John Dixon bids CIMMYT farewell; new programs emerge from ITAU

Dr. John Dixon, Director of the Impacts Targeting and Assessment Unit (ITAU), left El Batán in mid-November 2008 and moved back to Australia. John will work with CIMMYT part-time from there until the end of March 2009, after which he will take up a new position with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). On behalf of the entire CIMMYT community, I’d like to thank John for his hard work and dedication to CIMMYT and wish him well in his new endeavors. We look forward to working with him in future partnerships.

Since late 2006 CIMMYT Projects 10 (Maize and Wheat Cropping Systems) and 11 (Knowledge, Targeting and Strategic Assessment of Maize and Wheat Farming Systems) have been part of ITAU. The projects will now become two new programs, tentatively the Conservation Agriculture Program and the Socioeconomics Program. Recruitment of directors for the new programs is under way.  Meanwhile, agronomist Pat Wall will serve as Interim Director of the Conservation Agriculture Program and poverty specialist Jonathan Hellin as Interim Director of the Socioeconomics Program. You can contact them regarding queries or comments you have on their respective areas of research.

Finally, the name of the former Genetic Resources Enhancement Unit (GREU) has been changed to Genetic Resources Program, reflecting the importance to CIMMYT’s mission of effectively conserving and using maize and wheat genetic resources.