Working with smallholders to understand their needs and build on their knowledge, CIMMYT brings the right seeds and inputs to local markets, raises awareness of more productive cropping practices, and works to bring local mechanization and irrigation services based on conservation agriculture practices. CIMMYT helps scale up farmersâ own innovations, and embraces remote sensing, mobile phones and other information technology. These interventions are gender-inclusive, to ensure equitable impacts for all.
The importance of agroecological methods is starting to be a necessity across the Congo Basin. CIMMYT researcher, Prasanna Boddupalli, emphasises the importance of agroecological methods for biodiversity-smart agricultural development.
Read the full story.
Anurag Kumar is a senior research associate in CIMMYT under the Cereal System Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) project in India.
He is involved in Coordinating trials and demonstrations of the rice-wheat cropping system in Bihar. Other than coordinating trials and demonstrations, he is effectively strengthening partnerships with national and private partners. The extension of proven technologies is the core of the project so synergizing the effort of each partner for better spread.
The Canadian Phytopathological Society (CPS) will bestow on Bram Govaerts, director general of CIMMYT, the 2023 Glenn Anderson Lectureship Award, during the upcoming International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP2023) in Lyon, France, on August 21, 2023.
The award honors the legacy of Robert Glenn Anderson (1924-81), eminent Canadian agricultural scientist and former CIMMYT wheat research director who helped ignite in India the âgreen revolution,â a rapid modernization of agriculture during the 1960s-70s and by which that nation went from grain shortages and hunger to becoming a leading grain exporter.
A bioscience engineer and soil scientist who is a PhD graduate from Belgiumâs Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and has worked in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Govaerts will give the keynote address âAgrifood system for a food and nutrition secure world: From efficiency to resilience,â describing in part the relevance of CIMMYT and its partnersâ work.
âEarly warning and surveillance systems are key to building resilience in food insecure communities and regions,â said Govaerts. âSupporting this, in concert with national agricultural research systems and private partners, CIMMYT crop breeding programs yearly disseminate dozens of disease resistant, climate resilient varieties of maize, wheat, and dryland cereals, where they are most needed.â
âThe Centerâs science and partnerships have helped prevent the spread of deadly crop pests and diseases in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia,â he added, âand we have new âGlenn Andersonsâ who are doing exactly what is needed to strengthen global food security, with plant health innovations and systemic thinking.â
Borlaugâs wish: Take it to the farmer
Working with scientists, training specialists, extension agents, farmers, and communications and technology experts, a CIMMYT program led by Govaerts for over a decade in Mexico applied the admonition of Norman E. Borlaug, Nobel laureate and colleague of Anderson, to âtake it to the farmer,â combining the right seed with the right conservation agriculture production practices embedded in integrated markets, while recognizing and incorporating farmer knowledge.
âOngoing efforts of the Center and national and local partners are promoting the adoption of conservation agriculture-based sustainable intensification to transform food systems throughout the Global Southâ Govaerts explained. âThe training offered, and the advisory systems supported by CIMMYTâs work aim to empower women and disadvantaged social groups, while offering opportunities for fulfilling livelihoods to a new generation of farmers who will grow nutritious food for all.â
A CIMMYT scientist since 2007 as a Post-doctoral Fellow, Maize and Wheat based Cropping Systems Management, and current director general, in 2014 Govaerts received the World Food Prizeâs âNorman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application from the World Food Prizeâ for the development and spread of sustainable agricultural systems. He is A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University and, in 2020, was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) for outstanding contributions to the field of agronomy.
The Robert Glenn Anderson lecture series on the security of the world food supply was first given at joint meetings of the Canadian Phytopathological Society (CPS) and American Phytopathological Society (APS) in 1986 and an endowment fund was then established by the CPS. More recently, the Lecture has been given at the International Congresses of Plant Pathology (ICPP1998 to 2018).
As a Robert Glenn Anderson lecturer, Govaerts enters the hallowed company of other distinguished scientists who have been invited to give the address, including Norman E. Borlaug (1992); Per Pinstrup-Andersen, Emeritus Professor of Cornell University (2000), South African researcher Jennifer A. Thomson (2015); and late World Food Prize laureate and CIMMYT wheat director, Sanjaya Rajaram (2019).
