Latest Updates

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  Ten years later: CIMMYT facilities in East Africa continue to make a difference

  A decade of maize impact, celebrating 10 years of success with CIMMYT's maize DH and MLN screening facilities. By John BakumNovember 30, 2023 CIMMYT and partners in Kenya recently marked the 10th anniversary of two major facilities that have been crucial for maize breeding in sub-Saharan Africa. The Maize Doubled-Haploid (DH) facility and the Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) screening facility at the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) centers in Naivasha and Kiboko, respectively, have made immense contributions to the rapid development of higher-yielding, climate-resilient and disease-resistant maize varieties for smallholder farmers across the continent. An aerial photo of the Naivasha Research Center. (Photo: CIMMYT) “These two facilities have been instrumental in furthering KALRO’s mission to utilize technology in the service of Kenya’s smallholder farmers,” said KALRO Director General/CEO, Eliud Kireger. “They also exhibit the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that is necessary for us to meet all the challenges to our food systems.” “Deploying ...

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  Screening cycle for deadly MLN virus set to begin in Kenya during October, 2023

  By Dr. Suresh, L.M.:  The maize lethal necrosis (MLN) artificial inoculation screening site in Naivasha, Kenya will begin its next phenotyping (screening/ indexing) cycle 2023 at the beginning of October 2023, interested organizations from both the private and public sectors are invited to send maize germplasm for screening.   In 2013, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) jointly established the MLN screening facility at the KALRO Naivasha research station in Kenya’s Rift Valley with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. MLN was first discovered in Kenya in 2011 and quickly spread to other parts of eastern Africa; the disease causes premature plant death and unfilled, poorly formed maize cobs, and can lead to up to 100 percent yield loss in farmers’ fields. CIMMYT and its partners are dedicated to stopping the spread of this deadly maize disease by effectively managing the risk of MLN ...

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  Screening cycle for deadly MLN virus set to begin in Kenya during April, 2023

  By Dr. Suresh, L.M.:  The maize lethal necrosis (MLN) artificial inoculation screening site in Naivasha, Kenya will begin its next phenotyping (screening/ indexing) cycle 2023 at the beginning of April 2023, interested organizations from both the private and public sectors are invited to send maize germplasm for screening. In 2013, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) jointly established the MLN screening facility at the KALRO Naivasha research station in Kenya’s Rift Valley with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. MLN was first discovered in Kenya in 2011 and quickly spread to other parts of eastern Africa; the disease causes premature plant death and unfilled, poorly formed maize cobs, and can lead to up to 100 percent yield loss in farmers’ fields. CIMMYT and its partners are dedicated to stopping the spread of this deadly maize disease by ...

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  African Researchers Team Up To Control Pests And Diseases

  By Wangari Ndirangu (11th Nov 2022): Scientists from the East and South African region have mooted a collaborative approach to contain the challenges posed by pests and diseases in food production. The experts who are working on an Integrated Pest and Disease Management packages to address the recent invasion of Fall Army Worms (FAW) menace called on the need to develop and scale up proper technologies to assist farmers avert losses. Scientists from the East and South African region during a workshop at the World Agroforestry Centre on Maize Integrated Pest and Disease Management packages. The Scientists under the Plant Health Initiative have been working on eco-friendly pest management technology to tame the spread of fall armyworm such as combined approaches like the use of resistant varieties, bio pesticides and related biological control methods that are affordable and environmentally friendly. Speaking during a workshop on maize Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM), Dr. ...

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  AGG-Maize project registers impressive progress

  Achievements and next steps discussed at the review meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. October 4, 2022 Participants of the AGG Maize Mid-Term Review and Planning Meeting at CIMMYT’s Maize Lethal Necrosis Screening Facility in Naivasha, Kenya. (Photo: Dokta Jonte Photography) By Susan Otieno: The Accelerating Genetic Gains in Maize and Wheat (AGG) Project, which is halfway through its implementation, continues to register impressive achievements. At a meeting focusing on the project’s Maize component, held in Nairobi during July 25-28, B.M. Prasanna, Director of the Global Maize Program at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), highlighted the project’s major achievements in the opening session. “One of the most important achievements of this project is increasing use of powerful tools and technologies to increase genetic gains in maize breeding pipelines in Africa,” said Prasanna. He noted that the AGG partners are showing keen interest in doubled haploid-based maize breeding. Prasanna pointed out that currently work is ongoing to ...

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  Screening cycle for deadly MLN virus set to begin in Kenya during October 2022

  By Dr. Sures,L.M.:  The maize lethal necrosis (MLN) artificial inoculation screening site in Naivasha, Kenya will begin its next phenotyping (screening/ indexing) cycle 2022 at the beginning of October 2022, interested organizations from both the private and public sectors are invited to send maize germplasm for screening. In 2013, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) jointly established the MLN screening facility at the KALRO Naivasha research station in Kenya’s Rift Valley with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. MLN was first discovered in Kenya in 2011 and quickly spread to other parts of eastern Africa; the disease causes premature plant death and unfilled, poorly formed maize cobs, and can lead to up to 100 percent yield loss in farmers’ fields. CIMMYT and its partners are dedicated to stopping the spread of this deadly maize disease by effectively managing the risk of ...