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.
In Nepal, the International Water Management Institute and CIMMYT conducted research on Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming System (SI-MFS) in collaboration with local governments in Gurbakot Municipality of Surkhet and Haleshi Tuwachung Municipality of Khotang.
The research found a noticeable shift in farmers’ interest in farming practices, where successful implementation of innovation and scaling, it’s crucial to have farmers’ interest and ownership in interventions.
Food security remains elusive for most smallholder farmers reliant on rainfed crop production, given the erratic rainfall patterns induced by climate change in Southern Africa. Among others, conservation agriculture (CA) is a concept often considered to be effective to adapt to these erratic rainfall patterns, enabling farmers to cope better with the prolonged dry spells that are characteristic of the semi-arid regions in Zimbabwe.
Conservation agriculture essentially involves three key pillars, namely, reduced soil disturbance, the use of crop rotations or intercrop associations, and the provision of permanent soil cover. The soil-cover component often requires the use of previous crop residues or other organic materials as a surface mulch. However, local farmers consider this task to be the most laborious aspect of implementing CA, which poses a significant challenge to its widespread uptake.
Collecting insights on influence of synthetic mulch. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Traditionally, farmers are advised to use organic mulch, such as maize residues, for soil cover. However, in most communal areas, there is a growing scarcity of organic mulches as they are predominantly used as livestock feed in mixed crop-livestock farming systems. Ironically, semi-arid regions that benefit from the use of crop residues as soil cover are also regions where the residues are the scarcest due to competing uses as livestock feed or as firewood. These competing interests pose a dilemma, as it is essential to cover the soil while also necessary to feed the animals. In neighboring countries like Malawi, maize residues are also used as fuel for firewood, further increasing the demand. It is clearly important, therefore, to develop alternative solutions to address this pressing issue.
âSince I embarked on my journey in conservation agriculture back in 1998, the matter of residues has been a topic of discussion. It is imperative that we walk the talk and develop practical solutions to meet the needs of farmers who rely on residues to feed their animals. One potential solution we are exploring is the use of synthetic mulches to cover the soil. By employing this method, we can cover the soil, apply fertilizer, and hopefully witness a positive impact. We certainly must develop synthetic materials that can be used sustainably as surface mulches in the semi-arid environments where organics are most scarce yet most needed,â stated Isaiah Nyagumbo, regional cropping systems agronomist.
To test such innovations, some water-conservation experiments were established in Buhera and Mutoko, Zimbabwe, during the last two seasons, and the results have been encouraging.
âI am grateful to work with the CIMMYT team on these water conservation trials, and I hope they continue. Before the trials, we were using organic mulch, but after using the synthetic approach and comparing it with organic mulches and none at all, we are seeing so many positive results. But there are challenges we canât escape, including affordability. But I have seen higher yield returns this year as I harvested close to 15 by 50kgs of maize,” said Nyawasha, a farmer from Mutoko, Zimbabwe, ward 16.
Further detailed studies to understand these systems have also been established in the current dry season at the CIMMYT campus in Harare, to test the effectiveness of these synthetic mulches under conditions of severe moisture stress. The different treatments include clear synthetic mulch, black synthetic mulch, organic mulch and no mulch. So far, for the maize crop now at flowering stage, the growth and yield are strikingly better in plots under the synthetic mulches compared with the organic and no mulch plots. This clearly shows the importance of finding viable alternatives. The crop with synthetic mulches also developed much faster, all the way from crop emergence.
Exploring the tied-ridging system
In these trials, mulching treatments are being tested in conventionally tilled plots, CA basins (pfumvudza basins) and under the tied-ridging system. Tied ridging has been developed in Zimbabwe for use by smallholder farmers since the 1980s and is well known for its effectiveness in reducing sheet erosion and water run-off. This system employs ridges 15â20 cm high, with crossties in the furrows at 1â2 m intervals that trap rainwater and prevent runoff and soil erosion. However, in a typical rainfed system, poor germination challenges can arise when planting on top of these ridges due to excessive drying of moisture from the raised ridges. Furthermore, during prolonged dry spells, the exposed ridges tend to cause crops to wilt more than flat-planted conventional crops. To address these issues, scientists at CIMMYT in Zimbabwe are also exploring innovative ways to improve the tied-ridging system through ways that minimize water loss through direct soil evaporation.
âThis has been one of the shortcomings of the tied-ridging system, and we need ways to overcome this excessive moisture evaporation. Once the water has gone into the soil, it should only leave through plant uptake and not be wasted through direct soil evaporation,â said Nyagumbo.
Integrating synthetic mulch into the tied-ridge system. (Photo: CIMMYT)
One approach being considered is incorporating mulch into the system to reduce evaporation and ensure that captured water is retained. The results are evident in the vibrant greenery of the plants with mulch compared with those without. Observing the number of plants with tassels and silk, it is clear that the plots with clear synthetic material have faster growth and reach maturity sooner compared with the plots with black synthetic mulch.
