Investments by the UK in CGIAR research play a key role in helping to combat food insecurity and build greater climate resilience while delivering substantial economic benefits. A new report quantifies the benefits of CGIAR research for farmers, exporters, and consumers.
Approximately 65 percent of wheat grown in the U.K. can be traced back to breeding material provided by CIMMYT. The varieties grown contain important genetic characteristics. These include dwarfing which improves lodging resistance and improve yields by significantly reduces plant height, as well as greater resistance to wheat rusts and pests.
The report finds that UK farmers have been able to produce an additional 800,000 tons of wheat per year. This has generated over GPB 9 billion in increased profitability since 1971.
Read the full paper here: