The quality protein maize revolution: improved nutrition and livelihoods for the poor

Abstract

Maize is a major food for millions of the poor in Africa and Latin America. The poorest often eat little else. Their diets lack proteins and other important nutrients, impairing health and development. During the last few decades, CIMMYT scientists have developed a "quality protein maize" (QPM) that looks and tastes like normal maize, yields as much or more, and shows equal or superior disease and pest resistance. But QPM contains nearly twice the lysine and tryptophan-amino acids essential for human nutrition-as normal maize. Since 1997, the Nippon Foundation has helped CIMMYT bring QPM within reach of millions of maize farmers and consumers in developing countries. Through the Nippon-funded project"The Improvement and Promotion of Quality Protein Maize in Selected Developing Countries," CIMMYT and its partners have ... Developed stable, high-yielding, and disease- and storage-pest resistant QPM hybrids and varieties for diverse production settings. Tested QPM extensively on-farm and in demonstration trials. Promoted QPM in selected countries where maize is a staple and where the probability of adoption and impacts is high. Enhanced QPM seed production and distribution. Provided training on QPM research and dissemination. Conducted trials on the use of QPM in animal feed. In the past two years, 14 developing countries have released new QPM hybrids and varieties for use by farmers, and several have launched major QPM promotion programs. More than 730,000 hectares in developing countries are sown to QPM today, and there is great potential for expanding use of QPM.