CIMMYT visit strengthening global partnerships for food and nutrition security and sustainability.
CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts' visit to The University of Queensland (UQ) on Friday 27 September 2024 highlights the ongoing collaboration between CIMMYT and Australian agricultural researchers, aimed at addressing global food security and sustainability challenges.
Over the past 50 years, CIMMYT’s partnership with Australian institutions has revolutionised agricultural practices, contributing approximately US$150 million annually to the Australian wheat sector through the development of robust, disease-resistant varieties.
Integration of CIMMYT genetic resources into Australian wheat varieties continues to play a pivotal role in enhancing national yield resilience and adaptation to climate change.
The collaborative engagement between CIMMYT and Australian research institutions has strengthened Australia’s wheat industry and has also transformed breeding and production practices across the Indo-Pacific and Africa. By facilitating the exchange of knowledge, skills, and technological expertise, CIMMYT and Australian research institutions are driving innovations that address emerging global agricultural challenges. Through a focus on genetic improvement, pest and disease management, and sustainable practices, this partnership positions Australia as a leader in wheat cultivation and resilience, helping to ensure stable food supplies and bolstering the agriculture sector against economic and environmental pressures.
Furthermore, CIMMYT’s innovative approaches extend beyond wheat to maize and other essential cereals, forming a holistic strategy that addresses the complex issues related to agriculture and sustainability. The organisation's contribution to biodiversity and resilient agro-ecosystems ensures long-term production stability, vital for adapting to the unpredictable climatic conditions impacting agriculture worldwide. Through its commitment to poverty alleviation and resource conservation, CIMMYT directly improves the livelihoods of farmers, enabling them to adopt cutting-edge practices that lead to increased efficiency and productivity. These efforts reflect CIMMYT’s dedication to advancing cereal crops while ensuring an equitable and sustainable future for all stakeholders in the agricultural community.
Dr Govaerts emphasised the opportunity to build on the strong partnership with Australia in wheat research while expanding collaboration to address broader agricultural challenges. He stated “CIMMYT's partnership with The University of Queensland exemplifies our commitment to advancing agricultural science in Australia and globally,” and
“Together, we continue to enhance food security and develop sustainable farming practices that address the challenges of a changing climate."
UQ is recognised as one of the world’s leading universities for agriculture, and one of the few research-intensive universities worldwide located in a subtropical environment. UQ's expertise in tropical and sub-tropical agriculture is consistently ranked among the best in the world. The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) has a vision to solve major global challenges by conducting and leading collaborative research, innovation and capacity building through trusted partnerships with organisations, such as the CGIAR and CIMMYT.
By leveraging Australian expertise from UQ, CIMMYT aims to enhance its research portfolio and impact for emerging opportunity crops, such as sorghum, millets and legumes. Together, CIMMYT and UQ have committed to strengthening research collaboration in genetic improvement, accelerating genetic gains for emerging opportunity crops, advancing early disease detection and prevention, and improving sustainability assessments and practices for whole-farm systems. Additionally, both organisations will partner to develop capacity of the next generation of agricultural scientists through education and training opportunities for PhD students and early-to-mid career researchers.
QAAFI Institute Director Professor Matthew Morell added,
"Australia and CIMMYT have a proud history of working together for mutual benefit in cereals science,”
“UQ is delighted to strengthen this relationship alongside other Australian institutions, and notes particularly the need for training of a new generation of researchers in Australia, in CIMMYT, and across CIMMYT’s national partners, to bring cutting edge capacity in genomic prediction, remote sensing, agrifood systems research, and digital agriculture to meet the ongoing challenge of meeting the world’s food and nutrition security needs.”
Media and enquiries: Mr Oliver Frith, Business Development Manager, The University of Queensland, o.frith@uq.edu.au, +61 439 771 373.
