Nutrition, health and food security

As staple foods, maize and wheat provide vital nutrients and health benefits, making up close to two-thirds of the world’s food energy intake, and contributing 55 to 70 percent of the total calories in the diets of people living in developing countries, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. CIMMYT scientists tackle food insecurity through improved nutrient-rich, high-yielding varieties and sustainable agronomic practices, ensuring that those who most depend on agriculture have enough to make a living and feed their families. The U.N. projects that the global population will increase to more than 9 billion people by 2050, which means that the successes and failures of wheat and maize farmers will continue to have a crucial impact on food security. Findings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which show heat waves could occur more often and mean global surface temperatures could rise by up to 5 degrees Celsius throughout the century, indicate that increasing yield alone will be insufficient to meet future demand for food.

Achieving widespread food and nutritional security for the world’s poorest people is more complex than simply boosting production. Biofortification of maize and wheat helps increase the vitamins and minerals in these key crops. CIMMYT helps families grow and eat provitamin A enriched maize, zinc-enhanced maize and wheat varieties, and quality protein maize. CIMMYT also works on improving food health and safety, by reducing mycotoxin levels in the global food chain. Mycotoxins are produced by fungi that colonize in food crops, and cause health problems or even death in humans or animals. Worldwide, CIMMYT helps train food processors to reduce fungal contamination in maize, and promotes affordable technologies and training to detect mycotoxins and reduce exposure.

Blogs

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Cary Fowler, U.S. special envoy for food security, warns of dire consequences if the international community fails to act to mitigate climate change impacts on agrifood systems. The CIMMYT 2030 Strategy holds the approach to respond and mitigate some of the worst effects of this looming crisis.

Features

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A village in the Indian state of Bihar boasts 100% zero-till technology adoption, helping improve agriculture production and climate change mitigation.

In the media

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity

CIMMYT highlights the value of neglected crops in Latin America through new methodologies and initiatives.

In the media

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Source: Mongabay (28 Aug 2023)

CIMMYT research, Prasanna Boddupalli, emphasise the importance of reorienting food production systems and agricultural policy across the Congo Basin.

Blogs

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

Supporting a gradual, step-wise adoption of conservation agriculture — along with livestock and residue management, use of new crops and improved varieties, and appropriate mechanization — appears promising.

tag icon Environmental health and biodiversity
Senior Research Associate
Blogs

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation

The Mexican government-supported research-for-rural development initiative MasAgro has raised maize and wheat yields and farm profitability while mitigating farmers’ risk and agriculture’s ecological and climate impacts.

Blogs

tag icon Climate adaptation and mitigation
In the media

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Source: The Star (19 Jul 2023)

Adding value to millets can be achieved through various ways, such as incorporating them into baking.

In the media

tag icon Capacity development

Source: Brazilian Farmers (21 Jul 2023)

Brazil, which ranks among the top wheat importers, is on track to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production with the succesful implementation of wheat strains from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).

In the media

tag icon Capacity development

Source: Dawn ()

CIMMYT efforts are moving Pakistan closer to its goal of improving food and nutrition security through wheat production, with the release of 31 wheat varieties since 2021.