Skip to main content

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.

Social media workshop gets a “like” from GCP and CIMMYT

Written by on . Posted in News.

Peter-CasierAs part of the Generation Challenge Programme’s (GCP) plan to revamp their online space, they engaged the CGIAR Consortium’s social media expert, Peter Casier, to instruct an intensive workshop on social media and optimizing web presence, during 13-17 February 2012. Staff working on CIMMYT’s web and social media sites also participated.

Casier’s vast knowledge of social media was as contagious as his good humor, and before long, GCP had launched their own Facebook page and Twitter account, and were posting, liking, tweeting, and retweeting with confidence. Already initiated in the social media sphere, the CIMMYT team took the opportunity to gain further insights to increase their online presence.

Over five days the workshop outlined social media tools and provided handson training, reviewed CIMMYT’s current online material, investigated social media and website strategies, constructed specialized workplans, identified areas for improvement, and discussed traffic analysis, search engine optimization, and web usability.

Casier’s uniquely chaotic yet focused mind took the group on a whirlwind tour from social media jokes, through stories of humanitarian crises, and back to the issues at hand, such that the group finished the course inspired and raring to use their new tools. Maria Delgadillo from CIMMYT’s web team said “we all got on so well together and learnt so much in such a short space of time. It was especially useful for me from a web CIMMYT 4 Informa usability perspective.” Antonia Okono, GCP Communications Manager, echoed this sentiment: “We learnt some invaluable skills in a fun atmosphere,” she said.

The feedback from Casier was equally positive. In a congratulatory email he praised the work of the CIMMYT staff he encountered, with a special mention for the administrative and accommodation department, and for the drivers, technicians, and housekeeping personnel. He wrote that of all the CGIAR centers he has experienced, CIMMYT ranks among the top, not least because of the number of smiles he received from staff.

We invite you to “like” GCP and CIMMYT on Facebook, and follow us on twitter: @CIMMYT and @GCProgramme.

Private seed companies to play an active role in IMIC-LA

Written by on . Posted in News.

“Cooperation between the public and private sectors will be crucial to achieve the objectives of the International Maize Improvement Consortium for Latin America (IMIC-LA),” said Marc Rojas, IMIC-LA Leader. As one part of CIMMYT’s MasAgro initiative, IMIC aims to increase maize yields by 85 percent over the next 10 years, through the adoption of improved varieties by farmers, sustainable farming practices, and enhanced efficiency across the entire maize value chain.

During 23-25 November 2011, 36 representatives of seed companies and organizations met to discuss the potential contributions of private seed companies to IMIC-LA, and to learn how they can benefit from participating in MasAgro. The representatives came from many different areas of Mexico, and from organizations of varying sizes. “Through collaboration in the consortium, these small companies can become collectively competitive,” said Rojas, “this is vital if we are to achieve IMIC’s target of increasing the average maize production of Mexico’s rain fed areas from 2.2 tons/hectare to 3.7 tons/hectare,” he added.

The first two days of the workshop provided an opportunity for capacity building, specific to seed businesses. John MacRobert, CIMMYT Seed Systems Specialist, gave an overview of IMIC’s activities in Africa and Asia, and introduced the main aspects of the value chain of a seed business. Open communication allowed the group to identify many similarities between Africa and Latin America, and how lessons learnt within other projects could be applied to operations in Latin America. MacRobert also helped participants to pinpoint potential weaknesses in their businesses, and how these could be addressed. “Good seed must come with good planning,” said MacRobert, emphasizing that planning is key, particularly in anticipating the requirement for parent seed, and in ensuring budgeting prevents bottlenecks. Other factors to ensure success, such as production research and quality assurance, were reviewed by Manuel Velázquez, a Mexican seed sector specialist.

The many advantages that IMIC can provide to seed companies were highlighted during the meeting: diverse training, supply of pre-basic seed of identified final products, and collaborative evaluation networks. In return, participants are expected to provide input for market analyses and testing sites and products for the evaluation networks, as well as to produce and market high-quality seed. Ángelo Vera Gómez from the Federation of Maize Producers for the State of Mexico said that he sees MasAgro as a turning point: “It’s what we as producers have been waiting for; we would like that farmers’ experience can be combined with research, to take advantage of both aspects,” he said.

