FAO and CIMMYT Join Forces for Resilient Agrifood Systems

Summary:
A new partnership has been established between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and CIMMYT, a CGIAR Research Center, to advance the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) initiative. This collaboration aims to create resilient agrifood systems focusing on diverse, nutritious, and climate-adapted crops grown in healthy soils. The initiative, launched in 2023 by the U.S. Department of State in collaboration with the African Union and FAO, seeks to enhance agricultural resilience to climate change and improve diets by promoting nutrient-rich and traditional crops such as sorghum, millet, cowpea, and mung bean.
The FAO-CIMMYT partnership will drive efforts to coordinate, grow, and strengthen the VACS movement among public and private stakeholders. Key activities include supporting the Quick Wins Seed Systems Project in Africa and the VACS Fellows programme, which trains African breeding professionals. In Central America, InnovaHubs connect farmers with markets, technologies, and high-quality seeds.
The partnership will focus on strategy development, resource mobilization, donor and implementer coordination, stakeholder engagement, shaping the policy environment, communications, and results management. This initiative aligns with FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-31 goals of better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, ensuring no one is left behind.
About CIMMYT and FAO:
CIMMYT is a non-profit international organization dedicated to improving agricultural systems and crop resilience, particularly in the Global South. FAO, a specialized agency of the United Nations, aims to achieve global food security and nutrition by ensuring everyone has access to sufficient high-quality nutritious food. FAO operates in over 130 countries with 195 members, including 194 countries and the European Union.