The Government of India’s concerted efforts to replace 20% fossil fuels with ethanol blends by 2025 is attracting agricultural entrepreneurs to invest in renewable energy. This week, Mr Lalit Jhawar and Mr Mayank Gupta, two young IIT graduates running a profitable farming venture in Maharashtra, accompanied by biofuel experts Mr YB Ramakrishna and Mr Divakar Rao, visited ICRISAT headquarters in
Developed through genomics-assisted breeding by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and ICRISAT. Three new chickpea varieties, with enhanced drought tolerance, disease resistance and increased yield, are set to become available to the Indian farmers. These have been notified to be available for cultivation by the Central Varietal Release Committee. Calling for the deployment of ‘fast-forward breeding’, a newly
The Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA-Africa) is a great example of a successful CGIAR-NARES partnership model that has resulted in great impacts on the livelihoods of millions of people in Africa. PABRA focuses on common beans and is coordinated by the Alliance of Bioversity International and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (The Alliance); one of the CGIAR centers working with
A special issue (Aug 2021) of the Scientific and Technical Review journal of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) turns the spotlight on the operation of veterinary services in a world affected by various external factors such as climate change and emerging zoonotic diseases. Veterinary services are a global public good underpinning animal agriculture. Therefore, governments need to ensure
Jessica Bogard, a dietician and public health nutritionist from Australia, was awarded the 2021 APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education, which recognizes early-career scientists who have demonstrated a commitment to scientific excellence. Read more
Two seminars convened by WorldFish, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) at World Water Week focused on the importance of integrating fisheries in rice-dominated landscapes and reconsidering irrigation schemes in Asia. The two events, “Fish Friendly Irrigation” and “Integrated Rice Fish Systems,” highlighted the value of fisheries for local communities and the reasons
A landmark study has shown significant potential for aquatic foods to become more sustainable, comparing the environmental impact of diverse systems and species and determining those that place the least pressure on the environment like seaweeds, molluscs and certain carp species. Read more
A new costing tool is helping national breeding programs get the financial data needed to improve their efficiency, effectiveness and transparency. And now, in its first in-person event since the beginning of the pandemic, CGIAR Excellence in Breeding (EiB) has prepped six African National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) to fully cost their programs. This new knowledge will enable breeders to better allocate resources and optimize their programs. For most, this is the first full program costing they have ever undertaken. In Harare,