CGIAR Platform on Excellence in Breeding

Tools and services that create synergies and accelerate genetic gains of breeding programs targeting low- and middle-income countries.

1. CGIAR Platform on Excellence in Breeding Tools and services that create synergies and accelerate genetic gains of breeding programs targeting low- and middle-income countries Contact: Marianne Banziger , Deputy Director General, Research & Partnerships, CIMMYT [email protected]

2. Co-Creators of the Concept of the Excellence in Breeding Platform

3. The challenge Demand for food will increase by 50-60% during the 21st century 
 Currently, genetic gains in the developing world are around 1% each year (best estimate ) 
 Climate change decreases crop yields by about 5% per degree of warming = Eradicates 2-3 out of 10 years of breeding 
 45 % of the global area sown to major staples is found in low- and lower-middle income countries, along with 84% of the world’s poor However , these countries receive just 5% of private sector breeding investment

4. Breeding in the CGIAR (and NARS)

5. Vision of success Crop and animal breeding programs are making step changes in increasing genetic gains of cultivars and breeds delivered to farmers in the developing world . “ From proof-of-concept to mainstreaming breeder-ready tools ” Norman Borlaug: “You can’t eat potential ” The objective

6. The approach Drawing from innovations in the public and private sector, provide access to cutting-edge tools, services and best practices, application-oriented training and practical advice. Target: Public and private sector breeding programs targeting farmers in low- and middle-income countries

7. Target audience Contributors: All CGIAR (Multi-) National private sector NARS ARIs Focus: Tools and best practices that can be mainstreamed in breeding programs; “ From proof-of-concept to mainstreaming breeder-ready tools ” Users: Breeding programs targeting the developing world CGIAR breeding program Cultivar development programs in NARS and the private sector Cultivar selection programs in NARS and the private sector Benefits: G reater genetic gain G reater scale of impact G reater efficiency and effectiveness

8. The CGIAR Portfolio 2017 + (www.cgiar.org) Building a coordinated portfolio for success Excellence in Breeding

9. Focus = Modules Creating synergies to accelerate genetic gains of breeding programs targeting the developing world

10. Module 1 – Breeding Program Excellence Common approaches for assessing and optimizing CGIAR & NARS breeding programs Standard templates and approaches for measuring breeding program performance Common metrics to assess genetic gains in breeding programs/farmers’ fields Execute breeding program assessment in CGIAR programs and by NARS >> Standardize how CGIAR report/characterize their breeding programs Develop strategic plans and joint fundraising approaches Advice , including from the private sector, on product definition, breeding program design, tool implementation, product dissemination Outcome: more focused and more effective breeding approaches; greater transparency viz investors resulting in increased breeding program funding.

11. Develop a non-prescriptive web based toolbox to support trait mobilization and applied breeding. User groups from all Modules upload successful (information about) applications Feedback from users is captured Facilitation of user groups Access to service providers and costs of services Document use cases and develop implementation guidelines for trait discovery and breeding . Communicate gaps/needs to modules 3, 4 and 5 Foster toolbox adoption and its dynamic use / training Uplift/in future: Source innovative ideas through an incubator Outcome: Drawing on the innovations taking place in breeding and research programs worldwide, lower the transaction costs to identify, access and adopt newly emerging tools that support breeding and trait discovery. Module 2 – Trait discovery and breeding tools and services

12. Procurement and coordination of common genotyping/sequencing services In collaboration with Module 5, customization of bioinformatics tools to support breeding pipelines from sampling to data analysis Document use cases and develop implementation guidelines for genotyping application in discovery and breeding Access to advice, including from the private sector, for the effective use of genotypic/sequencing information in breeding programs. Advice on marker conversion from SSRs/INDELS to SNP-based platforms Courses and workshops Outcome: Lower cost genotyping/sequencing; faster mainstreaming of successful practices. Module 3 – Genotyping/sequencing tools and services

13. Establish best practices for phenotyping and environmental analysis >> Toolbox Contracting of joint support from ARIs for Precision and high- throughput phenotyping GxExM analysis; Genotype-to-Phenotype models Procure access to better value-for-cost laboratories for physico-chemical composition and functional properties in plant and animal materials Needs assessment and consultancy services to improve mechanization and automation across CGIAR and NARS breeding programs; brokering of preferential prices Needs assessment and consultancy services to improve infrastructure and manage research stations Outcome : Faster mainstreaming of successful practices, utilizing synergies of scale to lower costs. Module 4 – Phenotyping tools and services

14. Clarify user and technical requirements for selected breeding case studies Develop tools to facilitate modular and adaptable breeding pipelines Coordinate the development and implementation of a common BrAPI Support the development of databases and tools to complement and expand the usefulness of existing bioinformatics initiatives Define and implement metadata and data standards to facilitate data flows between tools and data sharing Establish a community of practice and provide access to bioinformatics and biometrics advice, services and resources Advance sustainable deployment and maintenance of tools and applications Outcome: Open-access tools and services linked to core databases that support both complex and integrated data analysis and management of breeding program data, including for routine use of genomic and high-throughput phenotypic information. Module 5 – Bioinformatics and data management tools and services

15. THANKS! [email protected] www.excellenceinbreeding.org