Global
Climate change slows wheat breeding progress for yield and wide adaptation, new study finds
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Increasingly unpredictable weather poses challenges for breeding widely-adapted wheat lines, but stress tolerance breeding is boosting wheat’s hardiness under rising temperatures.
Fruits and vegetables are essential, but there are three reasons why it takes cereals to feed the world
Climate adaptation and mitigation
In addition to macronutrients and micronutrients, staple cereals are important sources of bioactive food components.
Agricultural research fights global food shocks
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: Newsweek (30 Dec 2021)
The best protection is actually reducing food system risks by building food system resilience against shocks.
New grafting technique could combat the disease threatening Cavendish bananas
Innovations
Scientists find novel way to combine two species of grass-like plants including banana, rice and wheat, that allows disease resistance and other beneficial characteristics to be added to the plants.
High-yielding staple crops improve health and prosperity in developing countries
Nutrition, health and food security
New research uncovers long-term impacts of Green Revolution era productivity, points out lessons for today.
Creating a better leaf
Environmental health and biodiversity
Source: The New Yorker (6 Dec 2021)
A new article in the New Yorker praises the cutting-edge technology CIMMYT, CGIAR and other scientists are developing to produce a second Green Revolution that doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the first, putting the experiences and challenges of farmers at the heart of it.
2021 GAP Report endorses CIMMYT’s integrated agri-food systems methodology
Climate adaptation and mitigation
CIMMYT’s programs in Colombia and Mexico showcased as examples of successful public–private partnerships for sustainable agriculture, economic growth and improved nutrition.
A decade of world-leading maize and wheat research
Capacity development
Legacy websites and photo exhibition mark the closing of the CGIAR Research Programs on Maize and Wheat, and their impact on sustainable agricultural development.
From diagnosis to action on social equity
Gender equality, youth and social inclusion
Building on impact of GENNOVATE, scientists recommend integrating gender-transformative research and methodologies into the new CGIAR Initiatives.
Science, technology and farmers, the three pillars of CIMMYT at COP26
Climate adaptation and mitigation
At global climate summit, CIMMYT scientists share adaptation and mitigation solutions for farmers, and call for increased funding for agricultural research.
Harnessing the power of science to reduce poverty and malnutrition
Nutrition, health and food security
Bringing wild wheat’s untapped diversity into elite lines
Environmental health and biodiversity
Researchers hypothesized that many wild wheat accessions in genebanks feature useful traits that can help diversify breeding programs.
Throwing money at the problem won’t solve world hunger
Nutrition, health and food security
Source: The Washington Post (22 Nov 2021)
Harvard Professor Gabriela Soto Laveaga stresses the importance of tackling hunger as more than a technical problem to be addressed through scientific advancement alone, praising CGIAR for its community-centered approach to food systems amid the climate crisis.
CIMMYT scientists recognized for impact
Capacity development
Researchers listed among world’s most influential scholars, based on citations.
Singh receives lifetime award for wheat breeding successes
Environmental health and biodiversity
Source: World Grain (11 Nov 2021)
Ravi Singh, head of global wheat improvement at CIMMYT, received the 2021 Borlaug Global Rust Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award.