Asia
As a fast growing region with increasing challenges for smallholder farmers, Asia is a key target region for CIMMYT. CIMMYT’s work stretches from Central Asia to southern China and incorporates system-wide approaches to improve wheat and maize productivity and deliver quality seed to areas with high rates of child malnutrition. Activities involve national and regional local organizations to facilitate greater adoption of new technologies by farmers and benefit from close partnerships with farmer associations and agricultural extension agents.
New project to ramp up genetic gains in maize for better livelihoods
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: Seed Quest (28 Jul 2020)
The new AGG project has a strong focus on more synergistic and supportive partnerships with national programs to help improve the effectiveness of their breeding efforts.
Supporting smallholder farmers to better combat drought
Climate adaptation and mitigation
CSISA project suggests pathways to remove barriers inhibiting full use of groundwater irrigation infrastructure in Nepal’s Terai region.
Floods highlight importance of food security
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Source: China Daily (22 Jul 2020)
CIMMYT-developed drought-and high temperature-tolerant maize varieties help strengthen resilience to weather extremes in China.
Women farmers emerging as decision-makers, innovators in wheat-based systems: Study
Gender equality, youth and social inclusion
Source: Down to Earth (17 Jul 2020)
Study finds that women in India adopt specific strategies to further their interests in the context of wheat-based livelihoods.
Back to basics: COVID-19 labour crunch brings direct seeding of paddy in focus
Innovations
Source: Down to Earth (15 Jul 2020)
While an estimated 10 percent of India’s 44 million ha of rice is cultivated through direct seeding, the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to an increase in this practice.
New analysis to help in creating yellow rust resistant wheat
Innovations
Source: World Grain (15 Jul 2020)
CIMMYT scientists perform large genome-wide association study in India, Kenya and Mexico to understand yellow rust resistance in wheat.
Conservation agriculture for sustainable intensification in Eastern India
Environmental health and biodiversity
A new policy brief provides a roadmap for accelerating the adoption of conservation agriculture in Eastern India.
Gauging the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on farming communities and agribusinesses in Nepal
Nutrition, health and food security
A survey conducted by CIMMYT researchers collected insights from over 200 key value-chain market actors.
Could coronavirus drive farmers to adopt sustainable practices in India’s breadbasket?
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Interest in farm machinery and crop diversification spike as farmers respond to COVID-19 labor shortages.
Mechanized harvesting fuels rural prosperity in Nepal
Innovations
The tractor-mounted reaper saves farmers time and money and offers new sources of income.
International program ushers in a new era of maize farming in Pakistan
Innovations
Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP) comes to a close but its impact lives on.
New publications: From working in the fields to taking control
Gender equality, youth and social inclusion
New study presents a typology of women’s decision-making in wheat in India.
Small but mighty
Capacity development
The introduction of mung bean has transformed rice-wheat food systems in Nepal and has been one of the major successes of the Agronomy and Seed Scaling project.
FAO: No threat of desert locust invasion in Bangladesh
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: Dhaka Tribune (11 Jun 2020)
While Bangladesh is at low risk of a large-scale invasion of desert locusts, efforts to curb fall armyworm will help in addressing future pests.