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.
Inequality, agriculture and climate change: From a vicious to a virtuous circle
A transformation is urgently needed in the world’s food system to make it more resilient to climate change and to reduce its emissions, explains the Executive Director of the CGIAR System Organization in an op-ed.
Ethiopian farmers weatherproof their livelihoods
Farmers boost their climate resilience and make money as they phase out a 25-year-old maize variety and replace it with drought-tolerant BH661 seeds.
Bill Gates highlights impact of CIMMYT’s drought-tolerant maize
In a blog post and video, Gates highlights the “essential” role of CIMMYT and other CGIAR research centers in “feeding our future.”
Reconciling food security, resource depletion and environmental quality trade-offs in India
Policies and technologies key to sustainable development in India’s breadbasket.
Farmers must change to feed world up to 2050
Source: Physics World (25 Jun 2019)
A CGIAR and CIMMYT study suggests that some countries and crops are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than others.
Groundwater conservation policies help fuel air pollution crisis in northwestern India, new study finds
Later rice planting in Haryana and Punjab leads to concentrated agricultural burning in the late fall and 39% higher peak fire intensity, contributing to poor air quality.
Six investments to help family farmers thrive in the next decade
Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit (6 Jun 2019)
CIMMYT DG Martin Kropff and CABI CEO Trevor Nicholls propose six key actions to support family farmers.
A burning issue
How sustainable agriculture is helping mitigate air pollution in South Asia.
Slow-release nitrogen fertilizers measure up
Briquetted urea and polymer-coated urea more efficient as maize fertilizers than regular urea, researchers in Nepal find.
Conservation agriculture works for farmers and for sustainable intensification
Agriculture leaders of eastern and southern Africa encourage wider adoption of conservation agriculture for the benefit of farmers, consumers and the environment.
Shifting to a demand-led maize improvement agenda
In annual meeting, STMA project partners build on the successes of research in combatting drought, heat, pests and disease.
Rebuttal letter sets the record straight on crop breeding for climate change resilience
Crop scientists refute the flawed findings of a study questioning climate resilience in modern wheat breeding.
SRFSI: The West Bengal story
In the state of West Bengal, India, farmers and entrepreneurs are finding success with the help of climate-smart conservation agriculture practices.
Looking forward, looking back
Partners from four countries reflect and plan ahead after five years of the SRFSI project.