Dr Velu Govindan at work at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, or CIMMYT, in Mexico. Photo: CIMMYT
ONE of CIMMYT’s leading researchers, Velu Govindan, is in Australia this week to deliver the the Crawford Fund for Food Security’s Derek Tribe Address.
Since 2001, the biennial award has gone to a citizen from a developing country in recognition of contributions to the application of research in agriculture or natural resource management in a developing country or countries.
Dr Govindan is CIMMYT’s principal scientist and wheat breeder, and received the 2025 Derek Tribe Award in recognition of his work in plant breeding and genetics.
Apart from giving the Derek Tribe Address at the University of Western Sydney, Dr Govindan also visited the University of Sydney’s Plant Breeding Institute.
He will return to Australia later this year as part of the CIMMYT Australia ICARDA Germplasm Evaluation, or CAIGE, program.
Dr Govindan’s focus is on sharing updates about CIMMYT’s global wheat research and development strategy.
This is particularly in relation to climate change, food security and the importance of global partnerships and new technologies in delivering impact.
Dr Govindan’s pioneering work on accelerating genetic gains in wheat has led to the release of over 24 climate-resilient, zinc-enriched wheat varieties, benefiting farmers across South Asia, Africa and Latin America.
“Accelerating genetic gains is essential for food security in a changing climate,” Dr Govindan said in his UWS address on Tuesday.
“Modern wheat breeding – combining global germplasm exchange, advanced phenotyping, and data-driven decision tools – is critical to sustainably closing yield gaps while managing rising climate and disease risks.”
Improving food and nutrition security is a key focus at CIMMYT, with Dr Govindan leading biofortification efforts targeting boosted zinc levels in grain in CIMMYT wheat breeding pipelines for varieties targeted for South Asia and Africa.
Wheat is a staple food for much of the global population and biofortification increases the concentration of zinc in wheat grains which in turn increases its nutritional value.
“Global partnerships deliver local impact.
“Long-standing collaborations between CIMMYT, Australia, and international partners have been instrumental in translating global genetic diversity into farmer-ready varieties, demonstrating the value of open science and shared learning.
“And finally, innovation and capacity-building go hand in hand.
“The future of wheat improvement depends not only on new technologies such as AI-enabled prediction and genomics, but also on strengthening human capacity and
next-generation breeders worldwide.”
“I am honoured to receive this esteemed award, and to join colleagues in Australia to promote further collaboration to improve food and nutrition security.”
Crawford Fund for Food Security chief executive officer Shaun Coffey said the fund congratulated Dr Govindan for his lasting impact on global food security and natural resource management.
“We are proud to be highlighting his work with the Derek Tribe Address, his visit, and to further raising awareness of the benefits to Australia and developing countries of agricultural research for food and nutrition security,” Mr Coffey said.
“This award recognises the distinguished contributions of a citizen of a developing country to the application of research in agriculture or natural resource management in a developing country or countries.
“These people are often unsung heroes in their fields, with long and dedicated service that has incredible impact.”
The Derek Tribe Award is made in memory of Emeritus Professor Derek Tribe (1926-2003), inaugural executive director of the Crawford Fund from 1987 to 1986.
Source: Crawford Fund
Mr Velu is well known for his contribution in wheat research and international collaborations.
I myself is recipient of Wheat germplasm with high zinc and iron from him.