Theme: Nutrition, health and food security

As staple foods, maize and wheat provide vital nutrients and health benefits, making up close to two-thirds of the world’s food energy intake, and contributing 55 to 70 percent of the total calories in the diets of people living in developing countries, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. CIMMYT scientists tackle food insecurity through improved nutrient-rich, high-yielding varieties and sustainable agronomic practices, ensuring that those who most depend on agriculture have enough to make a living and feed their families. The U.N. projects that the global population will increase to more than 9 billion people by 2050, which means that the successes and failures of wheat and maize farmers will continue to have a crucial impact on food security. Findings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which show heat waves could occur more often and mean global surface temperatures could rise by up to 5 degrees Celsius throughout the century, indicate that increasing yield alone will be insufficient to meet future demand for food.

Achieving widespread food and nutritional security for the world’s poorest people is more complex than simply boosting production. Biofortification of maize and wheat helps increase the vitamins and minerals in these key crops. CIMMYT helps families grow and eat provitamin A enriched maize, zinc-enhanced maize and wheat varieties, and quality protein maize. CIMMYT also works on improving food health and safety, by reducing mycotoxin levels in the global food chain. Mycotoxins are produced by fungi that colonize in food crops, and cause health problems or even death in humans or animals. Worldwide, CIMMYT helps train food processors to reduce fungal contamination in maize, and promotes affordable technologies and training to detect mycotoxins and reduce exposure.

CIMMYT leadership pays Kenyan Deputy President a courtesy call

Written by on October 23, 2013. Posted in News.

By Florence Sipalla/CIMMYT

Photo: Dominic Odhiambo, Kenya Deputy President’s office.

Members of the executive committee of CIMMYT’s Board of Trustees and Management Committee, along with the director of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), met with Kenya’s Deputy President Honorable William Ruto at his office on 27 September in Nairobi.

Ruto was briefed on CIMMYT’s work in Kenya, which is geared toward enhancing food security and livelihoods, especially for smallholder farmers. Policy issues such as the importance of wheat as a strategic crop for Africa and transgenic research were also discussed during the meeting. Board Chair Andrew Barr was accompanied by Director General Thomas Lumpkin and board members Tom McKay, John Snape and Salvador Fernandez Riviera. Prasanna Boduppalli, the Nairobi-based director of the CIMMYT Global Maize Program Director; Hans-Joachim Braun, director of the Global Wheat Program; Ephraim Mukisira, director of KARI; and Wilfred Mwangi, regional liaison officer, also participated in the meeting.

In close collaboration with KARI, CIMMYT has worked in Kenya for almost 40 years, contributing to research on maize, wheat, conservation agriculture and socioeconomics in addition to building the capacity of local scientists in different fields. The role of the newly-inaugurated CIMMYT-KARI Maize Doubled Haploid Facility and the Maize Lethal Necrosis Screening Facility in responding to the challenges posed by the maize disease was also highlighted at the meeting. The Kenyan government was represented at the event by Sicily Kariuki, the principal secretary for the State Department of Agriculture in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, and James Nyoro, senior advisor on food security to the Presidency.

Agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy and the CIMMYT-KARI collaboration contributes significantly to more productive agriculture. The government has also demonstrated support for CIMMYT work by donating land for research activities and participating in CIMMYT events, such as this year’s Board of Trustees meeting in Nairobi, which was opened by Felix Koskei, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. CIMMYT Director General Thomas Lumpkin displays an agreement between CIMMYT and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) regarding office space at its headquarters in Nairobi. Lumpkin was accompanied by CIMMYT Regional Liaison Officer Wilfred Mwangi (left) and ICRAF Director of Finance and Operations Laksiri Abeysekera.

From Kenya to southern Africa: Effective grain storage crosses borders

Written by on October 21, 2013. Posted in News.

By Wandera Ojanji

Delegates stand with a modified metal silo at a workshop at the Baraka Agricultural College in Molo, Nakuru County, Kenya. Photos: Wandera Ojanji/CIMMYT

Officials from Malawi and Zambia learned about the benefits of effective grain storage for the livelihoods of smallholder farmers during a visit to Kenya from 7 to 12 October. Malawi and Zambia are target countries of CIMMYT’s Effective Grain Storage for Sustainable Livelihoods of African Farmers (EGSP) Phase II Project. EGSP-II (2012-2016) builds on the previous phase (2008-2011) to improve the food security and reduce the vulnerability of resource-poor farmers – particularly women – in eastern and southern Africa through the dissemination of effective grain storage technology. The project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and will help smallholder farmers in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe acquire more than 16,000 metal silos, which reduce grain losses from storage pests.

