The commercial potential for wheat in Africa

•

1 like•390 views

The document discusses the commercial potential for wheat in Africa. It notes that Africa's wheat import bill was US$12.5 billion in 2010 and that the urban population is projected to increase 300% by 2050, representing a growing market for wheat. It outlines a public-private partnership initiative between Africa Harvest, KARI, and WWW to develop a robust wheat value chain on the continent to address hunger, poverty, and malnutrition. The initiative aims to increase wheat productivity through the introduction of new varieties and a participatory approach involving smallholder farmers, processors, research institutions, and other stakeholders.

THE COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL FOR WHEAT IN AFRICA.
Trade
US$ 12.5 Billion – Africa ‘s
wheat Import bill in 2010=
Market
Opportunity: Urban population
ECONOMIC GROWTH
increase by 300% by 2050.
INTRA REGIONAL TRADE (Private Sector)
Changing dietary habits
= Growing potential market
(wheat is fastest-growing crop in Africa)

Processors & Farmers
working in partnership
Seed Systems: working directly with
Employment creation, Value addition, Mechanization,
Investment.
Government Agencies & NGO’s
Germplasm diversity, technology transfer, Research :
NARS, CG Centers & Private sector a critical success
factor; Provide leadership, influence Policy environment
to foster innovation and speed in commercialization.

Smallholder Farmers & Cooperatives
Sustainable Business Models, inclusive financing,
Gender mainstreaming, Extension, information.

Increasing productivity with introduction of New Genetics
Current production 2.3t/ha (FAO Stats_2012)
Global average 3t/ha
Potential = 6t/ha = CAPACITY BUILDING (Donor, Community, Philanthropists, NGOs)

WHEAT FOR AFRICA.
“A robust Wheat Value chain to address Hunger, Poverty and Malnutrition in Africa.”
( A “Public- Private- Partnership” Initiative by Africa Harvest, KARI & WWW)

CHALLENGES BENEFITS
Growing demand for wheat 2-5 years to deliver improved
(changes in diets and urban varieties to farmers using a
population growth-300% by 2050 ) participative approach.

Limited variability to match Robust varieties in use 5-7years
changing tastes and preferences sooner than conventional breeding
(end consumers) methods

Limited Market pull – varieties Higher yielding wheat varieties
and characteristics (Processors) (between 10-50%).

Lengthy Breeding systems Market centric approach –
(10-12 years) Processors and end consumers’
preferences.
Limited and usually ignored participation
by Smallholder farmers. Whole Value chain approach
with active participation by small
Market Involvement & commercialization. holder farmers.

Commercialization focus for a
robust, scalable and sustainable
Wheat Value chain in Africa.

New Opportunities and technical
skills for farmers.

For more information please contact: kenya@africaharvest.org or kirk@worldwidewheat.org

Wheat production in Uganda faces many challenges including poor production technologies, low yielding varieties, high labor requirements, climate variability, ecosystem degradation, competing land uses, emerging pests and diseases, weeds, and issues around water availability, greenhouse gas emissions, and changing social habits. However, prospects for wheat production include renewed interest from farmers, conducive climate, higher demand than supply, guaranteed prices, introduction of improved technologies, supportive policies, and potential for increased urbanization and wheat product consumption. The way forward involves providing market incentives, developing marginal lands, disseminating adapted high-yielding varieties, and exploiting the region's skilled labor force.

Currency sanitizer

rubiradioactivity

Multictry idrc-surabhi-1

CIMMYT

This document summarizes issues related to Indian agricultural growth, including productivity, institutions, and domestic policies. It notes that agricultural output growth is highly volatile despite a high population concentration in agriculture and declining contribution to GDP. Productivity trends show technological gains from early years have been exhausted. Key institutions like land tenure systems and access to credit and insurance are constraints. Government agricultural policies focus too much on short-term subsidies rather than long-term investments. Overall questions are raised about whether India has the technologies, policies, and economic environment to motivate increased agricultural productivity and growth.

23 07 2010

hkotak_13

Wheat future prices increased by more than Rs 5 per quintal as the central government is expected to impose import duties on wheat within the next 7-10 days. The government is considering this move due to comfortable food grain reserves and stocks that are more than double required buffer norms. Wheat prices were also supported by increases in prices of other feed items like barley and maize. As a result, wheat futures on the NCDEX rose to Rs 1258 per quintal after reaching an intraday high of Rs 1261.50 per quintal.

