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.

Publications

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Results of an 8-year study show that weed density and diversity are greatly reduced when zero-tillage, drip-irrigation, and new crops are introduced to rice-wheat systems.

News

tag icon Capacity development

CIMMYT, USAID and partners announce the publication of a guide for integrated pest management of fall armyworm in Asia.

Press releases

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

The food and beverage company will source wheat produced sustainably from a milling company that buys grain from farmers in the Bajío region of Mexico who will participate in CIMMYT’s research and capacity building networks.

Features

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Researchers study the design, delivery and use of digital decision-support tools for smallholder maize farmers in northern Nigeria.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: Green Queen (11 Aug 2021)

A recent study of the groundwater in India revealed that, by 2025, large areas of the north-western and southern parts of the country will have “critically low groundwater availability”.

News

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Cross-regional collaboration brings wheat blast protection to farmers in Bangladesh and Brazil.

Features

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

New CIMMYT brochure highlights value of maize and wheat science to battle rising undernourishment.

Blogs

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Understanding the relationship between climate change and plant health is key to conserving biodiversity and boosting food production today and for future generations.

Videos

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

CIMMYT and its partners worldwide continue to work on this complex challenge, so millions of smallholder farmers can protect their crops and feed their families.

News

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Working towards resilience, renewal and transition in our agri-food systems.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: La NaciĂłn (26 Jun 2021)

An article in La NaciĂłn praises the work of a number of research institutions, including CIMMYT, for their use of science and technology to develop hybrid maize lines adapted to the needs of farmers, markets and consumers.

In the media

tag icon Capacity development

Source: AgroinformaciĂłn (22 Jun 2021)

At the 8th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Martin Kropff argued that “agriculture cannot take a toll on the environment”, praising conservation agriculture for its contribution to building resilience to drought.

Blogs

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

CIMMYT’s decision to focus on APR genes versus race-specific genes (R-genes) protects the livelihoods of millions of smallholder wheat farmers throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: World Grain (19 Mar 2021)

Genetic analyses show that a destructive wheat blast fungus that travelled from South America to South East Asia is now established in Zambia under rain-fed conditions.

News

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Massive study of breeding lines across environments pinpoints genomic regions associated with yield potential and stress-resilience in bread wheat.