The visiting delegation included officials from ministries of agriculture, the Chitedze Research Station in Malawi, the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute and silo artisans from the two EGSP countries. They were accompanied by implementing counterparts in Kenya from the Catholic Dioceses of Embu and Nakuru and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute.

The tour started in Embu County in eastern Kenya with a visit to the homestead of Gladys Nthiga, a farmer who recently acquired two metals silos with a capacity of 450 kg each. She had not used the silos before but was excited to find technology to protect her harvests from maize weevils and the larger grain borer. “Despite treating my grains with pesticides, I was still losing about nearly half a ton of maize every year,” said Nthiga, whose annual maize harvest averages 1.8 tons. “If what I have been told about the technology is true, then my problems with these pests are over.” Peter Njiiru, the principal of Kierie Secondary School in Embu County, said he purchased a metal silo in June for maize storage and planned to add three more.

The delegation then visited Nakuru County. Grace Githui, the county liaison officer, noted that Nakuru is a primary maize-producing area and experiences high post-harvest losses due to smallholder farmers’ ineffective storage options. “We are very grateful to CIMMYT for introducing the metal silo technology in this area,” Githui said. “The silos’ effectiveness has been demonstrated against weevils and the larger grain borer, the two pests that are responsible for much of the county’s post-harvest losses. The silos provide enormous benefits to the farmers who have adopted them. We are urging widespread adoption and investing heavily to create awareness among farmers.” Maize is a major component of the diet in Kenyan schools.

Paddy Likhayo, an entomologist with KARI, explains to the delegation the on-station demonstration trials at the Nakuru Agricultural Technology Development Center. Photo: Wandera Ojanji/CIMMYT

Jane Obwocha, the deputy principal of Uhuru High School in Nakuru, noted the school avoids purchasing maize in bulk due to heavy losses during storage, a factor she attributed to poor storage facilities. “The metal silo is indeed a timely and critical intervention in maize storage as most schools, just like ours, lack effective storage facilities,” Obwocha said. The delegation also met with members of BOLESA, a group for women living with HIV/AIDS and former commercial sex workers under rehabilitation. The members, drawn from Boror, Lelechwet and Salgaa villages in Nakuru, are using a 900 kg-capacity metal silo acquired last year to store their maize. At Baraka Agricultural College, the delegation saw a new metal silo prototype that facilitates removing the grain stored.

The college has also started creating awareness about the technology and promotes it to farmers from Kenya and other parts of eastern Africa. The visiting delegates were impressed by the adoption of metal silos by farmers, grain dealers, vulnerable people, schools and colleges to protect their grain and avoid purchasing expensive storage chemicals. The visit also helped the delegates identify issues to address for successful project implementation.

Capacity building works to combat wheat rusts

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tough sacrifices made to overcome maize lethal necrosis disease in Kenya

Written by on October 16, 2013. Posted in News.

By Wandera Ojanji /CIMMYT

The farming community around the Kiboko Crops Research Station in Makueni County, Kenya, has agreed to stop growing maize for two months to help curb the spread of maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease. The decision impacts farmers who depend on maize as a staple crop and cash crop and is also a sacrifice for scientists from CIMMYT and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI).

Stakeholders made the decision on 1 October during a meeting at the station to help determine how to manage the disease in the area. The maize-free window will take place in March and April 2014 and is critical in interrupting the disease cycle, thus reducing the population of vectors. Stakeholders agreed to plant maize by 15 October and harvest it by 29 February. Attendees received information about the disease and its identification and planned for its management in the area. The meeting was organized by Stephen Mugo, principal scientist for the CIMMYT Global Maize Program. Mugo, a maize breeder, is also the coordinator of the Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) and Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) projects in partnership with KARI and the Ministry of Agriculture.

