the Symposium on Wheats for More Tropical Environments - cimmyt

19With UNDP assistance. CIMMYTexpanded this research to:• Identify and assemble availablegermplasm of wheat and relatedspecies possessing agronomiccharacteristics desirable for warmer.subtropical areas;• Intensively screen <strong>the</strong>se materials fordesired traits;• Establish special advancedgeneration nurseries to facilitatescreening. and• Arrange locations for testingadvanced materials.In 1982. UNDP agreed to support a fiveyearproject with a contribution ofUS$ 2.5 million to enable CIMMYT tofur<strong>the</strong>r expand research to develophigh-yielding. disease-resistant.semidwarf wheats that would performwell in <strong>the</strong> warmer. subtropical areas of<strong>the</strong> world. At that time. three-fourths ofali wheat grown in developing countrieswere varieties developed or improved atCIMMYT. In addition to breeding andtesting. <strong>the</strong> project involves trainingand conferences for <strong>the</strong> exchange ofinformation and experience. Personnelfrom developing countries are beingtrained in <strong>the</strong> development of newvarieties. agronomic research anddisease methodology. Regionalworkshops and conferences arebringing CIMMYT and developingcountryscientists toge<strong>the</strong>r to focus onresearch progress and problems. Theproject will also enable CIMMYT toprovide basic research equipmentwhich is lacking in many countries. Itis extremely gratifying to note that <strong>the</strong>results obtained to date areencouraging and it can be hoped that.in <strong>the</strong> not too distant future. severalvarieties adapted to tropicalenvironments will be available forproduction programs.Ano<strong>the</strong>r example of my encouragementand support to new research ideas is<strong>the</strong> program on wide crosses in wheatand maize. I have been fascinated by<strong>the</strong> idea of transferring genes into oramong crops for greater diseaseresistance. tolerance to environmentalstresses. such as drought. salinity,acidity and aluminum toxicity. andhigher protein quality. I am confidentthat an intensification of research inthis area. with support from <strong>the</strong> donorcommunity. will produce useful andapplied results in <strong>the</strong> foreseeable future.I am indeed glad to have been able toprovide modest financial support fromUNDP. since additional assistance willbe forthcoming from o<strong>the</strong>r donors.Understandably. this program maypresent a higher risk than conventionalbreeding programs. as <strong>the</strong>re is noguarantee that it will be successful as asource of genes for <strong>the</strong> germplasmdevelopment and breeding programs.However. in my years of experience indevelopment projects. I have neverhesitated to take a risk or gamble aslong as I am assured of <strong>the</strong> scientificquality of <strong>the</strong> programs and that <strong>the</strong>ywill be implemented by first-classscientists from reputable institutions.Ultimately risk is what science is allabout; if we do not take risks. nothingwill happen.Now I wish to make some concludingremarks about <strong>the</strong> great many effortsbeing made in international agriculturalresearch. The vision which led to <strong>the</strong>establishment of <strong>the</strong> original IARCsand. subsequently. to <strong>the</strong> creation of<strong>the</strong> Consultative Group was asignificant. if not <strong>the</strong> most important.step in <strong>the</strong> direction of filling atremendous void which had impededinternational agricultural development.What started as an intended first stepcannot be regarded as <strong>the</strong> fulfillment of<strong>the</strong> vision; it was merely <strong>the</strong> first step.We here. and o<strong>the</strong>rs elsewhere. who areparties to this most essential endeavor.