Drought-tolerant maize for Africa: better food security and livelihoods - Highlights of 2008

These are the dreams that a broad alliance involving CIMMYT and IITA, national research and extension programs, local seed companies, and non-governmental organizations – more than 50 partners in 20 nations of sub-Saharan Africa – wants to make a reality over the next 10 years. Part of this alliance is the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) Project. The DTMA Project’s work builds upon the early successes of these partners in developing and disseminating drought tolerant, high-yielding, locally-adapted maize varieties to farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim is for farmers to be able to harvest a ton more of grain per hectare than with their current varieties, when drought hits their crop. With the added food and income, farmers are more food secure and they can also sow less maize and allocate land to cash crops or legumes, which provide protein for diets and improve soil fertility. The project hopes to benefit 30-40 million people within 10 years. The work of the broad alliance is made possible with combined support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in Germany, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Howard G. Buffet Foundation, USAID, Pioneer HiBred and the Eiselen Foundation.