Market Intelligence: Driving food systems innovations in the Global South

The CGIAR’s 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy include an investment plan to enhance food security in developing regions through research and innovations in crop breeding. While millions have benefitted from CGIAR’s work through the centers, improved crop varieties are slowly adopted. This implores us to shift towards demand-led breeding that aligns efforts with the specific needs of farmers, processors, and consumers.

To reach a solution, CGIAR launched the Initiative on Market Intelligence, which aims to provide timely insights that support demand-led breeding. The strategy is an impact-focused approach involving transdisciplinary teams of social scientists (economics, gender, marketing, etc.) and biophysical scientists (crop breeding, genetics, plant pathology, nutrition, climate change, etc.). These teams integrate their expertise to address the complex factors influencing the adoption of new crop varieties, ultimately contributing to global food security.

At the end of the event, the key takeaways for the participants should include:

• Understanding Market Intelligence: Participants will discover how Market Intelligence can empower crop breeding programs. By integrating it into the programs and informing product design and investment decisions, the adoption and impact of new crop varieties can be enhanced.
• Behavioral Intelligence for Adoption: Participants will gain insights into addressing the behavioral barriers to adopting new crop varieties. They will explore strategies and interventions for developing seed systems to overcome these barriers.
• Exploring GloMIP: Participants will be able to explore the Global Market Intelligence Platform (GloMIP), through its operational portals, as a novel platform that can inform product and technology targeting, design and delivery, and R&D investment decision-making.

Program of Activities

Moderator: Melanie Connor (IRRI)