Import and export wheat

Sanjay Patni

Commodities - COMMODITY AND TRADE ISSUES

Milling and Grain magazine

Exim trade the grubstakers wheat

Jyotin Bhatt

Instrument Of Trade Policy(M)

historica vision edu. pvt. ltd.

The document discusses various trade policy instruments and their economic effects. It analyzes how tariffs, export subsidies, import quotas, and voluntary export restraints impact prices and trade volumes in importing and exporting countries. Tariffs reduce trade volume but generate government revenue, while quotas and export restraints reduce welfare by conferring quota rents on foreign producers. Local content rules pass higher costs onto domestic consumers.

The document discusses various barriers to international trade, including transportation costs, policy barriers like tariffs and non-tariff barriers, and internal trade costs. It also examines the motivations for countries adopting protectionist policies, such as responding to dumping or trade deficits, protecting domestic employment, and protecting strategic industries. Finally, it outlines some arguments against protectionism, noting the risks of retaliation, market distortion effects like higher consumer prices and costs for exporters.

Wheat

Nishit Mehta

Wheat is a major crop in India, grown on 267 lakh hectares and producing 721 lakh tonnes annually. The top wheat producing states are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh, contributing over 99% of India's wheat. When India gained independence in 1947, wheat production was only 6.46 million tonnes due to low-yielding varieties and lack of modern farming techniques. The government launched programs to promote high-yielding varieties and improve productivity, making India now self-sufficient in wheat production.

Wheat Presentation

kmaxwell1

Wheat is the top crop grown in Kansas and the most important export crop in the United States, being used to make many foods including bread, pasta, cereal, and more. Wheat is crucial to Kansas's economy as the leading wheat producer nationwide, with farmers planting, harvesting, and selling wheat to grain elevators and flour mills. Kansas produces enough wheat annually to bake enough bread to feed the world's population for two weeks.

Exim policy of india.

Ulsah T N

The document summarizes India's Export Import policy. It aims to establish a framework for globalization and promote competitiveness of Indian industry. The policy provides various incentives to support market diversification, technological upgrades, status holders in exports, agriculture/handicrafts/handlooms, gems/jewelry, leather/footwear, and other sectors. It also aims to promote exports from India's northeast region. Key initiatives include expanding focus market and product schemes, zero duty EPCG imports, import entitlements for inputs, and higher incentives for marine and green products.

Ppt on condition of fartmers in india

Aaryendr

This document discusses the state of farmers in India. It notes that while farmers provide food for India's large population, most farmers are poor due to various challenges like unreliable monsoons, exploitation, lack of technology, education, and small land sizes. However, it states that conditions may improve over time as farmers become more educated and gain access to new technologies with government support and better financing.

Farmer's Suicide in India

Abhinav Anand

Farmers' suicides are a major problem in India. Some key points: - Indebtedness is the main reason for 93% of farmer suicides. High interest rates from money lenders and crop failures lead to mounting debts. - Other major causes include lack of irrigation, unpredictable monsoons, rising input costs, and social issues like dowry for daughters. - On average, 38 Indian farmers commit suicide every day - one every 30 minutes. Suicides have ripple effects on families and communities. - To prevent further suicides, long term solutions are needed like income guarantees, crop insurance, access to credit, and promoting sustainable agriculture practices. The government must address the root

Customs duty ppt

Babasab Patil

The document discusses customs duties in India. It outlines that [1] customs duties are levied on imports and exports according to the Customs Act of 1962 and Customs Tariff Act of 1975, [2] basic customs duty is charged on all imported goods at rates specified in the Customs Tariff Act, and [3] additional duties include an additional countervailing duty equal to internal excise duties and an education cess.

ANIS2012 workshop_e_agriculture-cross sectoral collaboration for social impact

ngoinnovation

The document discusses Grameen-Intel's eAgro initiative, which uses an ICT-enabled platform and social entrepreneurship model to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. The initiative addresses farmers' lack of access to inputs, knowledge, financing and markets. It trains local entrepreneurs to collect farm data via software and connect farmers to suppliers, advisors, markets and other services. Early results show increased incomes for farmers and entrepreneurs. The model has potential for replication to benefit farmers, stakeholders and rural communities worldwide.

