Africa
CIMMYT’s work in Africa helps farmers access new maize and wheat systems-based technologies, information and markets, raising incomes and enhancing crop resilience to drought and climate change. CIMMYT sets priorities in consultation with ministries of agriculture, seed companies, farming communities and other stakeholders in the maize and wheat value chains. Our activities in Africa are wide ranging and include: breeding maize for drought tolerance and low-fertility soils, and for resistance to insect pests, foliar diseases and parasitic weeds; sustainably intensifying production in maize- and wheat-based systems; and investigating opportunities to reduce micronutrient and protein malnutrition among women and young children.
Building capacities for advanced modern breeding programs in Africa
Capacity development
CIMMYT trains scientists in product profile-based maize breeding for increased genetics gains.
Accelerating delivery of stress-tolerant, nutritious seed in Eastern and Southern Africa
Nutrition, health and food security
CIMMYT and partners are working to accelerate the delivery of stress-tolerant and nutritious seeds to boost smallholder farmer resilience to drought and pests in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.
A promising partnership
Capacity development
The delivery of row seeders from India to Benin demonstrates a new path to sustainable South-South business relationships.
Startups, nonprofits race to unlock Africa’s agricultural potential as millions face food crisis and droughts
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: The Nairobi Law Monthly (9 May 2023)
Civil society actors are stepping up to strengthen Africa’s potential to prevent greater food insecurity and regional instability caused by climate impacts.
CIMMYT at the AIM for Climate Summit
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Smart smallholder fertilizer management practices to address food security and climate change.
2023: The International Year of the Millet
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: The EastAfrican (3 May 2023)
CIMMYT commits to scaling-up millet cultivation and further promoting technologies that encourage millet consumption and other dryland cereal crops.
Delivering transgenic drought-tolerant and insect-protected maize varieties to African farmers
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: Seed Quest (3 May 2023)
The TELA maize project has protected smallholder farmers from Stem-borer and Fall Armyworm through resistant maize varieties. As part of the project’s fifth year, the AATF has restated its commitment to developing transgenic drought-tolerant and insect-protected maize varieties.
LIPS-ZIM assists farmers to adopt productive and resilient livestock systems
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Source: Sunday News (23 Apr 2023)
With intensifying climate change, farmers in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe adopt innovative methods for resilient and productive livestock as part of the Livestock Production Systems in Zimbabwe (LIPS-ZIM) project.
Six New CIMMYT maize hybrids available from eastern Africa Breeding Program
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Increasing smallholder inclusion in markets boosts rural livelihoods
New initiative links smallholder farmers in Zambia with a market opportunity in oil seed production, driving uptake of modern varieties and sustainable, intensified agricultural practices.
Twenty Years of Enriching Diets with Biofortification
Nutrition, health and food security
20 years of rigorous scientific research.
Startups and nonprofits race to unlock Africa’s agriculture potential as millions face food crisis and droughts
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Source: Moody's (19 Apr 2023)
Climate change, if unchecked, is expected to make food even more unaffordable. The economic shocks from increasing temperatures, water stress and continued droughts will push tens of millions of Africans into extreme poverty over the next decade, according to Moody’s partner TechnoServe.
Government of Zambia and CIMMYT strengthen ties in agricultural development
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Zambia Minister of Agriculture host CIMMYT Director General for deliberations on the country’s strategic road map.
