Environmental health and biodiversity
The world needs better management of water, soil, nutrients, and biodiversity in crop, livestock, and fisheries systems, coupled with higher-order landscape considerations as well as circular economy and agroecological approaches.
CIMMYT and CGIAR use modern digital tools to bring together state-of-the-art Earth system observation and big data analysis to inform co-design of global solutions and national policies.
Our maize and wheat genebanks preserve the legacy of biodiversity, while breeders and researchers look at ways to reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture.
Ultimately, our work helps stay within planetary boundaries and limit water use, nutrient use, pollution, undesirable land use change, and biodiversity loss.
Getting to win-win: Can people and nature flourish on an increasingly cultivated planet?
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Faced with dramatic biodiversity loss and a growing population, should farmers “share” or “spare” land? Agricultural scientists weigh in, yielding a new perspective.
2022 Excellence in International Service Award
Environmental health and biodiversity
This award recognizes outstanding contributions to plant pathology by APS members for countries other than their own. Contributions may have been made through collaborative projects, sabbaticals, short- and long-term assignments with educational or governmental agencies, including, but not limited to, international centers and research institutes.
A climate-smart remodeling of South Asia’s rice-wheat cropping is urgent
Environmental health and biodiversity
Multiple studies show conventional farming practices degrade soils, deplete aquifers and feed rampant greenhouse gas emissions.
Nitrogen-Efficient Wheat Production Systems in the Indo-Gangetic Plains through Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) Technology
Environmental health and biodiversity
Two approaches better than one: identifying spot blotch resistance in wheat varieties
Environmental health and biodiversity
Genomic selection is a promising tool to select for spot blotch resistance and index-based selection to select for spot blotch resistance, heading and plant height.
CIMMYT scientists identify novel genomic regions associated with spot blotch resistance
Environmental health and biodiversity
Researchers use genome-wide association mapping approach to identify new regions with resistance to the disease.
Protecting plant health for food and nutritional security
Environmental health and biodiversity
Global networks present unified and transdisciplinary strategy to protect key crops from devastating pests and diseases.
Q&A: Regenerative agriculture for soil health
Environmental health and biodiversity
Farming system harnesses the power of biology to rebuild soil organic matter, diversify crop systems, and improve water retention and nutrient uptake.
A new seed policy ushers in a new era of hybrid seed business in Nepal
Capacity development
Source: Agrilinks (26 Apr 2022)
A change in policy by the Nepalese government in February 2022 opens up space for private seed companies to be involved in seed variety development, evaluation and distribution to farmers.
Our food system isn’t ready for the climate crisis
Environmental health and biodiversity
Source: The Guardian (14 Apr 2022)
“We’ll never get back all the diversity we had before, but the diversity we need is out there,” says Matthew Reynolds, head of wheat physiology at CIMMYT.
Seed banks: the last line of defense against a threatening global food crisis
Environmental health and biodiversity
Source: The Guardian (15 Apr 2022)
As climate breakdown and worldwide conflict continue to place the food system at risk, seed banks from the Arctic to Lebanon try to safeguard biodiversity.
MAIZE partners announce a new manual for effectively managing maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease
Environmental health and biodiversity
The manual builds on the lessons of a decade of work on MLN management in sub-Saharan Africa by CIMMYT and its partners.
