A vital maize research program in Africa that stems from a partnership between the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) recently received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. As part of the research program, CIMMYT and IITA, in cooperation with a wide range of partners in countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa, have been developing drought-tolerant maize for farm families who depend on maize for their food security and livelihoods. CIMMYT and IITA will continue to use both participatory breeding strategies and drought-stress screening, combined with the new techniques of marker-assisted selection, to improve the efficiency of breeding. The scientists will also analyze bottlenecks in seed systems and identify high-priority areas for future poverty-reducing investments.

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