Every year, CIMMYT trains tens of thousands of farmers, scientists, and technicians on techniques and practices for food security, nutrition, health and resource conservation. In contrast to formal academic training in plant breeding and agronomy, CIMMYT training activities are hands-on and highly specialized. Topics include practices to preserve maize and wheat genetic diversity; biological pest management; climate change adaptation and safer food processing. Trainees from Africa, Asia and Latin America benefit from the data assembled and handled in a global research program. Alumni of CIMMYT courses often become a significant force for agricultural change in their countries.
Capacity development

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Scaling up health diet seed kits in Zanzibar
Health diet seed kits are enhancing food and nutrition security in Zanzibar.
EU-funded project refurbishes Gwanda veterinary lab, boosting livestock disease control
Source: The Free Library (22 Nov 2023)
The LIPS-ZIM program to enhance livestock productivity and control diseases affecting smallholder farmers.
Response of African sorghum genotypes for drought tolerance under variable environments
Scientists revealed a vast diversity in the genetic resources of sorghum and provided a pathway for selecting promising genotypes for regions prone to drought in sub-Saharan Africa.
Farmers’ Hub launched in Nigeria to boost food security and agricultural development
AVISA Farmers’ Hub initiative aims to empower local farmers, enhancing food security and agricultural development in North Central Nigeria.
Scientist emphasizes digital agro-advisories utilization
Source: The Horn (14 Nov 2023)
CIMMYT scientist, Kindie Tesfaye highlights the role of user-centric climate information services and advisories in empowering farmers.
Fall armyworm research, development and extension for horticulture
Teams from Queensland DAF, Agriculture Victoria and others joined B.M. Prasanna, CIMMYT’s Maize Program Director, to discuss fall armyworm management and explore future collaboration on plant health.
Empowering local mechanics for sustainable machinery maintenance
Training workshop for Zimbabwean mechanics guarantees efficient machinery service under USAID-funded Mechanization Activity.
Bringing Space to Place: Transforming African Agriculture with Better SOILS
Source: IFDC (5 Nov 2023)
Researchers propose a unified, scalable framework to measure agricultural greenhouse gas emissions
Source: Life Technology (30 Oct 2023)
AGREE, created by UC Davis and CIMMYT, helps analyze emissions from diverse agricultural activities.
Extension capacity-building leverages Nepal soil, seed and science for rice farming
Soil fertility management and improved practices for rice production were emphasized with technicians who work directly with farmers to raise yields, income, and household-level food and nutrition security.