More than 100 people attended, including the county administration, local community leaders, Makueni County agricultural staff, Kiboko farmers and CIMMYT and KARI scientists. George Mahuku, CIMMYT maize pathologist, explained to participants the combination of factors that are necessary for MLN disease development: the presence of viruses that cause the disease such as maize chlorotic mottle virus and several cereal viruses which individually or in combination infect the maize; the presence of aphids, thrips or other insects that transmit the viruses; the use of maize varieties that are susceptible; and a conducive environment for vectors and disease.

Mahuku also explained the tell-tale signs of MLN disease, which include chlorosis, or the mottling of the leaves; premature drying of cobs; stunting and/or cobs with uneven spots; tip dieback resulting in no pollen production; and a poor seed set and shriveled ears. Some farmers in the area mentioned having plants with similar symptoms on their farms.

Responding to inquiries about the origin of the disease, KARI pathologist Anne Wangai said the disease was first reported in Bomet County, Kenya, where farmers have since named it Koroito, or “the plague.” It rapidly spread to neighboring counties. “In all these areas, it was a sudden phenomenon that could not be explained, whose cause was unknown, but one that was having a devastating effect on maize productivity with losses ranging from 30 to 100 percent under severe infestation,” Wangai said. To prevent the plague from hitting Kiboko, Wangai told participants to follow advice from the Ministry of Agriculture, CIMMYT and KARI. Prevention techniques include using crop rotation to break the disease cycle, not planting new maize crop near an infected field and maintaining fields clean of weeds, particularly grasses, to eliminate alternate hosts of potential vectors. Mugo said using chemicals for prevention is too expensive for small-scale farmers.

In his closing remarks, Michael Kitenje, agriculture and livestock extension officer for the Makueni District, called for unity and willingness from the farmers and other stakeholders to adhere to the window. “If we have the will, we will conquer the disease. Without the will, we are doomed,” Kitenje said, urging attendees to spread the message to those who did not attend. “In case you meet resistance, use your persuasive skills to convince those that might not easily comprehend the problem and make them understand the need for a community approach to controlling MLN in Kiboko.”

Mexico and CIMMYT shine for diplomats at El Batán

Written by Mike Listman on October 15, 2013. Posted in News.

From left to right: Thomas Lumpkin, Elizabeth Amarillas, Ravi Singh, Jalal Kalantari, Luis A. Fourzan, Ashleigh McArthur, Malkhaz Mikeladze, Irena Valkyova and Hristo Georgiev Gudjev. Photo: Xochiquetzal Fonseca/CIMMYT

Mexico is pleased with the role of CIMMYT in national agricultural development and with the synergies that have arisen through the initiative MasAgro – the Sustainable Modernization of Traditional Agriculture, said Belisario Domínguez Méndez, Director General for Productivity and Technological Development of Mexico’s Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA). “The government feels very proud that MasAgro is not only part of Mexico but is now sharing results with other countries,” said Domínguez, opening the 2013 Ambassadors Day event in El Batán, Mexico, on 10 October, on behalf of Mexican Secretary of Agriculture Enrique Martínez y Martínez. “The partnership with CIMMYT is a fundamental strategy for our country.”

Launched in 2010 and coordinated by SAGARPA and CIMMYT, MasAgro is helping strengthen national food security through research, capacity building and the transfer of technology for rural areas. Partners develop and promote the adoption of cuttingedge knowledge and practices among small- and intermediate-scale farmers of maize, wheat and small grains, to improve their incomes and mitigate the effects of climate change in Mexico. Ambassadors Day participants included members of the diplomatic corps in Mexico of 20 nations – including countries where CIMMYT works – as well as representatives of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA), SAGARPA, the Technical and Scientific Cooperation Division of Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Secretariat (Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores, or SRE) and CIMMYT staff.

The day’s program featured discussions, lab and field tours and expert briefings on CIMMYT activities and outputs, such as maize and wheat genetic resources, wheat disease resistance breeding and bread wheat quality and maize breeding and biofortification. CIMMYT staff from the home countries of the visiting dignitaries were on hand to answer questions and offer hospitality. At a gala luncheon, the debut presentation of a new general video on CIMMYT aired to many favorable comments. In his address to the visitors, CIMMYT Director General Thomas A. Lumpkin emphasized that an expanding population, changing diets, limited natural resources, demand for bio-fuels and increasingly variable climates are all putting extraordinary pressure on the global food system. “In summary, we will have huge demand for food crops coupled with worsening conditions for crop production,” Lumpkin said. “This highlights the need for improved technology.” The Ambassador of Palestine, Munjed M.S. Saleh, was impressed by CIMMYT´s presentation and said his country is already giving several countries technical support to improve water-use efficiency. He indicated that he is arranging a visit for his Minister to Mexico, and, if confirmed, will include a visit to CIMMYT.

