To drive impactful change in food systems, CGIAR’s breeding programs are evolving to be more market-driven, ensuring new crop varieties better meet the needs of farmers, consumers, and processors. The challenge? Delivering breeding outputs that maximize return on investment (ROI) and contribute effectively to CGIAR’s five Impact Areas: nutrition, poverty reduction, climate resilience, gender equality, and environmental health.
Enter the CGIAR initiative on Market Intelligence—a transformative approach that prioritizes product design and breeding investment based on thorough market insights. This initiative marks a crucial shift in how CGIAR centers like the International Potato Center (CIP) and its partners approach breeding, focusing on actionable, data-driven decisions to ensure their products align with ever-evolving market demand.
Through institutional innovation, the CGIAR initiative on Market Intelligence is empowering scientists to work in transdisciplinary teams for redefining breeding priorities. Furthermore, rather than designing crops in isolation, breeding programs now incorporate feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, from farmers and seed companies to food industries and consumers. This comprehensive approach aims to enhance the relevance and reach of new varieties, which in turn accelerates CGIAR’s impact across its five strategic areas.
One recent milestone in this journey was a Market Segmentation and Target Product Profile workshop in Harare, Zimbabwe, attended by CGIAR scientists and partners. Participants, including CIP’s team of breeders and social scientists, collaborated on methods for refining market segmentation and identifying the requirements of end-users to capture the full spectrum of regional crop needs. This collaborative setting allowed scientists to evaluate progress, share breakthroughs, and refine tools that could lead to higher returns for both CGIAR and the communities it serves.
A standout example of CGIAR’s market-focused approach came from a visit to Seed Co, one of Africa’s largest seed companies, where workshop participants explored how private sector leaders collect and use market intelligence to shape their product offerings. This hands-on experience illustrated the vital role seed companies play in getting new varieties to farmers and underscored CGIAR’s commitment to aligning breeding priorities with industry insights.
The workshop also included a poster session where CIP’s Diego Naziri and Reuben Saali were awarded for their study, “Revision of the Sweetpotato Market Segmentation and Estimation of Segments’ Size: Are We Missing Some Major Opportunities for More-Targeted Breeding?” Their award-winning insights demonstrated how a deeper understanding of consumer demand can reveal untapped market opportunities, underscoring the importance of adaptive breeding strategies.
As CGIAR transitions to its new Breeding for Tomorrow science program, initiatives like Market Intelligence will continue to be pivotal in maximizing breeding program returns. By anchoring product design in data and prioritizing market needs, CGIAR and its partners are paving the way for high-impact breeding that meets the critical needs of food systems, enhances food security, and ultimately drives progress toward sustainable agriculture.