Agrobalance

Rebecca Obounou

The document proposes a two-step approach to increase agricultural productivity and financial inclusion for small farmers in India. Step 1 involves introducing supply chain efficiencies through an ICT platform to de-risk farmers. Step 2 enables farmers' access to affordable capital by providing tools to financial institutions to assess and mitigate risks of lending to farmers. A bundled business model integrates steps 1 and 2 by licensing the ICT tools and providing financial services. The goal is to empower 500,000 small farming households in India with markets, technology and capital by 2016.

MARKET LED AGRICULTURE

ajamale7

The document discusses market led agriculture, including its evolution, key concepts, dimensions, institutions, issues and policies. It provides an introduction to market led agriculture and how the focus has shifted from production-led agriculture to making farmers producers and sellers. It outlines the objectives and roles of extension workers in market led agriculture. It also discusses some of the key institutions, issues around quality standards, infrastructure and information gaps, and different government policy initiatives and future directions.

Rural agricultural financing

ABRAHAM SARFO

This document discusses strategies for improving access to financial services for agricultural value chains in Africa. It notes that while over 60% of Africa's population lives rurally and engages in agriculture, the agricultural sector lacks large-scale investment and access to financing. The document outlines challenges like risk, lack of infrastructure and weak market structures that impede agricultural financing. It then discusses various innovations and tools for managing risk and financing along commodity value chains, including microfinance, value chain financing, futures markets, warehouse receipts and using movable assets as collateral. The goal is to develop sustainable and holistic solutions that link smallholder farmers to markets and financial services.

GSMA mAgri: Agricultural Value Added Services (Agri VAS): Market Entry Toolkit

GSMA Mobile for Development

This document explores the opportunities for Agricultural VAS* and covers emerging best practice on marketing, service design and business modelling. It is primarily addressed to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), other service providers, and agricultural organisations who are looking to partner and launch Agri VAS. [*Agricultural Value Added Services (Agri VAS) form part of the Rural VAS portfolio for mobile network operators and VAS providers.]

Managing agricultural commercialization for inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan A...

Agri Policy

For Sub-Saharan Africa, transforming small-scale farming into viable commercial farming is central to reducing poverty and increasing growth. The challenges to achieving this transformation are too great for smallholder farmers to overcome alone. Yet policies to increase access to lucrative markets often overlook this fact. This briefing, based on an extensive review of current approaches, summarizes the barriers to access for smallholder farmers and suggests strategies for future success. http://digital.agripolicyoutreach.org/54552/Managing-agricultural-commercialization-for-inclusive-growth-in-Sub-Saharan-Africa/Policy-Brief

Producer Organisations and value chains

Pier Paolo Ficarelli

This document discusses producer organizations and collective action in agriculture. It covers the history of cooperation among smallholder farmers and the different forms it has taken over time. Some key challenges discussed include asymmetric market power relationships, unequal access to resources, and the failure of public extension services. The document also examines opportunities for strengthening producer organizations through alliances with private sector buyers and participation in value chains. It emphasizes that organization is key for small producers to engage with formal markets. Lastly, it outlines lessons learned and conditions needed for sustainable small producer organizations.

Mobile Apps in Small Scale Agriculture - Matthew de Gale

SAFIPA

The document discusses several mobile apps being developed and used in small scale agriculture in Africa to address issues like lack of access to market information, poor livestock recording, and inefficient agro-dealers. It provides details on apps being implemented by partners in Kenya and Zambia to provide services like peer-to-peer market data, community livestock records, and agro-input management that have led to benefits like increased farmer incomes and reduced costs. Critical factors for the success and scaling of these mobile agriculture solutions are also examined.

Presentation scm itc e-choupal final (1)

Vandana Kumari

The document discusses India's agriculture sector and ITC's e-Choupal initiative. Some key points: - Agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, contributing 26% to GDP. However, the sector faces issues like fragmented land holdings and lack of infrastructure. - ITC launched e-Choupal in 2000 to address these issues. It is a virtual marketplace that allows farmers to sell directly to buyers. Over 4 million farmers in 40,000 villages benefit. - E-Choupal's success is due to its business model that combines services like weather forecasts and market prices with an effective procurement system. It reduces costs for farmers and increases their incomes.

Business plan presentation v4 generic july2010

Venkata Subramanian

Access Development Services

hitheshsonu

The document discusses setting up rural business hubs in northeast India to improve agricultural value chains. It analyzes the potential for hubs focused on ginger, turmeric, passion fruit and pineapple based on production levels. Key constraints include lack of infrastructure, financing, training and market linkages. The report recommends a resource agency to coordinate stakeholders, organizing producers, developing business plans, and attracting private investments to set up processing facilities and establish sustainable markets. Rural business hubs could boost incomes, employment and environmental sustainability for farmers in the northeast.

