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.

Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, CGIAR Systems Board chair, lays out strategies that build on CGIAR’s investments in rural economies for more diversified and resilient food systems.

Mixed farming can boost food security and climate resilience. IWMI and CIMMYT are leading pilot efforts in Nepal to promote sustainable intensification of mixed farming systems (SIMFS).

CIMMYT and NaSARRI have partnered to strengthen seed systems for smallholder farmers of millet, sorghum, and groundnuts.

CIMMYT, Pakistan’s National Agriculture Research Center, and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology have collaborated in a project to increase the capacity of breeders and technical staff to develop new high-yielding and disease-resistant wheat varieties.

Rising temperatures, droughts, and extreme weather events affect crop yield, quality, and nutritional value. To dive into the challenges posed by climate change, scientists and farmers are collaborating to create a “Wheat Revolution.”