Research Highlights of the CIMMYT Wheat Program 1999-2000

CIMMYT’s Advanced Wheat Improvement Course:
Opening Doors to NARS Senior Scientists
R.L. Villareal
The visiting scientist program is one of CIMMYT’s
most active training efforts. Since 1966, 1,866
scientists from more than 90 countries all over the
world have come to the CIMMYT Wheat Program
for short periods, usually two to six weeks (Table
1). CIMMYT has refocused its resources towards
receving scientists from countries with less
developed national programs, where the need for
training is more critical. By supporting these visits
each year, CIMMYT encourages personal
interaction among wheat researchers, who after
completing the course join the ranks of alumni who
make up an international research network.
At the Center, visiting scientists have a unique
opportunity to exchange ideas among themselves
and with our staff, discuss research results, and
generally strengthen the interpersonal and
professional bonds that hold the international
network together. Visitors share their knowledge
and experience with CIMMYT staff, trainees, and
colleagues from other countries through personal
contacts, group discussions, and seminars. Also,
they may select wheat, triticale, and barley seed to
be shipped to their home countries for use in their
crop improvement efforts (it should be stressed
that prior to shipping the seed is treated with
appropriate fungicides and other chemicals).
Table 1. Origin of CIMMYT’s Wheat Program visiting scientists
based on regional aggregates, 1966 - 2000.
Origin
Visiting scientists* (no.)
Sub-Saharan Africa 133
West and North Africa 177
East, South, and Southeast Asia 451
Latin America 499
Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Caucasus 60
High-income countries 546
* Source: CIMMYT Training Database.
Two main categories of professional visitors come to
CIMMYT: research directors and policy-makers
who come for a short orientation tour, and midcareer,
senior scientists who work directly with
CIMMYT senior scientists in on-going research
programs. These two categories are sometimes
confused when visiting scientists are selected or
their visits programmed. Of particular concern are
policy-makers or active wheat scientists who are
sent for 3-6 weeks—too short for a working
assignment and too long for an orientation tour.
Given the large number of visiting scientists who
come to the CIMMYT Wheat Program each year,
training resources are stretched to the limit. To
maximize the effectiveness of staff time and
increase cost effectiveness, the two types of training
need to be clarified.
To better distinguish between the two, this paper
will not discuss the subject of short-term visits for
research directors and policy-makers but will focus
instead on the CIMMYT Advanced Wheat
Improvement (CAWI) course given in Mexico to
mid-career, senior NARS scientists. The course was
established in an attempt to further define and more
efficiently manage the active visiting scientist
program. It should be noted that the CAWI course
is an integral part of CIMMYT’s Global Project 8,
“Building partnerships through human resource
development.”
Objectives of the CAWI Course
The CAWI course has two main objectives: 1) to
impart to senior NARS scientists knowledge on the
efficient management of a germplasm improvement
program, and 2) to give NARS scientists the
opportunity to select new wheat germplasm from
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