For more information or interviews:
Ricardo Curiel
Communications manager to the director general
CIMMYT
r.curiel@cgiar.org
Nepal, like other South Asian nations, faces significant environmental challenges, including climate change and air pollution. The impacts of climate change in Nepal are profound, with species moving to higher elevations, glaciers melting and an increase in extreme precipitation events. Despite only contributing a fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions, Nepal ranks fourth on the Global Climate Risk Index. This vulnerability is attributed to the country’s unique geographical features, characterized by remarkable topographical variation spanning from 60 to 8,848 meters within just 190 kilometers from North to South. In addition to economic challenges and micro-climates, Nepal is highly susceptible to the consequences of climate change, particularly in the mid-and far-western hills and mountains.
To tackle these challenges, Nepal has taken proactive measures by implementing various adaptation strategies. Key initiatives include the National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA), National Adaptation Plan (NAP 2021-2050), Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS-2015-2035) and the Green, Resilient, & Inclusive Development (GRID) plan. These initiatives have played vital roles in building resilience. Nepal has also launched the Climate-Smart Village program at the local level in all seven provinces, offering grassroots training on carbon and energy efficiency, biodiversity conservation and water management practices. Another notable achievement is the ‘The Himalayan Climate and Water Atlas,’ which utilizes data from five major river basins and historical climate records to project future climate hazards and extreme events.
Furthermore, Nepal developed the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) in 2019, prioritizing eight thematic areas including agricultural and food security. The Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Report by the Ministry of Environment (2021) has also examined vulnerability and risks in eight thematic areas and one cross-cutting area for the preparation and implementation of the National Adaptation Plan. This report not only assesses the various dimensions (exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity, and risk) of climate change impacts across multiple sectors but also offers a range of adaptation options to address the adverse effects.
To successfully implement and translate the NCCP into action, it is crucial to identify where and how to invest. By aligning with the Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA), Nepal reaffirms its commitment to addressing the intersection of agriculture and the environment. By leveraging the Atlas, Nepal will expedite its efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change on agriculture, with a comprehensive understanding of various dimensions of risks and vulnerability. The Atlas will provide a detailed breakdown of risks specific to different commodities, enabling the development of effective mitigation and adaptation solutions.
By complementing ongoing efforts to manage risks and enhance adaptation strategies, the Atlas will serve as a testament to Nepal’s determination to strengthen its capacity to cope with climate change. It will make an invaluable contribution to climate change adaptation technologies, assisting government entities at all levels in formulating effective policy guidelines. By integrating research findings, indigenous knowledge, and cutting-edge technologies, the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) firmly believes that the Atlas represents another crucial step towards implementing a holistic approach to mitigate and adapt to the negative impacts of climate change on agriculture.
Piece by Dhruba Raj Bhattarai, executive director, Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Nepal
Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. The climate risks are negatively impacting the country’s agricultural sector, which constitutes nearly 12% of the countryâs GDP. Additionally, 40% of the countryâs workforce rely on agriculture for a major portion of their income (BBS, 2021-22).
Despite these challenges, Bangladesh has demonstrated remarkable economic growth by strategically investing in climate resilience and disaster preparedness over the years. The country has gained global recognition as a leader in these areas, driving its overall development. However, escalating climate risks continue to pose threats to Bangladesh’s progress, particularly impacting the most vulnerable segments of society and jeopardizing the nation’s growth trajectory.
In response to these challenges, Bangladesh has made concerted efforts to develop climate adaptation strategies. A significant milestone was the launch of the GCA Global Hub on locally led adaptation by the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2022. This groundbreaking initiative aims to support one million climate-vulnerable migrants in Bangladesh. The government has also formulated policies, plans and programs to combat the impacts of climate change. The Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP), formulated in 2009 and updated in 2022, focuses on six thematic areas, with five and six emphasizing adaptation and mitigation, respectively. Another important initiative is the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, prepared in 2017, which categorizes the entire country into six hotspots. To safeguard the agricultural sector from climate change, Bangladesh has also developed vulnerability Atlases such as the ‘Bangladesh Climate and Disaster Risk Atlas: Volume 1 & 2’ and the ‘Climate Adaptation Services Bangladesh (Haor region).’
While significant progress has been made in risk mapping, there is room for improvement. For instance, the current Atlases operate at the district level, and there is immense potential to downscale them to the upazila (sub-district) level to achieve enhanced granularity. Additionally, transforming the Atlases from report format to a more interactive and user-friendly online one would be beneficial.
The Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA) project aligns with the goals of BCCSAP, focusing on location-specific climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in agricultural production. The Atlas will play a crucial role in quantifying localized climatic risks, assessing their impacts on agriculture today and in the future, and identifying key adaptation options to mitigate these risks. This knowledge will strengthen Bangladesh’s food security and reduce its vulnerability to climatic risks.
The Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) will actively utilize the Atlas, leveraging agro-geospatial data to expedite decision-making processes. BARC will further leverage its expertise in geospatial tools, crop zoning information systems, GIS-based mobile apps, climate information databases and drought monitoring systems, further combined with the knowledge base of Atlas to ensure informed and evidence-based actions. Moreover, collaborating with ACASA to develop an advanced and interactive online Atlas expands the country’s scope and fosters stakeholder participation, enabling informed decision-making and refined risk characterization at a granular level.
Piece by Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar, Executive Chairman, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Bangladesh
India holds an impressive record in agricultural production. We are among the largest producers of milk, pulses, tea, spices, cashew, jute and bananas. Additionally, we rank as the second-largest producer of wheat, rice, fruits and vegetables. Our agricultural sector has experienced notable growth, with production increasing from 3 to 127 times since the 1970s. We have also witnessed a substantial boost in agricultural productivity, with yields per hectare rising from 0.7 to 2.3 tons during the same period.
Despite these achievements, we face pressing challenges that threaten our agricultural landscape. Water scarcity, soil degradation, pest and disease outbreaks, and the intensifying impacts of climate change need urgent attention.
In India, we observe that minimum temperatures are rising faster than maximum temperatures. We also witness a more pronounced temperature increase during the rabi (winter) season than the kharif (monsoon) season. Rainfall is becoming more variable with increasing episodes of extreme rainfall. These climate risks increase our food and livelihood insecurity.
We need advanced technological interventions and optimized resource allocation to address these challenges. Our development path, “Amrit Kaal,” necessitates climate-friendly practices prioritizing low carbon, water, nitrogen and energy usage. To further realize this vision, adopting 5Ms based on better markets, regional planning for monsoons, improved mechanization, management of micro-irrigation and new fertilizers, and mainstreaming the insurance is pivotal.
India has undertaken research, development and policy initiatives to build resilience in our food production system. However, the growing challenges of climate extremes demand sustained global efforts. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) therefore, welcomes international collaboration to exchange experiences and knowledge in climate action. We believe that collective efforts and shared expertise will strengthen our adaptation strategies.
In this regard, the Atlas of Climate Adaptation in South Asian Agriculture (ACASA) project can play a vital role. ICAR is glad to support ACASA and will deploy a team of young scientists to contribute to and benefit from this Adaptation Atlas. Furthermore, we are pleased to offer our website as a platform to host the Atlas, facilitating its broader utilization within our country. We thank the Borlaug Initiative in South Asia (BISA) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) for initiating this project in India.
Together, let us pave the way toward a climate-resilient future for agriculture, safeguarding our farmers’ livelihoods and securing food for future generations.
Piece by Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) and Director General-Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India
CIMMYT is pleased to announce the release of a set of 32 new CIMMYT maize lines (CMLs). These maize lines have been developed by CIMMYTâs Global Maize Program by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The lines have diverse trait combinations and are suitable for the tropical/subtropical maize production environments targeted by CIMMYT and partner institutions.
CMLs are freely available to both public and private sector breeders worldwide under the standard material transfer agreement (SMTA).
CIMMYT seeks to develop improved maize inbred lines for different product profiles, with superior yield performance, multiple stress tolerance, and enhanced nutritional quality. CMLs are released after intensive evaluation in hybrid combinations under various abiotic and biotic stresses, besides optimum (non-stress) conditions in the target population of environments. Suitability as either female (seed) or male (pollen) parent is also evaluated. As done in the last announcement of CMLs in 2021, to increase the utilization of the CMLs in the maize breeding programs of the partner institutions, all the new CMLs are tested for their heterotic behavior and assigned to specific heterotic groups of CIMMYT: A and B.
