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.

News

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Nepal announces new fertilizer recommendations adapted to local soils for increased crop productivity, income generation, and efficient fertilizer use.

News

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Sorghum Conference brought together researchers, scientists and experts from around the world.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: The Guardian (10 Jul 2023)

Maíz Criollo Kantunil, a group of farmers and agro-ecologists, has successfully reintroduced three varieties of native maize using seeds supplied by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). 

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: Seed Today (5 Jul 2023)

Integrated management of organic and inorganic nitrogen sources in high- to low-yield cereal production could bring yearly savings in nitrogen fertilizer. “Spatially differentiated nitrogen supply is key in a global food-fertilizer price crisis.”

In the media

tag icon Capacity development

Source: Mexico Business News (29 Jun 2023)

In Mexico, there are different examples of regenerative agriculture projects led by international organizations, such as CIMMYT’s partnership agreement with NestlĂ© and Bimbo that have helped rural communities to improve their productive processes through regenerative farming practices.

Publications

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Improving the distribution and use of nitrogen fertilizer — skewed by price hikes and outdated subsidies — can raise maize, wheat, and rice production in Africa and South Asia, while saving on fertilizer and addressing both food security and climate crisis concerns, a new study finds.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: AgNews (19 Jun 2023)

CIMMYT, in collaboration with the ACRCP, widened the pool of resistance genes available to wheat breeders as part of a project phase to understand the interactions between rusts and their cereal hosts.

News

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

At the recent G20 MACS, CIMMYT endorsed joint agricultural research and innovative partnerships to address global challenges facing agrifood systems through a multi-crop and multi-disciplinary approach.

News

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Securing biological diversity is a key mission for both organizations.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: Smart Farmer Africa (16 May 2023)

Plant health experts met on May 12, International Day of Plant Health, to discuss and address the challenges facing plant health management capacity in the Global South.

Press releases

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

HeDWIC and FFAR awarded grants to five wheat research projects in 2022 to protect the crop from climate change and other threats.

News

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Delegates travelled to South Asia to witness the success of a collaboration which is combatting wheat blast disease in Bangladesh and for other wheat growing nations.

Features

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Drought-tolerant maize seed thrives in Zambia through partnerships with the private sector.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

Source: Kenya News Agency (17 Mar 2023)

How can plant health technologies be more widely adopted by smallholders in Kenya?

Projects

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity