Revised Market Segmentation for Spring Wheat—Achieving Alignment Between ICARDA and CIMMYT

Jul 01, 2024

By Agnes Gitonga and Wuletaw Tadesse

The initial seed product market segmentation exercise, led by the CGIAR Excellence in Breeding (EiB) platform, aimed to aid the design of center-specific pipeline investment cases. Therefore, each CGIAR center presented its set of seed product market segments (SPMSs) for every region in which it had active breeding efforts. This resulted in duplication of segments in the initial version of the SPMS Database because of more than one center working on the same crop in the same subregion. The CGIAR initiative on Market Intelligence has been working with centers targeting the same crop in a particular subregion to have a common “crop view” (as opposed to ‘center view”). The benefits of having a crop view include:

Objective crop prioritization at a subregion level based on accurate market view as a result of acreage alignment, which resolves challenges caused by duplication
Alignment of target product profiles (TPPs), thus addressing farmer, consumer, and processor needs in each prioritized market segment within a subregion
Clarity on SPMSs being served as well as those that have been overlooked

Recent experiences with spring wheat provide an illustration of how to achieve a crop view of segmentation. In this case, there was duplication of market segments with each subregion—one set provided by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and one by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). The market segment sets from both centers tended to reflect current breeding pipelines more than farmers’ requirements in terms of where and how the crop is grown and what this crop is used for. This led to similar market segments with different names based on different approaches to how certain criteria were applied, e.g., production environment. It was therefore important to have a uniform approach to application of the eight market segmentation criteria (see Market Intelligence Brief #1).

The CGIAR Initiative on Market Intelligence, together with ICARDA and CIMMYT, worked to resolve this issue. Below are the common spring wheat market segments identified for the target subregions.

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Video: Winter Service Inspections for John Deere Equipment - The FarmCast Ep64

The FarmCast, host Troy Randall speaks with Doug Luedke, Vice President of Service, and Davin Peterson, Executive Vice President of Aftermarket at 21st Century Equipment, to discuss the importance of proactive service and how it helps farmers reduce downtime during their busiest seasons. The conversation focuses on the Winter Service Inspection Program, a comprehensive approach designed to keep equipment running at peak performance and limit costly in-season breakdowns through preventative maintenance and expert technician support.

Doug and Devin explain how 21st Century Equipment’s service teams have evolved to meet the needs of today’s connected machines. With more technology and data integrated into modern equipment, technicians now play a vital role in both mechanical repairs and precision ag support. Through advanced diagnostics, machine monitoring, and John Deere’s Expert Alerts, they can identify and address potential issues before they become major problems—saving customers valuable time, money, and frustration.

Throughout the discussion, the team shares real-world success stories demonstrating how proactive inspections and customer-focused service help maximize uptime and efficiency for every operation. Whether it’s a large tractor, combine, or small mower, the goal remains the same: to provide trusted, reliable support that helps farmers and landowners stay productive and confident in their equipment year-round.