change research and development should work together in order to contribute to a climate-adapted agricultural sector and a climate-resilient economy in the country.

Travelling seminar shows project progress in Nepal

Written by on October 9, 2013. Posted in News.

Travelling Seminar participants visit the NARC Agricultural Research Station, Dailekh. Photo courtesy of Everest Media Pvt. Ltd

By Nirmal Gadal/CIMMYT

A three-day travelling seminar organized by CIMMYT’s Hill Maize Research Project (HMRP) and partners gave policy makers a first-hand look at the status of maize varietal development, source seed production, agronomic interventions and seed multiplication and marketing in 20 districts of Nepal. In close partnership with the Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC) and the Department of Agriculture (DoA), HRMP hosted this third annual seminar from 27 to 30 August for 25 officials representing donors such as the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as well as organizations including the National Planning Commission, Ministry of Agriculture Development (MoAD), Ministry of Finance, non-government organizations, private companies and the media.

Participants visited a variety of sites. At the Agriculture Research Station (ARS) in the district of Dailekh, attendees interacted with scientists and observed maize research activities and conservation agriculture trials. In this area, the project is promoting intercropping white quality protein maize (Poshilo Makai-1) and off-season vegetables such as bitter gourd, tomatoes and radishes. HIV/AIDS infected women farmers in Rakam village of Dailekh were also invited to participate. “Our main resource is land,” said 30-year-old farmer Mana Sara Sijapati during a group discussion. “We must increase our production from this land to have food security in our households during the entire year.” She asked the participants for a program targeted toward farmers affected by HIV/AIDS. Ram Prasad Pulami, joint secretary at the MoAD, asked NARC and DoA representatives to respond to the request immediately.

The group then participated in an interactive program with farmers, observed seed production activities and assessed on-farm trials and demonstration plots at the Basnatamala and Jeevanjyoti Women Community Based Seed Production (CBSP) Group. Dr. G. Ortiz-Ferrara, team leader for HMRP/CIMMYT, and Pulami jointly inaugurated an HMRPfunded seed store house that was built for the CBSP group. The team also visited the Sambriddhi Agriculture Cooperative, Ltd., as well as a quality protein maize village, where conservation agriculture trials will soon be established. Ortiz-Ferrara thanked all the participants, including the HMRP team, for their active participation and support in making the seminar successful. Pulami said during his closing remarks that he appreciated HMRP’s efforts and progress, especially the partnerships between the project and a number of diverse stakeholders. He said the government of Nepal is implementing a “Mid-hill Mega Maize Production Program” focused on 40 hill districts and will utilize HMRP’s experiences and research innovations.

Partnering to build the capacity of seed companies in Africa

Written by on October 8, 2013. Posted in News.

By Florence Sipalla/CIMMYT

CIMMYT seed sytems lead John MacRobert facilitates a SEMIs seed production class at the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Nairobi. Photo: David Ndung’u/SEMIs

CIMMYT and partner organizations are helping to build the human capacity of seed companies, which contribute to food security by ensuring farmers have access to quality seed. Certified seed is one of the most important inputs farmers need to improve their grain yields and livelihoods.

CIMMYT organizes regular training sessions for seed companies in different countries across Africa, in collaboration with the Seed Enterprise Management Institute (SEMIs) project, which is funded by the Alliance for a Green Revolution (AGRA) and hosted at the University of Nairobi College of Agriculture and Veterinary Services. “AGRA realized that many seed companies across the continent lacked knowledge on seed production, processing, marketing and aspects of seed quality,” said David Ndung’u, project manager for the SEMIs project. Both AGRA and CIMMYT receive funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In the past three years, SEMIs has trained more than 450 seed producers from 17 Sub-Saharan African countries, including Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. “This training has been identified as one of the triggers for the huge increase in production of high-quality seed by AGRA-funded seed companies all over Sub-Saharan Africa,” Ndung’u said. The seed production course, taught by John MacRobert, seed systems lead for CIMMYT, is among the most popular with seed companies, Ndung’u said.
SEMIs-pic-to-Cimmyt The course focuses on challenges companies face in managing hybrid maize seed. “John brings a wealth of experience in this field,” Ndung’u continued. “He is helping seed companies plan better and improve their seed production capabilities.” MacRobert’s book, Seed Business Management in Africa, is included in the course materials. CIMMYT’s Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa project (DTMA) also utilizes MacRobert’s book in training sessions for seed company staff. CIMMYT has conducted seed production management courses in Angola, Ethiopia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe, training more than 200 personnel from the private and public sectors over the past six years.

