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.

Features

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Gender and development specialist Paula Kantor had a deep understanding of how change can empower men and women to give them greater control over their own lives.

Blogs

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The controversial debate among researchers about the suitability of conservation agriculture for smallholder farmers in Africa continues while millions face food insecurity and degrading resources.

Features

tag icon Gender equality, youth and social inclusion
Features

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Malawi launched five projects on food security, fisheries and environment.

News

tag icon Gender equality, youth and social inclusion

CIMMYT is sad to announce the tragic death of our friend and respected colleague, gender and development specialist Paula Kantor.

News

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The Farm Mechanization and Conservation Agriculture for Sustainable Intensification (FACASI) project held its second review and planning meeting, as well as mid-term review, during a five-day event in Hawassa, Ethiopia. This was followed by country site visits by the review team.

News

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Managers of private and public seed companies in Ethiopia have expressed interest to produce and broadly market quality protein maize (QPM) seed, provided that they get technical and other necessary support from the Nutritious Maize for Ethiopia (NuME) project.

Features

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News

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Christian Thierfelder, CIMMYT senior agronomist stationed at Harare, Zimbabwe, was recently profiled by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for his work promoting conservation agriculture techniques for smallholder farmers in Africa. Conservation agriculture systems are not only better for soils but help make agriculture more ‘climate-smart’, argues Thierfelder. “The conventional system can only make use of the water that is in the ridge and not further down in the soil,” he said. “In conservation agriculture systems, there is access to deeper layers and a lot of water has infiltrated. The maize can actually access the water much better because of an improved root system.”

News

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has tasked CIMMYT with a new project to introduce green manure cover crops to smallholder farmers in eastern Zambia and central and southern Malawi.