The third day of the workshop welcomed representatives from Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) and the National Service for Seed Inspection and Certification (SNICS). Rojas stressed to participants that whilst IMIC does not provide funding for seed companies, once within the MasAgro program, it becomes easier for them to gain financial support from other government programs. Participants used this final day to plan work activities for the coming year and create a collaboration agreement; by the end of November, around 90 percent of participants are expected to have signed up to the consortium.

Second Wheat Improvement and Pathology course focuses on South Asia

Written by on . Posted in News.

The second “Wheat Improvement and Pathology” course took place during 16-29 November 2011 in Nepal. Organized by Arun Joshi, CIMMYT Regional Wheat Breeder, in conjunction with the Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC) and the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), the course welcomed 22 early- and mid-career wheat breeders and pathologists from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Afghanistan.

The importance of a multidisciplinary approach to wheat improvement was emphasized through lectures on modern breeding methods and approaches, genetic diversity, wheat pathology, experimental design and statistical analysis, hybrid wheat, biotechnology, bioinformatics, wheat quality, breeding for physiological traits, conservation agriculture, participatory variety selection (PVS), and data sources and knowledge management for wheat scientists.

Dinesh Pariyar, NARC Executive Director, opened the program and spoke of the emerging challenges for wheat breeding in South Asia and the potential to build capacity under the CSISA project by bringing together early-career field scientists from different nations. Ravi Singh, CIMMYT Wheat Breeder, then gave introductory sessions on “Breeding wheat for current and future needs of South Asia” and “Breeding for durable resistance to rust diseases of wheat”, elaborating on the wheat breeding tools and technologies that will enable the development of drought- and heat-tolerant wheat varieties whilst retaining quality and yield potential.

Participants also visited the NARC research station in Khumaltar, Lalitpur, the regional agricultural research station in Lumle, and PVS villages, to engage in discussions with the various stakeholders and undertake practical sessions in field experimentation and sowing. The participants were also shown the tools and techniques for creating artificial epiphytotic rusts and spot blotch.

The diverse range of participants were able to share their experiences and the highlights of their work. Four women scientists were included in the group, and Sabina, who travelled outside of Pakistan for the first time for this course, hopes that her visit “will show the way forward to other women scientists of Pakistan.” Joshi echoed this sentiment, saying: “Our endeavor is to work together in South Asian countries and to produce an environment capable of supporting the needs of talented future scientists and wheat researchers. Future generations of scientists need to keep pace with new science and this course provides them with the most recent knowledge, tools, and methodologies to meet the challenges of the future.”

Overall, the course improved the participants’ understanding on new tools and techniques for wheat breeding, pathology, and their related subjects. It also sparked interest in further collaborations between farmers, scientists and development agencies. Resource personnel for the course included CIMMYT’s Medha Devare, Andrew McDonald, and Bharat Adhikary; NARC’s B.N. Mahto, M.R. Bhatta, D.B. Thapa, and Sarala Sharma; P.K. Gupta, S.M.S. Tomar, Ratan Tiwari, V. Tiwari, C.P. Srivastava, Ramesh Chand, G.C. Mishra, and R.P. Singh from India; and KD Joshi (CARIAD, UK). Special thanks also to the staff of NARC for providing a great venue and logistical support, and to Surath Pradhan for administering the course.

CIMMYT and IRRI Bangladesh build capacity on upland cropping systems

Written by on . Posted in News.

As part of the Cereal System Initiative in South Asia expansion in Bangladesh (CSISA-BD), 21 agricultural field staff and extension personnel from CIMMYT and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) undertook training on improved upland cereal and legume production systems during 01-02 November 2011 in Dhaka.

Focusing on adaptation to conservation agriculture/based cropping, participants received advanced training on elite wheat and maize varieties, quality seed production, fertility, and integrated pest and weed management practices. A key purpose of the training was to prepare staff to support farmers in the upcoming Rabi planting season in Bangladesh. Additional courses were given on the integration of legumes and high-value vegetable production in cereal-based farming systems.