The trainings emphasize cooperative learning while providing technical information and management tools. CIMMYT seed systems specialists also made more than 80 follow-up visits to seed company partners in 2013. Ngila Kimotho, the CEO of Dryland Seed Company, based in Machakos, Kenya, attended a 2008-09 seed course. “The course was very useful in enhancing my understanding of seed business management through the value chain – from research to the market,” Kimotho said. “My knowledge in the field has greatly improved, as I didn’t understand the business initially,” added Kimotho, whose background is in food technology. In 2011, Gloria Kimotho, Kimotho’s daughter, attended a CIMMYT course in Zimbabwe and is now actively involved in the Dryland Seeds management team. SEMIs and CIMMYT are also collaborating in field demonstrations of DTMA varieties – a way to promote adoption by farmers because seed companies are able to pick suitable products by closely watching field performance. “Having many seed varieties is good for diversity,” explained Mosisa Worku Regasa, a seed systems specialist. “With the emergence of maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease, many maize varieties from seed companies in eastern Africa are susceptible to the disease.” An efficient seed system will contribute to the rapid scale-up and dissemination of MLN-resistant varieties.

“To be a great ‘seeds man’ you really need to understand your plants well,” said Ndung’u, who worked as a visiting scientist for DTMA under CIMMYT maize breeder Dan Makumbi. “My knowledge and understanding were greatly enhanced during my time at CIMMYT

CIMMYT opens door to students in Mexico

Written by on October 4, 2013. Posted in News.

By Brenna Goth/CIMMYT

Students from 13 Mexican universities learned about CIMMYT’s work and mission during the 7th annual Open Door event at El Batán on 20 September. Organized by the Training Office, the event hosted 285 students from seven Mexican states. It introduces students to CIMMYT through visits to the maize and wheat demonstration plots, the germplasm bank and laboratories, as well as through presentations about various CIMMYT programs.

The Training Office said the event was well received and thanked everyone involved for the help. Staff and speakers from various areas of CIMMYT, including the bioscience building, the canteen and security, contributed to Open Door’s success. For most students, Open Door was their first opportunity to learn about and visit CIMMYT. “Basically, it’s new to us,” said Alejandro García Ochoa, a 23-year-old sustainable agriculture engineering student at the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Los Reyes Michoacán. García, who plans on pursuing a master’s degree after graduation, said he was interested by the visits to the germplasm bank and laboratories. “I learned the importance of saving the genetic heritage in our country,” García said.

For Lisbeth Bautista Salazar, a 27-year-old master’s student at the Universidad Autonoma de Querétaro, the 2013 Open Door event was her second visit to CIMMYT. She first came to CIMMYT more than two years ago with other students from her university. Bautista said she enjoyed the tour this year and learned how crucial it is to improve maize for the benefit of society. “It’s a really important mission,” Bautista said. “It’s so challenging with all the social, political and climate problems we’re facing.” Bautista wants to work in Oaxaca after graduation. She explained her grandparents live in an area of the state that could benefit from CIMMYT initiatives as well as from what she is learning in school. “They need this knowledge and the opportunity to apply this knowledge” Bautista said.

Other students indicated they are considering CIMMYT for future career opportunities. Jaime Cesar Vallejo Galván, a 25-year-old agricultural engineering student at the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Los Reyes Michoacán, said his first visit to CIMMYT taught him about improving maize and wheat varieties. He said he wants to pursue a master’s degree after graduation or “work in a place like this.”