Bayer Crop Science and CIMMYT Team up to Improve Cereal Productivity

Bayer CropScience and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for enhancing productivity in cereals in India. The MOU aims to facilitate collaboration in the field adaptive research of Wheat, Maize and Rice under the Cereals System Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) project to increase productivity in these crops on a sustainable basis in India. The agreement would focus on conservation agriculture and promotion of hybrid technology, efficient use of inputs like fertilizer, water and crop protection products, especially herbicides to enhance productivity in these area.

"This Memorandum of Understanding is destined to facilitate better productivity and to introduce improved agricultural practices," said Jens Hartmann, Country Head, India, Bayer CropScience. Dr. Raj Gupta, Chief Coordinator, South Asia, CIMMYT who signed agreement with Bayer echoed "this collaboration will certainly help in tackling hunger and malnutrition, as well as increase food and income security for resource-poor farm families in the identified regions through the accelerated development and inclusive deployment of new varieties, sustainable management technologies, and practices."  "A key objective of the cooperation is to work together for improving the Rice-Wheat-Maize cropping system in the hubs identified by the ‘Cereal System Initiative for South Asia, CSISA'. Bayer CropScience being a pioneer in hybrid rice development and also the first company to offer a comprehensive Seed to Harvest solution is the perfect working partner," said Mahesh Girdhar, Head, Bayer BioScience, India, on the occasion.

A copy of press release and other related information about the CSISA project visit: http://www.cimmyt.org/ and http://www.bayercropscience.com/ or contact: uvl.ananda@bayercropscience.com More information about biotech development in India contact: b.choudhary@cgiar.org and k.gaur@cgiar.org