b'Convention (IPPC). As of December 2019, there are 42 adopted ISPMs, 29 diag-nostic protocols and 32 phytosanitary treatments. But, when it comes to ending hunger globally, sometimes starting small is best. B.M. Prasanna, director of the Global Maize Program and of the CGIAR Research program on Maize at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), says smallholder farms in sub-Saharan Africa make up 80% of all farms there, and con-tribute significantly to food production in the region. Over the past 15 years, CIMMYT and partners in sub-Saharan Africa have been able to intensively work with seed com-panies to invest in deployment of climate- Puri of Gotham Greens believes greenhouses shine by bringing production closer to resilient and nutritionally enriched maizeconsumers.seed, and generate demand for such products, Prasanna says. nerships than ever before.Much of the population growth in theThere is a recognition now that these next few decades will come from low-are complex challenges and no one entity and middle-income countries, which areholds the key to solving them, Kunz says, dominated by smallholder farmers whosementioning the Modern Breeding Project access to innovative high-yielding seeds iswhere Bayer plant science experts work way behind their higher-income countrywith the International Institute for Tropical peers, Kunz says. Simply closing thisAgriculture (IITA). gap and helping them be more produc- The goal is to modernize breeding tive can help bring food security directlyprograms for banana, cassava, cowpea, to those areas where it is most needed. maize, soybean and yam.Training is also a huge need, not onlyCollaborations also bridge gaps about choosing improved varieties butbetween scientific developments and also in how to utilize those effectively. market readiness.For example, Van Der Feltz says East- Prasanna says much of CIMMYTsMirko Montuori is the International Year of West Seed provides smallholder farm- success in Africa, Latin America and AsiaPlant Health project officer at the FAO.ers knowledge and skills on improvedrelies on a dedicated team of seed system agronomic practices and climate-smartspecialists. technologies.These are not breeding teams, butbring about transformation in the maize In many cultures, vegetables arerather they are looking at the varietalsector. considered womens crops and havecharacteristics and farmers preferences,And even though the Year of Plant been historically ignored government andas well as the producibility of thoseHealth is coming to an end, businesses NGOs, focusing on so-called "row crops,"hybrids, to ensure the cost of goods soldand organizations will continue to uphold with a food security mindset. East-Westis low enough for small and mediumand think about plant health, especially Seed is happy to see this mindset changeenterprise seed companies, he says.when it comes to ending world hunger. towards crops that increase farmer\'sIts about bringing the supply andPlants are at the core of human life, income. demand together. and the life of the planet, says Mirko Our champion varieties that giveOne of the lessons weve learnedMontuori, International Year of Plant farmers good income in various coun- is that we need an accelerated rate ofHealth project officer for FAO. They tries are onion, pumpkin, sweet corn,varietal turnover, that is, replacing old andmake up 80% of the food we eat and bitter gourd, cucumber, ridge gourd andobsolete varieties with improved genet- produce the oxygen we breathe. tomato, Van Der Feltz says. ics, Prasanna says. In Africa, many ofWe all have a role to play in plant To achieve this, more businesses andthe countries are still growing 30-year-oldhealth, and the seed industry will continue agencies are focused on developing part- varieties. Unless this changes, we cannotto actively play a part.SW56/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2020'