âMy outlook on the use of synthetic mulch on ridges is that they are much more effective, as it makes the soil very loose for good aeration to the plant and encourages high growth rate. I noticed that plants germinated in three days and the little water provided will directly benefit the plant without escaping. I am encouraged to continue doing this tied ridge approach using synthetic material,â said Nyekete, a farmer in Buhera, Zimbabwe, ward 7.
While exploring various options, it has also been important to prioritize and focus on one aspect at a time. The initial focus has been on maize residue, as it is a valuable resource for both soil cover and livestock feed. However, the scarcity of maize residue poses a significant challenge for many farmers, especially in regions like Buhera, Mberengwa and Shurugwi, where animals consume all available resources. Placing maize residues in open fields is not a very viable solution, as freely roaming livestock will just consume it. Fencing or creating structures to protect the residues from livestock also requires substantial effort and resources, thereby making this mulching a daunting task for farmers.
Food for thought
While the challenges faced in providing mulch for conservation agriculture are multifaceted, there is a growing need to develop innovative solutions that address the scarcity of organic mulch and explore alternative methods such as synthetic coverings. By continuously adapting and refining our practices, we can ensure the sustainability of agriculture in this region and improve the livelihoods of farmers.
CIMMYT participated in the inaugural Global Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) from September 27-29, 2023. The gathering provided space for focused dialogues to prioritize actions and strengthen technical networks for sustainable development of agricultural mechanization.
Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general, presented a keynote address on September 27 regarding climate change and mechanization. As a global thought leader and change agent for climate resilient, sustainable and inclusive agricultural development, CIMMYT has many specific initiatives centered on mechanization for facilitating machine innovations and scaling-up improved farming practices for sustainability and farmer competitiveness.
Bram Govaerts delivered a keynote address. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Collaboration is a hallmark of CIMMYTâs endeavors in mechanization, including a strong partnership with local governments across Latin America, Africa and Asia, and international cooperation agencies, supporting the Green Innovations Centers installed by GIZ-BMZ and working on accelerated delivery models together with USAID, in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, to name only a few. Further, local value chain actor engagement is crucial and necessary in this work to connect farmers with viable solutions.
CIMMYT has a long history of leading projects aimed at mechanizing the agricultural efforts of smallholder farmers, including the successful MasAgro Productor in Mexico and FACASI (farm mechanization and conservation agriculture for sustainable intensification) in East and South Africa. At present, the Harnessing Appropriate-Scale Farm Mechanization in Zimbabwe (HAFIZ) project is working towards to improve access to mechanization and reduce labor drudgery while stimulating the adoption of climate-smart/sustainable intensification technologies. The project engages deeply with the private sector in Zimbabwe and South Africa to ensure long-term efficacy.
The Scaling Out Small Mechanization in the Ethiopian Highlands project was active from 2017 to 2022 and increased access for smallholder farmers to planting and harvesting machines. Farmers using two-wheel tractors furnished by the project reduced the time needed to establish a wheat crop from 100 hours per hectare to fewer than 10 hours. CIMMYTâs work was in partnership with the Africa-RISING program led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Ethiopia.
âAt CIMMYT, we work knowing that mechanization is a system, not only a technology,â said Govaerts. âSustainable mechanization efforts require infrastructure like delivery networks, spare parts and capacity development. Working with local partners is the best way to ensure that any mechanization effort reaches the right people with the right support.â
Read these stories about CIMMYTâs efforts to support equal access to agricultural mechanization and scaling up within local contexts.
Mechanization is a process of introducing technology or farm equipment to increase field efficiency. CIMMYTâs mechanization work is context specific, to help farmers have access to the appropriate tools that are new, smart and ideal for their unique farming conditions.
Working with the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), CIMMYT is leading mechanization efforts in Northern India. Combined with sustainable agriculture, the next generation of farmers now have access to tractors, seeders and other tools that are increasing yield and reducing back-breaking labor.
Gangesh Pathak with his father at the custom hiring center which provides custom hiring services to smallholder farmers in the region. (Photo: Vijay K. Srivastava/CIMMYT)
The delivery of row seeders from India to Benin demonstrates a new path to sustainable South-South business relationships. Developed in India in an iterative design process with farmers, portable row seeders have been a great success. Working with GIC, CIMMYT facilitated a technology and materiel transfer of the portable row seeders to Benin.
A farmer pulls a row seeder in Benin, West Africa. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Peanuts thrive as a crop in Togo and other West Africa countries, but post-harvest is threatened by aflatoxins, so the entire crop needs to dry. Traditionally, farmers, often women, have dried the peanuts in the open air, subject to weather and other pests. However, CIMMYT, working with GIC, has introduced solar-powered dryers, which speeds up the drying process by a factor of four.
