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[Agrobiodiversity Research Area]
[Latin America and the Caribbean Research Area]
[Tropical Solis Research Area]
[CGIAR-Wide Research]

Agrobiodiversity Research Area

Food must be both nutritious and affordable. By using cutting-edge science to improve both crops and farming practices, CIAT is addressing these issues head on, while rising to the challenges of poor soil fertility, climate change, and access to markets.

Conserving Genetic Resources
The world is losing biodiversity at a startling rate. CIAT's Genetic Resources Unit operates one of the largest gene banks in the world, helping to conserve these precious resources and carry out valuable research into the properties they contain.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [Genetic Resources website]

Beans
Beans are the 'meat of the poor'. They are a vital source of nutrition and income the tropics. CIAT and its partners have been working to improve the micronutrient content of beans, and provide farmers with crops able to withstand tough growing conditions. Through our flagship PABRA project, an estimated 35 million African farmers now grow beans developed by CIAT and our partners.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [Previous content]

Forages
For the poor, animals matter. Livestock are a vital source of income and nutrition. CIAT has developed improved forages that can help increase meat and milk yields and farmers' incomes. Forages developed by CIAT and local partners in Latin America now cover an area larger than the United Kingdom, with a value of around US$20 billion.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [Previous content]

Cassava
Cassava is an essential staple in many parts of the tropics, able to grow in poor soils and withstand drought. This high-energy root crop also has important industrial uses, particularly in Asia. Improving production and increasing the options available to smallholder farmers has been CIAT's focus for over 30 years. Now over half of cassava varieties now gown in Asia were developed by CIAT, and yields have increased by nearly 50 per cent.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [Previous content, in Spanish]

Rice
Rice is one of the most important staple crops in Latin America and the Caribbean, but an increasing population means there is ever-growing demand. Improving yields, pest tolerance, and nutritional quality are central themes in CIAT's Rice Program. In collaboration with national research programs in the region, 60 per cent of rice varieties consumed in Latin America originated from germplasm developed by CIAT. We are developing more.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [Previous content]

Latin America and the Caribbean Research Area

CIAT's home is in Latin America, and the region as a whole faces some of the biggest development challenges in the world. Through our work and our regional partnerships, we are making sure that agricultural science meets the specific needs of small farmers in the region, and that this research complements CIAT's work throughout the tropics.

Decision and Policy Analysis
We need to make sure our research is as relevant as possible. Using the latest modeling technology, CIAT's groundbreaking DAPA program is assessing the impact of our work and predicting some of the challenges ahead to make sure our science is on the right track.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012]

Tropical Fruits
There is strong demand for delicious, nutritious tropical fruit both within Latin America and the Caribbean and beyond. By improving competitiveness, access to markets and developing technologies to increase and protect yields, we're helping small producers take a slice of these lucrative markets.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [Previous content]

Amazon Initiative
The Amazon is of global environmental importance. But many small farmers who directly depend on it are often overlooked. CIAT and its partners are working to encourage sustainable development and natural resource conservation while tackling hunger and poverty in the region.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [Amazon Initiative website, in Portuguese]

Agronatura
Several like-minded organizations work at the Agronatura Science Park, at CIAT's headquarters in Colombia. By working together and in close proximity, we're helping to ensure that our research has the greatest possible impact on hunger and malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Read more >>> [Previous content]

Tropical Soils Research Area

Without fertile soil, farming will fail. Improving our understanding of soils is central to improving production and conserving this precious resource.

Integrated Soil Fertility Management
There is more to soil than just soil. It is the product of complex biological, chemical, physical, economic, and social processes. CIAT's work with soils looks at the big picture and its ISFM program is developing pioneering techniques to improve production of legumes, cereals, and fruits in sub-Saharan Africa and Central America.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [Previous content]

Sustainable Land Management
In order to meet the challenges of a growing world population, climate change, and poor soils, food production needs to become eco-efficient. Sustainable land management is essential for increasing the quality and quantity of food, and ensuring the next generation of farmers can produce enough food for themselves, their families, and the market.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [Previous content]

CGIAR-Wide Research

PRGA
Involving farmers, both male and female, is essential to improving our research. The PGRA program works across the whole of the CGIAR to make sure we develop the most relevant technologies to help farmers improve food production for all.
Read more >>> [Medium-Term Plan 2010-2012] [PRGA website]

HarvestPlus
Malnutrition is the 'hidden face' of hunger. This CGIAR-wide program, co-convened by CIAT and sister center IFPRI is raising the levels of iron, zinc, and vitamin A in staple crops. Our aim is that millions of people suffering from malnutrition will soon be eating these new, biofortified varieties.
Read more >>> [Harvest Plus website]