Theme: Capacity development

On Monday, November 14, an eight-hour course on hazardous materials took place at El Batán. It was run by biologist Claudina Pérez Baldovino, and covered the proper handling of hazardous materials in the workplace and how to interpret product safety information. Participants considered the effects of hazardous materials, personal protection equipment and emergency procedures.

Parliamentarians from World Bank member countries spent the first two of a four-day mission to Kenya visiting and interacting with CGIAR scientists, partners, and stakeholders. The dozen members of the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank (PNoWB) joined Senior CGIAR scientists on 11 and 12 September to debate three issues of major global concern: sustainable agricultural development in sub- Saharan Africa, avian influenza (bird flu), and climate change.

Marianne Bänziger, Wilfred Mwangi and Stephen Mugo participated in the panel discussion of September 11, led by Director of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) Ephraim Mukisira, John Lynam of the Kilimo Trust, and three other scientists. The debate covered an array of issues, including fertilizer prices, water use efficiency in agriculture, HIVAids, regional trade within the COMESA and East African Community blocs, national and regional rail and road infrastructure, land holding sizes, producer organizations, biotechnology, and African-womanfriendly farming implements, and explored the complex interrelations among these factors, as well as their impacts on agricultural development and poverty reduction. Kenyan MPs were well represented, contributing vigorously to the plenary discussions, at which several Kenya-based UN and NGO staff also participated.

The PNoWB members asked the CGIAR centers and national agricultural institutions to provide them with clear messages they could use in making policy decisions, and also to spell out the long-term impacts of the requested investments. Lynam put it to the meeting that given the 70% agrarian population in sub-Saharan African countries, “in order to get these economies going, you’ve got to get agriculture going.”

CIMMYT and the other CGIAR centers each mounted individual poster exhibitions on Day one. The CIMMYT stand featured several activities, including the Global Rust Initiative, our work on Conservation Agriculture, the Africa Maize Stress Project, IRMA, QPM and Striga research. We received a good level of traffic and interest, in particular from the Kenyan MPs who browsed the CIMMYT flyers displayed and took away copies. The parliamentarians visited a mixed smallholder farm in Thika, a small agro-industrial settlement about 80 km northeast of Nairobi that afternoon.

Day two (September 12) was devoted to bird flu and climate change discussions, held at ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute) headquarters, and led by Director Carlos Serè and ICRAF Deputy Director Jan Laarman. A field visit to pastoralist communities in the outskirts of Nairobi wrapped up the 2-day interaction with the CGIAR.

Facilitation skills are strategically important in the CGIAR, as staff are increasingly called upon to manage teams and participatory processes involving people from diverse backgrounds, disciplines, nationalities, and cultures. To address the challenges for effective communication and decision-making that arise in participatory processes, 21 researchers and team leaders from CIMMYT and other CGIAR centers gathered at El Batán during 5-8 September in a workshop led by Sam Kaner, a leading expert on consensus decisionmaking and senior author of the book The Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making. Activities aimed to build essential knowledge, attitudes, and skills for participatory decisionmaking. Participants came from Philippines, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Italy, USA, and Mexico.

Participant Grant Singleton, IRRI researcher and Coordinator for Irrigated Rice Research Consortium, came away with very positive impressions: “Wow! What an action-packed workshop! We learned and role-played many useful facilitation techniques. Two highlights were the superb teaching skills of Sam and the great camaraderie among course participants. It was an excellent opportunity for me to meet many new CGIAR colleagues. Finally, I thank Petr Kosina and his CIMMYT colleagues for being most generous hosts.”

We’re pleased to announce the compiling and publication of “Laboratory Protocols: CIMMYT Applied Molecular and Genetics Laboratory.” The manual is intended for use by scientists, researchers, and students from national agricultural research systems, universities, and small private companies in developing countries, as well as advanced research institutions in the developed world and CIMMYT staff.

Now in its third edition, this manual incorporates feedback and suggestions from diverse users. Since its first edition, more than 1,000 copies in English and Spanish have been distributed. The main protocols described are for molecular marker technology and can be used in mapping, molecular marker assisted selection, or studies on genetic diversity, and many protocols are useful for crops other than maize and wheat. The Spanish version is of particular importance in Latin America, where it is difficult to find a comparable work. Versions in either language can be viewed and downloaded from CIMMYT’s web page, under “Publications/Manuals.”

At El Batán last 28 July 2006, we were privileged to host 76 children from the CIMMYT family. Following the DG’s welcome, a group photo, and final admonitions from their guardians, the youngsters aged 6 through 12 began a day-long expedition in which they would learn something about the work of their parents and other CIMMYT employees, as well as its importance in fulfilling our center’s mission.

On a tractor-drawn cart they toured the station’s maize and wheat plots. In the chemical analysis labs, they learned about the crops’ nutritional qualities, and they marveled at molecular wonders in the biotech labs. Not only did they learn about what the grown-ups do there, but they also had a chance to experiment and learn through play: as part of understanding the role of fermentation, they made bread and they witnessed how yeast can blow up a balloon; some children separated pigments in spinach and carrots; others isolated DNA using a blender and played with a jigsaw puzzle involving plastic pieces of base pairs of DNA, the molecule of life.

It was a valuable experience for the children, for adult participants, and for CIMMYT. Education changes hopes and dreams, attitudes and talents, fears and concerns, ideas and beliefs, and culture. Through activities like this, we hope to foster awareness of the biological sciences and CIMMYT’s mission through simple language and teaching based on comparisons, experimentation, interactions, creativity, and play.

Heartfelt thanks to all the children who took part, for their curiosity. Thanks as well to the CIMMYT parents, uncles, grandparents, and others who gave us a chance to share this experience with your children. Finally, we are extremely grateful to CIMMYT staff and circle of friends who provided support and to the Fundación Ciencia Activa for its commitment and enthusiasm, and look forward to more events like this one.