.png)
BULLETIN 1
Advancing Odisha’s Millet Mission: A Science-Policy Workshop Highlighting Transformative Pathways
Advancing Odisha’s Millet Mission: A Science-Policy Workshop Highlighting Transformative Pathways
.png)
CGIAR January 16 2025
ICRISAT, in partnership with the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), organized a Science-Policy Workshop on Advancing the Mainstreaming of Millets into Agri-food Systems in Odisha: Learnings, Insights, and Way Forward. The workshop was held in Bhubaneswar on 26 December 2024 under the aegis of the CGIAR National Policies and Strategies Initiative.
Focused on strengthening efforts to mainstream millets, the meeting attracted participation from researchers, policymakers, and representatives from Odisha's millet value chain. Participants explored various aspects of the millet value chain, including enhancing production and farmer capacity, market development and value addition, consumer awareness, and demand creation.
In his keynote address, Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, IAS, Principal Secretary of Agriculture, Government of Odisha, highlighted the state's achievements in mainstreaming millets:
Dr Shalander Kumar, Deputy Global Research Program Director for Enabling Systems Transformation at ICRISAT; and Dr Abhishek Das, Agricultural Economist at ICRISAT, presented key findings from the Millet Value Chain study in Odisha conducted by ICRISAT.
The presentation highlighted how Odisha’s efforts with millets have led to significant behavioral changes across the value chain. It also emphasized the need for continuous intervention and a holistic approach that encourages public-private partnerships, ag-tech startups, women’s SHGs, farmers' organization linkages, and sustainable business models as critical components moving forward.
Workshop participants brainstormed and suggested various context-specific strategies for improving farmers' access to seed, small farm mechanization, institutional innovations, and policy support for ensuring consistent supply, steady demand, and sustainable business models.
Women’s Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) and small-scale processors need greater support in certifying value-added products, market linkages, and advanced technologies. Regular integration of millet into Public Distribution Systems (PDS) and school nutrition programs was considered critical for creating demand and sustained behavior change among consumers.
Dr Pravat Kumar Roul, Vice Chancellor of OUAT, praised the Odisha Millet Mission (Shree Anna Abhiyan) for its remarkable success, highlighting significant achievements in expanding cultivation areas, increasing production, and boosting yields.
The workshop concluded with actionable recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders, focusing on scaling production, enhancing market linkages, and driving behavioral change among consumers.
The meeting reaffirmed millets as a critical lever for Odisha's achievement of sustainable agriculture, improved nutrition, and resilience against climate change.
See https://pressroom.icrisat.org/advancing-odishas-millet-mission-a-science-policy-workshop-highlighting-transformative-pathways
The presentation highlighted how Odisha’s efforts with millets have led to significant behavioral changes across the value chain. It also emphasized the need for continuous intervention and a holistic approach that encourages public-private partnerships, ag-tech startups, women’s SHGs, farmers' organization linkages, and sustainable business models as critical components moving forward.
Workshop participants brainstormed and suggested various context-specific strategies for improving farmers' access to seed, small farm mechanization, institutional innovations, and policy support for ensuring consistent supply, steady demand, and sustainable business models.
Women’s Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) and small-scale processors need greater support in certifying value-added products, market linkages, and advanced technologies. Regular integration of millet into Public Distribution Systems (PDS) and school nutrition programs was considered critical for creating demand and sustained behavior change among consumers.
Dr Pravat Kumar Roul, Vice Chancellor of OUAT, praised the Odisha Millet Mission (Shree Anna Abhiyan) for its remarkable success, highlighting significant achievements in expanding cultivation areas, increasing production, and boosting yields.
The workshop concluded with actionable recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders, focusing on scaling production, enhancing market linkages, and driving behavioral change among consumers.
The meeting reaffirmed millets as a critical lever for Odisha's achievement of sustainable agriculture, improved nutrition, and resilience against climate change.
See https://pressroom.icrisat.org/advancing-odishas-millet-mission-a-science-policy-workshop-highlighting-transformative-pathways
BULLETIN 2
Connecting the Dots: Linking Social Protection to Climate Change
.png)
CGIAR January 15 2025
Today the CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security team launches an ArcGISStoryMap that explores the role of social protection for inclusive climate change adaptation and sheds light on some of the key challenges across contexts.