The representative of the Embassy of Venezuela, Alba Mendez, expressed interest in working with the country’s ambassador to propose collaborating with CIMMYT to strengthen agricultural research in Venezuela. She also said she is interested in a training program for farmers. Other ambassadors and representatives wrote to Isabel Peña, Head of Latin America Institutional Relations and event organizer, to say they were impressed by the professionalism and organization of the event and learned about CIMMYT’s impact worldwide. Peña thanks all support staff, scientists and directors who presented to or interacted with the visitors. She said collaboration with other countries and institutions are strengthened by events like this one.

Gender, nutrition- and climate-smart food production: opportunities and trade-offs

Written by on October 15, 2013. Posted in News.

By Mike Listman/CIMMYT

Future food and nutrition security is threatened by climate change, overexploitation of natural resources, and pervasive social inequalities. Promising solutions are often technology-focused and not necessarily developed considering gender and social disparities. A new paper by CIMMYT’s Tina Beuchelt and Lone Badstue (Open access in Food Security, DOI 10.1007/s12571- 013-0290-8) examines and addresses these issues for conservation agriculture as part of a cropping system with nutrition- and climate-smart potential, based on leading literature and field experience in Zambia and Mexico.

Findings point to situations where the promotion of conservation agriculture for smallholders may have undesired effects relating to drudgery, nutrition and food security, residue use, assets, mechanization, and extension. The paper closes with a discussion of opportunities and pathways to mitigate these trade-offs, including gender transformative approaches, engagement with alternative or nontraditional partners with different but complementary perspectives and strengths, “smart” combinations of technologies and approaches, and policies for inclusive development.

A smart solution: agricultural innovation and gender-aware approaches

Written by on October 15, 2013. Posted in Features.

If rural women in developing countries had the same access to land, technology, credit, education and markets as men, their yields could increase by 20 to 30 percent. Estimates show this alone would raise agricultural production in developing countries by 2.5 to 4 percent,¹ which could lift 100 to 150 million people out of hunger. Research also shows that the reduction of gender disparities and the empowerment of women leads to better food and nutrition security for households and significantly strengthens other development outcomes such as child education.^2,3 Yet, more than 1.1 billion women worldwide do not have equal access to land, inputs and extension.

The work of CIMMYT researchers Lone Badstue and Tina Beuchelt focuses on gender relations in wheat and maize-based systems. Aiming to strengthen the linkages between gender equality and nutrition- and climate-smart agricultural technologies, their research is a collaboration between CIMMYT; CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS); and CGIAR Research Program MAIZE. Beuchelt and Badstue won the silver prize for their poster, “Towards nutrition- and climate-smart agriculture: discussing trade-offs from a gender and intragenerational perspective” at the recent Conference on Global Food Security in the Netherlands.

Beuchelt explained it is not always possible to predict how the introduction of new agricultural technologies will affect labor patterns, resource allocation and land allocation between men and women. “To successfully achieve equal access to technologies and benefits from agricultural research for development, we need to be aware of gender and social equity perspectives throughout the whole project cycle,” Beuchelt said. “Starting from the planning and design stage, opportunities and trade-offs of agricultural interventions need to be assessed and addressed.”

Beuchelt added that it can also be difficult to predict whether a new technology will be adopted and who will benefit. Both intended and unintended impacts can occur at the individual, household and community levels.

Male and female stakeholders need to work together to develop solutions to mitigate trade-offs or strengthen gender and social equity impacts. These can include gender-responsive measures (acknowledging and addressing gender disparities) or gender-transformative measures (commitment to bringing about equity in gender relations).

Agricultural research often focuses on technological innovations but does not always consider social disparities or differing effects on men and women. In their paper, Beuchelt and Badstue discuss conservation agriculture and its potential for nutrition- and climate-smart food production and argue for “smart combinations” of technologies and gender aware approaches. The smart combination of technology could include using conservation agriculture (with long-term benefits) and maize-bean intercropping (with short-term benefits) informed by gender analysis.

