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grain grainprices, prices, unavailability of of the thenecessary
inputs, inputs, lack lack of of credit, credit, lack lack of of sufficient sufficient applied applied
research, research, and andinadequate extension extensionfunds fundsand
and
personnel, are areamong amongthethefactors factorswhich whichhave
have
been beencited citedasasdeterrents to toproduction in in
Central CentralAmerica. CIMMYT CIMMYTis ishopeful hopefulthat
that
team teamefforts efforts by by groups groups of of farmers farmers (such (suchasas the the
cooperative program programofof small small farmers farmerswhich
which
has hasspread spreadrapidly rapidlyin inEI EI Salvador Salvador in inthethepast
past
two twooror three threeyears) years) may may be bea apractical system system
for fora agradual gradualelimination of ofthese thesebarriers.
Ideas Ideasand andinformation ar~ ar~ being beingexchanged
with withthethefarmer farmer cooperative groups groupsin inEI EI Salvadovador
and andthethePuebla PueblaProject Project in inMexico.
A Asignificant addition additionto tothethePCCMCA PCCMCApro­
pro­
Salgragramduring
during the thepast past year year involved involveda concerted a effort efforttotoinitiate initiatecommercial production of of
opaque-2 corns. corns. Varieties Varietieswhich whichhad hadbeen
been
developed by byvarious variousCentral American countriestries,
and andbyby CIMMYT, and andprivate privatecompanies,
were weresimultaneously simUltaneouslytested testedin inallall countries.
In Inaddition, a asemi-commercial production
block blockofof the theCIMMYT CIMMYTtropical tropical1 1 (Opaque-2)
composite variety varietywas wasgrown grownin ineach eachcountry.
country.
coun­
The Thegrain grainproduced was wasput put to totrial trialuse usein
in
making makingtortillas tortillasand andin inpreparing various variousother
other
foods foodsforfor human humancomsumption, as aswell well as asin
in
animal animal feeding feedingtrials.
trials. Each EachCentral American
country countryalso alsoinitiated initiateda aprogram programtotoconvert
one oneoror more morelocal local corn cornvarieties varietiestotoOpaque-2
for foruse usebybysmall small farmers farmerswho whoconsume consumemost
most
of of their their own ownproduction.
SOUTH AMERICA
During Duringthethepast past year, year, CIMMYT CIMMYTstaff staff memberbersvisited
visitedextensively in inSouth SouthAmerica Americatoto
review reviewand andassist assist programs already alreadyunderway,
and andtotoadd addnew newdimensions to toothers.
others.
mem­
For For example, Drs. Drs. Wellhausen, hausen, Jimenez Jimenez and and
Laird Lairdvisited visitedColombia, Ecuador, Peru Peruand
and
Bolivia Boliviatotoinitiate initiateplans plansfor forthetheestablishment
of of the theAccelerated Maize MaizeProduction Training Training
Programs.
These Theseprograms will will be befunded, in in
part part by bythetheUNDP-CIMMYT (Global (Global 1) 1) project. project.
Details Detailsarearereported reportedin inthe the "Production Researcsearchand
andPractices" section sectionofofthis thisreport.
Re­
Drs. Drs. Sprague and andJohnson visited visited the the same same
countries to tofurther furtherintensify cooperative arrangements
for for accelerating maize maizeproduction.
They They were wereparticularly interested in inpromoting
a amore morerapid rapiddevelopment of of high highlysine lysinevari~
vari­
ar­
eties etiesadapted adaptedtotovarious variousmaize maizegrowing growingre­re­
gions. gions. As As a result a result of of these these visits visits if was if was agreed agreed
that: that:
(1) (1) CIMMYT will will chemically analyze analyzesam­
ples plesofofpromising materials for foreach eachof of the the
sam­
countries' breeding programs aimed aimedat atcon­
version versionof of local local varieties to topaque-2 or or floury­ flourycon­
2 2types. types. These Thesematerials have havebeen beenplanted
in inMexico Mexicototoobtain obtaina ageneration in inthethecon­
version versionof oflocally locallyadapted varieties to tohigh
high
con­
lysine lysinetypes.
types.
(2) (2) CIMMYT will will work work with withCIAT CIATtoto continuuethetheAndean
Zone Zoneproject established sev­
sev­
contineraeral
years yearsago.
ago. Due Duetotochanges of of personnel,
this thisproject was wasonly onlypartially operative duriningthethepast
past year. year. A Anew newstaff staffmember will will
dur­
work workwith withCIMMYT and andprovide provideregional coordination.
This Thisprogram will will serve serveasasthethere­re­
gional gionalmaize maizeimprovement program in inthethe
Andean Andeanregion, including inclUdingthethecountries of of
co­
Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru Peruand
andBo­
livia. livia.
Bo­
(3) (3) CIMMYT will willcontinue to tohelp helpwith
with
training trainingat at the thein-service level, level, and andwill will assist assist
in inthethesupport of of training at at the theMasters and and
Ph.D. Ph.D. level level for for selected national program personnesonnelwho
whocan cancontribute SUbstantially to to
per­
bringing about about a amore moreefficient production of of
nutritive corn cornin inthethearea areaofof South SouthAmerica.
During Duringa ameeting involving maize maizescientists
from fromBrazil, Brazil, Chile, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and and
Argentina (held (heldin inArgentina, March March9-13,
9-13,
1970) 1970) plans planswere weremade madeforfor the thecontinuation of of
the theCIMMYT coordinated project project entitled entitled "Convve
rgent-Dive rgent-Convergent Improvement".
The Theattending scientists agreed agreedthat that the theSouth­
ern ernSouth SouthAmerica regional program will willbebe
subdivided into intotwo twosubregions: SUbregions: Subregion I I
"Con­
will will include includeLaLaEstanzuela (Uruguay), La LaPlatina
(Chile), (Chile), and andParana Paranaand andPergamino (Argentina).
Subregion" will will include includePelotas and andPiracicaba
(Brazil), Caacupe (Paraguay) and andCorrientes
and andSaenz SaenzPefia Pena (Argentina).
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