The Storymap shares findings from a study conducted by the CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security team of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT within the CGIAR initiative on Gender Equality (HER+). It comprised of a global review of recent progress in concepts, policies and practices relating to linking social protection to climate change adaptation and included three deep dives into social protection landscapes and programmes in India, Jordan and the Sahel region.
Through a literature review, expert interviews and our three regional deep dives, we asked how practices on the ground are changing and how climate change is considered in the design of social protection programmes across different realities.
India’s national public works social protection program, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and its scheme by the same name is the largest social protection program in the world. It can therefore offer useful lessons in how large-scale national schemes can be adapted to enhance climate resilience. MGNREGA has been used as a shock response against climate disasters and vulnerability for rural households but in order to contribute to long term climate resilience it must focus on leveraging climate risk information to strengthen inclusive asset planning, particularly for natural resource management. The emphasis should also be expanded from asset creation to maintenance, ownership and use to promote skill development and income generation through value chains.
Jordan offers important insights into how national social protection programmes can link to humanitarian assistance and climate change adaptation. It also raises key concerns related to the social inclusion of marginalised communities like refugees and asylum seekers. However, for social protection programmes to play a meaningful role in contributing to climate adaptation in Jordan, coverage must increase. This can be achieved by expanded enrolment in the Social Security Corporation through formalisation and contribution- support, including for those working in climate-vulnerable sectors.
The Sahel region is experiencing the compounded negative impacts of climate change, instability and conflict. Here, humanitarian responses are employed in a repetitive manner to cope with recurring shocks. In face of significant infrastructure and human resource constraints, building a critical mass of social protection instruments and increasing coverage needs to be complemented with efforts to make existing programmes climate sensitive.
This story map offers an overview of some of the pathways that can bridge social protection to climate change adaptation across various contexts. In doing so, it identifies challenges and areas of opportunity, such as potential co-benefits for women’s rights and gender equality, social inclusion and enhanced climate resilience. In contexts as diverse as the Sahel region, Jordan and India, a range of social protection programmes target vulnerable populations in conjunction with investments in land restoration, livelihood diversification and integrated water management.
For more details on the CGIAR studies this Storymap was based on:
• Desai, B.; Meddings, G.; Campbell, R.; Laderach, P. (2023) Adaptive social protection: a persistent illusion or the way forward for climate adaptation and social inclusion? .
• Meddings, G.; Desai, B.; Jaskolski, M.; Schapendonk, F.; Läderach, P. (2023) Barriers to developing social protection programs with adaptation considerations: The case of Jordan . 48 p.
• Desai, B.; Meddings, G.; Laderach, P.; Campbell, R. (2023) Reactive assistance or proactive protection? Social protection and climate resilience in the Sahel region . 35 p.
• Campbell, R.; Desai, B.; Laderach, P. (2023) Social protection as a stepping stone towards transformative climate resilience: the case of India’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Development Program (MGNREGA) .
See https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/connecting-the-dots-linking-social-protection-to-climate-change/
The Storymap shares findings from a study conducted by the CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security team of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT within the CGIAR initiative on Gender Equality (HER+). It comprised of a global review of recent progress in concepts, policies and practices relating to linking social protection to climate change adaptation and included three deep dives into social protection landscapes and programmes in India, Jordan and the Sahel region.
Through a literature review, expert interviews and our three regional deep dives, we asked how practices on the ground are changing and how climate change is considered in the design of social protection programmes across different realities.
India’s national public works social protection program, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and its scheme by the same name is the largest social protection program in the world. It can therefore offer useful lessons in how large-scale national schemes can be adapted to enhance climate resilience. MGNREGA has been used as a shock response against climate disasters and vulnerability for rural households but in order to contribute to long term climate resilience it must focus on leveraging climate risk information to strengthen inclusive asset planning, particularly for natural resource management. The emphasis should also be expanded from asset creation to maintenance, ownership and use to promote skill development and income generation through value chains.