“It is important to acknowledge the whole complexity of the food system and the linkages between its different elements,” Beuchelt said. “Gender should not be an add-on, but a fully integrated part of the research and development intervention in order to achieve equity for all.”

CIMMYT and USDA support wheat improvement in Pakistan

Written by on October 11, 2013. Posted in News.

By Yahya Rauf/CIMMYT

A meeting last month highlighted the efforts of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and CIMMYT to improve wheat in the country. PARC and CIMMYT-Pakistan organized the annual wheat planning and Wheat Productivity Enhancement Program (W-PEP) meeting from 17 to 18 September at the National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC) in Islamabad. PARC2

The meeting reviewed progress and achievements during the last three years under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funded W-PEP program and refined work plans for 2013-14. The program is aimed primarily at developing wheat varieties that resist Ug99 stem rust as well as fostering seed multiplication and distribution, improved agronomic practices and human resource development in the agriculture sector to ensure food security. During the inaugural session, USDA Agriculture Counselor Clay Hamilton said the USA and Pakistan have a long history of agricultural collaboration. The U.S. will continue to provide support for wheat productivity in Pakistan, he said.

Shahid Masood, PARC scientist from the Plant Sciences Division, highlighted PARC’s role in strengthening the national and provincial agricultural research system in coordination with national and international collaborators and research partners. Imtiaz Muhammad, CIMMYT country liaison officer for Pakistan, briefed the participants about W-PEP’s achievements during last three years and the impact of this program on the national wheat research system in rust surveillance, breeding, pre-breeding and capacity building, which led to the release of Ug-99 resistant wheat varieties like NARC-2011. National partners from all provinces, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, presented their achievements and work plans for 2013-14. They acknowledged the role of USDA, CIMMYT and PARC in supporting wheat productivity enhancement in Pakistan.

Jharkhand tribal farmers adopt maize and conservation agriculture to battle drought

Written by on October 11, 2013. Posted in News.

Jharkhand By S.P. Poonia/CIMMYT

A CIMMYT project working in the rural districts of Jharkhand, India, is encouraging farmers to grow maize and use conservation agriculture practices to adapt to decreased rainfall and a changing climate. CIMMYT’s Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Maize-Livestock Farming Systems in Hill Areas of South Asia project is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

The project is working with scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendras research and extension centers (KVKs), Birsa Agricultural University, the state agricultural department and farmers to promote maize as a viable alternative to rice in stress-prone and rain-dependent districts of Jharkhand. The rural farming population is vulnerable to rainfall fluctuations and drought is recurrent in Jharkhand. Almost 90 percent of the cultivated area is monocropped (mostly with rice), and only 9 percent of the cropped area is irrigated.

The local non-governmental organization Vikash Bharti Farm Science Centre and CIMMYT organized Maize Day on 29 August in Gumla district. The event brought together 400 farmers, state agricultural department scientists, district officials and extension agents to highlight the benefits of cultivating maize, using conservation agriculture to enhance productivity. They also discussed the need for better policies. “Quality protein maize (QPM) is nutritionally superior to normal maize and provides additional dietary benefits to the tribal farmers who consume maize. It’s also a nutritious feed for poultry,” said A.K. Singh, KVKs zonal director for the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

In Basuwa village in Gumla district, farmers cultivated more than 80 hectares of the QPM hybrid HQPM 1 for the first time this year and have committed to increase maize cultivation to 323 hectares next year. “Earlier, farmers in my village were interested in growing only rain-fed rice because it’s their staple food,” said Joni Uraon, head of the Basuwa village council. “But now they are very happy with maize because it is giving them higher profits.” Farmers also asked for stronger market linkages to ensure competitive prices for their produce. Panai Uraon, the Gumla district government collector, welcomed the efforts of scientists and farmers to promote maize cultivation and announced additional funds will be allocated to the Basuwa village council for agricultural development activities and to supplement local irrigation systems. Ken Sayre, who has extensive knowledge of Turkey and the region, conducted the course. He also travelled to three key research institutes in Ankara, Eskisehir and Konya prior to the workshop to see the experimental fields and discuss how to reduce variability in the fields and enhance the precision of experiments.

