HYDERABAD, India (CIMMYT) – The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center’s (CIMMYT) Director General Martin Kropff visited the CIMMYT office at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India, on 26 August 2016, along with a delegation that included Mrs. Nynke Nammensma Kropff, John Snape (Chair, CIMMYT Board of Trustees), Nicole Birrell (CIMMYT Board Member), Denis Huneault (Director of Business Services), Pramod Aggarwal (Regional Program Leader, CCAFS), Michelle Guertin (Senior Manager, Project Management), Jean-Flavien Le Besque (Global Human Resources Manager) and Arun Joshi (Country Representative).
ICRISAT Director General David Bergvinson welcomed the delegation and emphasized the continuing need for system-level synchronization among CGIAR centers. An introductory presentation highlighted the activities of the CIMMYT-Hyderabad team, ranging from upstream marker discovery and phenotyping and informatics tool development to mid-stream adaptive research to downstream hybrid deployment through seed partners and engagement with farmers through on-farm trials and demonstrations.
The key to this success is strong partnerships with national partners, the seed industry and other CGIAR centers. The ensuing discussion centered around the need for a CIMMYT center of excellence (or CIMMYT Academy) in the region as a way to systematize, strengthen and sustain partnerships. The need for “out of the box” solutions to drive CIMMYT’s agenda through cost recovery models of research expenses, within the “not-for-profit” mandate of the CG, also stimulated a lot of discussion.
Martin Kropff’s presentation highlighted the relevance of CIMMYT’s work, the new “ONE CIMMYT” strategy and the interesting feedback from CIMMYT’s recent staff survey. Kropff also had an exclusive meeting with the female staff of CIMMYT-Hyderabad. The delegation was given a tour of CIMMYT facilities and fields, and had the opportunity to interact with national staff. This intense and important visit concluded with a meeting with ICRISAT’s Management Group.
Capacity development 