This short course was jointly organized with the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), and will provide a foundation for the intensive, practical field training to be conducted with farmers throughout Bangladesh in early 2012. TP Tiwari, Timothy Krupnik, Dinabandhu Pandit, Elahi Baksh, and BARI’s B. R. Banik, Shahabuddin Ahmed, M. Amiruzzaman, and M. Omar Ali facilitated the training. A.K. M. Salah Uddin (CIMMYT) provided organizational assistance and support.

Spotlight on maize seed marketing in Nepal

Written by on . Posted in News.

Since 1999, the CIMMYT-led Hill Maize Research Project (HMRP) has been analyzing the maize seed value chain, increasing market assurance for seed from community-based seed production (CBSP) projects, and enhancing management and marketing competencies of stakeholders. The project covers 20 hill districts across Nepal and is funded by SDC and USAID-Nepal. Now in its fourth phase, the overall goal remains improving the food security and income of farm households, particularly of the poor and disadvantaged.

Seed marketing is a major component of this goal, and HMRP Phase IV aims to improve this by enabling seed producers to get sustainable, best possible returns through reliable, on time market information and pre-sowing contracts; encouraging farmers to sell a maximum quantity of seed by providing seed revolving funds to CBSP groups; increasing market efficiency to reduce the price gap between seed producers and buyers; making seed of farm origin available at a reasonable price by ensuring quality through accurate labeling; and enabling seed businesses to become sustainable enterprises.

Marketing-Workshop-Chitwan
On 25 August 2011, HMRP held a “Maize Seed Marketing Workshop” in Nepalgunj, Banke, to facilitate the marketing of maize seed and help establish links between CBSP groups, partners, and seed traders, to improve efficiency and sustainability. The 66 participants represented both seed suppliers and buyers or traders. Lila Ram Poudel, Deputy Director General, Department of Agriculture, Nepal, chaired the workshop, with training assistance from D. Bhandari, Chief of the Seed Quality Control Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Suroj Pokharel, Program Director, Crop Development Directorate, Durga Adhikari, General Secretary, Seed Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal, and Ram Chandra Bhusal, Seed Value Chain and Marketing Specialist, Center for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension, and Development.

Guillermo Ortiz-Ferrara, HMRP Leader, introduced the workshop, with subsequent technical sessions focusing on HMRP’s approaches to seed production and marketing, with particular reference to government seed programs, and sustainable strategies for maize seed marketing with a value chain approach. Participants were also able to share their own experiences of seed trading in open discussions.

The workshop resulted in several recommendations: that local Agrovets participate in seed trading with CBSPs, ideally distributing seed in cooperation with the Seed Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal and the District Agriculture Development Office (DADO); allocation of Village Development Committee block grants to enable the purchase of seed from CBSPs, with other social groups also encouraged to purchase the improved seed; DADOs to increase informal research and development kits and improve seed coverage in remote areas, to facilitate access to improved seed for poor farmers; and the investment of a proportion of the government’s seed subsidy to purchase seed from CBSP groups, rather than importing.

A second workshop was conducted on 22 September 2011 for 69 public and private stakeholders from the mid-western and eastern hills of Nepal. Chaired by Dil Bahadur Gurung, National Maize Coordinator of Nepal, this workshop also encompassed problem identification and recommendations for efficient and sustainable maize marketing (Group 1), and the recommendation of guidelines for seed revolving funds (Group 2).

Group 1 recommended that seed availability information be disseminated via local radio and newspapers; seed should be produced under the pocket area concept; DADO should enforce a code of conduct, with mandatory seed packaging and labeling; a seed bank should be established at the district level, with infrastructure support; and seed revolving funds and transportation subsidies should be provided to seed producers. Group 2 added that these seed revolving funds should be monitored, with training given for management of the funds.

HarvestPlus-China field day exhibits maize hybrids in southwestern China

Written by on . Posted in News.

