News Overview

On 10 April 2025, global experts gathered at the CGIAR Science Week with a shared purpose: to explore how digital transformation can revolutionize agriculture in the face of growing global challenges. From artificial intelligence (AI) and real-time data pipelines to farmer-first innovations, CGIAR Accelerator on Digital Transformation Strategy Dialogue showcased bold ideas and concrete actions to future-proof food, land, and

By Eliot Jones-Garcia May 14, 2025 This is the first installment in a new blog series from the IFPRI-led initiative AI For Food Systems Research. A related webinar series will begin with a June 5 genAI skills workshop for researchers. Amid the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in agricultural research, policy, and extension, this project brings together researchers and practitioners across

At the heart of South Asia lies one of the world’s centers of crop diversity. Where 60% is dominated by agriculture, India’s sprawling landscapes nurture a rich variety of many legumes, tubers, vegetables, fruits, and spices. This wealth in crop and genetic resources proves that the farm-to-table sector remains the lifeblood of a largely rural population. While the Indian

In Senegal, water from the rainy season doesn’t fully disappear—it seeps into the clay-sandy soils of the lowlands in Sédhiou and Tambacounda, creating a hidden reservoir still largely untapped. As part of the AVENIR project, researchers from the Alliance Bioversity International & CIAT—led by Dr. Issa Ouédraogo, with Wilson Nguru, Wuletawu Abera, Christine Chege, Babacar Kane, Katiana Bougouma and Caroline Mwongera—analyzed nine

Photo credit: Investigación para Entorno Alimentario y Comportamiento del Consumidor. CIAT/Juan Pablo Marin García On May 22, 2025, CGIAR celebrates the International Day for Biological Diversity, reaffirming our global commitment to protecting and promoting agrobiodiversity as a foundation for resilient food systems, environmental health, and sustainable development.  The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) issued this year’s theme, “Harmony with nature

Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) aims to reverse land degradation, expand green cover and restore biodiversity. Though criticized in favor of a few exotic species (Grevillea robusta, Vachellia deccurens, Pinus patula, and Cupressus lusitanica), our findings suggest that these plantations effectively support the regeneration of native species in GLI sites. This underscores GLI’s potential in biodiversity restoration, climate resilience, environmental

by Christian Dohrmann Plant health is vital for both environmental and human well-being, as plants supply oxygen and food. However, rice crops face increasing threats from climate-induced stressors, pests, and diseases, all of which undermine sustainable agriculture and food security. Rice, a staple for over half the world’s population, is highly sensitive to its environment. Climate change has intensified extreme