Project spotlight: the Hill Maize Research Project

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

HMRP partners visiting CBSP groups in the hill district of Palpa, Nepal. Photo: G. Ortiz Ferrara/CIMMYT

By Dilli KC/CIMMYT

Beginning in August, the Hill Maize Research Project (HMRP-IV), has worked with the Seed Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal and the District Agriculture Development Office to facilitate formal contracts between 51 community-based seed production (CBSP) groups and 25 seed buyers/traders for a total of 201 tons of improved seed of different maize varieties. Of the total contracted seed, seed companies account for 55 percent; agrovets, 20 percent; community seed banks, 13 percent; and cooperatives, 12 percent.

Launched in 1999, HMRP is in its fourth phase. The project focuses on improving the food security and income of resource-poor farm households in the hills of Nepal by raising the productivity, sustainability and profitability of maize-based cropping systems. Work now covers 20 hill districts of Nepal and is jointly funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). CIMMYT implements the project in partnership with an array of public and private sector institutions in Nepal. Principal partners include the National Maize Research Program under the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, the Crop Development Directorate under the Department of Agriculture, the Seed Quality Control Centre and the National Seed Board under the Ministry of Agriculture Development. Other partners include community-based organizations, farmer groups, NGOs, private entrepreneurs, seed companies and universities.

Community Based Maize Seed Production
The project began multiplying seed of improved maize varieties through CBSP groups in 2000. That year, about 14 tons of improved maize seed were produced by seven CBSP groups. By 2011, more than 1,140 tons of improved maize seed were produced by 195 CBSP groups and, in 2012, 207 groups produced 1,036 tons. Of the total marketable surplus seed produced in 2011, about 75.1 percent was marketed or exchanged, compared to 83.3 percent in 2012. The seed was marketed mainly across the 20 hill districts of the HMRP project area. Seed production through CBSP groups has been a successful model in Nepal and has contributed to increasing the adoption of improved maize varieties and technologies. The CBSP model helps ensure the availability of improved maize seed in remote hill areas on time at lower prices.

Pre-sowing seed contract
Maize seed marketing is one of HMRP’s major challenges. Until 2012, CBSP groups did not consider the supply and demand in markets, resulting in surplus seed in some areas and deficits in others. The 2013 project phase initiated pre-sowing seed contracts for improved maize varieties, assisting and guiding CBSP groups and seed buyers/traders (agrovets, community seed bank cooperatives and seed companies) to sign formal agreements.

Two-wheel tractor seed drill modified for African smallholder maize farmers

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

The modified ‘Gongli Africa +.’ Photo: Frédéric Baudron/CIMMYT

By Frédéric Baudron/CIMMYT

The Farm Mechanization and Conservation Agriculture for Sustainable Intensification (FACASI) project is addressing the decline of farm power in Africa. The project is working with smallholder farmers to deliver small mechanization based on inexpensive, two-wheel tractors and introduce power-saving technologies, such as conservation agriculture.

Last March, participants evaluated the performance of the Gongli seeder – a seed drill sold in China – under the typical conditions of maize smallholder farmers in Kenya and Tanzania. Gongli inventor Jeff Esdaile, engineers from the Centre for Agricultural Mechanization and Rural Technology (CAMATEC) and engineers from the Kenya Network for Dissemination of Agricultural Technologies met at a CAMATEC workshop from 9 to 20 September in Arusha, Tanzania, to modify the Gongli seeder and produce the Gongli Africa +. The original Gongli seeder is well suited to seed small-grain crops in close rows into fields without long, loose residue or heavy weeds. For sowing maize in a typical field around Arusha, however, the machine had several shortfalls: it handled loose maize residues and heavy weeds poorly; the pressing wheels got in the way of the operator’s walk; the seed and fertilizer hoppers were too high and blocked the operator’s visibility; the seed meters were not precise enough for maize planting; and transporting the machine from field to field required walking long distances because the machine cannot be ridden and does not fit in a trailer.

The modified Gongli Africa + features cutting discs that can be fitted in front of the standard tines for heavy mulch and weed loads. Two large back tires, used as pressing wheels in the field, were added, as well as a platform for the operator to stand on, facilitating transport to and from the fields. Because the machine will be used to sow a maximum of two rows, the third bar was removed from the seeder. The seed and fertilizer hoppers were lowered, and, finally, specialized seed metering systems for large seeds such as those of maize were installed. Results from initial field testing were encouraging. Thorough field testing will take place next November in Tanzania and Kenya. After minor modifications, the specifications of the Gongli Africa + will be sent to Gongli LTD for commercial manufacturing.