Working with partners in Burkina Faso, CIMMYT is facilitating smallholder mechanization with a model of cascading effects: one farmer mechanizing can then use their skills and eqBMZuipment to help their neighbors, leading to community-wide benefits.
Pinnot Karwizi fills a mechanized sheller with dried maize cobs. (Photo: Matthew OâLeary/CIMMYT)
Visit our mechanization page to read stories about ongoing mechanization initiatives.
Millions of rural Indians, mostly farmers, are at the mercy of changing weather and climate change. Rising temperature and heat stress, unpredictable rainfall patterns, increasing drought-like situations, soil erosion and depleting water tables are leading to poorer yields and reduced income for farmers. While the agricultural sector and farmers are most affected by the adverse impacts of climate change, it is also one of the sectors significantly responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, contributing about 14% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the country.
Farmer Rahul Rai prepares his field for wheat plantation with zero tillage – Buxar, Bihar (photo: Deepak K. Singh/CIMMYT)
Good agronomy and soil management through conservation agriculture practices such as no-till farming, crop rotation, and in-situ crop harvest residue management are resource efficient and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly. The intensification of these conservation agriculture practices by the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA)âa regional project led by CIMMYT to sustainably enhance cereal crop productivity and improve smallholder farmersâ livelihoods in Bangladesh, India, and Nepalâand partners is helping smallholder farmers to improve their yield and income with less input costs.
Climate smart agriculture
Over 70% of Bihar’s population is engaged in agriculture production, with wheat and rice as the two major crops grown in the state. Bordering Uttar Pradesh, Buxar, is one of the many rural districts in Bihar, with over 108,000 hectares of land used for agriculture. The area is plain, fertile and has good irrigation facilities. The rice-wheat cropping system forms the dominant practice here, and pulses and other non-cereal crops are grown additionally during winters.
CSISA began promoting zero tillage in wheat cultivation in the area in 2010. Along with Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and local agriculture departments, awareness and frontline demonstrations on different best management practices were conducted to inform farmers of alternative approaches to cultivating wheat and rice sustainably. Farmers were used to conventional farming methods, with more input costs and labor-intensive practices. In addition, as farmers were growing long-duration rice varieties, they typically sowed wheat in late November to early December, which meant harvesting in late April/May. Harvesting wheat this late caused yield losses due to terminal heat stress at the grain filling stage. With increasingly hot temperatures in recent years due to climate change, yield loss in wheat is imminent.
To help curb these yield losses, researchers and officials began promoting early sowing of wheat through a technology called zero tillage in the region, with sowing recommended before mid-November. As expected, this helped farmers to escape high temperature stress at the time of the dough stage, thus, saving grain shrinkage and yield loss at harvest. Zero tillage technology is a tested method with the potential to increase crop productivity through better time management and reduced input cost.
Deepak Kumar Singh, scientist at CSISA who has been supporting agri-extension efforts in the region for nearly a decade recalled how CSISA and partners were able to get more farmers on board with zero tillage and early wheat sowing:
“The best practices of zero till technology and early wheat sowing were encouraged widely through exposure visits, demonstration trials on progressive farmers’ fields, and providing support from local KVKs for machines and quality seeds, including the promotion of private service providers,” he said.
As more farmers were reached through field events, with visible on-field results during public harvest activities held at demonstration fields by CSISA and KVKs, the region gradually adopted early wheat sowing, zero tillage and direct seeded rice technologies. Currently, in the district, it is estimated that over 40% of wheat cultivation under the rice-wheat system is through zero till, helping farmers obtain better yield and profits.
Rice-wheat cropping systems, resilient and sustainable in increasingly changing climate
Rajapur, a small village in Buxar district, boasts 100% adoption of zero tillage in wheat cropping. We met farmer Rahul Rai whose family has been involved in farming for generations. The family owns over thirty acres of land with agriculture as the primary source of income. His father and his siblings were used to conventional farming methods. The produce from their farm was sufficient for household consumption and with the little extra left, they sold and made some income. On the significance of agriculture and farming for his family, Rahul Rai says, “this farmland has been feeding and supporting 17 members in our joint household.”
When young Rahul Rai got down to work in the family fields in the early 2000s, he was keen to explore possibilities to improve the income generated from the farm. Initially, like many others, he was engaged in intensive farming. According to Rai, “with the input costs rising daily, including scarce labor and soil health deterioration, bringing in some extra income seemed unsustainable”.
He first met researchers from the CSISA project and local KVK scientists in early 2011 in the neighboring village. The team was there to inform farmers about conservation agriculture practices and how to better manage yield and maintain soil health. Rai soon became more curious about the benefits of adopting these new methods over conventional practices. He started with a few acres with zero tillage and began sowing wheat by early November, as recommended by the scientists. In Rabi 2022-23, his wheat fields were sown by November 11, compared to the early years when the sowing date was around December.