The release of a CML does not guarantee high combining ability or per se performance in all the environments; rather, it indicates that the line is promising or useful as a parent for pedigree breeding or as a potential parent of hybrid combinations for specific mega-environments. The description of the lines includes heterotic group classification, along with information on their specific strengths and their general combining ability with some of the widely used CMLs or CIMMYT coded lines under different environments.
More information:
Summary of the characteristics: CIMMYT maize lines CML616A to CML647A (PDF)
Pedigree and characterization data of all the CMLs released to date, including the latest set (CIMMYT Research Data repository).
Seed for these new set of CMLs will be available from November 1, 2023.  A limited quantity of seed of the CMLs can be obtained by sending a request to the CIMMYT germplasm bank via this link: https://staging.cimmyt.org/resources/seed-request/ or contact, a.chassaigne@cgiar.org.
Please contact for any further details regarding the released CMLs:Â
Dr B.M. Prasanna, Global Maize Program Director, CIMMYT & OneCGIAR Maize Breeding Lead (b.m.prasanna@cgiar.org)
The worldâs food systems are under threat by escalating armed conflicts, economic stagnation, the effects of the climate crisis and natural resource degradation. Against this backdrop, the next seven years are crucial in meeting the challenges of keeping the worldâs growing population fed and secure.
Recognizing that business as usual will not be sufficient, CIMMYT has embarked on a journey to proactively face the new challenges of the 21st century. This novel approach to agrifood systems is the core of CIMMYTâs 2030 Strategy, which has the potential to shape the future of agriculture.
âWe understand that the challenges facing food security are complex, varied and rapidly changing. For instance, the effects of COVID-19 and Ukraine-Russia conflict on food systems are still being felt today. With that in mind, we set out to develop a strategy that is both robust and nimble. The best way to create a sustainable and inclusive strategy was to engage directly with CIMMYT scientists and staff, the people on the front lines of this effort to deliver food and nutrition security to the world,â said CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts.
Looking back to move forward
The first step in crafting the 2030 Strategy was looking at where does CIMMYT want the world to be in 2100. In answering this question, CIMMYT crafted a long-term vision of how it wants to engage in a changing world and achieve the transformation to a food and nutrition secure world within planetary boundaries. CIMMYT has integrated the use of foresight and specifically a set of 2030 Food and Agriculture scenarios to explore potential changes in intervention areas over the strategic period and help prepare engagements in different contexts across the globe. These scenarios are a decision-making tool that has underpinned the development of the strategy to ensure that it is context-driven and focused on the most pressing challenges facing the agrifood systems in which CIMMYT operates.
From the future CIMMYT looks back at its history and examines how its core business has evolved over the years to proactively meet ever-changing needs across the world.
At each stage of CIMMYTâs evolution, it has taken its strengths and the skills it has built and added to its experience, and expanded on what it delivers while maintaining the core strengths.
In CIMMYTâs earliest days, the mission was developing and improving germplasm and agronomic practices, then CIMMYT began working more closely with farmers (1980s), broadened emphasis in genetic improvements (2000), embarked on sustainable multidisciplinary projects (2010s), and most recently, advancing technologies in participatory innovation systems (2015-2022). All leading to the mission codified in the 2030 Strategy: accelerating food systems transformation by using the power of collective action.
Now, in 2023, CIMMYTâs progress is being shaped by the CGIAR mission statement: âTo deliver science and innovation that advance the transformation of food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis.â
Building the Strategy
To define the 2030 Strategy, CIMMYT responded to the following core questions:
âAs an organization, we have concentrated on strategies that foster collaboration and adapt them for a non-profit international organization whose vision is not to grow as an institution but to deliver greater value for the communities they serve, to innovate for the end users of their products and to ensure a better future for our global community,â said Govaerts.
The tools used to develop the elements of this strategic plan leveraged the framework provided in the CGIAR Research and Innovation Strategy to guide the process. Staff from across the Center engaged in a consultative process to develop the objectives for following strategic components: Excellence in Science and Innovation, Excellence in Operations, Talent Management, Resource Mobilization, Partnership, and Influence.
Developing the Excellence in Science and Innovation component serves as an example of this collaborative, bottom-up approach. Planning was led by the Emerging Thought Leaders Group, made up of 24 early and mid-career scientists across the breadth of CIMMYTâs global and program portfolio. The group worked collaboratively with CIMMYT researchers and staff to first delineate the challenges facing agri-food systems and then workshopped solutions which now serve as the foundation of the 2030 Strategy.
