Charles H. Rivkin, US assistant secretary of state for Economic and Business Affairs, visited HTMA’s display accompanied by USAID- India officials Dr. Srivalli Krishnan, project management specialist (Climate Adaptation), Food Security Office and Dr. Sheila E. Desai, senior science and technology advisor, Centre for Innovations and Partnerships. P.H. Zaidi, HTMA project leader, welcomed the delegates and discussed the main features of the project and progress to date. The visitors were impressed with the hybrid heat-tolerant maize they saw and noted the project’s progress in the past two years. Rivnik asked about the HTMA deployment plan and suggested evaluating heat-tolerant hybrids for use by the poultry industry. Desai commented: “Everyone who saw the poster (and the corn cob exhibit) comparing the heat-stressed and tolerant corn remarked on how impressive it is. You’ve got a winning image with that.”

Many other U.S. officials and representatives of India’s ministries visited the exhibit. Ms. Kiranmayi T. and Dr. K. Seetharam from CIMMYT-Hyderabad attended most of the visitors including students, exhibitors, entrepreneurs, seed companies and the general public.