Innovations
Working with smallholders to understand their needs and build on their knowledge, CIMMYT brings the right seeds and inputs to local markets, raises awareness of more productive cropping practices, and works to bring local mechanization and irrigation services based on conservation agriculture practices. CIMMYT helps scale up farmers’ own innovations, and embraces remote sensing, mobile phones and other information technology. These interventions are gender-inclusive, to ensure equitable impacts for all.
Fighting the fungi that destroy wheat
Innovations
Source: Dhaka Tribune (2 Mar 2019)
CIMMYT researchers propose long-term solutions to fighting wheat blast, including a diagnostic tool for wheat blast surveillance and a platform for open data and science to combat the fungus.
Policy forum in Mozambique recommends scaling sustainable agriculture practices
Capacity development
Unsustainable farming practices like monocropping are impacting soil health and reducing the productivity of farms.
Breaking Ground: Fernando H. Toledo researches new models of analysis under simulated scenarios
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Toledo’s research is multidisciplinary — it involves genetics and breeding knowledge, as well as statistics and computer science.
Precision planters boost maize yields in Pakistan
Innovations
In the northwestern province of Pakistan, CIMMYT is helping connect farmers with precision planters to support higher maize yields and incomes.
BISA and PAU awarded for collaborative work on residue management
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Joint team recognized for their work on rice residue management using the Super Straw Management System, or Super SMS.
Call for interest: Development trait prioritization as part of a sub-Saharan African crop variety replacement strategy
Innovations
The CGIAR Excellence in Breeding Platform (EiB) is looking to provide matching funding for two projects.
Call for nominees for the 2019 Maize Youth Innovators Awards – Africa
Capacity development
Open to young women and men below 35 years of age who are implementing innovations in African maize-based agri-food systems.
New publications: Role of Modelling in International Crop Research
Innovations
Resource-poor farmers worldwide stand to gain from developments in the field of crop modelling.
Seeds go digital
Innovations
Faster and better-quality certification, a game-changer for African farmers?
Breaking Ground: Breeder Marcela C. Andrade bolsters maize with hardiness from ancestral races
Innovations
Traits sought include better resilience under high temperatures, drought conditions or the attacks of rapidly-evolving crop diseases.
The itsy bitsy spider can make a big impact in agriculture
Environmental health and biodiversity
A new study explores how conservation agriculture in southern Africa supports spider populations and diversity, which could help mitigate pest damage.
Reducing high yield gaps with decision-support apps
Innovations
Trials of the Nutrient Expert app showed improved yields, fertilizer-use efficiency and increased profits for farmers.
International Maize Improvement Consortium for Africa ramps up seed innovations
Capacity development
CIMMYT launched the consortiumin May 2018, to better engage with a committed set of partners and to achieve enhanced maize yields in Africa.
Finding the story behind weeds
Innovations
Researchers use the Photovoice methodology to better understand weed management practices.
Cobs & Spikes podcast: Hello Tractor and agricultural innovation
Innovations
Dubbed the “Uber for the farm”, Hello Tractor’s app easily allows tractor owners to rent their machinery to farmers and to improve business and operations.