“Each component complements the others,â said Govaerts. âThis is our answer to the core questions. Only by working collectively can we initiate sustainable solutions that reach everyone.â
Together, the components create a network to support CIMMYTâs three pillars: Discovery (research and innovation), SystemDev (working collaboratively to innovate foundational systems), and Inc. (incubating startups and new ways of doing business in the agri-food system space).
CIMMYT is leading the way in shaping a sustainable and prosperous agricultural landscape
The goal to facilitate food security where sustainable agriculture is part of the solution to the climate crisis and agriculture provides an avenue to build household resilience and enables communities to pull themselves out of poverty requires the strategic use of resources. CIMMYTâs 2030 Strategy, built from the bottom up on a foundation over 50 yearsâ experience and the expertise of scientists, staff, and farmers maximizes resources, enhances dynamic partnerships, and both retains and recruits a world-class staff in a world of growing challenges to food security.
Read the 2030 Strategy:Â Science and Innovation for a Food and Nutrition Secure World: CIMMYT’s 2030 StrategyÂ
Adding value to millets can be achieved through various ways, such as incorporating them into baking. By celebrating the International Year of Millets, individuals and communities are encouraged to explore the versatility of millets and contribute to their preservation and use for a healthier and more sustainable future.
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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.
The article, Participatory action research generates knowledge for Sustainable Development Goals, published in the June 2023 issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, examines two decades of participatory action research activities in Malawi, a highly rural society dependent on rainfed agriculture.
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.
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.
U.S. Department of State Special Representative for Global Partnerships Dorothy McAuliffe visited CIMMYT in Texcoco, Mexico, on July 7, 2023. The visit aimed to strengthen ties between the United States government and CIMMYTâreaffirming commitment to fostering partnerships to achieve food and nutrition security goals.
McAuliffe toured the CIMMYT gene bank, museum and conservation agriculture trial plots. CIMMYT scientists explained their efforts to protect one of the largest maize and wheat seed collections through research and collaboration with CGIAR and seed health initiatives.
She also received a detailed briefing about the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative Rapid Delivery Hub (AID-I), a regional project in southern and eastern Africa led by CIMMYT with the backing of Office of Special Envoy for Global Food Security and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). CIMMYT practitioners briefed McAuliffe on AID-Iâs inspiration in a successful model implemented in Mexico, MasAgro, with the potential to inform policy makers and transform agrifood systems in Central America to respond to migration.
Partner seed companies and project leaders shared significant milestones already achieved in Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania to expand access for smallholder farmers to market actors, high-yielding seeds and climate-adaptable, resilient crop varieties.
After the tour of CIMMYT facilities, McAuliffe heard private and public partners share success stories and current initiatives jointly led with CIMMYT on regenerative agriculture, gene bank development across CGIAR and climate-smart and scale-appropriate mechanization technologies.
âThrough partnership, we can work on R&D goals for better nutrition, data-driven decision making and promotion of regenerative agriculture so that farmers produce diversified crops. On behalf of CIMMYT, Iâd like to thank the U.S. government and the American people, who have historically made scientific innovation possible, leaving a huge footprint to feed the world,â shared Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general.
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.
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.
Read the story.
Balancing the application of fertilizers based on the characteristics of soil leads to increased crop productivity, income, and fertilizer use efficiency unlike former âone size fits allâ recommendations, said Bedu Ram Bhushal, Nepalâs Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) during a press briefing earlier this month in Nepalâs capital Kathmandu.
The site-specific recommendations applicable to maize, wheat, and rice were jointly launched with the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and National Soil Science Research Center (NSSRC). They were implemented in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (DoA) and led by the Nepal Seed and Fertilizer (NSAF) Project at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).
âI congratulate NARC for this historical work on updating the fertilizer recommendations after 46 years,â Bhushal said. âNow, we should support the large-scale adoption of these new recommendations by farmers for sustainable soil fertility management.â
Earlier recommendations developed by the Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science Service Section under the Department of Agriculture (DoA) in 1976 did not take into account soil diversity, biophysical conditions, and agronomic management. Nutrients recommended for a particular crop were the same for terai lowlands, hills, and mountains.
In general, soil fertility changes over time due to deployment of continuous intensive cropping systems. The new recommendations consider the indigenous nutrient supply of soils, target yields, and the amount of nutrients removed by crops at harvest.
It took six years for NSSRC of NARC in partnership with NSAF, to update the recommendations through nutrient omission and optimum nutrient rate trials in various locations. By using advanced analytical methods and machine learning tools for extrapolating data across different agroecological zones and domains, they were able to make them site-specific.
Other factors considered, included attainable yield at a particular farm, soil fertility status, agro-climate, crop management practices, and the amount of nutrients to be supplied to fill the gap between crop nutrient removal and soil nutrient supply of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Micronutrients and organic inputs were also considered.
These recommendations were presented to leading soil scientists and agronomists from NARC and MoALD and were validated at national meetings in July and October 2022.
The new recommendations were included in the DoAâs agriculture extension guidelines in 2023, to achieve potential yield at the farm level and to link with the extension system through the three-tier of governments for its extensive use throughout the country. The new approach is part of CIMMYTâs efforts to support the NARC, MoALD, provincial agriculture ministries, and farmers to build indigenous soil fertility management resources and capabilities and promote locally adapted strategies for long-term resilience by using integrated soil fertility management approaches.
CIMMYT principal scientist Frédéric Baudron has two main research interests: making mechanization appropriate to smallholders and biodiversity conservation.
Wondering how these two intersect, a colleague of Baudron once asked him what the link was between an elephant and a tractor?
Now, in the recent report, âAddressing agricultural labour issues is key to biodiversity-smart farming research,â published in Biological Conservation, Baudron and other contributors have answered that question, examining trade-offs between labor and biodiversity conceptually, as well as in the specific context of Indonesia and Ethiopia.
This research continues work CIMMYT has done on the relationship between agriculture and biodiversity, including Commodity crops in biodiversity-rich production landscapes: Friends or foes? The example of cotton in the Mid Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe and Sparing or sharing land? Views from agricultural scientists
Innovations in agricultural technology have led to undeniable achievements in reducing the physical labor needed to extract food from fields. Farm mechanization and technologies such as herbicides have increased productivity, but also became on the other hand major threats to biological diversity.
Adopting technologies that improve the productivity of labor benefits farmers in multiple ways, including a reduction of economic poverty, time poverty (i.e., lack of discretionary time, reducing labor drudgery), and child labor. Conversely, technologies that promote biodiversity often increase the burden of labor, leading to limited adoption by farmers. Therefore, there is a need to develop biodiversity-smart agricultural development strategies, which address biodiversity conservation goals and socio-economic goals, specifically raising land and labor productivity. This is especially true in the Global South, where population growth is rapid and much of the worldâs remaining biodiversity is located.
âWithout accounting for labor issues biodiversity conservation efforts will not be successful or sustainable,â said Baudron. âBecause of this, we wanted to examine what biodiversity-smart agriculture might look like from a labor point of view.â
Research has quantified that farming families in Africa who use tractors expended an average of 640 labor hours per hectare in maize cultivation. In contrast, farmers not using tractors spent over 1100 hours for the same yield.
Trade-offs
While that is a clear win for reducing the heavy physical toil of farming, there are potential negative effects on biodiversity. In many countries in the Global North, the rise of tractors and other big machinery has led to larger and more rectangular fields and the removal of farm trees and hedgerows, all of which is associated with lower biodiversity. The same is now happening in parts of the Global South.
âA trade-off implies that one goal can only be achieved at the expense of another goal,â said Baudron. âIt is not always a conscious choice; however, as farmers often adopt labor-saving techniques without considering the effects on biodiversity, simply because they lack options, and sometimes the necessary context.â
In Indonesia, the transition from harvesting rubber to producing palm oil has reduced the amount of physical labor, but biological diversity has decreased. However, innovations such as reducing fertilizer usage to avoid nutrient leaching into soil have been possible without compromising yield, and with the benefit of lower costs to farmers.
In Ethiopia, labor-saving technologies like the use of small-scale combine harvesters have been compatible with high biodiversity.
âI tell my colleagues a two-wheel tractor that allows mechanization with little negative environmental consequence (compatible with a mosaic of small, fragmented fields, with on-farm scattered trees, etc.) contributes to a landscape that works for people and biodiversity, including elephants,â said Baudron.