Public-Private Dialogue

cafein-online

This document discusses public-private dialogue (PPD) mechanisms. PPDs are structured mechanisms involving balanced public and private sector participation to identify, prioritize, and implement competitiveness reforms. They provide benefits like helping prioritize reforms, reducing red tape, and ensuring all voices are heard. Evaluations show PPDs have led to over 400 reforms across 50 areas, with estimated private sector savings of $500 million. PPDs are a cost-effective way to drive development.

ICT with Apple Service Project

Utpal Chandra

This document summarizes an initiative in India called the Apple Service Project that aims to economically empower small and marginal apple farmers through partnerships between farmer groups and private investors. The project is led by a consortium using ICT to connect farmers, collection centers, and offices. Farmers are organized into trusts that jointly own businesses handling apple processing, storage, and marketing. ICT is used to disseminate agricultural information, manage inventories, and determine fair prices. Several collection centers have been established. While preliminary results are promising, challenges remain in reliably delivering ICT services to remote mountain villages with poor infrastructure.

Global poverty and food security challenges: The equity pillar

ILRI

Calvin Miller Microcredit and Crop Agriculture

Microcredit Summit Campaign

This document discusses approaches to addressing food insecurity among the poor through microcredit and improved agriculture. It notes that most of the world's poor live in rural areas and rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. New business models and financial products are needed to help small farmers compete in expanding agricultural markets. Microfinance institutions can play a role by providing specialized loans, insurance, and other services tailored to farmers' needs. The use of technologies like mobile phones and innovations in farmer groups can also help reduce costs and improve access to finance for rural agriculture.

Viewers also liked

Protectionism

tutor2u

Wheat

Nishit Mehta

Wheat Presentation

kmaxwell1

Exim policy of india.

Ulsah T N

Ppt on condition of fartmers in india

Aaryendr

Farmer's Suicide in India

Abhinav Anand

Customs duty ppt

Babasab Patil

Viewers also liked (7)

Protectionism

Wheat

Wheat Presentation

Exim policy of india.

Ppt on condition of fartmers in india

Farmer's Suicide in India

Customs duty ppt

Similar to The commercial potential for wheat in Africa

ANIS2012 workshop_e_agriculture-cross sectoral collaboration for social impact

ngoinnovation

Agrobalance

Rebecca Obounou

MARKET LED AGRICULTURE

ajamale7

Rural agricultural financing

ABRAHAM SARFO

GSMA mAgri: Agricultural Value Added Services (Agri VAS): Market Entry Toolkit

GSMA Mobile for Development

Managing agricultural commercialization for inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan A...

Agri Policy

Producer Organisations and value chains

Pier Paolo Ficarelli

Mobile Apps in Small Scale Agriculture - Matthew de Gale

SAFIPA

Presentation scm itc e-choupal final (1)

Vandana Kumari

Business plan presentation v4 generic july2010

Venkata Subramanian

Access Development Services

hitheshsonu

Public-Private Dialogue

cafein-online

ICT with Apple Service Project

Utpal Chandra

Global poverty and food security challenges: The equity pillar

ILRI

Calvin Miller Microcredit and Crop Agriculture

Microcredit Summit Campaign

Update on fish value chain development in Egypt

ILRI

Microcredit and Crop Agriculture_Calvin Miller

Microcredit Summit Campaign

This document discusses approaches to addressing food insecurity and rural poverty through microcredit and improved agriculture. It notes that most of the world's poor live in rural areas dependent on agriculture. New business models are needed to make agriculture more competitive and profitable for small farmers. Microfinance institutions can help by providing diverse financial products tailored to farmers and other actors in agricultural value chains. Innovations like mobile phones and improved farmer organizations can also help reduce costs and risks. Partnerships across sectors are important to provide both financial and technical support to small farmers.

Marketing Strategy for ITC Ltd.

Tarun Shukla

The product category of the project is ‘Wheat Atta’. The project defines the various segmentation variables, identifies the target market, and the positioning of the product. The project analyses the existing micro and the macro environment, SWAT and market for the product category. Further the project analyses the various marketing elements: product, place, packaging, pricing and promotion strategies for the product.

