18 February 2014: The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) has released its 2014-2020 Strategy, which indicates its work will feed into the work of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) while embarking on a set of strategic initiatives to boost development impact.

The strategy acknowledges and responds to some of the pressing threats posed by population growth, urbanization, land degradation and climate change, as well as the regional challenges facing CIAT’s work in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. CIAT’s support to the CGIAR goals will be achieved through research that aims to: boost agricultural productivity and the nutritional value of crops; improve agricultural value chains; and make more intensive and competitive agriculture environmentally sustainable and climate smart.

CIAT’s strategic initiatives will: promote forage-based livestock production to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; develop food systems to meet the needs of an urbanized world; reduce yield gaps and instability in major crops in an eco-efficient manner; and enhance ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes.

CIAT will develop new public-private partnerships and continue current collaborations. In addition, its research will seek to empower women and marginalized groups, build research capacity in developing countries, and support knowledge sharing practices. [Publication: CIAT Strategy 2014-2020: Building an Eco-Efficient Future] [CIAT Press Release]