CIMMYT Appeals to India as US Funding Cuts Loom

With US funding for the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) rapidly dwindling, the Mexico-based organization is making a desperate plea to India and other nations to ramp up support and innovate financing strategies to safeguard worldwide food supplies. In an exclusive interview with PTI, CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts underscored the center's historic contributions to India's Green Revolution, which catapulted the country from food scarcity to self-sufficiency and a key exporter in the region. Yet, as climate change intensifies threats like devastating floods and prolonged droughts, Govaerts cautioned that inadequate funding could cripple vital crop disease monitoring systems by the end of the year, leaving global agriculture vulnerable to catastrophic outbreaks.

Govaerts, speaking during his recent visit to India, revealed that while some fundraising efforts have yielded partial successes, the pace must accelerate dramatically. "We've been somewhat successful, but we still need urgently increased funding, not just for CIMMYT, but for partners like ICAR," he stated, referencing the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He drew on a stark example from 1999, when CIMMYT's genebank in Mexico swiftly supplied rust-resistant wheat varieties to India, thwarting the UG99 disease's potential to ravage harvests. "If we don't find resources, those surveillance systems will go down," Govaerts warned, framing CIMMYT's operations as essential "business continuity insurance" for societies worldwide. The organization, part of the CGIAR consortium, focuses on enhancing maize and wheat productivity, resilience, and sustainability amid escalating environmental pressures.

The funding crunch stems from a historical reliance on US contributions, which have been substantial but are now uncertain. Govaerts called on countries like Mexico and India to lead the charge in developing fresh financing models that foster deeper collaborations, particularly for regions like South Asia and Africa. "These are challenging times, and yes, we received considerable support from the US government throughout history. Now, nations like Mexico and India need to step up to think together about a new model of financing," he explained. For India, this shift represents an evolution from a primary beneficiary of past aid to a proactive leader, potentially establishing regional hubs to aid neighbors such as Nepal and Bangladesh. He advocated for greater private sector engagement, viewing the funding shortfall as a chance to build enduring partnerships with NGOs, corporations, and institutions like the Borlaug Institute for South Asia.

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CIMMYT's 2023 financials paint a clear picture of the dependency: total grant revenue reached USD 135.1 million, with the US dominating at USD 80.7 million through entities like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (USD 40.9 million) and USAID (USD 34.7 million). Germany's USD 6.8 million via GIZ GmbH was next, while India's contribution stood at a modest USD 1.2 million from its Ministry of Agriculture and related bodies. Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines chipped in just USD 77,000 in bilateral support. These resources fueled USD 91.7 million in research expenditures, driving innovations in climate-resilient crops and sustainable farming practices for developing countries. Despite these investments, Govaerts stressed that current models are unsustainable without broader participation.

"It's absolutely time for India to step up. But this is not about paying a debt from the Green Revolution. This is about creating a future together," Govaerts asserted, emphasizing the urgency of collaborative action. He painted a vision of unified global efforts: "This is the moment to make that one world reality on food security. CIMMYT is there. We have successfully worked together to put India where it is today. We can successfully work together... to do the same now in the current challenges and to project food security for the world together." As the deadline looms for securing funds to maintain surveillance and response capabilities, the onus is on innovative partnerships to ensure that breakthroughs in agricultural resilience continue uninterrupted.

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