HMUZOORA-Brandeis-FINAL-HANS -CAPSTONE_Presentation-Brandeis

HANS MUZOORA

The document summarizes a case study of the Competitiveness of the African Cotton Initiative (COMPACI) /Cotton Made in Africa (CMiA) program implemented by Cargill Cotton Zambia to improve the livelihoods of rural small-scale cotton farmers through innovative extension services. Some key points: - COMPACI/CMiA adopted a demand-driven, market-oriented extension approach using farmer field schools and input credit to increase yields, quality, and incomes for over 26,000 cotton farmers in Zambia. - Successes included higher yields, increased incomes, women's empowerment, and community development projects. Challenges included high input costs, price

Agrobalance (206)

Rebecca Obounou

The document proposes a two-step approach to unleash agricultural productivity in India by enabling 500,000 small farmers to access markets and affordable capital totaling $200 million by 2016. Step 1 aims to de-risk farmers by introducing supply chain efficiencies using an ICT platform. Step 2 would develop tools to help banks and MFIs lend to farmers at lower costs. A bundled solution is proposed that combines steps 1 and 2 to benefit farmers through increased incomes, financial institutions through new customers and lower costs, and address India's large financing gap in agriculture. An 18-month implementation plan and $1.3 million funding need is outlined.

Similar to The commercial potential for wheat in Africa (20)

ANIS2012 workshop_e_agriculture-cross sectoral collaboration for social impact

Agrobalance

MARKET LED AGRICULTURE

Rural agricultural financing

GSMA mAgri: Agricultural Value Added Services (Agri VAS): Market Entry Toolkit

Managing agricultural commercialization for inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan A...

Producer Organisations and value chains

Mobile Apps in Small Scale Agriculture - Matthew de Gale

Presentation scm itc e-choupal final (1)

Business plan presentation v4 generic july2010

Access Development Services

Public-Private Dialogue

ICT with Apple Service Project

Global poverty and food security challenges: The equity pillar

Calvin Miller Microcredit and Crop Agriculture

Update on fish value chain development in Egypt

Microcredit and Crop Agriculture_Calvin Miller

Marketing Strategy for ITC Ltd.

HMUZOORA-Brandeis-FINAL-HANS -CAPSTONE_Presentation-Brandeis

Agrobalance (206)

More from CIMMYT

What do women and men farmers want in their maize varieties

CIMMYT

Women farmers in Eastern Africa have different preferences than male farmers for traits in maize varieties. The document analyzes data from choice experiments conducted in Kenya to determine willingness to pay for various traits. Key findings include: Women do not prefer large grain size as much as men and value traits like storability and drought tolerance more. When socioeconomic factors are controlled for, men have a higher willingness to pay for closed tip ears. Women value drought tolerance and resistance to the striga weed twice as much as men. Men's willingness to pay for low nitrogen tolerance was much higher than women's. The top preferred traits overall were storability, drought tolerance, striga resistance, and lodging resistance.

Transforming Maize-legume Value Chains –A Business Case for Climate-Smart Ag...

CIMMYT

Maize for Asian tropics: Chasing the moving target

CIMMYT

This document discusses challenges and opportunities for maize research and development in the Asian tropics. It notes the highly variable climate conditions maize faces, including drought, heat stress, excess moisture, and more frequent weather extremes due to climate change. It emphasizes the need for stress-resilient maize varieties and agronomic practices that can protect yields under both optimal and stressful conditions. The document outlines CIMMYT's efforts in stress-resilient maize breeding using new tools like high-throughput phenotyping, genomics, and doubled haploid technology integrated with conventional breeding methods. Close partnerships with various Asian countries and donors are highlighted as important for making progress on this "moving target" of maize improvement for the

Tropical maize genome: what do we know so far and how to use that information

CIMMYT

The document discusses tropical maize genomics, outlining what is currently known about tropical maize genomes from projects like the maize HapMaps. It describes how genomic information can be used to unlock genetic variation in tropical maize germplasm and drive molecular breeding efforts through approaches like genome-wide association studies, marker-assisted selection, and the development of multiple panels of SNP markers. The document also explores how plant breeding will increasingly be driven by big data and artificial intelligence.

Social inclusion of young people and site-specific nutrient management (SSNM)...

CIMMYT

The document outlines the agenda for the 13th Asian Maize Conference held in Ludhiana, Punjab, India from 8-10 October 2018. It discusses maize production trends globally and in key countries like China, USA, and Brazil. It also summarizes maize production in Nepal, highlighting challenges like low productivity. The author presents results from an experiment comparing Nutrient Expert recommendations to farmer practices, finding a significant yield increase using the former approach. The conclusion is that Nutrient Expert can help address efficient nutrient management and increase yields and profits for farmers.

