Australia
February 11, 2026
CIMMYT has announced that Velu Govindan, Principal Scientist and Wheat Breeder, is visiting Australia to deliver the Crawford Fund for Food Security’s Derek Tribe Address, following his recognition as the 2025 Derek Tribe Award recipient.
Govindan was honored for his outstanding contributions to plant breeding and genetics, particularly his pioneering work in accelerating genetic gains in wheat. His leadership has resulted in the release of more than two dozen climate-resilient, zinc-enriched wheat varieties that are now benefiting farmers across South Asia, Africa and Latin America, contributing directly to global food and nutrition security.
As part of the award, Govindan is engaging with leading agricultural centers across Australia to strengthen collaboration between CIMMYT and Australian universities, research institutions and industry partners. His visit focuses on sharing updates on CIMMYT’s global wheat research and development strategy, with particular emphasis on climate resilience, food security, and the role of international partnerships and emerging technologies in delivering impact at scale.
Improving food and nutritional security remains a central priority for CIMMYT. Govindan leads CIMMYT’s wheat biofortification efforts, focusing on increasing zinc levels in grain within breeding pipelines targeting South Asia and Africa. Wheat is a staple food for much of the world’s population, and biofortified varieties play a crucial role in addressing hidden hunger by enhancing the nutritional quality of diets.
“Global partnerships deliver local impact,” Govindan added. “Long-standing collaborations between CIMMYT, Australia and international partners have been instrumental in translating global genetic diversity into farmer-ready varieties. This demonstrates the power of open science and shared learning.”
Reflecting on the recognition, Govindan said he was honored to receive the award and to further deepen collaboration with Australian partners to advance global food and nutrition security.
The Crawford Fund for Food Security congratulated Govindan on his achievement, noting the global impact of his work and its relevance to both Australia and developing countries.
About CIMMYT
CIMMYT is a cutting edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow’s problems today. It is entrusted with fostering improved quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, triticale, sorghum, millets, and associated crops through applied agricultural science, particularly in the Global South, through building strong partnerships. This combination enhances the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers, while working towards a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries.
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