Nearly 6 in ten of all maize varieties released in 18 African countries were related to the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). At the end of this period, in 2015, almost half of the maize areas in these countries grew CGIAR-related maize varieties. All that was accomplished through the modest, maximum yearly investment…
Africa urged to fast-track adoption of second-generation resistant maize varieties
By Joshua Masinde Scientists are calling for accelerated adoption of new hybrid maize varieties with resistance to maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease in sub-Saharan Africa. In combination with recommended integrated pest management practices, adopting these new varieties is an important step towards safeguarding smallholder farmers against this devastating viral disease. A new publication in Virus…
Farmers need seeds they can trust
By Joshua Masinde Seed companies play a crucial role in delivering improved seed varieties to smallholder farmers. Masindi Seed Company Limited, located in Uganda’s mid-western region, is one such enterprise. It traces its beginnings back to the Masindi District Farmers Association (MADFA) more than a decade ago. At the time, the association, which was…
Two decades on, Dr Stephen Mugo exits maize research
After long and distinguished service as a maize breeder and senior manager at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Stephen Mugo has retired from the organization. A Principal Scientist and Maize Breeder at CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program, Mugo also served as CIMMYT’s Country Representative for Kenya and CIMMYT’s Regional Representative for Africa. He…
Seeds of hope transforming lives in northern Uganda
By Joshua Masinde For two decades, most of the population in northern Uganda lived in internally displaced people’s camps and depended on food aid and other relief emergencies for their livelihoods due to the insurgency by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Over the past few years, Gulu, one of the affected districts, has been…
Kenya drought: agriculture experts urge governments to deploy climate-resilient seeds
Agriculture experts from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) have called for an intensive scale-up of climate-resilient seeds and climate-smart innovations, including drought-tolerant seeds and soil and water conservation practices in Eastern Africa. The call comes against rising drought impacts in Kenya and other parts of East Africa. In Kenya, farmers are eager…
Tech used to prevent spread of Zika and Ebola to tackle “forest fire” wheat rust epidemics
By Clifford Akumu The same device that helped control the Zika and Ebola viruses, could soon be used to tackle devastating wheat rust epidemics that are threatening global food security, thanks in part to a US$100k research grant awarded by the CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture. The “laptop lab” technology will be used…
CIMMYT to lead platform to modernize crop, livestock breeding for the developing world
BY Erick Akasa CGIAR and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) have jointly announced the launch of an alliance to accelerate crop improvement targeted at the developing world. According to Marianne Bänziger, CIMMYT’s deputy director general for research and partnerships and convener of the Initiative, recent advances in genomics, breeding and information technologies…
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