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Our Vision and Strategy

wheat_fadeWheat is a key food staple that provides around 20 percent of the protein and calories consumed worldwide. Demand for wheat will grow in coming decades to feed rising populations in the developing world, as economies grow, women and men seek employment in cities, and dietary habits change. Millions of smallholder farmers in wheat-producing countries will require support to raise crop productivity sustainably and to meet the demand of poor consumers.

WHEAT offers productivity-enhancing options, helping smallholders to improve farming practices and make the best use of their land in ever more challenging conditions constrained by virulent diseases, less water, fewer agricultural inputs, rising temperatures and more erratic rainfall.

WHEAT addresses such challenges through two strategic research pillars, germplasm improvement and sustainable
intensification. Associated work takes place under theme areas known as Flagship Projects (FPs; see the table below) that tackle current and coming constraints to food security, improved farm livelihoods and sustainable development. The FPs reflect input from many knowledgeable and experienced partners.

Impacts by 2022:

  • 100 million more farm households will have adopted improved wheat varieties and crop management.
  • Wheat yields will be increasing by an average 1.5 percent each year. 30 million people (half of them women) will have been helped to escape poverty.
  • 30 million more people (half of them women) will be meeting minimum daily requirements for carbohydrates.
  • There will be a 10 percent improvement in water and nutrient use efficiency in wheat cropping systems and a 0.2 billion ton per year reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from wheat farming.