Asia
As a fast growing region with increasing challenges for smallholder farmers, Asia is a key target region for CIMMYT. CIMMYT’s work stretches from Central Asia to southern China and incorporates system-wide approaches to improve wheat and maize productivity and deliver quality seed to areas with high rates of child malnutrition. Activities involve national and regional local organizations to facilitate greater adoption of new technologies by farmers and benefit from close partnerships with farmer associations and agricultural extension agents.
Breaking Ground: Velu Govindan is mainstreaming zinc to combat hidden hunger
Innovations
CIMMYT wheat breeder supports smallholder farmers without access to a diversified diet by improving nutritional quality in wheat.
Sharp rise in Punjab-Haryana farm fires ahead of Diwali
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: Times of India (21 Oct 2019)
CIMMYT Principal Scientist M.L. Jat notes high number of happy seeders in Haryana and Punjab.
Delhi Air Quality Descends to ‘Very Poor’, Worst Yet to Come
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: The Wire (17 Oct 2019)
Balwinder Singh warns that air pollution in India could be severe due to burning crop residue.
Agriculture and sustainability: the contribution of microsatellites
Innovations
Source: Donne del Food (16 Oct 2019)
Study by CIMMYT, Stanford and Cornell shows microsatellites can contribute to sustainable increase of food production.
The man who fed the world
Nutrition, health and food security
BBC radio show Witness History focuses on the life and work of Norman Borlaug.
2019 World Food Prize recognizes the impact of bringing improved seeds to Africa, Asia and Latin America
Innovations
The work of laureate Simon N. Groot has helped smallholder farmers to enhance vegetable production and has improved the diets of millions.
Spurt in stubble burning in Pakistan raises heat in Punjab
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: Hindustan Times (11 Oct 2019)
CIMMYT and Cornell study states the health risks of pollution caused by stubble burning.
Microsatellite data can help double impact of agricultural interventions
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Researchers argue data from small satellites can help target agricultural interventions to locations where impact will be greatest.
Breaking Ground: P.H. Zaidi helps Asian farmers get healthy harvests despite climate variability
Climate adaptation and mitigation
CIMMYT maize physiologist supports development of new climate-resilient maize varieties that help resource-poor Asian farmers protect their food and income security.
New publications: Do market shocks generate gender-differentiated impacts?
Gender equality, youth and social inclusion
New study provides recommendations to help female-headed households cope with market volatility.
Scientists identify genome regions that lead to better yield, disease resistance in wheat
Source: The Hindu Business Line (24 Sep 2019)
International team found a way to breed better wheat varieties with high yields and resistance to diseases and the adverse effects of climate change.
Toolkits to deal with Asian droughts
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Source: The Third Pole (23 Sep 2019)
CIMMYT, ICIMOD and partners launched a Regional Drought Monitoring and Outlook System for South Asia.
Back from the brink of extinction
Nutrition, health and food security
Visiting scientist Roi Ben-David discusses Israel’s exotic germplasm gap and ongoing efforts to restore the country’s lost wheat landrace collections.
New publications: Exploring how women seize control of wheat–maize technologies in Bangladesh
Gender equality, youth and social inclusion
An agricultural organization led by indigenous Santal women is also benefiting low-income Muslim women.
Indonesia-CIMMYT increase cooperation on maize research
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: Gatra (3 Sep 2019)
CIMMYT and the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development sign MoU.