Environmental health and biodiversity
The world needs better management of water, soil, nutrients, and biodiversity in crop, livestock, and fisheries systems, coupled with higher-order landscape considerations as well as circular economy and agroecological approaches.
CIMMYT and CGIAR use modern digital tools to bring together state-of-the-art Earth system observation and big data analysis to inform co-design of global solutions and national policies.
Our maize and wheat genebanks preserve the legacy of biodiversity, while breeders and researchers look at ways to reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture.
Ultimately, our work helps stay within planetary boundaries and limit water use, nutrient use, pollution, undesirable land use change, and biodiversity loss.
Report links wheat blast pandemic on three continents
Source: World Grain (19 Mar 2021)
Genetic analyses show that a destructive wheat blast fungus that travelled from South America to South East Asia is now established in Zambia under rain-fed conditions.
A challenge solved
Massive study of breeding lines across environments pinpoints genomic regions associated with yield potential and stress-resilience in bread wheat.
Four questions with CIMMYT’s Maize Genebank Curator
How to preserve and share the genetic biodiversity of maize.
How biodiversity conservation can help manage future pandemics — for plants and for humans
Source: The Counter (21 May 2021)
Dave Hodson discusses why conservation may be the key to our survival.
A conservation conversation
In a Q&A, Thomas Payne reflects on how CIMMYT’s wheat genebank can be a model for maintaining biodiversity in agricultural systems.
Nepal launches digital soil map
Digital platform provides information that will help increase crop productivity and improve soil health.
Consider the seed
The second installment in the CGIAR International Year of Plant Health Webinar Series tackles the often-overlooked issue of germplasm health.
CGIAR webinar unleashes multidisciplinary approach to climate change and plant health
Experts and over 900 participants tackled the agricultural, social, and environmental consequences of climate change-driven impacts on plant health.
Unleashing the potential of plant health
Webinar series from CGIAR examines the components of the crop supply chain, as part of the International Year of Plant Health.
Announcing CIMMYT-derived fall armyworm tolerant elite maize hybrids for eastern and southern Africa
Breakthrough comes after three years of intensive research and trials conducted in Kenya — and during the United Nations International Year of Plant Health — and represents a significant advance in the global fight against fall armyworm.
“Happy Seeder” saves farmers money over burning straw, new study in India shows
Authors conclude that no-till, no-burn practices can cut severe pollution in northern India and that they merit strong policy support, including enforcement of bans on burning straw.
Crop breeding and soil management must go hand in hand
This World Soil Day, explore how breeding success is inextricably linked to how we address soil degradation.
Too much or never enough
Don’t underestimate the crucial role nitrogen plays in cereal-based agroecosystems and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Nitrogen in agriculture
The most essential nutrient in global crop production is also one of the most challenging to work with.