The HarvestPlus-China (HPC) Annual Meeting for 2011 was held in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China, during 27-30 September 2011, with 66 national and international scientists participating, including Howarth Bouis (HarvestPlus Director), Markus Palenberg (HP Program Strategy Advisor), and Jeroen Bordewijk (HP Program Advisory Committee Member). Prior to the meeting, many of the participants attended a Maize Field Day in Yun County, organized by the HPC high provitamin A maize team, Fan Xingming, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (YAAS), and Li Jiansheng, China Agricultural University (CAU), together with members of the Lincang Agricultural Technical Extension Center office in Yun Xian.

group-photo1
Two YAAS-developed hybrids, Yunrui 8 and YR506, were the focus of the field day. Yunrui 8 is a high quality maize hybrid developed using CIMMYT germplasm and an elite YAAS inbred. It was released in Yunnan in 2005, and was recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture for use in southern China in 2010. Uptake by farmers in the region has been rapid, and the hybrid has been planted on a cumulative area of 0.5 million ha between 2005-2011; providing the farmers with a USD 118 million net increase in income.

The village of Mangzhou in Yun County started growing Yunrui 8 in 2005 and during the field day it could be seen extensively planted throughout the valley and surrounding hills, with high acceptance by the local farmers and those in the neighboring villages. Due to its high yield, resistance to foliar diseases and ear rot, quality grain traits, and storability, the hybrid meets the needs of the farmers who market the grain, as well as using it for animal feed. A higher oil content and improved lysine levels means that farmers can also raise their animals to market standards quicker than with normal maize.

YR506 is finishing its second year of regional testing and offers farmers the first high yielding, provitamin A hybrid adapted to their needs. It is derived from national program germplasm and high provitamin A germplasm from HarvestPlus collaborations with the US.

Farmers attending the field day described the excellent performance of Yunrui 8, and how it has had a positive impact on their livelihoods. Luo Yaowu, Director of the Yun County Agricultural Bureau, expressed the importance of these two nutritionally enriched hybrids, and his appreciation of the efforts of HarvestPlus- China in developing them to improve the livelihoods of local farmers. Special thanks were given to all members of the organizing team for the success of the field day, and to Director Shi Zehai and his team from the Agricultural Technical Extension Center.

Empowering maize technicians in Angola

Written by on . Posted in News.

In 2010, several new maize varieties were released in Angola and taken up by emerging seed companies for multiplication and dissemination. To upgrade the skills and knowledge of the maize breeders, technicians, and seed services staff involved in the management of field trials and seed production, a Maize Technician Course was held in Huambo, Angola, during 26-29 September 2011. The training was attended by over 35 participants from emerging seed companies, national agricultural research systems, and NGOs. Lectures and practical sessions covered maize breeding, seed production, management of field trials, and components on variety testing and release. The results of pre- and post-course tests indicated that over 70% of participants significantly improved their knowledge and skills during the training.

Roberto Gomes, from the seed company Agropecuaria Kambondo LDA., said “This course is very useful. It will guide us in producing good quality seed and we hope it can be offered to all our staff in the company. We also wish that there can be exchange visits between CIMMYT and our company to see what CIMMYT is doing in Harare, and we hope we can now maintain the inbred lines and hybrids we have acquired from CIMMYT-Harare.”

Thanks go to Peter Setimela, Cosmos Magorokosho, and Tesfahun Girma (CIMMYT), Mpanzo Domingos, Director of Agricultural Research, Institute for Agronomic Investigation (IIA), and Dibanzilua Nginamau, Maize Coordinator for Angola (IIA), for organizing and coordinating the course.

MasAgro: facing the future, reaffirming farmer focus

Written by on . Posted in News.

One key reason why small-scale maize farmers—particularly those in Mexico—hold on to their native varieties is their strong fear of failed crops in difficult years, according to Bram Govaerts, head of the MasAgro component “Take it to the farmer.” “Agriculture is a system of risk, so we need to do whatever we can to help farmers reduce this risk and get stable yields,” Govaerts said.

