Cereal System Initiative South Asia

Published on 29 May 2012

Research Areas

Crops

Countries

Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan

Timeline

Start Date: 1 December 2008 | End Date: 30 July 2012

Overview

Given the persistence of massive poverty in South Asia, the project will improve cereal productivity and farm income in four countries of South Asia. The Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) project will provide an overall strategy and a new umbrella for contributing new science and technologies to accelerating short- and long-term cereal production growth in South Asia’s most important grain baskets. It builds on technologies developed and lessons learned from the Rice-Wheat Consortium (RWC), the Irrigated Rice research Consortium (IRRC), and many other investments in agricultural R&D by both public and private sectors. Through creating and facilitating innovative public-private sector partnerships in key “hubs”, the project will boost the deployment of existing varieties, hybrids, crop management technologies, and market information.

CSISA will focus initially on 9 delivery hubs and 4 research platforms in areas of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal that represent key intensive cereal production systems. The hubs provide a basis for active learning about mechanisms for rapid adoption and intensification of improved cereal seed and crop management practices, for understanding critical components of public-private sector partnerships, and for developing business plans and supporting policies to stimulate private-sector investments. Improved cultivars and hybrids of maize, rice, and wheat selected under conservation agriculture practices will be developed and management concepts for future cereal systems will be designed and evaluated, alongside policy analysis and advocacy, and capacity building at all levels. By the end of year, 40,000 farmers will achieve a yield increase of at least 0.5 t/ha on 50,000 ha and an aditional 20,000 farmers achieve a yield increase of at least 1.0 t/ha on 20,000 ha. In its second phase the project will expand through Project-Related Investment models driven by the key project partners and reaching up to 500 hubs across the region within a decade.

Project objectives:

1. Widespread delivery and adaptation of production and postharvest technologies to increase  cereal production and raise incomes.
2. Crop and resource management practices for sustainable future cereal-based systems.
3. High-yielding, abiotic stress-tolerant, and disease- and insect-resistant rice varieties and hybrids for current and future cereal and mixed crop-livestock systems.
4. High-yielding, abiotic stress-tolerant, disease-resistant wheat varieties for current and future cereal and mixed crop-livestock systems.
5. High-yielding, heat-tolerant and disease-resistant maize inbred lines and hybrids for current and future cereal and mixed crop-livestock systems.
6. Technology targeting and improved policies for inclusive agricultural growth.
7. Creating a new generation of scientists and professional agronomists for cereal systems research and management.
8. Project management, communication and impact assessment

The project forms an important part of the  CGIAR Research Programs on livestock and fish

Research Partners

• IARC
• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
• International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
• International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Tags

CRP3.7, dairy cattle, livestock and fish