The CGIAR Research Program on Maize (MAIZE) is an international collaboration led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) that seeks to mobilize global resources in maize research for development to achieve greater impact on maize-based farming systems.
In 2019, MAIZE made great advances in the development of improved, stress-tolerant maize varieties with enhanced genetic gain, and novel genetic diversity and tools. National partners released 82 unique CGIAR-derived maize varieties across Africa, Asia and Latin America. In addition to high yield, these varieties are stacked with multiple traits needed by smallholder farmers to protect their crops from drought and diseases. These MAIZE varieties also included nine nutritionally enriched varieties with improved protein quality, provitamin A, and high zinc.
MAIZE and partners have continued the battle against fall armyworm in Africa and Asia on several fronts, including stakeholder workshops and capacity development on integrated pest management, besides intensive research on developing maize varieties with native genetic resistance to the pest.
From research on value chains and improved nutrition to conservation agriculture and scale-appropriate mechanization, MAIZE in 2019 continued to focus on sustainable intensification of maize-based cropping systems in Latin America, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, where maize plays a critical role in the food and nutritional security and livelihoods of millions of resource-constrained consumers.
The CGIAR Research Program on Maize (MAIZE) receives Windows 1 & 2 support from the governments of Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the World Bank.
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On September 24, 2013, the newly formed United Nations (UN) High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development held its first meeting. At the Rio+20 Conference, Member States also agreed to launch a process to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were to build upon the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that were established in 2000 and expired in 2015.
Of the 17 individual goals, 10 relate directly to CGIAR activities and to CIMMYT’s mandate. The SDGs have set the pathway for the next 15 years of agricultural, social, and economic development. Likewise, CGIAR has transformed its approach to ensure that its work aligns with the ambitious goals.
CIMMYT, through its research for development activities, is working toward a world free of poverty, hunger, and environmental degradation. CIMMYT and CGIAR efforts help bring the world closer to reaching the goals, such as the empowerment of women, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and the improvement of health and nutrition for the world’s poorest people.
CIMMYT’s work contributes to the following SDGs:
CIMMYT — the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center — is the global leader in publicly-funded maize and wheat research and related farming systems. Headquartered near Mexico City, CIMMYT works with hundreds of partners throughout the developing world to sustainably increase the productivity of maize and wheat cropping systems, thus improving global food security and reducing poverty. CIMMYT is a member of the CGIAR System and leads the CGIAR Research Programs on Maize and Wheat and the Excellence in Breeding Platform. The Center receives support from national governments, foundations, development banks and other public and private agencies.
For more information, visit www.cimmyt.org.