This and farmers’ attachment to varieties with preferred taste and grain qualities were discussed during a 13 September 2011 presentation for CIMMYT staff at El Batán on the “Sustainable Modernization of Traditional Agriculture” (MasAgro) project. Launched in April 2011, funded by the Mexican government, and based on an initiative of Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries, and Food (SAGARPA) together with CIMMYT, the project supports Mexican farmers working in partnership with several organizations to increase maize and wheat productivity, obtain higher returns on harvests, and ensure the preceding does not contribute to climate change. Over its 10-year lifespan, MasAgro aims to raise annual maize production by 5-9 million tons in rainfed areas and increase wheat harvests by 350,000 tons each year.

Opening the meeting, CIMMYT Director General Thomas Lumpkin stressed the significance of MasAgro both for CIMMYT and Mexico, praised the excellent support from the Mexican government and SAGARPA, and referred to a recent statement by Mexican President Felipe Calderón that called MasAgro the most important public policy for agriculture of the current administration. Karen García, Executive Director of MasAgro, believes the project poses a unique challenge to CIMMYT and reflects the Center’s adaptability. “This is a large initiative that directly responds to key policy directions of the government of Mexico, CIMMYT’s host country,” she said.

Speakers at the event included Marianne BĂ€nziger (Deputy Director General for Research and Partnerships), Scott Ferguson (Deputy Director General, Support Services), and Marc Rojas (leader of the MasAgro component International Maize Improvement Consortium). “MasAgro is the biggest project CIMMYT has ever had, but we also have other projects,” said BĂ€nziger, “we are one family and we work together.” Govaerts said the integration of the project with other Mexican initiatives was strong and getting stronger.

The name “Take it to the Farmer” comes from Dr. Norman Borlaug’s suggestion regarding a new technology he was shown the day before he died. Work under this component brings together public and private organizations to increase maize and wheat productivity, obtain higher returns on yields, and strengthen local small- and medium-sized agribusinesses. The “International Maize Improvement Consortium” is helping local small- and intermediate-scale seed producers to make diverse maize varieties and hybrids available to Mexican farmers at affordable prices. At the event Gemma Molero (Postdoctoral Fellow, Wheat Physiology Program) presented the “Wheat Yield Consortium”, which constitutes Mexico’s contribution to an international consortium of public and private sector researchers in more than 30 countries who have come together to increase wheat’s yield potential by 50% over the next 20 years through improvements in photosynthetic efficiency and plant architecture. As part of the MasAgro component “Discovering the Genetic Diversity of Seed,”, presented by Peter Wenzl (Head, CRIL), scientists are applying cutting-edge technologies to study and classify the diversity in CIMMYT’s genetic resource collections and make the information widely available to breeders in Mexico and abroad.

21st ITMI workshop: wheat geneticists come together in Mexico City

Written by on . Posted in News.

The 21st workshop of the International Triticeae Mapping Initiative (ITMI) was hosted in Mexico City from 05-09 September, coordinated by CIMMYT Wheat Molecular Biologist Susanne Dreisigacker. ITMI was conceived in 1989, originally as a five-year effort to develop RFLP maps for Triticeae crops (mainly wheat and barley). Today the ITMI international community coordinates research efforts in molecular genetics, genomics, and genetic analysis in the Triticeae (chiefly wheat, barley and rye), with the aims of keeping work in Triticeae at the cutting edge of genetic research, avoiding duplication, and ensuring that data and information on the Triticeae is readily available to the community.

Opening the meeting, speakers Jorge Dubcovsky of UC Davis, United States, and Takao Komastuda of the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan, shared the stories of their groups working on the characterization of the genes involved in vernalization in wheat and domestication in barley respectively. Dubcovsky presented his findings around the isolation of the Vrn1, 2, and 3 genes and their interaction with several NF-Y proteins, shedding new light on the complex network that regulates flowering and development in response to vernalization and photoperiod in wheat. Komastuda discussed his team’s work on the phylogenetic analysis of barley, demonstrating that the six-rowed phenotype of barley originated repeatedly, at different times and in different regions, through independent mutations in the gene responsible, Vrs1.

