Innovation and technology
Working with smallholders to understand their needs and build on their knowledge, CIMMYT brings the right seeds and inputs to local markets, raises awareness of more productive cropping practices, and works to bring local mechanization and irrigation services based on conservation agriculture practices. CIMMYT helps scale up farmers’ own innovations, and embraces remote sensing, mobile phones and other information technology. These interventions are gender-inclusive, to ensure equitable impacts for all.
New publications: Breeders can benefit much more from phenotyping tools
Researchers discuss how phenotyping can assist breeding and make the case for investing in new methodologies.
Crowdsourced data feeds fall armyworm surveillance in Bangladesh
Web app helps extension agents and farmers monitor the spread of fall armyworm.
Equal and climate-smart
Women in Malawi are inspiring the next generation of smallholder farmers to adopt climate-smart technologies.
Breeder friendly phenotyping
Modern phenotyping tools are crucial for crop improvement and breeders can profit much more from them.
New publication: Scaling agricultural mechanization services in smallholder farming systems
Study shows service provider models in Africa, Latin America and South Asia increase smallholder access to agricultural machinery, but can remain dependent on projects to tackle major bottlenecks for scaling.
Smartphones drive data collection revolution, boost climate-smart agriculture in Bangladesh
For the first time widespread monitoring examines how farmers are coping with climate stresses.
New mobile app helping Latin American farmers increase crop yields by 12%
Source: Real Wire (11 Feb 2020)
Mexican farmers in Yaqui Valley use smartphone app with satellite data to make decisions about irrigation and crop management.
One-minute science: Jelle Van Loon explains mechanization for agriculture
Mechanization is about finding solutions for farmers in rural communities.
Ten new CIMMYT-developed maize varieties released in Pakistan
New maize varieties to bolster seed sector and enhance farm productivity.
Development of the Enterprise Breeding System well underway
Piloting the system in will begin in 2020, with more advanced functions to follow in the next three years.
Leasing scheme helps farmers purchase small-scale agricultural machinery
The initiative increases agricultural productivity and enhances food security in Ethiopia.
What is conservation agriculture?
Farmers are increasingly adopting conservation agriculture practices. This sustainable farming method is based on three principles: crop diversification, minimal soil movement and permanent soil cover.
CIMMYT scientists join fellow experts in San Diego for world’s largest plant and animal genomics conference
Researchers share their work translating the latest molecular research into breeding solutions for better maize and wheat varieties.
The Future of Food – Food Substitute Pills
Source: Vice (21 Jan 2020)
Seed banks, like the one at CIMMYT’s headquarters in Mexico, are part of planning for the future of food.