Africa
CIMMYT’s work in Africa helps farmers access new maize and wheat systems-based technologies, information and markets, raising incomes and enhancing crop resilience to drought and climate change. CIMMYT sets priorities in consultation with ministries of agriculture, seed companies, farming communities and other stakeholders in the maize and wheat value chains. Our activities in Africa are wide ranging and include: breeding maize for drought tolerance and low-fertility soils, and for resistance to insect pests, foliar diseases and parasitic weeds; sustainably intensifying production in maize- and wheat-based systems; and investigating opportunities to reduce micronutrient and protein malnutrition among women and young children.
Smallholder farmers to gain from targeted CRISPR-Cas9 crop breeding
Innovations
Gene editing technology could revolutionize the way scientists breed high-yielding drought, disease and pest resistant, high quality plant seeds, greatly reducing the time it currently takes to develop new varieties
Campaign against residue burning seeks to make India’s “food bowl” sustainable
Climate adaptation and mitigation
In the 1960s, India became the center of the Green Revolution. Today, India needs a new Green Revolution.
Project helps African farmers identify regional best practices
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Traditional farming systems in Africa must be updated for today’s climate and market challenges, according to a new article from the University of Queensland.
New screening cycle for deadly MLN virus set to begin in Kenya
Nutrition, health and food security
The maize lethal necrosis screening site in Kenya will begin its second screening cycle of 2017 at the end of October.
Drought tolerant maize provides extra 9 months of food for farming families
Nutrition, health and food security
A new study shows that drought tolerant maize varieties can provide farming families in Zimbabwe an extra 9 months of food at no additional cost.
Delegates gather in Morocco to combat nematodes in agriculture
Nutrition, health and food security
Eighty delegates from across the globe recently gathered at the 6th International Cereal Nematode Symposium in Agadir, Morocco to discuss the spread of nematodes.
New Publications: Improving wheat breeding through modern genetic tools
Innovations
A new study shows how wheat breeders can more efficiently increase yield and improve their selections by using modern genetic tools.
New evidence shows forests help reduce malnutrition
Nutrition, health and food security
Living near forests can help locals increase their dietary diversity, and combat hidden hunger.
Zimbabwe enacts new strategy in fall armyworm fight
Capacity development
The fall armyworm has since caused significant damage on over 280,000 hectares of maize in Africa since 2015. Zimbabwe established a fall armyworm working group in July this year to bring all stakeholders together and find solutions to manage the impacts of the pest in the country.
New online portal offers information to curb maize lethal necrosis in Africa
Innovations
The new maize lethal necrosis online portal provides up-to-date information and surveillance tools to help researchers control and stop the spread of the deadly disease.
Breaking Ground: Dagne Wegary at a busy intersection on the maize value chain
Nutrition, health and food security
As a maize seed system specialist, Dagne Wegary works at the nexus between breeding science and actual delivery of improved seed to farmers.
New Publications: Better post-harvest storage can raise vitamin A intake 25 percent in Zambia
Nutrition, health and food security
Recent modeling studies in Zambia suggest that provitamin A maize’s impact is being cut short by the low retention of carotenoids during storage and postharvest grain loss.
Zimbabwe steps up food security with vitamin A maize
Nutrition, health and food security
More farmers in Zimbabwe are demanding high-yielding, highly nutritious and drought tolerant provitamin A maize.
Increased investment needed to adapt Africa’s agriculture to climate change
Nutrition, health and food security
Delegates at a conference in June called for a new focus and increase in investment to ensure eastern and southern Africa’s farming systems can withstand the impacts of climate change.
Farmers at center of sustainable agriculture in Kenya
Capacity development
Climate change’s impact in eastern and southern Africa has driven many farmers to seek new planting techniques that maintain or increase crop production, despite fewer resources.