Over the following four days, 40 speakers outlined their research advances in the areas of functional genomics, mapping and cloning, applied molecular breeding, the exploitation of genetic resources, and computational biology. The participants also went on a field visit to the Toluca research station to learn more about CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program. During the last day new initiatives and technologies were introduced, including the CIMMYT SeeD project, Genotyping by Sequencing, and the first results of using 9000 SNP chips in wheat and barley.

Prior to the ITMI meeting the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC), of which CIMMYT is a member, held a one-day workshop to report on progress in sequencing the wheat genome. One of the IWGSC’s major milestones for 2011 has already been achieved: sequence assemblies—fragments of a long DNA sequence that are developed in order to reconstruct the original sequence of all 21 chromosomes—have been developed and will be accessible to the wheat community in September or October.

This year represented the ITMI meeting’s return to CIMMYT after a gap of approximately 20 years. Special thanks to the 140 participants from more than 30 countries who contributed to put together an effective and successful workshop.

Congratulations to the second generation of CA graduates

Written by on . Posted in News.

A celebration was called for last Friday, 29 July 2011, when 24 technicians graduated from CIMMYT’s course in Conservation Agriculture (CA). Amidst the scenic setting of the Guest House Garden at El Batán, participants and their families gathered to hear speeches from CA stakeholders, and enjoyed a relaxing meal in the sunshine.

Bram Govaerts, Head of the Mexico Based Conservation Agriculture Program, opened the ceremony by thanking the distinguished guests and associates, particularly ASGROW and FundaciĂłn Produce Estado de MĂ©xico, who were especially supportive of CA when the program began several years ago, and the Mexican government and SAGARPA whose funding has enabled upscaling. “Mexico showed leadership,” he said. SAGARPA was represented at the event by Omar Musalem, Chief of Staff of the Minister, who highlighted the importance of the CA certification, especially in the broader context of trying to improve food security worldwide.

This sentiment was echoed by Scott Ferguson, CIMMYT Deputy Director General for Support Services, who also emphasized the need for graduates of the course to spread their knowledge to farmers, not only via mass communication technologies, but also through personal interactions. “Your personal qualities, particularly your ability to listen and communicate, are easily as important as the techniques you have learned,” he said. Ferguson proposed that whilst the number of current graduates is small, the skills they have learnt are vital in limiting damage to our environment, assisting farmers, stimulating the economy, and generating a multiplier effect by teaching others. These are the key objectives of MasAgro, and by passing these messages on to others, CA graduates can have a real impact on the future of agriculture in Mexico. Andrea Chocobar, CA team member, said that the certification received by the graduates “is not a gift or a prize, but rather a stimulus to continue in the difficult and occasionally unsung job we carry out.”

Before graduates received their certificates, goodie bags, and much-coveted CA T-shirts, testimonials were given by a graduate of last year, Jesus Cerecero, and current representative, Floricela Hernández. Reflecting on his year since graduation, Cerecero said that the course had made him aware of the important commitment to CA and to farmers, who are the ones that “sow, cultivate, and harvest the bread that feeds us.” Hernández agreed, saying “the success or failure of CA depends on us [technicians]. Farmers commit themselves when they see our commitment.”

The ceremony celebrated one year of hard work on behalf of both the participants and organizers, which culminated in a day-long exam with 11 practical and 6 theory stations. This practical element marks CIMMYT’s CA course apart from others; as participant Ricardo Canales said, “it’s different, because in a course you can learn theory and that’s all, then you forget things. Here however, you have to prove through a CA module [implemented with farmers] what you have learnt in theory.”

CA training has given the technicians the skills to conserve natural resources whilst increasing productivity; “working smarter not harder,” according to Ferguson. With six times more graduates this year than the previous one, and already over 120 applications received for the next courses, in alignment with government efforts in the frame of MasAgro, it is hoped that the number of CA-certified technicians will grow to meet agricultural challenges in the future.

Managing yellow rust disease in Nepal

Written by on . Posted in News.