Jordan offers important insights into how national social protection programmes can link to humanitarian assistance and climate change adaptation. It also raises key concerns related to the social inclusion of marginalised communities like refugees and asylum seekers. However, for social protection programmes to play a meaningful role in contributing to climate adaptation in Jordan, coverage must increase. This can be achieved by expanded enrolment in the Social Security Corporation through formalisation and contribution- support, including for those working in climate-vulnerable sectors.
The Sahel region is experiencing the compounded negative impacts of climate change, instability and conflict. Here, humanitarian responses are employed in a repetitive manner to cope with recurring shocks. In face of significant infrastructure and human resource constraints, building a critical mass of social protection instruments and increasing coverage needs to be complemented with efforts to make existing programmes climate sensitive.
This story map offers an overview of some of the pathways that can bridge social protection to climate change adaptation across various contexts. In doing so, it identifies challenges and areas of opportunity, such as potential co-benefits for women’s rights and gender equality, social inclusion and enhanced climate resilience. In contexts as diverse as the Sahel region, Jordan and India, a range of social protection programmes target vulnerable populations in conjunction with investments in land restoration, livelihood diversification and integrated water management.
For more details on the CGIAR studies this Storymap was based on:
• Desai, B.; Meddings, G.; Campbell, R.; Laderach, P. (2023) Adaptive social protection: a persistent illusion or the way forward for climate adaptation and social inclusion? .
• Meddings, G.; Desai, B.; Jaskolski, M.; Schapendonk, F.; Läderach, P. (2023) Barriers to developing social protection programs with adaptation considerations: The case of Jordan . 48 p.
• Desai, B.; Meddings, G.; Laderach, P.; Campbell, R. (2023) Reactive assistance or proactive protection? Social protection and climate resilience in the Sahel region . 35 p.
• Campbell, R.; Desai, B.; Laderach, P. (2023) Social protection as a stepping stone towards transformative climate resilience: the case of India’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Development Program (MGNREGA) .
See https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/connecting-the-dots-linking-social-protection-to-climate-change/
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
Development and characterization of a complete set of monosomic alien addition lines from Raphanus sativus in Brassica oleracea
Shiting Fang, Jingwen Zhao, Fangping Lei, Jie Yu, Qi Hu, Tuo Zeng, Lei Gu, Hongcheng Wang, Xuye Du, Mengxian Cai, Zaiyun Li & Bin Zhu
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; January 11 2025; vol. 138; article 27
Shiting Fang, Jingwen Zhao, Fangping Lei, Jie Yu, Qi Hu, Tuo Zeng, Lei Gu, Hongcheng Wang, Xuye Du, Mengxian Cai, Zaiyun Li & Bin Zhu
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; January 11 2025; vol. 138; article 27
.png)
Key message
A complete set of monosomic alien addition lines of Radish-Brassica oleracea exhibiting extensive variations was generated and well characterized for their chromosome behaviors and phenotypic characteristics.
Abstract
Monosomic alien addition lines (MAALs) are developed through interspecific hybridization, where an alien chromosome from a relative species is introduced into the genome of the recipient plant, serving as valuable genetic resources. In this study, an allotetraploid Raphanobrassica (RRCC, 2n = 36) was created from the interspecific hybridization between radish (Raphanus sativus, RR, 2n = 18) and Brassica oleracea (CC, 2n = 18). Subsequently, this Raphanobrassica was repeatedly backcrossed with radish to generate an aneuploid population. The identification of a complete set of MAALs (RR + 1C1−9, 2n = 19) was achieved using PCR with C chromosome-specific markers and fluorescence in situ hybridization, revealing extensive morphological variations, particularly in the shape and size of the fleshy root. A complete set of MAALs was achieved with only one chromosome from 1 to 9 linkage groups of the C genome. Compared with parental radish, most of the MAALs showed a noticeable delay in root swelling, particularly the RR-C6 that did not exhibit obvious root swelling throughout its entire growth stage. Cytological analysis indicated that the MAAL lines containing chromosome C8 exhibited the highest frequency of intergenomic chromosome pairings. Additionally, some introgressive radish lines derived from MAALs displayed a preference toward the donor B. oleracea or over-parent heterosis for some certain nutritional components. Overall, these MAALs serve as valuable germplasm for the genetic enhancement of radish and provide insights into the interactions between the R genome and C chromosomes.
See https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00122-024-04804-9
