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.
Fight against viruses, also in defense of maize and our food
Environmental health and biodiversity
Source: Donne del Food (31 May 2020)
B.M. Prasanna, director of CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program and the CGIAR Research Program on Maize, discusses the viral disease maize lethal necrosis.
Breaking Ground: Yoseph Beyene breeds desirable maize varieties for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa
Innovations
CIMMYT breeder applies new tools and technologies to accelerate genetic gains, make breeding more efficient, and keep up with the changing dynamics of biotic and abiotic stresses.
Battling devastating viral diseases, also in plants
Nutrition, health and food security
Maize lethal necrosis has taught us that intensive efforts to keep human and plant diseases at bay need to continue beyond the COVID-19 crisis.
Africa’s smallholders to bear the brunt of COVID-19
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: SciDev.net (25 May 2020)
As COVID-19 pandemic threatens smallholder farmers, it could be an opportunity to shift priorities and increase support to agriculture.
This little seed went to market
Capacity development
Seed companies in Malawi share how they chose their flagship varieties and got them onto the commercial market.
Opinion: COVID-19 highlights need to boost resilience of Africa’s rural poor
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: Devex (4 May 2020)
Leaders from CIMMYT, Harvest Plus and Clinton Development Initiative discuss need for smallholder farmers to be resilient against shocks — pandemics, droughts or crop infestations.
Ethiopian wheat farmers adopt quality seed and a vision for a more profitable future
Nutrition, health and food security
Publication analyzes success factors of Wheat Seed Scaling project, which has benefited more than 131,000 rural households in Ethiopia.
In the best possible taste
Nutrition, health and food security
Researchers in Kenya and Uganda are incorporating sensory preferences like taste, smell or texture into maize breeding.
New crop varieties set to address drought, malnutrition
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: The Nation (27 Apr 2020)
CIMMYT, Clinton Development Initiative and Harvest Plus work together to make drought-tolerant and vitamin A biofortified maize available to farmers in Malawi.
Out of the classroom and into the field
Capacity development
Malawian smallholders tackle challenges together using the farmer field school approach.