From 2008-11 a Nepal Agricultural Research and Development Fund (NARDF)-funded project was conducted to try to minimize wheat losses caused by yellow rust in ten highly affected districts of Nepal, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, CIMMYT (Nepal) and the Seed Quality Control Centre, Nepal. Following this project, a one-day interaction program organized by the Plant Pathology Division, CIMMYT (Nepal) and NARDF was held at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Khumaltar, Lalitpur on 14 July 2011. There were 52 participants, including members of NARDF, CIMMYT, Regional Agricultural Research Centers (Lumle), Agriculture Research Station (Dolaka and Pakhribas), National Wheat Research Program (NWRP) of NARC, and District Agricultural Development Officers of the ten affected districts.

Yellow-rust-meeting-14-July-1

In his opening address, chief of the Plant Pathology Division, Hirakaji Manandhar, thanked NARDF for funding the yellow rust project and CIMMYT (Nepal) for providing valuable support in terms of supplying new germplasm and organizing training, farmer’s field days, and this interaction program. Project coordinator Sarala Sharma went on to describe the achievements of the project, including the excellent performance of the CIMMYT varieties in the field. Farmers have been able to select seven rust-resistant wheat genotypes (BL2879, BL3235, BL3503, WK1182, WK1481, NL1064, and NL1073) within different domains and cropping systems of Nepal. The high-yielding genotypes NL1064 (Danphe) and NL1073 (Frankolin) also conveyed good resistance to the stem rust race Ug99, and high demand for the Danphe variety could lead to larger seed multiplication in the coming cycle.

Participants felt that the project enabled an increase in genetic diversity and wheat production through the introduction of improved varieties and effective control of yellow rust disease. Publications were distributed to farmers in order to increase awareness of the new varieties and 580 farmers received training in yellow and stem rust management and quality seed production. Subsequently, the farmers found that they obtained good prices for their seeds and farmer-farmer seed dissemination increased the coverage of resistant varieties.

The next step is to ensure promotion and uptake of the improved wheat varieties. Participants emphasized that because yellow rust is not only a regional problem, but a global one too, the new CIMMYT varieties should be integrated into the official release process by NWRP. Dhurba Bahadur Thapa, Sr. Wheat Breeder (NARC) promised to take action to assist this progression and Arun Kumar Joshi, Regional Wheat Breeder (CIMMYT) assured that CIMMYT will also continue varietal testing and seed multiplication with farmers in the ten districts, to aid sustainability of the project once NARDF funding ceases. Janaki Prasad Khanal, Member Secretary of NARDF said that he hoped projects such as this will help to make Nepal a food-secure country in the future.

Collaboration is the key to SeeD success

Written by on . Posted in News.

The collaborative nature of the Seeds of Discovery (SeeD) initiative was highlighted at a seminar on 12th July, with Hans Braun, director of CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program, calling for an “open and frank conversation” between associates. The 25 participants, from CIMMYT and the National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture, and Livestock Research (INIFAP) gathered at El Batán for a working meeting coordinated by Carolina Saint-Pierre, Genetic Resource Phenotyping Coordinator, CIMMYT, to discuss the development of collaborative projects for wheat phenotyping within SeeD, one of the four components of the Sustainable Modernization of Traditional Agriculture (MasAgro) project.

Dr.Carolina

In the opening session, SeeD coordinator Peter Wenzl highlighted how collaborations within the SeeD initiative will be vital to the success of the project: “CIMMYT is unable to conduct all the work on its own,” says Wenzl. Besides alliances with INIFAP and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the SeeD initiative will also collaborate with the James Hutton Institute (UK) on data management and DArT P/L (Australia) on molecular characterization of genebank accessions through the establishment of an agricultural genetic-analysis service in Mexico (“Servicio de AnĂĄlisis GenĂ©tico para la Agricultura” in Spanish).

The SeeD initiative hopes that by comprehensively studying and classifying the genotypes of seed collections, important information on the global biodiversity of maize and wheat can be made available worldwide. Wenzl says they “want to build a Google for genetic resources”.

