25 March 2009: The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT), a research center of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, has released research results and innovations for the adaptation of dryland agriculture to the impacts of climate change. The press release states that yield loss due to climate change can be minimized through the use of adapted and improved crop varieties together with soil and water management innovations. These strategies can be supported through capacity building and development of improved varieties and hybrids that are better targeted for climate change adaptation.

William Dar, ICRISAT Director General, stressed the importance of adopting better formulated and targeted policies that facilitate and support the conduct and adoption of agricultural innovation to improve the welfare of rural communities and increase their capacity to adapt to climate change. He noted that the adoption of currently recommended improved crop, soil and water management practices will result in substantially higher yields, even under conditions of climate change, and that the development and adoption of improved “temperature adapted” varieties could completely offset the negative impacts of climate change on yields. [ICRISAT Press Release] [ICRISAT Website]