Wheat yield data gathered meticulously over a decade from Rahul Rai’s fields (Data: CSISA MEL team)
With more participation and engagement with CSISA, in 2017, he joined other farmers from the region on an exposure visit to Patna organized by the CSISA-KVK network. In Patna, at the Indian Council of Agri Research – Research Complex for Eastern Region (ICAR-RCER), Rai and the visiting farmers were introduced to conservation agri-technologies for rice-wheat and other cropping systems. During the visit, they were informed about crop rotation and diversification, new seed varieties that are resilient and adaptable to changing climates, efficient use of plant protection chemicals and fertilizer and various subsidies from the center/state government to farmers. He later accompanied other progressive farmers on a CSISA-led travel seminar to Gorakhpur in 2017, where he observed acres and acres of wheat fields cultivated through zero tillage and early sowing that had yielded 6-7 tons per hectare (t/ha) on average.
At present, Rai’s family cultivates only zero till wheat in their fields and direct seeded rice on a few acres where irrigation facilities are well established. Rai asserts that until 2014, the wheat yield was about 10-15 quintals per acre (3.5-4 t/ha), rising to around 20-25 quintals per acre on average (5.5 t/ha in 2023) in recent years, thanks to conservation agriculture practices.
Today, the CSISA team has system optimization and demonstration trials on fields owned by Rai’s family where they conduct trials to demonstrate the importance and feasibility of different agri-practices and compare yields at harvest. Rai, a champion farmer who has been involved with CSISA for nearly a decade, said, “I am a collaborator with CSISA now. The data gathered from my fields on the compounding benefits of conservation agriculture technologies is used to promote the best practices and technology adoption across our district and state.”
One village at a time
Presently, Rajapur village has 100% zero tillage adoption. Despite most farmers being smallholders, this level of zero tillage adoption in wheat is impressive. Zero-till-based crop establishment, with appropriate diversification in crops grown, is economically beneficial and improves soil health. All these practices and technologies ensure lower greenhouse emissions and support climate change mitigation efforts. Above all, smallholder farmers are food secure and contributing in their small way to national and global food security.
To scale the adoption of conservation agriculture practices, CSISA and partners are collaborating with farmers in the district/state â many of whom are already 50-80% in zero tillage adoption. The team on the ground are conducting system optimization trials on farmers’ fields to generate data and evidence to support and strengthen policies and assist in integrating market intelligence to support access and availability of technology to all smallholders. Every year steadily, through a smallholder farmer, a village, a district, the effort is to slowly expand the area under conservation agriculture across the state and region and ensure increased system productivity and sustainability of agriculture.
How many times have we seen innovative ideas launched into the marketplace, seeming to offer answers to key problems, only to see them fail to make the impact that we expected? In the modern world, having a great idea is not enough to ensure market success. Even when new products, processes or technologies have been carefully and successfully tested in trials and studies, the process of scaling and launching them often leads to disappointing results.
History of the Scaling Scan
“The Scaling Scan is a necessary breakthrough for those connected with meaningful impact. The Scaling Scan is accessible, practical, grounded in the reality, and most importantly, a watershed rethinking the ‘bigger is better’ logic of scaling.”
Rob McLean, CIMMYT scaling coordinator senior program specialist in Policy and Evaluation at IDRC and author of “Scaling Impact”
The Scaling Scan was developed to improve this process and ensure that new innovations have the best chance of success. Traditionally, scaling an innovation has often resulted in âlinearâ thinking, where the project team focuses on the advantages of their new product and relies on these for launch. The Scaling Scan encourages teams to broaden their thinking into areas within the overall private and public sector environments where they may have less experience, but which can greatly help or hinder the success of new ideas. It looks at 10 âingredientsâ to consider, discuss, and develop strategies to address â ranging from end-user financing and business cases to national strategies and regulations.
The first version of the Scaling Scan was launched in 2017 following cooperation between scaling expert Lennart Woltering at CIMMYT and the Public Private Partnership Lab (PPPLab), a research consortium based in the Netherlands. A second, updated version was released the following year. The tool has been implemented through workshops held around the world, with trained moderators to encourage discussion, share ideas and develop expertise. These discussions resulted in five action steps:
Evaluation of realistic targets for the scaling â is the teamâs thinking too ambitious, or alternatively, has the analysis identified further opportunities?
Consideration of the impact on other areas of concern â for example, the environment or social dynamics (such as gender roles and relations).
Identification of weak areas of expertise that hold back scaling â for example poor access to finance or lack of evidence that would convince others to join the cause.
New and better-informed directions for project management, taking into consideration their own capacities, networks, and power.
Identification of knowledge and expertise that would be of benefit to the scaling team.
