{"id":12750,"date":"2026-06-20T12:24:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/the-scorecard-as-a-marathon-maize-project-winds-up-after-eight-years\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T12:24:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:24:59","slug":"the-scorecard-as-a-marathon-maize-project-winds-up-after-eight-years","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/the-scorecard-as-a-marathon-maize-project-winds-up-after-eight-years\/","title":{"rendered":"The scorecard, as a marathon maize project winds up after eight years"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) Project has contributed to a stronger food system in 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, through more than 200 improved maize varieties to help farmers cope with climate change and low-fertility soils through collaboration.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Monday, 14 th September, 2015 <\/strong>\u2013 Partners and funders of the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa<\/a> (DTMA) Project will today convene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to take stock of the project. DTMA concludes its work in Africa after eight years of work on improved drought-tolerant maize, to help maize farmers in sub-Saharan Africa mitigate drought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfrica\u2019s food security faces a host of challenges, but undoubtedly, drought is the most devastating challenge because our farmers rely on rains to grow their food. The work undertaken by DTMA has created significant impacts. However, several challenges remain,\u201d said Dr. B.M. Prasanna, Director of CIMMYT\u2019s Global Maize Program as well as the CGIAR Research Program on MAIZE. \u201cOur work continues in sub-Saharan Africa to ensure farmers can access improved maize seed with drought tolerance and other relevant traits that contribute to increased and stable yields,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The four-day event will be officially opened by, among others, Dr. Fentahun Mengistu, the Director General of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR). The institute has been very instrumental in transforming maize productivity in Ethiopia<\/a>, which has doubled in less than two decades. Maize now ranks first among cereals for production, and second in area planted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting will reflect on the project\u2019s achievements in some of Africa\u2019s breadbasket countries. DTMA has released more than 200 drought-tolerant maize varieties that perform significantly better under moderate drought compared to varieties already on the market, while yielding at par with \u2013 or better \u2013 than these existing varieties when there is no drought. DTMA varieties include hybrids that yield, on average, 15 percent more than widely grown commercial hybrids, giving farmers much higher yield regardless of climatic constraints \u2013 in good years or in bad years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than two million farmers have acquired and grown the new drought-tolerant varieties in DTMA target countries, including Ethiopia: the 13 DTMA target countries are Angola, Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ug anda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Of the 11 varieties released in Ethiopia by DTMA, six are high-yielding hybrids that will contribute to improving food security for the more than nine million smallholder households currently growing maize for food and income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DTMA has benefited from, and drawn on, rich partnerships with private and public institutions. In fact, the increased maize production noted in the past few years in these countries has in part been a result of concerted efforts by national research organizations, seed companies, and CIMMYT\u2019s sister international agricultural research centers \u2013 particularly the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) \u2013 that has led DTMA work in western Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting will also review the progress made under the Improved Maize for African Soils<\/a> (IMAS) project, as IMAS turns a new corner beginning in 2016 (see DT Maize, last story on page 4<\/a>). Modeled along similar lines as DTMA \u2013 albeit on a smaller scale \u2013 IMAS and DTMA have worked together to amplify benefits for farmers by stacking both drought tolerance and nitrogen-use efficiency into a single variety<\/a> where possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This internal and external collaboration will continue to be instrumental in the next phase of maize research and development, as CIMMYT and its partners work to ensure farmers have access to these improved varieties. There will be special emphasis on drought-tolerant and nitrogen-efficient varieties, which are helping farmers, cope not only with drought, but also with the challenge of poor soil fertility. Meeting the current dem and for \u2013 and improving access to \u2013 these improved high-yielding seeds will be CIMMYT\u2019s primary focus for the next five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To achieve this, CIMMYT is working with seed companies through a new project, Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Seed Scaling<\/a> (DTMASS), to produce close to 12,000 metric tons of certified seed for approximately 400,000 households \u2013 or 2.5 million people across seven countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Ug anda and Zambia).