Despite decades of wheat research, many smallholder farmers across drylands still struggle to access improved wheat varieties – not only due to technical challenges, but more often because of institutional and political barriers. A new publication from ICARDA and its national research partners sheds light on this issue. Political Economy of the Wheat Sector: Seed System, Varietal Adoption and Impacts,
To most eyes, deserts look like the end of the line for agriculture – too dry to grow, too hot to handle, and too degraded to offer much promise. But that assumption is being overturned by a science-driven rethink of agriculture in places long considered beyond saving. Across the drylands of the Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa,
On 14–15 July, a delegation of ICARDA and ARC-Egypt scientists embarked on an exploratory visit to Marsa Matrouh, located on Egypt’s northwestern Mediterranean coast. The visit aimed to enhance understanding of the area’s natural environment, soil types, existing farming practices, and production systems, while identifying opportunities to introduce new farming system innovations. Building on our longstanding collaboration and previous achievements in
With a large and highly urbanized population, high dependence on food imports, and water scarcity, Egypt is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries. For over four decades, ICARDA has worked closely with Egypt’s Agriculture Research Center (ARC) and the government of Egypt to enhance agricultural productivity and build resilience for farmers and communities on the frontline of climate change. On 17 July,
QBMS 2.0 streamlines access to breeding data, integrating field, pedigree, and genotyping information across platforms through BrAPI standards. Developed by ICARDA as a public good, the upgraded R package enhances interoperability, reliability, and efficiency. Modern plant breeding operates in a data-rich environment.
Durum wheat is a staple of Moroccan diets and crucial for national food security. Although Moroccan farmers have managed to produce cereal with limited water for centuries, repeated droughts over the past decade have made it increasingly difficult for cereal farming families to grow enough. A Jewel from the Wild Jawahir, Arabic for “jewels,” is a durum wheat variety bred
With support from the Government of Japan, and in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), ICARDA has set a new standard for sustainable agriculture in water-scarce regions with completion of the Enhancing Agricultural Productivity project in Egypt, leaving a blueprint for further advancements through technological
Women farmers in Walana village, Pakistan, are turning farm waste into a valuable resource thanks to a compost-making training organized under the ICARDA–U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Fertilize Right (FR) project. This practical training equipped women with innovative techniques to reduce chemical fertilizing, improve soil health, and create a new source of income. From 3–4 September 2025, in partnership with