India | Legume genomics, breeding and seed systems

2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers: Rajeev Varshney

Rajeev Varshney builds the entire agricultural chain from genome to farmer’s field across the Global South. His innovation in Genomics-Assisted Breeding transformed a theoretical promise into an operational tool for national programs. By developing shared, high-throughput genotyping platforms that deliver genetic markers at one-third of the market cost, he removed the greatest barrier to genomic breeding adoption in low-income settings. As principal investigator of the Tropical Legumes Project, he delivered 266 improved varieties, nearly 500,000 tonnes of certified seed and direct benefits to 25 million smallholder farmers across Africa and South Asia. His leadership is multiplicative, having personally trained over 500 plant breeders from 36 countries to run their own national crop improvement programs. His cross-continental partnerships span CGIAR institutes, national programs, the FAO and universities, delivering structural reimagination and measurable results to those who need them most.