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.
Big data for development research
Both private and public sector research organizations must adopt data management strategies that keep up with the advent of big data if we hope to effectively and accurately conduct research.
Yield gap analysis key to meeting future crop demand
The Global Yield Gap Atlas (GYGA) can help identify where major crop yields are not increasing fast enough to meet demand on existing farmland, and how farmers might close those gaps.
CIMMYT delegation meets with Turkey’s Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock
Drought-tolerant maize to the rescue as hunger threatens 1.5 million in Zimbabwe
CIMMYT and its partners are working to increase the productivity of maize-based farming systems to ensure food security and increase incomes.
CIMMYT wheat breeder Ravi Singh wins China’s Friendship Award
Gains in China’s agricultural productivity over the past 30 years are due in large measure to smallholder farmers who have readily adopted innovative farming practices.
Transforming maize farming failures to successes in Kenya’s drylands
KDV4 is one of the DT varieties sold in Kenya’s eastern drylands alongside other improved varieties, developed by CIMMYT.
New cookbook features your favorite maize and wheat recipes
Crowd-sourced “A Grain a Day” cookbook released to coincide with World Food Day highlights significant role maize and wheat play in the human diet.
SADC ambassadors hear how CIMMYT-SARO is helping to achieve regional food security
CIMMYT seed system specialist presents achievements in southern Africa food security to regional ambassadors in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Book celebrates maize “secret scientists” on International Day of Rural Women
Rural women play a critical role in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.