As the world marks 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, CGIAR is positioning its science, innovation, and partnerships at the centre of the global agenda. Vivian Atakos, Global Engagement and Policy Lead, spoke with Nicoline de Haan, Director of the CGIAR Gender Equality and Inclusion Accelerator, to unpack what the Year entails and how CGIAR colleagues and partners can engage.
With nearly 40,000 captive wild animals raised across hundreds of small-scale facilities, Thai Nguyen Province in northern Vietnam is emerging as a critical frontline for preventing zoonotic disease outbreaks.
We mourn the passing of our colleague Salma Kadry, who always put people first in her work as a climate, peace, and security specialist with the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT and CGIAR. Her contributions were fundamental in representing the Middle East and North Africa in climate security science and policy.
In this strategic role, Dr Covic will support the CGIAR Continental Champion for Africa in advancing CGIAR’s mission to deliver science and innovation that transform food, land, and water systems across Africa.
IRRI and local partners in Dong Nai, Vietnam, debuted an innovative all-in-one machine for mechanized dry direct seeding and deep fertilizer placement that significantly reduces labor, water, and greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously boosting rice yields and profitability.
Prof. Roel Merckx has been appointed as the new Chair of the Integrated Partnership Board (IPB), effective 1 January 2026.
CGIAR is pleased to announce that Renaud Seligmann has been appointed as the new Chair of CGIAR System Council, effective 1 January 2026.
The Government of Nepal is scaling CIMMYT’s Maize Commercial Model (MCM)—an inclusive, market-based approach that turns spring and winter rice fallows into a productive 90–120-day maize window, backed by bundled climate-smart practices, services, and coordinated value-chain partnerships. Since 2022, MCM expanded maize area from 548 to 2,032 ha and lifted yields to 6.5 t/ha (about double the national average), while farmgate prices and incomes rose alongside ~USD 3M in public–private investment. In 2025, MoALD integrated MCM into its annual program, issued national implementation guidelines, and is scaling from Western Terai to Koshi Province—linking municipalities, cooperatives, and feed mills to strengthen input supply, mechanization, storage, and market access under the CGIAR Scaling for Impact Program.