Within this context, the ‘phenotypic characterization’ aims to discover how the plants withstand real field conditions. Evaluating plant performance for different traits and in different environments is crucial to understanding the information coded in plant genomes. It also enables further information to be gained regarding the genetic resources that affect the ability of plants to withstand climate change and resource scarcity.

This identification of novel genetic resources for plant breeding will not only benefit Mexico; “this particular project should be a project of Mexico to the world,” says Wenzl. It is an ambitious goal but one that it is hoped can be achieved through collaborators sharing research methodologies and combining their efforts. INIFAP and CIMMYT used the working meeting to begin this process by identifying joint work modules to address the challenges for wheat improvement, such as increasing wheat tolerance to heat, drought, and diseases.

Training on conservation agriculture in Bangladesh

Written by on . Posted in News.

185Over 60 researchers, field technicians, farmers, machinery manufacturers, service providers, and extension workers attended two recent conservation agriculture (CA) training events in Bangladesh. The first event was held at the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) station in Comilla on 28-29 April, followed by an event at the Wheat Research Centre of BARI in Dinajpur on 04-05 May. The events focused on machinery operation and maintenance, as well as the agronomy of dry direct-seeded rice (DSR). Both were part of joint CIMMYT-IRRI efforts to promote sustainable ricemaize systems in collaboration with several national Bangladesh partners.

At both locations, participants learned about the power tiller operated seeder (PTOS) and the bed former/planter attached with the Chinese-made two-wheel tractor. This equipment is promoted by the project for the rapid establishment of maize, rice, and other crops under CA-based tillage systems such as zero tillage, reduced or minimum tillage, and raised beds. Participants also learned various methods to calibrate seed rates for DSR and decided that fluted roller metering devices with 8 or 16 grooves are the best currently available option for sowing DSR. They also learned basic agronomy for DSR and unpuddled transplanted rice, both of which require the use of the demonstrated machinery.

Temporary-Internet-Files“Machinery operation and maintenance is vital for rapid dissemination of CA-based technologies,” said Jagadish Timsina, IRRI-CIMMYT senior cropping system agronomist. He added that this ACIAR-funded ricemaize project has been adapting and evaluating the PTOS and the bed former/planter at project sites, and has been refining these machines for their use in different soils with the help of agriculture engineers from the national agriculture research intuitions involved in the project. The project has given special emphasis to training and capacity building for machine use and has already trained more than 120 people from government and non-governmental organizations, as well as farmers, service providers, machinery manufacturers, and extension workers since it started in November 2008.

Thanks to those who assisted with and attended these two events, including Israil Hossain and M. Wohab, principal scientific officers and agriculture engineers from BARI who helped in Dinajpur; M. Wohab and A. Rahman, principal scientific officers and agriculture engineers from BRRI who helped in Comilla; T. P. Tiwari, CIMMYT cropping system agronomist and the coordinator of the USAID Famine project; and Timsina.

Staff changes in the Global Maize Program

Written by on . Posted in News.

Marianne BĂ€nziger will move from her current position as director of the Global Maize Program (GMP) to become CIMMYT’s new deputy director general for research and partnerships, starting 1 October 2009. CIMMYT will refill the position of GMP director vacated by BĂ€nziger as soon as a highly qualified candidate is identified. Between 1 October 2009 and the time it takes to fill the GMP director position, responsibilities will be assigned as follows:

  • BĂ€nziger will supervise GMP activities in Asia and backstop major cross-program maize projects in Africa. She will also remain principal investigator for the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project.
  • Wilfred Mwangi, associate director, Africa, will supervise GMP activities in Africa.
  • Gary Atlin, associate director, molecular breeding, will supervise GMP activities in Latin America and all maize biotechnology activities.
  • Kevin Pixley will be moving to the University of Wisconsin effective 1 November 2009 from where he will continue to oversee global Maize Harvest Plus activities.

Two recent appointments within GMP will facilitate these changes: FĂ©lix San Vincente will start as senior scientist, maize breeder, Latin America in January 2010 and a soon-to-be-announced candidate will start as senior scientist, lead maize breeder for DTMA in October 2009. Both scientists bring highly relevant experience from the public and private sector.