Maize scientist Alejandro Ortega honored in Ciudad Obregón

Written by on October 2, 2013. Posted in News.

Retired CIMMYT scientist Alejandro Ortega y Corona was honored for his 59 years of maize research at the Meeting for the Coordination of Investigation of Drought Tolerance in Maize from 5 to 6 August. Ortega received recognition for his work with CIMMYT and Mexico’s National Forestry, Agricultural, and Livestock Research Institute (INIFAP) at a special meeting of the Biodiversity Project of Mexico and CIMMYT’s Sustainable Modernization of Traditional Agriculture (MasAgro) initiative in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora State, Mexico.

Kevin Pixley, director of CIMMYT’s Genetic Resources Program, extended thanks and gratitude for the 23 years Ortega served in the organization’s maize program in the areas of entomology, physiology, breeding and pathology. Pixley read letters sent by former CIMMYT maize physiologist Greg Edmeades and Marianne Bänziger, deputy director general for research and partnerships, who worked closely with Ortega in developing drought and heat tolerant maize varieties. A Yaqui dancer statue was presented to Ortega to honor his years of hard work, dedication and leadership at CIMMYT. INIFAP’s Salvador Fernandez and Rafael Ariza congratulated Ortega for his service and dedication.

Photo: M.C. Manuel Guerrero of INIFAP Obregón

Erasmo Valenzuela Cornejo, director of INIFAP’s Northwest Regional Research Center of spoke about Ortega’s accomplishments and contributions, among them the mass rearing of insects for CIMMYT maize breeders, QPM maize and screening for heat and drought tolerance. Ortega produced the heat tolerant hybrid H431, which continues to be the number-one hybrid in commercial production for summer plantings in southern Sonora. More than 40 INIFAP scientists, including regional directors and research station superintendents, attended the meeting, as well as five CIMMYT scientists. Scientists working on drought or heat tolerance in maize from other institutions, including the University of Nuevo Leon, Antonio Narro Agrarian Autonomous University and the maize seed company Pioneer–Mexico, also attended the meeting.

Martha Willcox and Gilberto Salinas from MasAgro- Biodiversity organized the meeting to coordinate research evaluating maize accessions from both INIFAP and the CIMMYT germplasm bank, which were collected in arid areas under controlled drought trials to identify new sources of drought resistance. The expansion of infrastructure to conduct large-scale replicated trials on INIFAP stations was a main topic of discussion. Salinas gave an overview of the MasAgro Biodiversity project and Willcox explained the specific objectives for drought and heat phenotyping under the project.

Juan Manuel Hernández and Ariel Ruíz from INIFAP gave a history of the recent INIFAP maize collection, which Ortega coordinated on a national level, and the selection within that collection for semiarid races based on GPS and climatic data. Samuel Trachsel, maize physiologist, explained CIMMYT’s methods of evaluating drought tolerance as well as the infrastructure and equipment needed. Trachsel also spoke about site requirements and precipitation and temperature profiles provided by Kai Sonder to best select sites for development. Juan Burgueno and Willcox spoke on genetic variation within accessions and experimental design.

Food security policies highlighted at training

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

By Surabhi Mittal/CIMMYT

Photo: Andrew S. Chamanza/ MoAFS, Malawi and S. Mittal/CIMMYT

CIMMYT’s Surabhi Mittal gave a lecture and met with policymakers from Kenya, Liberia and Malawi as part of the Chaudhary Charan Singh National Institute of Agricultural Marketing, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Government of India training program on 23 September. The three-month program is the first in a series of three trainings funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development in cooperation with Africa and India.

The training aimed to strengthen ties between India and Africa in learning about agricultural initiatives, challenges and success stories, as well as pointing to innovative marketing and policy solutions to address food security challenges in Africa. Presenters included senior officials from the three African countries and participants from organizations involved in cereal crops, horticulture, animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, agribusiness, financial institutions and academia engaged in agromarketing. Mittal spoke about government food security policies and modern information and communications technologybased extension policies in India. The discussion covered fertilizer policies, price policies, coping mechanisms to mitigate climate change risk, conservation agriculture and food security programs.

