Our history
CIMMYT scientists 
have received:
1956 Mexico becomes self-sufficient in wheat thanks to new high-
yielding, disease-resistant varieties 
1960s Wheat brought from Mexico helps save millions from famine in 
South Asia
1970s Regional economics programs launched 
1980s Quality protein maize developed (e.)
1986 CIMMYT’s wheat and maize collection is consolidated into a world-
class genetic resources center (f.)
1990s Research into conservation agriculture and drought-tolerant maize
1 Nobel Peace Prize (1970) (a.)
2 World Food Prizes (2000, 2015) (b.) (c.) (d.)
Maize and  Wheat Science 
 for Improved  Livelihoods
b. Sanjaya Rajarama. Norman E. Borlaug c. Evangelina Villegas d. Surinder K. Vasal
Apdo. Postal 6-641 CDMX, México 06600 
Email: cimmyt@cgiar.org
www.cimmyt.org
e. Quality protein maize f. Wellhausen–Anderson Genetic Resources Center
Excellence
C
ap
acity
Imp
ac
t t
h
ro
u
g
h
B
u
ilding
Pa
rt
ne
rs
h
ip
s
Scientif ic
ONE
CIMMYT
CIMMYT at a glance
Mission
Maize and wheat science for 
improved livelihoods
Vision
CIMMYT contributes to the development of a 
world with healthier and more prosperous people 
– free from the threat of global food crises – and 
with more resilient agri-food systems.
CIMMYT links scientific excellence, 
impact through partnerships and 
capacity building. “One CIMMYT” 
integrates these domains.
CIMMYT transforms research into 
large-scale farm-level impacts through 
strong, long-established partnerships.
Countries with offices:
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
China
Colombia
Ethiopia
India
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Mexico
Nepal
Pakistan
Turkey
Zimbabwe
HOW DO WE CONDUCT OUR WORK?
FARMERS
DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATIONS
SEED
COMPANIES
GOVERNMENTSDONORS
UNIVERSITIES
ADVANCED
RESEARCH
INSTITUTES
NATIONAL
AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH
SYSTEMS
CGIARCIMMYT
CIMMYT around the world
Cutting-edge innovation for 
developing world farmers
Seed for a changing world
CIMMYT preserves the largest collection of 
maize and wheat in the world: 28,000 unique 
kinds of maize and 150,000 of wheat.
Seed from this collection is made freely 
available to any researcher able to put it to 
good use.
Through CIMMYT’s global breeding system 
and partner network, this genetic diversity 
is used to develop more productive and 
nutritious varieties of maize and wheat that 
can resist climate stress and disease.
Shared advances
CIMMYT has world-class research facilities 
around the world, and pioneers the adoption 
of new breeding technologies and data tools 
with public and private partners.
In this way, farmers in the developing world 
have access to the highest standard of 
research targeted to their needs.
Bringing options to market
CIMMYT supports national research systems and works through hundreds 
of small- to medium-scale seed enterprises to offer affordable, improved 
seed to smallholder farmers.
Better farming practices to produce 
more food with fewer resources and 
increase resilience to climate change
Adapted machinery to help 
smallholder farmers, especially 
women, reduce labor costs
Information and communication 
technologies to complement 
extension work for knowledge delivery
Post harvest techniques for safer food 
and better earnings
Improved livelihoods and 
access to food
In a time of volatile food prices, more 
resilient and inclusive systems are needed 
to meet the needs of poor consumers and 
global development goals.  
Given access to tools, knowledge and 
resources, smallholder farmers can help 
produce a food-secure future for 9 billion 
people by 2050.
This is why CIMMYT works to create value 
for the 900 million maize consumers and 2.5 
billion wheat consumers currently living on 
less than $2 each day.
Building capacities for 
lasting change
CIMMYT was founded on the principle of 
building the capacity of national research 
systems and farmers to generate and adopt 
agricultural innovations.
At least 10,000 researchers and professionals 
are alumni of CIMMYT’s training courses, 
while thousands of farmers attend field days 
in Africa, Asia and Latin America each year.
CIMMYT is a member of the CGIAR System 
and leads the CGIAR Research Programs 
on Maize and Wheat and the Excellence in 
Breeding Platform.
50%
OF MAIZE AND WHEAT
grown in the developing world
IS BASED ON
CIMMYT VARIETIES
CIMMYT GENERATES
BENEFITS of
$3.5-4.0
BILLION
annually
by
Sustainable intensification
PRACTICES  IMPROVE 
smallholder 
30% 
can 
productivity 
in eastern and southern Africa 
Applying knowledge in the field
Together, CIMMYT’s activities promote the sustainable intensification of 
farming systems, taking into account livelihoods, ecologies, markets and 
gender inequalities. 
68,000
TONS OF CERTIFIED SEED
benefitting more than
30MILLIONPEOPLE
partners
200DROUGHTTOLERANTVARIETIES
CIMMYT
IITA
DEVELOPED/RELEASED
IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Goal by 2019:
18 COUNTRIES
in more than
training and
capacity
development
activities
75,000
farmers, scientists and 
technical workers
took part in
2,700
ALMOST
WHICH CONTAIN
500k
INDIVIDUAL SEED PACKETS
IN OVER 100 COUNTRIES
800
to as many as
RECIPIENTS
1,500
DISTRIBUTES MORE THAN
maize and wheat seed shipments
CIMMYT ANNUALLY