Redesigning crop varieties to win the race between climate change and food security

Kevin Pixley Jill Cairns Santiago Lopez-Ridaura Chris Ojiewo Baloua Nébié Godfrey Asea Biswanath Das Benoit Joseph Batieno Clare Mukankusi Sarah Hearne Kanwarpal Dhugga Sieglinde Snapp Ernesto Adair Zepeda Villarreal (2023)

Article

Crop Breeding Expert Survey CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CLIMATE CHANGE CROPPING SYSTEMS FOOD SECURITY CROPS

Innovative approaches to integrating gender into conventional maize breeding: lessons from the Seed Production Technology for Africa project

Rachel Voss Jill Cairns Michael Olsen Esnath Tatenda Hamadziripi (2023)

The integration of gender concerns in crop breeding programs aims to improve the suitability and appeal of new varieties to both women and men, in response to concerns about unequal adoption of improved seed. However, few conventional breeding programs have sought to center social inclusion concerns. This community case study documents efforts to integrate gender into the maize-focused Seed Production Technology for Africa (SPTA) project using innovation history analysis drawing on project documents and the authors’ experiences. These efforts included deliberate exploration of potential gendered impacts of project technologies and innovations in the project’s approach to variety evaluation, culminating in the use of decentralized on-farm trials using the tricot approach. Through this case study, we illustrate the power of active and respectful collaborations between breeders and social scientists, spurred by donor mandates to address gender and social inclusion. Gender integration in this case was further facilitated by open-minded project leaders and allocation of funding for gender research. SPTA proved to be fertile ground for experimentation and interdisciplinary collaboration around gender and maize breeding, and has provided proof of concept for larger breeding projects seeking to integrate gender considerations.

Article

Crop Breeding On-Farm Trials Tricot CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GENDER CROPS BREEDING ON-FARM RESEARCH SOCIAL INCLUSION CITIZEN SCIENCE MAIZE

Clonal diploid and autopolyploid breeding strategies to harness heterosis: insights from stochastic simulation

Marlee Labroo Jeffrey Endelman Dorcus Gemenet Christian Werner Robert Gaynor GIOVANNY COVARRUBIAS-PAZARAN (2023)

Article

Reciprocal Recurrent Selection Clonal Diploids CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA DIPLOIDY BREEDING HETEROSIS STOCHASTIC MODELS

Association of specific expansins with growth in maize leaves is maintained under environmental, genetic, and developmental sources of variation

Francois Tardieu (2007)

Article

Environmental Stimuli Expansins CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CELLS CROPS GENETIC ENGINEERING PROTEINS TISSUE EPIDERMIS ZEA MAYS

Mapping crop and livestock value chain actors in Mbire and Murehwa districts in Zimbabwe

Hambulo Ngoma Moti Jaleta Frédéric Baudron (2023)

We conducted a preliminary value chain actors mapping for major crops grown and livestock kept by smallholder farmers in Mbire and Murehwa districts of Zimbabwe. Accordingly, in this report we mapped value chain actors for 11 crops and livestock commodities: namely, sorghum, cotton, sesame, maize, groundnut, sweet-potato, vegetables (tomato and onion), cattle, goats, poultry, and honey/beekeeping. Except sesame from Mbire, most of the crop and livestock commodities are channeled to the main markets in Harare and Marondera for Murehwa. Sesame is smuggled to Mozambique and the market is mainly dependent on middlemen. The Grain Market Board (GMB) is the major actor in sorghum and maize marketing in both districts. Groundnut is sold to both rural and urban consumers after processing it to peanut butter locally within the production zones. Goats and cattle are mostly supplied to the Harare market by middlemen collecting these livestock from village markets and moving door-to-door to buy enough quantity to transport to Harare. Honey production and marketing is still at its initial stage through the support of HELP from Germany and the Zimbabwe Apiculture Trust projects. Long dry season is a challenge in honey production. The Pfumvudza program supported by the Presidential free input scheme helped in introducing and scaling conservation agriculture practices in Zimbabwe. Though there is strong integration of crop-livestock systems at both districts, the level of manure use is gradually decreasing because farmers receive chemical fertilizer support from the Pfumvudza program and applying manure to crop fields is labor-intensive. The input supply system is more competitive in Murehwa district where there are quite several input suppliers in town. The possible interventions that favor agroecological transitions are: (1) honey processing plants and supply of beehives to potential areas, (2) encouraging manure use in crop production, possibly linking it to the basins preparation requirement to be eligible for the presidential input subsidy scheme, (3) support the organic vegetable production initiatives and explore market segments in Harare paying premium prices for certified organic products, (4) Expedite payment systems in sorghum and maize marketing with GMB, and (5) sesame production with agroecologically friendly agronomy and improve markets.

Working paper

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA VALUE CHAINS CROPS LIVESTOCK SMALLHOLDERS SUPPLY CHAINS

Agroecology can promote climate change adaptation outcomes without compromising yield in smallholder systems

Sieglinde Snapp Yodit Kebede Eva Wollenberg (2023)

A critical question is whether agroecology can promote climate change mitigation and adaptation outcomes without compromising food security. We assessed the outcomes of smallholder agricultural systems and practices in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) against 35 mitigation, adaptation, and yield indicators by reviewing 50 articles with 77 cases of agroecological treatments relative to a baseline of conventional practices. Crop yields were higher for 63% of cases reporting yields. Crop diversity, income diversity, net income, reduced income variability, nutrient regulation, and reduced pest infestation, indicators of adaptative capacity, were associated with 70% or more of cases. Limited information on climate change mitigation, such as greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration impacts, was available. Overall, the evidence indicates that use of organic nutrient sources, diversifying systems with legumes and integrated pest management lead to climate change adaptation in multiple contexts. Landscape mosaics, biological control (e.g., enhancement of beneficial organisms) and field sanitation measures do not yet have sufficient evidence based on this review. Widespread adoption of agroecological practices and system transformations shows promise to contribute to climate change services and food security in LMICs. Gaps in adaptation and mitigation strategies and areas for policy and research interventions are finally discussed.

Article

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CLIMATE CHANGE CROPS FOOD SUPPLY GAS EMISSIONS GREENHOUSE GASES FARMING SYSTEMS AGROECOLOGY FOOD SECURITY LESS FAVOURED AREAS SMALLHOLDERS YIELDS NUTRIENTS BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL CARBON SEQUESTRATION LEGUMES

Establishment of heterotic groups for hybrid wheat breeding

Yunbi Xu (2022)

Article

Genomic Prediction CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CLIMATE CHANGE CROPS FORECASTING PLANTS COMBINING ABILITY HETEROSIS HETEROTIC GROUPS MALE INFERTILITY PLANT HEIGHT WHEAT

Highlight of CIMMYT East Africa maize product profile-3 (EA-PP3, highland)

Adefris Teklewold (2023)

Conference object

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA MAIZE BREEDING MARKET SEGMENTATION HYBRIDS GENETIC GAIN INBRED LINES

Breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses

Yoseph Beyene (2023)

Conference object

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA BREEDING BIOTIC STRESS ABIOTIC STRESS DROUGHT TOLERANCE DISEASE RESISTANCE PEST RESISTANCE

Genetic improvement of global wheat, including progress for enhancing insect resistance

Leonardo Abdiel Crespo Herrera (2022)

Conference object

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GENETIC IMPROVEMENT WHEAT BREEDING CLIMATE CHANGE DISEASE RESISTANCE YIELDS