Texcoco, Mexico – November 20, 2025. CIMMYT welcomed H.E. Noel Grealish, Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine (DAFM), to its global headquarters to strengthen bilateral cooperation in agricultural research, climate-resilient food systems, and farmer-centered innovation.
The visit marks an important step in deepening Ireland–CIMMYT collaboration at a time when the Government of Ireland is expanding its global engagement in food security, climate action, and sustainable agricultural development. Minister Grealish was accompanied by Fiona Geoghegan, Special Adviser; Eoghan Glynn, Principal Officer for UK and International Trade at DAFM; Anthony Cawley, Agricultural Attaché; and Andrea Cisneros, Agriculture Market Access Officer.
Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT Director General, and senior program leaders received the delegation and toured CIMMYT’s advanced research facilities, including the global maize and wheat gene banks, biotechnology laboratories, digital agriculture platforms, and experimental fields.
“I’m deeply impressed by CIMMYT’s work. Even if you spent an entire week here, you wouldn’t be able to take in everything the organization has achieved. CIMMYT has, in many ways, transformed the world,” said Minister Grealish.
Building Strong Foundations
Ireland and CIMMYT already partner through Irish Aid, notably in the Transforming Agri-Food Systems in Niassa Province (TSAN) project in Mozambique. The initiative, focused on market access, seed systems, gender inclusion, climate adaptation, and food security, has mobilized over 3,000 farmers and 113 farmer organizations to date.
“Together with Ireland, we want to engage with the world and help build a better future,” said Bram Govaerts. ‘’63% of Europe’s wheat derived from CIMMYT lines, Europe stands not only as a beneficiary of our research but also as a vital agricultural innovation hub. We aim to continue deepening this collaboration for a more sustainable and food-secure world.’’
Ireland has become an influential global actor in sustainable food systems, climate action, and rights-based development. Strengthened collaboration with CIMMYT represents a strategic opportunity to integrate cutting-edge agricultural research with Irish development priorities.
About CIMMYT
CIMMYT is a cutting edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow’s problems today. It is entrusted with fostering improved quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, triticale, sorghum, millets, and associated crops through applied agricultural science, particularly in the Global South, through building strong partnerships. This combination enhances the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers, while working towards a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries.
Learn more at www.cimmyt.org.
For more information:
Nahyane Bakkali, External Communications Manager
Innovations 