Identification of quantitative trait loci for resistance to shoot fly in maize

CIMMYT

This document discusses a study that identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to shoot fly in maize. The researchers studied two maize inbred lines, CM143 and CM144, and their F2:3 progenies. They measured traits related to shoot fly resistance, such as egg count, leaf injury, and dead heart percentage, in the parents and progenies over time. Phenotypic correlations between traits were calculated. The progenies were genotyped using SSR markers and a genetic linkage map was constructed. QTL analysis identified several QTL associated with traits like leaf width, length, area, injury, and stem girth on different chromosomes. The QTL explained phenotypic variances ranging from 7-

The development of two sweet corn populations resistance to northern corn lea...

CIMMYT

Outbreak of Fusarium ear rot on Maize in Thailand

CIMMYT

This study identified Fusarium verticillioides as the main causal agent of ear rot in maize in Thailand. Over two growing seasons, the fungus was isolated from fields in six locations, where disease incidence and severity varied. Sixty inbred maize lines were evaluated for resistance to F. verticillioides under artificial inoculation. Lines Ki30, Ki45 and Ki59 showed the lowest disease severity scores. Additionally, 20 pre-commercial and 3 commercial maize hybrids were evaluated for natural infection in field trials across locations. Variation in disease incidence and severity was observed among hybrids and locations.

Next Generation Phenotyping Technologies in Breeding for Abiotic Stress Toler...

CIMMYT

Marker-assisted introgression of waxy1 gene into elite inbreds for enhancemen...

CIMMYT

Comparative Analysis of Biochemical & Physiological Responses of Maize Genoty...

CIMMYT

This study compared the biochemical and physiological responses of six maize genotypes under waterlogging stress conditions. The genotypes differed in their canopy cover, chlorophyll content, membrane damage, and antioxidant enzyme activity when exposed to waterlogging over six days. CML 54 x CML 487, BIL 219 and CML 487 showed the best performance under stress, with higher antioxidant enzyme activities and less membrane damage and chlorophyll loss. CML 54 and CML 486 were the most susceptible. The tolerant genotypes will be targets for future breeding programs to develop waterlogging tolerance in maize.

Maize intensification in major production regions of the world

CIMMYT

Genomic and enabling technologies in maize breeding for enhanced genetic gain...

CIMMYT

Defense Response boost Through Cu-chitosan Nanoparticles and Plant Growth enh...

CIMMYT

Institutional and Policy Innovations for Food and Nutrition Security in Asia ...

CIMMYT

New agricultural technologies and gender dynamics at house holds in rural Ba...

CIMMYT

Effects of QPM and PVA maize on chicken

CIMMYT

Seeds of Discovery

CIMMYT

1. CIMMYT genotyped its entire maize germplasm bank collection of 28,000 accessions to better understand genetic diversity and identify alleles of breeding value. 2. Genomic and environmental data is being used to conduct genome-wide association studies and environmental GWAS to find genetic variations associated with traits like drought tolerance. 3. Selected accessions are undergoing pre-breeding to transfer useful alleles to elite lines and develop populations with improved stress resistance and other traits for breeders. 4. Products like catalogues of tolerant accessions are being made available to breeders, researchers, and genebanks to facilitate use of genetic resources.

Soil and nitrogen management in maize

CIMMYT

This document summarizes the objectives and methodology of a study evaluating the effects of char, a byproduct of coal burning, in nitrogen management of maize soils in a semi-arid region. The study aims to: 1) Measure nitrogen losses from loam and sandy loam soils amended with various rates of char, 2) Evaluate the effect of char on maize fertilized with urea and manure in fields, and 3) Test sensors to estimate maize nitrogen status throughout growth stages. The results are expected to optimize nitrogen fertilizer use, increase nitrogen use efficiency and maize yields, and provide a tool to help small-holder farmers.

Technologies to drive maize yield improvement

CIMMYT

This document discusses technologies and strategies being used by Corteva Agriscience to improve maize yields. It highlights advanced phenotyping systems using drones and satellite imagery, genomic research including reference genomes, and the use of gene editing including CRISPR-Cas9 to develop new varieties with improved traits like disease resistance and drought tolerance. The first example product mentioned is a waxy corn variety developed using CRISPR-Cas9 that is expected to launch commercially in 2020.

More from CIMMYT (20)