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.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: World Grain (27 Aug 2020)

Experts from around the world will meet to discuss the most pressing challenges facing global wheat security.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: The Standard (16 Aug 2020)

Kenya Seed Company worked with CIMMYT to develop a maize lethal necrosis-tolerant hybrid.

Publications

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

A new policy brief provides a roadmap for accelerating the adoption of conservation agriculture in Eastern India.

Blogs

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

The “learning by doing” concept helps farmers in Zimbabwe successfully adopt sustainable agriculture principles.

Features

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Interest in farm machinery and crop diversification spike as farmers respond to COVID-19 labor shortages.

Features

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Initiative in Zimbabwe pursues holistic and multi-faceted approach to support climate resilience and increase yields.

Features

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

The use of corn husk as veneer has helped a town to preserve maize biodiversity, protect the environment and reduce migration.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: Donne del Food (31 May 2020)

B.M. Prasanna, director of CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program and the CGIAR Research Program on Maize, discusses the viral disease maize lethal necrosis.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: Seed Quest (27 May 2020)

Nepal Agricultural Research Council and CIMMYT scientists suspect new races of stripe and leaf rust in the Nepal hills and terai in the recent 2020 wheat season.

In the media

tag icon Capacity development

Source: The Manila Times (26 May 2020)

Mexican designer Fernando Laposse partnered with CIMMYT and works with a village of Mixtec farmers to transform unused maize husks into furniture.

Videos

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Maize and wheat seeds from all over the world are preserved at the CIMMYT genebank, used to bring new varieties to farmers, and backed up at the Global Seed Vault.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: PR Newswire (18 May 2020)

CIMMYT contributed to rapid assessment and registration of biological control for fall armyworm.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: Fortune (18 Apr 2020)

Biodiversity loss poses dangers for the robustness of the environment, the safety of our food supply chain and potential exposure to pandemics.

In the media

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Source: The Wire (14 Apr 2020)

Biodiversity loss creates new opportunities for pathogens to move from one species to another.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: Plantopia (9 Apr 2020)

CIMMYT senior scientist Dave Hodson discusses striking parallels between wheat rust and global human epidemics on new podcast.