More than 1,200 participants attended the workshops that were held in English, Spanish and French. Half of the workshops were held in Africa, with the rest divided between Asia and North and South America, including 11 in Mexico. In 2022, an online version was made available through the launch of a new website, https://scalingscan.org/ with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft fĂŒr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the One CGIAR Mitigate initiative. This has further increased the availability of and access to scaling information.
“The Scaling Scan pushes users to go beyond a narrow focus on scaling an innovation. It is a great tool that enables practical thinking about the multiple pathways to impact at scale and the range of stakeholders that need to be considered in scaling process.”
Kelly Hayley Price, DRC senior evaluation officer
3rd edition Scaling Scan Launch                   Â
On September 14, 2023, the 3rd edition of the Scaling Scan will be launched. With the support of GIZ, FAO, Alliance, and SNV, the tool has been enhanced to include some changes inspired by discussions at the workshops. There is increased consideration of gender roles and how these might affect, or be affected by, a scaling program. Likewise, the impact of climate change is also included. In terms of usability, the Scaling Scan has been adapted to make it more accessible to use without a moderator, meaning that users will be able to benefit even if they have difficulty getting to a workshop. It has also been designed to make it easier to customize the Scaling Scan to fit oneâs own needs, rather than requiring the standard version used in workshops.
To find out more about the Scaling Scan, please visit https://scalingscan.org/, or email e.valencia@cgiar.org for more information.
CSISA collaborates with Chaudhury Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University to provide students with opportunities to engage in the latest agri-research and big data management. (Photo: CIMMYT)
Working alongside smallholder farmers, the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) project, has forged partnerships at the state and center levels to bridge the gap between innovation and the adoption of sustainable agricultural systems. In its current phase (2022-2025) in India, CSISA is helping mainstream innovation processes into the programing of national and state institutes through joint extension and research activities, including capacity building initiatives. Chaudhury Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University (CCSHAU) is one of Asiaâs biggest agricultural universities, located at Hisar in state of Haryana, India. Initially a campus of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, it became an autonomous institution in 1970 and contributed significantly to both the Green and White Revolutions in India.
Together with CCSHAU, CSISA recently initiated a landscape diagnostic survey (LDS) under the universityâs rural agricultural work experience (RAWE) program for students graduating with an honors Bachelor of Science in agriculture. The twin objectives of this initiative were to gain an understanding of the existing challenges and opportunities for different cropping systems in Haryana through a bottom-up approach and to prepare students for careers in agriculture by building their practical skills in digital agriculture and big data management. This, explained CCSHAU Vice Chancellor B.R. Kamboj, who led the collaboration with CSISA, would provide recent graduates with the opportunity to âdesign a survey schedule, collect data in digital format, understand how farmers are adopting new technologies, and the learnings and challenges associated with each cropping system.â
Developing solutions for tomorrowâs problems
The predominant cropping systems practiced within the three ecologies of Haryana state are: the rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS); the cotton-wheat cropping system (CWCS); and the pearl millet-mustard cropping system (PMCS). The landscape diagnostic survey was carried out in parts of Sirsa and Hisar districts (for CWCS), Rewari and Mahendergarh districts (for PMCS) and Panipat, Yamunanagar, and Kurukshetra districts (for RWCS). The entire survey design was based on farmersâ participatory engagement and the cropping system framework.
A thorough process of survey design, including the training of master trainers, followed by orientation for students, was undertaken by the universityâs RAWE faculty with support from CSISAâs technical team and participating KVKs. Students collected data from farming households using questionnaires and analyzed them using different analytical tools and techniques. Based on farmersâ responses, important data points about the regionâs three crucial cropping systems were recorded and a book entitled Cropping Systems of Haryana â Challenges and Opportunitieswas published earlier this year, documenting the research process, data generated, results, and conclusions.
This has been a unique experience for both students and faculty that culminated in a research program with hands-on training. In the long run, this approach to capacity building for students is expected to support fieldwork and studies that help develop solutions to tomorrowâs problems in agricultural development. âThe commitment of CCSHAU to implement a strong RAWE program under the technical guidance of CSISA, with support from the district KVKs, and student participation made this publication a strong endorsement and reference for similar RAWE programs across states and central universities,â acknowledged Peter Craufurd, CSISA project lead for India.
Lessons from the field
The survey helped build studentsâ capacity to design and understand data collection methods, analysis, and management with actual field exposure. Additionally, the qualitative data-gathering experience allowed them to develop their understanding of farmersâ perspectives in adopting or rejecting a particular technology or recommendation. Sharing her experience of the field sessions, RAWE student Muskanâ group leader for the rice-wheat cropping system survey, said, âThis process of data gathering, and field exposure is very motivating. I have a better understanding of our farmersâ practices and challenges.â
Another participating RAWE student and group leader for the cotton-wheat cropping system survey, Nilanchal Nishan said, âthis exposure has helped me understand how policies and technology advancements affect farmers and their interaction with these changes over the yearsâ.
