Climate adaptation and mitigation
Climate change threatens to reduce global crop production, and poor people in tropical environments will be hit the hardest. More than 90% of CIMMYT’s work relates to climate change, helping farmers adapt to shocks while producing more food, and reduce emissions where possible. Innovations include new maize and wheat varieties that withstand drought, heat and pests; conservation agriculture; farming methods that save water and reduce the need for fertilizer; climate information services; and index-based insurance for farmers whose crops are damaged by bad weather. CIMMYT is an important contributor to the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security.
CIMMYT Releases 12 New Maize Lines
Source: Seed World (14 May 2021)
CIMMYT has released a set of 12 new maize lines adapted to the tropical environments targeted by CIMMYT and partner institutions.
Can we create a climate-resistant coffee in time?
Source: The Guardian (27 Apr 2021)
Matthew Reynolds talked to The Guardian’s Science Weekly podcast about the process of creating climate- and heat-resistant crops.
New project to recharge aquifers and cut water use in agriculture by 30 percent
Over 700,000 people will benefit from the Aguas Firmes project, which will facilitate the adoption of sustainable intensification practices on more than 4,000 hectares, through a partnership with Grupo Modelo and GIZ.
On-farm nitrogen management practices have global reverberations
A new meta-study confirms that nitrous oxide emissions can be reduced by boosting nitrogen productivity, crop yield and use of “4Rs.”
World Health Day 2021
Five CIMMYT solutions for a fairer, healthier world.
Reduced cropping intensity in India
Source: Rural 21 (1 Apr 2021)
Providing canal irrigation as a substitute irrigation source will likely not be enough to maintain current production levels.
Crop nutrient management using digital tool improves yield, reduces greenhouse gas emissions: Study
Source: Down To Earth (5 Mar 2021)
A study led by CIMMYT found that the use of field-specific fertilizer in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) can increase grain yield, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost incomes for farmers.
Bill Gates highlights CIMMYT’s innovation in latest climate book
One of CIMMYT and CGIAR’s biggest supporters, he sets out on a virtual book tour to spark collaborative action toward avoiding a climate disaster and calls for innovations in almost everything that we do.
Groundwater depletion in India could reduce winter cropped acreage significantly in years ahead
Switch to irrigation canals will not fully compensate for the expected loss of groundwater in Indian agriculture, new study concludes.
Drought-tolerant maize project pioneers a winning strategy for a world facing climate change
As partners come together as One CGIAR to enact a bold climate-centered strategy, projects like CIMMYT and IITA’s decades-long work on climate-smart maize can help show the way forward.
Remembering the Legacy of Distinguished Wheat Breeder Sanjaya Rajaram
Source: AgriBusiness Global (23 Feb 2021)
A leader of wheat breeding and later director of CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program, Sanjaya Rajaram passed away at the age of 78.
Five big steps toward wheat self-sufficiency in Pakistan
Pakistan’s goal to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production just became more attainable with the release of five new wheat varieties.
The global network safeguarding the world’s wheat
Interactive map illustrates impacts of BGRI’s 15 years of collaboration for disease- and climate-resilient wheat.
Q&A: A decade of improved and climate-smart maize through collaborative research and innovation
A ten-year partnership led by CIMMYT and IITA tackles climate-induced risks in maize production, developing and deploying new climate-adaptive varieties benefiting over 8 million households in sub-Saharan Africa.
Successful Crop Innovation Is Mitigating Climate Crisis Impact in Africa
Source: IPS News (17 Feb 2021)
In an op-ed, Martin Kropff, Director General of CIMMYT, discusses how higher-yielding, stress-tolerant maize varieties can not only help smallholders combat climatic variabilities and diseases, but also effectively diversify their farms.