Innovations
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.
Bangladesh urges $500 million in funds to intensify surface water irrigation
InnovationsMost current food security projections show that staple crop production must double by 2050 to keep up with global need, which will continue to expand.
Breaking Ground: Xuecai Zhang prepares future generation of crop breeders
InnovationsXuecai Zhang wants to merge traditional maize breeding methods with new software and other tools to help improve farmers’ yields faster than ever.
Breaking Ground: Cesar Petroli on data-driven use of maize genetic diversity
InnovationsAccess to genetic data can revolutionize research partnerships and lead to major benefits for crop breeders aiming to help smallholder farmers boost yields, says geneticist Cesar Petroli.
CIMMYT scientist cautions against new threats from wheat rust diseases
InnovationsScientists are concerned over the proliferation of highly virulent fungal wheat diseases, including two new races of yellow rust and a new race of stem rust.
Breaking Ground: Caixia Lan on identifying building blocks for rust resistant wheat
InnovationsSupport for research into breeding crops resistant to wheat rust is essential to manage the spread of the deadly disease, caused vast yield losses globally in recent years, says scientist Caixia Lan.
Breaking Ground: Bhoja Basnet sets sights on increasing wheat yield potential through hybrid seeds
InnovationsScientist Bhoja Raj Basnet shares his journey from Nepal to Mexico where he joined CIMMYT as a postdoctoral fellow working in the bread wheat improvement program.
New study reveals how controlling wheat hormones can cool hot crops
InnovationsA plant-aging hormone could increase wheat yields by 10 to 15 percent in warm locations, according to a recent study published in New Phytologist journal.
Crop sensors sharpen nitrogen management for wheat in Pakistan
InnovationsPakistani and CIMMYT scientists are working with wheat farmers to test and promote precision agriculture technology.
Breaking Ground: Carolina Sansaloni explores and unlocks genetic potential from wheat genebanks
InnovationsCarolina Sansaloni’s passion for genetics began when she was at university in Argentina, an interest that grew as she moved on to receive her master’s and doctoral degrees in molecular biology.
Breaking Ground: Scientist Deepmala Sehgal on the trail of novel wheat diversity
InnovationsMolecular analysis research by Deepmala Sehgal has led to the discovery of novel genes for yield, disease resistance and climate resilience in previously little-used wheat genetic resources.
Surface water irrigation has the potential to boost cereal productivity in Bangladesh
InnovationsFor the first time, researchers have mapped rivers and freshwater canals in southern Bangladesh using geospatial tools.
Harnessing medical technology and global partnerships to drive gains in food crop productivity
InnovationsGlobal research networks must overcome nationalist and protectionist tendencies to provide technology advances the world urgently needs.
Improved maize offers new economic opportunity to Kenyan family
InnovationsImproved maize varieties offer new economic opportunity to families in Kenya.
New Publications: Rise of micro-satellites offers cost-effective way to collect data on smallholder farms
InnovationsMicro-satellites are emerging as an effective low-cost option to collecting data like sow date and yields on small farms across the developing world.
Healthy soils for a healthy, food secure future
InnovationsHumanity relies on soils not only for food production but also for a range of vital ecosystem services, its health is essential to a healthy and food secure future.