The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and CIMMYT emphasize the need for continued research and efforts to understand the variation in El Niño impacts on maize yields in southern Africa.

El Niño is here. In a recent op-ed, Bram Govaerts, CIMMYT director general, lays out action steps to mitigate El Niño’s effects on the agrifood systems that sustain livelihoods in the Global South.

To dive into the challenges posed by climate change, researchers at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, in Sonora, Mexico, are working to develop a range of wheat that can withstand extreme and unpredictable weather conditions.

DSSAT wheat models showcase the impact of temperature, heat stress, water balance and drought stress in large wheat yield reductions due to climate change for Africa and South Asia.

The wheat simulation models have been widely used to study diverse cropping systems, as growing conditions and the impact of climate change on wheat vary across the globe. Simulations for South Asian countries suggested a different magnitude of climate change impacts, particularly due to warmer temperatures.

Civil society actors are stepping up to strengthen Africa’s potential to prevent greater food insecurity and regional instability caused by climate impacts.