âThe entire process, from training to data management and curation, was fascinating for us,â said Aman Kumar, who led the pearl millet-mustard cropping system (PMCS) survey. He added that such field exposure will make students more aware of the trends and prevalent practices in the agricultural sector and help them choose their future field of research and study in a way that is in sync with real-time developments. These sentiments were echoed by RC Aggarwal, deputy director general for education at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), who called for more collaborations and capacity development exercises of this nature to be initiated in other state agriculture universities.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are broad mandates for transitioning to fair and sustainable agrifood systems. However, because of their global view, they often operate at a scale not clearly seen or understood by local stakeholders.
New research led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) scientists offers participatory action research (PAR) as a potential bridge between the macro scope of the SDGs and the needs and desires of local communities.
Trying out conservation agriculture wheat rotation alongside conventionally grown maize, farmer’s field, Mexico. (Photo: E. Phipps/CIMMYT)
âParticipatory research is known for giving voice to farmers, for accelerating adaptation and for impact,â said lead author Sieglinde Snapp, director of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems program at CIMMYT. âWhat is novel in this study is that new discoveries were documented, showing the scientific contributions possible through PAR.â
Co-creation
Participatory action research is a knowledge generation process, characterized by a series of steps to facilitate improved understanding and development of innovations, within a local context. The PAR approach involves engaging stakeholders, to co-create solutions with researchers.
Because knowledge is often local, access to natural resources is highly heterogeneous, climate variability is unpredictable and socioeconomic circumstances are context-dependent, any intervention must be flexible and locally specific to ensure sustainability.
PAR prioritizes empowerment of marginalized communities to build long-term partnerships which support transformational changes at local, regional and national levels.
Yet the evidence base for PAR methodology remains fragmented and is often inaccessible.
âThis is the first paper that shows how action research produces new knowledge through a systematic, iterative process that derived âmiddle waysâ, such as shrubby food crops as a farmers preferred form of agroforestry,â said Snapp.
Solving wicked problems
Participatory research is well-suited to address conflicts and trade-offs that are key aspects of so-called wicked problems. For instance, annual cropsâmaize and soybeanâare excellent producers of food but feature limited aboveground vegetation and belowground activity to regenerate soil nutrients, while perennials provide soil regeneration services but no food products.
By engaging closely with local stakeholders, PAR identifies âgoldilocks options,â or middle ways, such as semi-perennial shrubs and vines that produce food while also promoting soil health.
Genetic and agronomic improvement efforts have almost entirely overlooked semi-perennial plant types to address foodâsoil trade-offs.
Challenges
Building relationships between researchers and stakeholders; the investment required in selecting representative sites, action learning activities, synthesis of findings, communication and documentation; and the inherent variability of research conducted under real-world conditions are barriers to establishing PAR systems. Living laboratories and education on PAR approaches need investment. Reward structures may need to shift, with greater attention to considering research impact on SDGs and awareness that time lags may occur in publishing scientific findings through PAR.
Demonstrating conservation agriculture to other farmers in Malawi. (Photo: T. Samson/CIMMYT)
âOur findings detailing the efficacy of PAR shows that the potentially high upfront costs to invest in relationship building and learning across disciplines, this is a worthwhile trade-off,â said Snapp.
Through PAR, human condition and social-science questions can be addressed, along with biological and environmental science questions, as illustrated in this Malawian case study.
The findings generated by PAR have relevance beyond the sub-Saharan Africa context because they provide new insights into the development of nature-based solutions that meet local needs, a critical requirement for rural communities in many parts of the globe.
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The primary focus of this project is on regenerative agriculture practices, including circular economy principles, co-identified and digital decision-support tools co-designed for at least two priority production systems (one upland and lowland rice-fish production system and another upland system), enabled by policymakers, and used by scaling partners in at least three Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states.
The project aims to align with the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 5 – Gender Equality; SDG 13 – Climate Action; SGD 17 – Partnerships for the Goals.
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The CAIGE Project seeks to offer the University of Sydney and Australian grain breeders access to provider sites, materials, and data at times to be agreed by the parties. Offer support to the recipient and Australian grain breeders to choose materials from CIMMYT and enter into supply orders.
The project aims to align with the Sustainable Development Goals: Contributing to SDG 2 – Zero Hunger.
Every alternate year, a set of elite spring wheat lines is shared with the CAIGE program in Australia.
Joint evaluation of CIMMYT & Australian lines across Australia, October 2022 (N=312 lines).
Data provided
Grain yield under full irrigation and drought
TKW under full irrigation and drought
Quality traits (protein, sedimentation volume etc) under full irrigation
Disease traits: Leaf and Yellow rust, and soil borne disease
Stem rust (Debre Zeit â Ethiopia and Njoro âKenya
2022/23: Additional set of new cohorts of lines sent to Australia for quarantine and seed increase process.
