ICRISAT and CIMMYT launch new climate-resilient crop initiative for farmers

Farming is getting tougher day by day. Climate change is presenting a massive challenge for dryland farmers with intense droughts, unpredictable precipitation and aggressive crop diseases. 

Fortunately, a powerful scientific collaboration is stepping up to rewrite the script completely. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and CIMMYT have joined hands, backed by a landmark funding grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. 

Together, they have launched a five-year initiative called Applying Modern Tools to Enhance Precision and Speed of Dryland Crops Breeding. The primary objective of this effort is to reduce the time taken to get climate-resilient, market-friendly crops into the hands of farmers across Eastern Africa and India.

The Tech, The Targets, and The Impact

• Target Crops: The initiative is starting with sorghum and groundnut as its initial proof-of-concept focus.
• The Big Goal: The team's goal is to shorten the rate of crop breeding by 2+ years and to double genetic gain rates.
• Tech Powerhouse: Transitions to the modern times with the aid of AI-driven technology such as predictive breeding, genomic selection and speed breeding.
• Massive Impact: Currently, more than two billion people rely on dryland agriculture for their livelihood. Safeguarding the food security and the livelihoods of millions of vulnerable families is very critical.

A Global Team Effort

This project is a huge international collaboration involving CGIAR centers, leading research institutes such as the University of Queensland and national research systems in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and India.

The project's team of experts is thrilled about the potential it holds for the future of agriculture. Dr. de Bang from the Novo Nordisk Foundation pointed out that converging cutting-edge data platforms with local expertise will bring real, tangible impact to actual farmers' fields.

ICRISAT's Director-General, Dr. Himanshu Pathak, highlighted that by using frontier science and AI, they are building a whole new generation of breeding systems. Adding to that momentum, Dr. Bram Govaerts from CIMMYT reminded us that no one institution can fix these interrelated climate challenges by itself; shared infrastructure and shared ambition are key. 

What's the Future?

This initiative by ICRISAT and CIMMYT is uniting leaders across borders to position Africa and South Asia as global leaders in agricultural resilience and prove that smart science can keep our food systems strong.

Tractor Gyan's Take

Tractor Gyan believe that taking AI and speed breeding to dryland agriculture completely changes the game for everyday farmers who deal with harsh climate adversity. Cutting crop development cycles by two entire years means tougher, drought-resistant seeds will reach your fields much faster, slashing seasonal risks and protecting your hard-earned yields.