International Center for Tropical Agriculture


The International Center for Tropical Agriculture '' is a not-for-profit research and development organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger while protecting natural resources in developing countries. It is based in Palmira, Colombia where it employs over 300 scientists.
CIAT is one of the 15 specialized research centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, and is also the headquarters for the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security.
In 2019, CIAT joined with Bioversity International to "deliver research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives".

Grain legume research

CIAT has a seed depository of 37,000 varieties of beans at a center in Colombia and, as of 2013, was engaged in research on developing better varieties of grain legumes. The goals are tolerances to drought, low phosphorus soils, and heat; in addition to improved nitrogen fixation. CIAT coordinated the activities of the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance in 29 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. This effort was supported by the Canadian International Development Agency