Why India Must Support CIMMYT and IRRI: Repaying the Green Revolution Debt

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• William S. Gaud of USAID coined the term “Green Revolution” in 1968, highlighting efforts like India’s adoption of high-yield wheat varieties to tackle global food challenges. 

• USAID, which played a key role in supporting such agricultural advances, was shut down by the Trump administration from July 1. 
• Its closure has affected institutions like CIMMYT, a major centre for maize and wheat research.

• CIMMYT, linked to Norman Borlaug, developed key semi-dwarf wheat varieties that sparked India’s Green Revolution. 
• Initially funded by Mexico and the Rockefeller Foundation, CIMMYT later relied heavily on USAID, which contributed $83 million of its $211 million funding in 2024. 

• With USAID now shut, CIMMYT is turning to India—one of its biggest beneficiaries—for future support.

CIMMYT

• Mexico-headquartered International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center or CIMMYT is a major centre for maize and wheat research.
• CIMMYT is to wheat what the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) — established by the Ford and Rockefeller foundations in 1960 — has been to the other big cereal grain crop.
• It developed semi-dwarf wheat varieties like Lerma Rojo 64A and Sonora 63, first sown in India in 1964–65, sparking the Green Revolution.
  • Renowned agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug was closely associated with CIMMYT.
• It originated from a Mexican government and Rockefeller Foundation initiative in the 1940s–50s.
• USAID later became CIMMYT’s main funder, contributing $83 million of its $211 million grant revenues in 2024.
• With USAID dismantled, CIMMYT is now seeking India as a major funding partner.

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How Wheat and Rice Research Became Cold War Tools

• CIMMYT and IRRI, key institutions backed by US foundations, helped expand wheat and rice production globally, especially in developing countries like India. 
• This was part of US Cold War strategy to prevent food-related political instability and communist influence. 
• Borlaug’s wheat varieties and IRRI’s semi-dwarf rice strains significantly increased crop yields and reduced growing times. 
  • Borlaug’s wheat varieties boosted Indian wheat yields from 1–1.5 tonnes to 4–4.5 tonnes per hectare, overcoming issues like lodging in traditional tall cultivars.
• Borlaug received the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to global food security.

How India Benefited from the Green Revolution

• The Green Revolution in India was driven by wheat and rice varieties from CIMMYT and IRRI. 
• Indian scientists adapted these into wheat varieties like Kalyan Sona and Sonalika in 1967–68 using CIMMYT breeding material.
• At IARI New Delhi, scientists led by VS Mathur developed high-yielding wheat varieties such as HD 2285 (1982), HD 2329 (1985), and later HD 2967 (2011), pushing wheat yields to 7+ tonnes per hectare.
• In rice, V Ramachandra Rao and MV Reddy at Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University created mega varieties like Swarna (1982) and Samba Mahsuri (1986). 
• IARI scientists developed top-selling basmati varieties like Pusa Basmati 1 (1989), 1121 (2003), and 1509 (2013).
• India exported 6.1 million tonnes of basmati worth $5.94 billion in 2024–25, with over 90% from IARI varieties.
• Norman Borlaug credited India’s success to strong institutions like IARI and leadership from MS Swaminathan. 

Why India Still Needs CIMMYT and IRRI

• In 2024–25, six out of the top 10 wheat varieties in India—covering over 20 million hectares out of 32 million hectares—were developed using CIMMYT germplasm.
• The only major recent Indian-bred wheat variety, HD 2967, peaked at 12–14 million hectares in 2017–19. Most new varieties since rely on CIMMYT material.
• CIMMYT and IRRI remain crucial for India’s food security and agricultural growth. 

Conclusion

• In 2024, India contributed just $0.8 million to CIMMYT and $18.3 million to IRRI, despite being a major beneficiary.
• India should increase funding for these global institutions, focusing on strategic research in heat and drought tolerance, nitrogen use efficiency, gene editing, and AI tools. 
• However, this support must complement—not replace—investment in India’s own agricultural research system.

Source: IE | IE