In order to contribute to world food security, the International Research Initiative for Wheat Improvement (IRIWI), supported by research organisations and funding agencies from about ten countries, has been adopted by the Ministers of Agriculture of the G20. INRA, with the BBSCR (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, UK) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) based in Mexico, will contribute to the coordination activities of the IRIWI during the first four years of the project.