BecA Hub in action Project Title:
Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa
| Donor: | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
|---|---|
| Partner/Institution: | CIMMYT / Cornell NARS activities in : Angola, Nigeria, Benin, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| Project Highlight: | "Maize is life" to more than 300 million of African's most vulnerable . Maize is Africa's most important cereal crop. When sub- Saharan Africa's recurrent droughts ruin harvests, lives and livelihoods are threatened, even destroyed. The development and deployment and cultivation of drought tolerant maize varieties is a highly relevant intervention to reduce vulnerability, food insecurity and the damage to local markets accompanying food aid. Building on previous successes, this project greatly steps-up the development of new maize varieties with dramatically improved drought tolerance. Substantial emphasis is also placed on building regional capacity for continued improvement plus rapid and widespread dissemination in sub-Saharan Africa. The vision is to generate by year 10 maize germplasm with 1 ton ha-1 yield increase under drought stress conditions, increase average maize productivity under smallholder farmer conditions by 20-30% on adopting farms; and reach 30-40 million people in sub- Saharan Africa, potentially adding an annual average of US$160-200 million of grain in drought-affected areas. |
| Total Project Budget $US: | 600,000.00 |
| Scientist Involved: | Sarah Hearne |
| Scientist Email: | Email: s.hearne@cgiar.org |
BecA Clippings
View the latest news, articles and features on BecALATEST ANNOUNCEMENTS!
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits the BecA Hub, 20 July 2011.
- Transcript of the speech from Kenya's President, His Excellency, the Honorable Mwai Kibaki for the official opening of Biosciences eastern and central Africa Hub, 5 November 2010.
- Transcript of the speech from Honorable Mohammed Abdi Kuti, Minister for Livestock Development, for the official opening of the Biosciences eastern and central Africa Hub, 5 November 2010.
- Notes from the speech of His Excellency, David Collins, Canadian High Commission to Kenya at the official launch of the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) Hub, 5 November 2010.
