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Informational support also is needed for
campaigns to gain farmer acceptance of the
more productive varieties and better cultural
practices developed by CIMMYT researchers
and cooperating scientists. Realization of this
potential depends heavily on effective communication
with the farmers who make the final
decisions about changing production practices.
The communications program has at least three
important roles to play in this area: (1) to
produce farmer-oriented materials which also
may serve as prototypes in other regions, (2)
to work closely in producing communications
materials with the geneticists and agronomists
in countries which show an interest in improving
agricultural production, and (3) to provide
advanced training in Mexico so that communicators
can be tied more closely to agronomic
research.
WRITTEN INFORMATION
Editing activities were centered around
publications produced. in the regular CIMMYT
series and information released to mass media
outlets covering CIMMYT activities and results.
Publications included:
"CIMMYT News" (six numbers, in both
English and Spanish versions)
"CIMMYT Report 1968-69" (English and
Spanish)
"The Puebla Project 1967-69" (English and
Spanish)
Research Bulletin No. 14, "A Survey on
Stem Rust Resistance in the USDA World
Durum Collection and in CIMMYT Durum
Breeding Lines"
Among the other materials edited were:
English and Spanish editions of a guide for
scholars, a manual for the International Corn
and Wheat Yield Nurseries, and special materials
presented at the annual meeting of the
Puebla Project.
In answer to continuing requests, the following
were reprinted:
Research Bulletin No.2, "Statistical Genetic
Theory and Procedures Useful in
Studying Varieties and Inter-Varietal Crosses
in Maize"
Research Bulletin No.4, "Exotic Germ
Plasm for Improvement of Corn Belt Maize"
"The Puebla Project 1967-69" (English and
Spanish)
"The Incorporation of Opaque-2 into Tropical
Varieties of Maize"
"Integration of Rural Market into the National
Economy of Mexico"
In addition, reprints of the following articles
were obtained for CIMMYT distribution:
"Wheat Breeding and Its Impact on World
Food Supply", by N. E. Borlaug, and "A Green
Revolution Yields a Golden Harvest", by N. E.
Borlaug, Ignacio Narvaez, Oddvar Aresvik and
R. Glenn Anderson, published by the Colombia
Journal of World Business.
Distribution
Readers of CIMMYT publications continue
to grow in number. The mailing list now
includes 4,700 scientists, institutions and libraries
in 116 countries as shown in Table C1.
Information is distributed free to scientists and
others interested in agricUltural development,
through this list and/or upon individual request.
Significantly, very few publications are
returned because of unannounced address
changes.
While there has been no systematic study
of the impact of CIMMYT publications, another
evidence of their value is the number of requests
which arrive daily at CIMMYT. Last
year, the Communications Department handled
more than 1,500 requests from 88 countries.
These were in addition to publications sent to
individuals on the permanent mailing list. Many
requests were for specific publications; while
others asked for the names of scientists working
on a specific problem. Some readers
sought additional information based on notes
published in the CIMMYT News, and others
asked to be included in the mailing list. In
most cases, requests were from individuals
who had seen CIMMYT materials in the news
media or in their libraries, or had heard about
them through colleagues.
This response provides continuous feedback
indicating CIMMYT's international stature
as a source of scientific information on
maize and wheat. At the same time it reveals
the needs of many information users.
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