Wheat is a staple and strategic crop across most of North Africa and West Asia, accounting for almost 40 percent of the region’s total food supply.

A popular dietary trend involves the elimination of wheat- and gluten-containing foods inspired in part by the book “Wheat Belly” written by cardiologist William Davis.

Over the last 50 years big increases in agricultural production have come through improved yields. Since 1990, wheat is the only major crop to experience an overall decline in area.

The expected average rate of warming over current wheat areas for the next few decades is a little less than 0.5 °C per decade, which implies a negative yield impact of about 2 percent per decade.

Wheat, being produced equally in developing and developed countries, is the top global source of calories and the top traded food grain, a position it is unlikely to lose.

Wheat productivity must first increase in developing countries, where yield gaps continue to be unacceptably high.

The history of wheat is the history of civilization.

Alex Renaud is a third-year graduate student pursuing a doctorate degree in plant breeding and genetics.

Masa Iwanaga, CIMMYT Director General, accepts the King Baudouin Award on behalf of the organization in Washington, DC.

Masa Iwanaga, CIMMYT Director General, on CIMMYT’s research agenda & publications

Masa Iwanaga, CIMMYT Director General, visits Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.