In this session, speakers will explore the pivotal role of forward-looking market intelligence in designing CGIAR breeding products that address critical global sustainability challenges, including poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition, climate change, and gender & social inequalities. The session will begin with an overview of the current use of market and behavioral intelligence in breeding, highlighting the availability of quality information, the translation of market insights into varietal advancements, and pipeline investment decisions (B. Kramer). Following the overview, case presentations will provide additional insights into the continuing market & behavioral intelligence activities: 
- Using Participatory Foresight to Identify Near-Future Market Segments (S. Gbegbelegbe) 
- Exploring Emerging Non-Food Crop Market Opportunities: Sweet sorghum for biofuel (S. Nedumaran) 
- Evaluating Gendered Preferences in Trait Selection (M. Connor) 
- Drivers of adoption and enabling environment (C. Trachtman) 
- Decision-support innovation package, centered around the Global Market Intelligence Platform (GloMIP), designed to guide investment and operational priority-setting at scale (B. Lenaerts). 

The Accelerated Breeding side-event at CGIAR Science Week will showcase achievements in modernizing breeding, strengthening partnerships, and leveraging tools to enhance impact.  
 
"Accelerate: Modernizing CGIAR Breeding" will provide an update on CGIAR breeding modernization, highlighting achievements and engaging stakeholders in shaping the next phase of the work.  
 
"Transform: More Equal & Effective Breeding Partnerships" will explore the vision for CGIAR breeding collaborations, featuring success stories and strategies to strengthen regional and national networks. 
 
"Stage-plan process and Trait Discovery & Deployment" will dive into the latest advancements in breeding program structuring, and trait prioritization. This session will begin with an overview of the stage-gate process, illustrating how Trait Discovery & Deployment (TD&D) fits within the entire breeding pipeline, from product concept to release. The presentation will emphasize CGIAR’s structure-based approach and highlight the interdisciplinary nature of TD&D, demonstrating its potential role within breeding programs. 

Through interactive discussions, expert insights, and real-time feedback, this side-event will drive forward Accelerated Breeding’s mission to enhance breeding efficiency and impact. 

 This session will feature an interactive presentation by BRS global team of the essential breeding services provided to CGIAR crop breeders and national partners worldwide. These services include:   
 - Breeding Analytics   
- Digital Solutions (breeding data management and more)   
- Global Shared Services (lab services, agronomic practices, and engineering support)   
- Business Process Management   
   
Join us to learn more about what BRS offers and how we can work together effectively to advance your breeding programs! 

Launched in 2018, Crops to End Hunger (CtEH) is a multi-funder initiative (USAID, BMGF, DFID, BMZ, and ACIAR) designed to modernize breeding programs and networks. By combining high-level strategic direction with regional and local autonomy, CtEH empowers CGIAR Centers, national partners and research stations to drive impactful and sustainable innovation. In 2022, the investment approach shifted to a BMZ funded project, with 14 subprojects. This session focuses on the achievements in the current, soon to be completed, BMZ CtEH project. 

This session will highlight several efforts supported by the CGIAR-B4Ts Area of Work on Inclusive Delivery to collect, analyze, and share data on seed system development. Efforts include a partnership with the Africa Seed Access Index (TASAI) to track inclusive access to seed, and to assess the barriers and enablers to accessing quality seeds of improved varieties for marginalized farmers.

The session on new plant breeding tools will focus on the recent advancements and potential implications of emerging technologies for crop improvement. Various tools, such as genome editing, specifically CRISPR-Cas9, will be discussed regarding their precision, efficiency, and application across different plant species. The speakers will also explore how these tools have revolutionized traditional breeding methods by enabling targeted modifications at the genetic level, leading to accelerated crop improvement and increased resilience to environmental stresses. Moreover, ethical considerations surrounding the use of these technologies, including regulatory frameworks and public acceptance, will be discussed. The discussion will be enriched with examples of success stories, challenges, and opportunities from different stakeholders. The session will also highlight how biotechnology and emerging technologies can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and support Africa's economic growth.