CAIGE Australia team will visit CIMMYT Obregon March 2024
CIMMYT-Australia Scientists field evaluation, October 2022
Direct release of CIMMYT wheat in Australia
Commercial cultivation of Borlaug 100 wheat in Australia (commercialized by Rebel seeds)
The jury of international scientist experts evaluated twenty-three research projects spanning nine countries on four continents for the 2023 Composite Flour Innovation Award. Sidhar Bhavani, senior scientist, head of Rust Pathology and Molecular Genetics at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) enriched the jury of the Awards, aimed to highlight the scientific work around the production and processing of non-wheat flours and their blends with wheat flour.
Brazil is moving towards self-sufficiency, reducing the need for imports and increasing its participation in the international wheat market. The development of adapted wheat varieties with stable yields disease resistance, and wheat strains from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) enabled the consolidation and expansion of cereal crops in the country.
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The primary focus of this project is on providing technical support to maize and associated crops growers, to develop, validate and implement a working methodology based on a technological menu that responds to the needs of their agri-food systems, aligned with the 2021-2024 government program of the Iguala municipality in Mexicoâs Guerrero state.
The project aims to align with the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 2 – Zero Hunger; SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being for People; SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 13 – Climate Action; SGD 17 – Partnerships for the Goals.
Direct project scopes:
Technical accompaniment to 40 producers and their impact on at least 80 ha. of maize and associated crops for the adoption of sustainable practices and their linkage to the innovation network, to increase productivity and profitability of the productive process of small, medium and large producers with a focus on sustainable agriculture.
Follow-up during the period of technical attention of 2 modules and 40 areas of impact, to consolidate, maintain and increase the infrastructure where innovations that respond to the needs of producers in the municipality are adapted.
Development of training events for the development of capacities of 30 producers and key actors linked to the innovation network in the municipality.
Operate a solid communication strategy through the institutional media and its outreach, to position the project’s activities and the promotion of sustainable agriculture by the municipal government.
The Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) Initiative held its Evaluation and Planning Workshop in Dinajpur, Bangladesh, from June 6 to 8, 2023. The purpose of this interactive workshop was to bring together people from diverse sectors to assess the progress and challenges and adjust future implementation of the Initiativeâs activities, which aim to improve South Asian agrifood systems to promote sustainable and nutritious foods for all. All three government partners participated in the three-day event: the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Training on Applied Nutrition (BIRTAN), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute â On-Farm Research Division (BARI-OFRD), and the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI).
Participants visited the research platform trial hosted by BWMRI in Dinajpur, Bangladesh (Photo: Nur-A-Mahajabin Khan/CIMMYT)
The primary goal of the first day was to visit the locations of TAFSSAâs experiments and to interact with the farmers hosting the trials while they were taking place. Participants were divided into groups and visited several on-farm sites, viewing the trials and engaging in meaningful discussions with the farmers. These visits provided useful firsthand insights on the problems farmers confront while attempting to diversify their crops and improve their livelihoods. For example, visiting the research platform trial hosted by the BWMRI at its research station in Dinajpur allowed the participants to compare results from a broader set of diversified cropping patterns.
âMore crops mean more money,â said Mohammad Ali, one of the farmers. âI am delighted to produce a variety of crops and witness the increase in my earnings. By cultivating four crops in a single year, I have experienced firsthand the positive impact on my income. Crop diversification has opened doors to new opportunities and has brought greater satisfaction to my farming endeavors.â
During the second day of the workshop, presentations were held to provide an overview of results from the activities TAFSSA implemented during the first seasons of the Initiative, including research platform trials, training sessions on nutrition, and on-farm activities carried out across the divisions of Rangpur and Rajshahi. These presentations emphasized TAFSSA’s progress, obstacles, and preliminary results and were followed by a question-and-answer session to discuss the outcomes and efforts. This interactive workshop promoted information exchange and sparked more debate. Participants underlined the significance of market links between farmers and consumers, emphasizing the need to develop sustainable and lucrative value chains.
Panelists engaged in a discussion about TAFSSA’s progress, challenges, and path forward (Photo: Nur-A-Mahajabin Khan/CIMMYT)
Future adjustments and improvements were discussed, which encouraged collaboration and problem-solving as a group. The method was inclusive and participative, ensuring that all opinions were heard and considered. The day ended with a dinner, during which participants were free to network and discuss ideas further with one another.
The third and final day began with a discussion on TAFSSAâs beneficiaries, particularly those involved in altering agrifood systems in South Asia to promote sustainable and healthy diets for all in the region. Participants looked at the gender aspect of the Initiative and whether it was effectively reaching all of its target beneficiaries, including men, women, and other marginalized groups.
The workshop provided a forum for participants to share their experiences, address issues and collaborate together to reform South Asian agrifood systems. The evaluation and planning exercises aimed to create equal access to nutritious diets, boost livelihoods and resilience among farmers, and safeguard land, air and groundwater resources.
