Contribution to the SDGs
High-level impact cases
CGIAR’s three System Level Outcomes (SLOs) — reduced poverty, improved food and nutrition security for health, and improved natural resources and ecosystems services — are matched to specific United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Examples of at-scale contributions to the SLOs reported in 2021 are presented below.
Global
CRP
CGIAR Research Program on Maize (MAIZE)
SDGs
SLO target
1.1 Have 100 million more farm households adopt improved varieties, breeds, trees, and/or management practices
For four decades, CGIAR has sustained its investment in research on the stress tolerance of maize. A 2021 publication on the impacts of CGIAR maize improvements shows how this research has led to significant gains in yields and helped national maize breeding programs use genetic sources of stress tolerance and disease resistance.
By 2020, CGIAR researchers had released more than 230 varieties with drought tolerance and other key adaptive traits. The rapid adoption of these varieties show that smallholders value the yield stability of drought- and low nitrogen-tolerant improved open-pollinated and hybrid varieties. Adoption rates have increased even more as scientists emphasize the combination of tolerance to abiotic stresses, Striga, and major diseases.
An analysis of CGIAR maize germplasm adoption and impacts from 1995 to 2015 revealed significant economic benefits. According to the study’s estimates, using newer CGIAR maize varieties led to annual economic benefits of US$0.66 to 1.05 billion. Through 2015, the benefit-cost ratio of CGIAR maize breeding efforts ranged from 22:1 to 35:1 in 18 African countries.
To date, CGIAR-related stress-tolerant varieties cover an estimated 5 million hectares. These interventions have benefited nearly 8.7 million households, or more than 52 million people.
CRP
CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)
SDGs
SLO target
3.2 Reduce agriculturally related greenhouse gas emissions by 0.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year (Gt CO2e/yr) (5%) compared with the business-as-usual scenario in 2022
CCAFS’s research on Low Emissions Development aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture while ensuring food security at a large scale. Over 10 years, CCAFS has generated impacts that hold the potential to reduce emissions by 196 million tons of CO2e.
CCAFS-led mitigation includes avoided emissions (92%) and carbon sequestration above and below ground (8%). Emissions avoided include water and nutrient management in paddy-rice and other crops, and improved livestock systems.
Thirty-six million farmers have adopted mitigation technologies and practices or received agro-advisory services. These farmers are using these practices to promote low-emissions agriculture on 69 million hectares of land. Governments, global climate finance, the private sector, and bilateral and multilateral funding organizations have also committed to investments totaling more US$4 billion.
CRP
CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
SDGs
SLO target
3.4 Save 2.5 million hectares of forest from deforestation
As a result of research and engagement by FTA, an estimated 25.6 million ha of forests are under enhanced protection from deforestation and forest degradation. If FTA-informed policies are effectively implemented and enforced, there is the potential for 133.4 million ha of forests to be better protected from deforestation and degradation as well.
Regional
CRP
CGIAR Research Program on Rice (RICE)
Geographic scope
East and Southern Africa, West and Central Africa
SDGs
SLO target
2.1 Improve the rate of yield increase for major food staples from the current less than 1% to 1.2 to 1.5% per year
Following the food price crisis of 2008, African governments, with the support of AfricaRice, JICA, and other partners, initiated the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD) to double rice production by 2018.
A CGIAR-supported study shows that CARD policies helped to increase rice production by 10.2 million tons in 2018. This rise in production resulted from increases in area and yield of 23% and 19%, respectively.
CRP
CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals (GLDC)
Geographic scope
East and Southern Africa, West and Central Africa, South Asia
SDGs
SLO target
2.2. Have 30 million more people, of which 50% are women, meet minimum dietary energy requirements
The adoption of improved GLDC varieties has helped an estimated 19 million people — 50% of whom are women — meet their dietary energy requirements. These crops have assisted 38 million people — 48% women — in meeting their dietary protein requirements through the supply of additional nutrients.
GLDC varieties have also helped 3.8 million women of reproductive age to meet their dietary protein requirements.
CRP
CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH)
Geographic scope
Latin America and the Caribbean, East and Southern Africa, West and Central Africa, South Asia
SDGs
SLO target
2.3. Have 150 million more people, of which 50% are women, be without deficiencies of one or more of the following essential micronutrients: iron, zinc, iodine, vitamin A, folate, and vitamin B12
As a result of delivery efforts led by HarvestPlus, 12.8 million farming households were growing biofortified crops in 2021. This translates to 64 million people from these households who were consuming biofortified foods.
These figures on biofortified crops and food are likely to be underestimated. In addition to the individual household members of the growing households, sales of biofortified products rose in 2021. This increase likely means that more people were consuming biofortified products obtained through markets, resulting in more people with reduced micronutrient deficiencies.
National and Multinational
CRP
CGIAR Research Program on Rice (RICE)
Geographic scope
China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
SDGs
SLO target
1.2 Help 30 million people, of whom 50% are women, exit poverty
The CGIAR-led CORIGAP project in Southeast and East Asia reached 780,000 farmers with improved rice management practices. This intervention led to a mean increase in income of 15% to 90% from increased yields and reduced input costs.
CRP
CGIAR Research Program on Wheat (WHEAT)
Geographic scope
Pakistan
SDGs
SLO target
2.3 Have 150 million more people, of which 50% are women, be without deficiencies of one or more of the following essential micronutrients: iron, zinc, iodine, vitamin A, folate, and vitamin B12
Within six years, HarvestPlus-led scaling efforts reached 1.4 million households, or 7 million people, with high-zinc wheat, including flour. These efforts are based on CGIAR-derived wheat varieties Zincol-16 (released 2016), Akbar-19 (2019), and Nawab-21 (2021). Akbar is currently set to overtake the leading variety of wheat, FD-08.
The scaling partnership involved many national and international partners, including Punjab Seed Corporation, CIMMYT, Family Farm Foods, and GAIN, as well as six funders of HarvestPlus and WHEAT. Combining high yield and high zinc has been a recent breeding success that will be sustained by future genetic discovery research. Research to improve molecular breeding for zinc is ongoing.
CRP
CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agri-food Systems (FISH)
Geographic scope
Bangladesh
SDGs
SLO target
3.3. Restore 55 million ha of degraded land area
In Bangladesh, FISH-led interventions helped protect 264,413 ha through effective co-management in hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) sanctuaries and coastal areas. By applying better management practices for aquaculture, 80,368 ha of pond area were restored. In addition, 344,781 ha of biologically significant areas were placed under improved natural resource management.
Impact overview
In 2021, CGIAR reported 91 contributions to the SLOs. Of the reported 2021 contributions to the SLOs, 47% were linked to poverty reduction (SLO1), 29% to improved food and nutrition security (SLO2), and 24% to improved natural resources and ecosystem services (SLO3).
CGIAR’s reported SLO contributions are also aligned with 13 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Significantly, 100% (91) of reported contributions were linked with SDG17 (partnerships for the goals), 83% (76) with SDG2 (zero hunger), 66% (60) with SDG1 (no poverty), and 63% (57) with SDG12 (responsible consumption and production).
Explore our SLO contributions for 2021.