CIMMYT trustee receives Yara Prize for agricultural improvement in Africa

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

Photo courtesy of Yara

By Brenna Goth/CIMMYT

A member of CIMMYT’s Board of Trustees received the 2013 Yara Prize, an award that honors people who have significantly contributed to African agriculture. Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, CEO of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), was honored for her work with African farmers. The prize this year focused on agricultural innovators and entrepreneurs. Award winners are chosen by a committee considering their work improving sustainable agriculture and food security.

Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, founder and CEO of the Smallholders Foundation in Nigeria, also received the Yara Prize. The two were honored this month at a ceremony in Oslo by Jørgen Ole Haslestad, President, CEO and Chairman of Yara and the Yara Prize Committee. Both Sibanda and Ikegwuonu are entrepreneurs, spread knowledge to smallholder farmers and youth and are “true examples of the can-do spirit and drive that plays a vital role in transforming agriculture in Africa,” according to a Yara Prize report on the award ceremony.

Sibanda, a trained animal scientist and practicing commercial beef farmer from Zimbabwe, became CEO of FANRPAN in 2004 and has been a researcher and advocate in southern Africa for years. FANRPAN focuses on food and agricultural policies to reduce poverty, improve food security and foster sustainable development in Africa. Sibanda developed the organization’s current strategy and has helped FANRPAN grow as a policy research and advocacy organization with a global voice, focusing especially on female farmers and youth.

In addition to being a member of CIMMYT’s Board of Trustees, she chairs the International Livestock Research Institute Board of Trustees. “Advocacy is something that is close to my heart and I’m passionate about it,” Sibanda told the publication Africa Green Media after winning the award. “I am an animal scientist by training, but this passion for policy advocacy developed when I realized that we were failing to put research into use.”

Promoting biofortified wheat to women in India

Written by on September 24, 2013. Posted in News.

By Arun Joshi/CIMMYT

Chhavi Tiwari of Banaras Hindu University talks with Mirzapur farmersabout biofortified wheat. — Chhavi Tiwari of Banaras Hindu University talks with Mirzapur farmers about biofortified wheat.

Women farmers in India are learning about the benefits of biofortified wheat from CIMMYT and other CGIAR researchers. Scientists met with 106 women on 8 August in the village of Pidkhir, in Mirzapur District of Uttar Pradesh, India, to advocate for the use of biofortified wheat and listen to feedback on nutrition and the impacts of nutritional deficiency on women and children.

The event was part of a program conducted in more than 50 villages in India’s Eastern Gangetic Plains. Collaborators included Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, Mahamana Krishak Samiti (a farmers’ cooperative in Mirzapur) and CIMMYT’s South Asia office in Kathmandu, Nepal. BHU’s Chhavi Tiwari led the meeting in Pidkhir, which was attended by women of different ages and occupations including farmers, housewives, daily wage workers, government organization workers and school teachers. Other participating scientists included B. Arun, Ramesh Chand and V.K. Mishra from the BHU HarvestPlus wheat team as well as Arun Joshi from CIMMYT.

The HarvestPlus project was started at BHU in 2005 as part of a collaborative effort with the Biofortification Challenge Program (HarvestPlus) at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, the International Food Policy Research Institute and CIMMYT to identify biofortified wheat varieties adapted in South Asia. Five of the participants at the meeting participated in the HarvestPlus trials in Pidkhir that began in 2005 and said they were happy with the wheat variety. “I cannot believe that wheat with high zinc and iron could be grown in our fields in the near future,” said Sursati, a woman working with HarvestPlus wheat throughout the course of the project. Most participants were new to the subject and learned about the importance of biofortified wheat – particularly its importance to the health of women and children. Women also answered a questionnaire on their backgrounds and interests in biofortified wheat. Most were educated through primary school and some were given help by literate peers. Four male farmers from Pidkhir, including Harbans Singh, head of the Mahamana Krishak Cooperative, also facilitated the process.

All of the women were in favor of receiving biofortified wheat developed through the HarvestPlus project. They also expressed their desire to visit and see the BHU research farm, where wheat scientists from the university are conducting research with CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program team. The farmers agreed to advocate for new biofortified wheat varieties and help the BHU team when needed.