CIMMYT - International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center

Published purpose

This project aims to improve household food security and nutrition in Ethiopia for an estimated 3.98 million people by promoting widespread adoption of quality protein maize (QPM) varieties amongst growers and consumers of maize. Maize, also known as corn, is an essential food source for Ethiopians and QPM is a non-genetically engineered form of maize. The maize contains a naturally derived gene mutation with a higher content of 2 essential amino acids necessary to synthesize proteins within the human body after consumption and provides twice as much nutritional value as common maize. The project supports the adoption of QPM and increases in farm productivity and household incomes by expanding the maize seed industry. Project activities include: (1) introducing QPM seed and food products to farmers (women and men) engaged in subsistence-level maize production as a means to meet household basic food requirements; (2) disseminating gender-sensitive crop management practices to farmers and agricultural extension officers; and (3) strengthening local capacity of researchers, seed producers, and seed suppliers on producing, distributing, and quality control of QPM seeds. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, a member centre of the Consultative Group for International Agriculture Research, implements this project. It does so in collaboration with the Ethiopian Institute for Agriculture Research, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Farm Radio International, a Canadian non-governmental organization, and Sasakawa Global 2000, an international non-governmental organization.