Participants evaluated field production results during the field visit (Photo: Nur-A-Mahajabin Khan/CIMMYT)
âIt’s crucial to acknowledge the lack of technical knowledge among farmers,â said Dr. Mazharul Anwar, from the BARI. âProviding targeted training programs for specific crops like tomato, carrot, sorghum, and others can help bridge this knowledge gap and enhance farmers’ capabilities in achieving better yields and sustainable practices.â
Through its work in South Asia, TAFSSA can contribute to change in the region and continue its objective to develop more sustainable and equitable agrifood systems by obtaining useful information from field trials, interactive visits with farmers, presentations, and conversations. To that end, the workshop has set the stage for the Initiative to achieve its goals thanks to the collaborative efforts and collective passion of all the participants.
On May 26, 2023, representatives from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft fĂŒr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) hosted a scaling networking event at CIMMYT headquarters in Texcoco, Mexico. This event marked the culmination of a Scaling Readiness Training organized by the One CGIAR Portfolio Performance Unit (PPU), which included 30 participants from various CGIAR centers working on various One CGIAR Initiatives.
Consequently, the Scaling Networking Event was happy to bring together scaling experts from the CGIAR training together with other experts from GIZ, CIMMYT, and other academic and non-governmental organizations. The participants exchanged learnings, ideas, and methodologies for scaling agricultural innovations. Fortunately, this did not remain just an abstract exercise as the attendees were also eager to explore future joint scaling projects. Because collaboration is one of the most important factors in scaling innovations, the purpose of the event was to establish new collaborative initiatives and partnerships.
GIZ and CIMMYT have a long history of collaboration in Mexico and elsewhere. In Africa, for example, a group of mechanization specialists from CIMMYT recently provided training in this area to strengthen the work of the GIZ Green Innovation Centers for the agricultural and food sectors. In this event, both organizations explained what they meant by scaling and how they have worked on it using tools such as the Scaling Scan. The Scaling Scan is another example of the collaboration between GIZ and CIMMYT (and the Netherlands Development Organization SNV) and is a tool that analyzes bottlenecks and opportunities in scaling and innovation.
Both organizations noted a need to explore a wider space to connect sectors and actors interested in scaling innovations developed by agricultural research. Looking at different scaling approaches, the Scaling Readiness framework was presented as the official scaling practice in One CGIAR. Also, the University of Chapingo and the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico showed the tools they are using from analyzing social networks and Geographical Information Systems. They showed the connections with people that scaling requires and the importance of basing scaling assessments on quantitative data.
Plenary discussion to identify the best ways to carry out collaborations (Photo: Ronay Flores/CIMMYT)
The Mexican Center for Philanthropy (CEMEFI) and GIZ Mexico also discussed the difficulties that come with deciding what to scale and how to do so responsibly. Given current environmental concerns, GIZ Mexico emphasized the need to scale technologies at the intersection between biodiversity and agriculture. CEMEFI started a dialogue among scaling specialists about how to scale while also taking social factors into account. The major topics that came out of this discussion were the need to engage communities more, spend time with them planning interventions, and examine power relations.
As part of this event, scaling practitioners from three One CGIAR Research Initiatives, of which CIMMYT is a member, presented their scaling reflections. They shared their work and some research questions that are now being investigated in the Digital Initiative, the Latin American âAgriLACâ Initiative, and the Mitigation Plus Initiative. Some of the questions addressed in the event included what criteria should be chosen to select innovations, how to bring different scaling processes together, and finally, how to develop scaling strategies that could be supported by the digital and technological enabling conditions and tools.
Before the event concluded, the participants still had sufficient energy to debate and support the idea of creating a Latin American scaling community of practice to continue exchanging scaling experiences in the region, not only with partners but between scaling researchers and practitioners. The expected result would be to strengthen scaling work so that the most relevant practices to make agri-food systems resilient and sustainable could be adopted, adapted, or transformed to suit each community and its needs in each context.
What then were the final learnings for this event? The importance of scaling with partners; the need to address social inclusion in scaling by understanding power relations; and the sharing of varied scaling experiences and processes. All of this was highlighted at the end of the meeting, which gave closure to the day but an initial drive towards future potential collaborations that were created out of it.
Malnutrition is rampant in Pakistan and the release of bio-fortified wheat varieties with higher zinc content will help the countryâs 9 million hectares of cultivated wheat fields become more productive, climate resilient and disease resistant.
How many times have we seen innovative ideas launched into the marketplace, seeming to offer answers to key problems, only to see them fail to make the impact that we expected? In the modern world, having a great idea is not enough to ensure market success. Even when new products, processes or technologies have been carefully and successfully tested in trials and studies, the process of scaling and launching them often leads to disappointing results.
