Second Annual Review meeting (2020)

In 2020, many countries imposed large-scale lockdowns starting in mid-March to curb the spread of COVID-19. Social distancing and mask mandates became common practices worldwide. On October 8-9, 2020, the Second Annual and Planning Review Meeting was held virtually via Zoom. The inaugural theme, “Global Pandemic Time & Its Impact on Maize,” was introduced by B.M. Prasanna, Director of the Global Maize Program, who discussed “HTMA: The New Imperative During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic.” This was followed by remarks from Hailu Wardofa from USAID, addressing emerging challenges and priorities due to the global pandemic. The technical session, chaired by Dr. Sujay Rakshit, Director of IIMR, featured presentations from objective leads on their progress and future plans. Discussions highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on activities, the key challenges faced, and action plans for recovery.