Americas
CIMMYT has several offices in the Americas, including global headquarters in Mexico and a regional office in Colombia. Activities are supported by an additional 140 hectares of stations in diverse agro-ecological zones of Mexico. CIMMYT’s genebank in Mexico stores 27,000 maize and 170,000 wheat seed collections – key to preserving the crop genetic diversity of the region. CIMMYT projects range from developing nutritionally enhanced maize to mapping regional climate change hot spots in Central America. The comprehensive MasAgro project aims to increase wheat production in Mexico by 9 million tons and maize production by 350,000 tons by 2030. CIMMYT promotes regional collaboration and facilitates capacity building for scientists, researchers and technicians.
Climate, nutrition and security challenges require global food system transformation
Climate adaptation and mitigation
The 2019 Borlaug Dialogue explored solutions to feed the planet sustainably in the face of conflict and climate change.
Kellogg supplies Mexican corn with sustainable planting
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Source: Milenio (21 Oct 2019)
MasAgro is supporting conservation agriculture and the sustainable production of maize in Mexico.
Mexico’s agriculture secretary calls for an integrated approach to reach the Sustainable Development Goals
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Villalobos highlights the importance of improving food systems and agriculture to fight violence and forced migration.
Blue maize is all the rage, but are consumers willing to pay?
Environmental health and biodiversity
Study gives insight into Mexican consumers’ preferences and demand for blue maize tortillas.
The man who fed the world
Nutrition, health and food security
BBC radio show Witness History focuses on the life and work of Norman Borlaug.
2019 World Food Prize recognizes the impact of bringing improved seeds to Africa, Asia and Latin America
Innovations
The work of laureate Simon N. Groot has helped smallholder farmers to enhance vegetable production and has improved the diets of millions.
Highlighting innovation in Latin American maize agri-food systems
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Maize experts, as well as scientists from other key crops, from around the world came together to discuss these challenges and how to solve them at the 23rd Latin American Maize Reunion and 4th Seed Congress, held October 7-10 in Monteria, Colombia.
A fresh look at the genes behind grain weight in spring bread wheat
Innovations
New study provides an extensive field-test validation of existing genetic markers for thousand grain weight; finds both surprises and promising results.
Winners of 2019 MAIZE Youth Innovators Awards – Latin America announced
Capacity development
Seven young farmers, researchers and activists are advancing change, innovation and research in their communities.
Saving the giant
Nutrition, health and food security
CIMMYT scientists engage to preserve the Jala maize landrace, famous for producing the longest maize ears in the world.
October is World Food Prize month at William Penn University
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Source: Oskaloosa Herald (30 Sep 2019)
This year’s speaker is Bram Govaerts, the global Director Innovative Business Strategies at CIMMYT.
UN-sponsored report acknowledges CIMMYT’s use of data and technologies to promote sustainable farming in Latin America
Innovations
CIMMYT’s work featured on the Counting on the World to Act report, produced by SDSN and TReNDS.
Back from the brink of extinction
Nutrition, health and food security
Visiting scientist Roi Ben-David discusses Israel’s exotic germplasm gap and ongoing efforts to restore the country’s lost wheat landrace collections.
Remembering Max Alcalá, who led CIMMYT’s wheat international nurseries
Nutrition, health and food security
He was instrumental in preparing and distributing nursery results, which are still used by breeders.