When the rain finally came to her village in Tanzania, Mariam didn’t just plant her usual variety of beans. That season, she tried three different ones – side by side, on her own land. By harvest, one plot clearly stood out: better yield, stronger against disease, and with good taste and marketability. Mariam didn’t learn this from a lab or
This year’s 4th African Plant Breeders’ Association (APBA) Conference brought together more than 400 breeders, researchers, and partners in the largest gathering of plant breeding experts on the continent. For Breeding for Tomorrow (B4T), the event was all about partnership. As the program driving CGIAR’s integrated approach to modern, data-driven crop breeding, B4T supports national breeding programs through technical backstopping,
Matty Demont (IRRI), Berber Kramer (IFPRI), Robert Andrade (Alliance Bioversity-CIAT), Melanie Connor (IRRI), Nedumaran Swamikannu (ICRISAT), Sika Gbegbelegbe (IITA), Bert Lenaerts (IRRI), Ruvicyn Bayot (IRRI), and Vivian Polar (CIP) Area of Work 1 on Market Intelligence, CGIAR Breeding for Tomorrow Science Program Like many donation-dependent non-profits, CGIAR faces recurring budget fluctuations that force difficult trade-offs. Each funding cycle demands a
The demand for common beans is growing fast as more consumers embrace plant-based diets. Once mostly grown for household use, beans are now a commercial and export crop. As a nutritious staple rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients — and a vital source of income for millions of smallholder farmers, especially women and youth across Africa — beans are central
The demand for common beans is growing fast as more consumers embrace plant-based diets. Once mostly grown for household use, beans are now a commercial and export crop. As a nutritious staple rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients — and a vital source of income for millions of smallholder farmers, especially women and youth across Africa — beans are central
In early 2025, CGIAR received a grant from the Gates Foundation to develop AgPile, a FAIR, federated and collaborative data platform that references and organizes access to datasets from CGIAR, its Centers, and partners. The project, led by CGIAR Digital Transformation Accelerator, facilitated by IFPRI, has since been rebranded as Fairgrounds, with an emphasis on FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable)
In early 2025, CGIAR received a grant from the Gates Foundation to develop AgPile, a FAIR, federated and collaborative data platform that references and organizes access to datasets from CGIAR, its Centers, and partners. The project, led by CGIAR Digital Transformation Accelerator, facilitated by IFPRI, has since been rebranded as Fairgrounds, with an emphasis on FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable)
Reducing global undernutrition remains one of CGIAR’s most pressing opportunities for impact. For two decades, HarvestPlus has led investments in breeding crops enriched with zinc, iron, and provitamin A, ensuring that nutrition traits reach millions of farming households. Today, as CGIAR redefines its strategic priorities, nutrition is no longer a niche add-on – it is moving to the core of