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| Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo | |
|---|---|
| Name | Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo |
| Formation | 1966 |
| Type | International agricultural research center |
| Headquarters | Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico |
| Fields | Maize, Wheat, Plant breeding, Germplasm conservation |
| Leader title | Director General |
| Parent organization | Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research |
Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo is an international agricultural research center focused on improving maize and wheat productivity, resilience and sustainability across diverse agroecological zones. Founded during the Green Revolution era, it operates major research stations and collaborates with national and international partners to develop improved germplasm, breeding methods and agronomic practices. The center's work bridges plant genetics, crop improvement and capacity building to address food security challenges in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
The center was established in the 1960s amid global initiatives led by figures and institutions associated with the Green Revolution, including collaborations influenced by leaders such as Norman Borlaug and organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Early work benefited from exchanges with research institutes such as the International Rice Research Institute and the International Potato Center, while national partners included the Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural (Mexico) and universities such as the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the center expanded germplasm collections and formed alliances with the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Bank to scale improved varieties. In subsequent decades it integrated modern tools inspired by breakthroughs at institutions like the John Innes Centre and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center network, responding to challenges highlighted by reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and initiatives like the Millennium Development Goals.
The center’s mission aligns with priorities promoted by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and multilateral agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing increased productivity, poverty reduction and resilience to stressors including pests and climate variability. Objectives include conserving and characterizing maize and wheat germplasm, developing high-yielding and stress-tolerant cultivars, promoting sustainable agronomic packages in partnership with agencies like the Food and Agriculture Organization and supporting national breeding programs such as those run by the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias.
Research programs span conventional and molecular breeding, integrated pest management, and agroecology, with project links to centers including the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and universities such as Cornell University and the University of California, Davis. The center runs long-term trials influenced by methodologies from the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and collaborates with initiatives like the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the World Agroforestry Centre. Programs target constraints identified in regional priority-setting processes convened with organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the African Development Bank.
A core activity is the conservation and distribution of maize and wheat germplasm, following standards comparable to collections at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and coordination with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Breeding pipelines incorporate pedigree and marker-assisted selection approaches developed in collaboration with labs at institutions such as the John Innes Centre and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. Biotechnology efforts include disease-resistance gene mapping influenced by research from the Pirbright Institute and transgenic or gene-editing studies drawing on protocols used in labs at ETH Zurich and the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research.
The center provides training for national program staff and graduate students from institutions such as the Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo, the University of Pretoria, and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, and organizes workshops with partners like the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Bank. Partnerships span bilateral donors including the United States Agency for International Development and multilateral funders such as the European Commission, and coordination platforms including the Global Forum on Agricultural Research and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.
Contributions include released maize and wheat varieties adopted across regions, yield gains documented in evaluations by agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Food Policy Research Institute. The center’s work influenced policy dialogues at fora like the United Nations General Assembly and supported emergency responses coordinated with the World Food Programme during production shocks. Scientific outputs have been cited alongside research from institutions such as the International Center for Tropical Agriculture and the International Rice Research Institute, and varieties developed have been incorporated into seed systems promoted by organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Governance aligns with models used by CGIAR centers under oversight similar to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research governance arrangements and involves boards with representatives from donor agencies such as the World Bank, national governments including Mexico, and scientific partners like the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. Funding derives from multilateral donors, bilateral agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development, philanthropic organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and competitive grants from bodies like the European Research Council.
Category:Agricultural research institutions Category:Maize Category:Wheat