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe success of DTMA goes beyond the breeding work. Our work now is to ensure that maize farmers benefit from the seed that was developed with them in mind. Getting the drought- tolerant maize and other improved seeds to the farmers is a critical step that will ultimately crown the success of our work for the last eight years,\u201d said Dr. Tsedeke Abate, DTMA and DTMASS Project Leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maize production in Africa is growing rapidly, making maize the most widely cultivated crop in the continent, and a staple food for more than 300 million people. Giving farmers improved seed choices that will increase their maize yields is a guaranteed pathway to strengthening Africa\u2019s food security. The maize story for Africa\u2019s breadbasket countries is changing for the better<\/a>, and DTMA and IMAS have been an integral part of this transformative narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, visit the DTMA<\/a> et IMAS<\/a> websites or contact<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Tsedeke Abate<\/strong><\/a>, Project Leader, DTMA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Michael Olsen<\/strong><\/a>, Project Leader, IMAS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Media enquiries:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brenda Wawa<\/strong><\/a>, Communications Officer, CIMMYT\u2013Kenya<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Njeri Okono<\/strong><\/a>, Communications Manager, CIMMYT\u2013Africa<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fisseha Zegeye Birhanu<\/strong><\/a>, Director, Research Partnership, Communication and IPR, EIAR<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DTMA video<\/a> | IMAS videos \u2013 go to the \u2018Videos\u2019 tab here<\/a> | Facts and figures on maize production in Africa<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About IITA:<\/strong> The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is one of the world\u2019s leading research partners in finding solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. Its award-winning research-for-development (R4D) approach addresses the development needs of tropical countries. IITA works with partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce producer and consumer risks, and generate wealth from agriculture. IITA is a non-profit organization founded in 1967 in Nigeria and governed by a Board of Trustees. IITA works on the following crops: cowpea, soybean, banana\/plantain, yam, cassava, and maize. It is a member of CGIAR<\/a>, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About CIMMYT:<\/strong> The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT<\/a>, by its Spanish acronym) is the global leader on publicly funded maize and wheat research and related farming systems. Headquartered near Mexico City, Mexico, CIMMYT works with hundreds of partners throughout the developing world to sustainably increase the productivity of maize and wheat cropping systems, thus improving global food security and reducing poverty. CIMMYT is a member of the CGIAR<\/a> Consortium and leads the CGIAR Research Programs on MAIZE and WHEAT. The Center receives support from national governments, foundations, development banks and other public and private agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About EIAR:<\/strong> The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR<\/a>) is responsible for the running of the country\u2019s federal research centers, while the various regional agricultural research institutes are administered by the regional state governments. In addition to conducting research at its federal centers, EIAR is responsible for providing the overall coordination of agricultural research countrywide, and advising the government on agricultural research policy formulation. EIAR is part of the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Service which also encompasses 55 research centers and sites located across various agro-ecological zones, as well as Higher Learning Institutions in the country.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Partners and funders of the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) Project will today convene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to take stock of the project. DTMA concludes its work in Africa after eight years of work on improved drought-tolerant maize, to help maize farmers in sub-Saharan Africa mitigate drought.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":12751,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"tags":[273],"science-area":[],"program":[],"location":[],"news-type":[],"hub":[],"crop":[68],"impact-areas":[],"item-year":[193],"class_list":["post-12750","news-item","type-news-item","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-drought-tolerant-maize-for-africadtmamaize","crop-maize","item-year-193"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/12750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news-item"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/12750\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12750"},{"taxonomy":"science-area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/science-area?post=12750"},{"taxonomy":"program","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program?post=12750"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=12750"},{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=12750"},{"taxonomy":"hub","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hub?post=12750"},{"taxonomy":"crop","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/crop?post=12750"},{"taxonomy":"impact-areas","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/impact-areas?post=12750"},{"taxonomy":"item-year","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/item-year?post=12750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}