IITA–CGIAR is set to commence a five-year project—Program for Seed System Innovation for Vegetatively-propagated crops in Africa (PROSSIVA)—alongside other implementing partners. The PROSSIVA project aims to enhance the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of vegetatively-propagated crop (VPC) seed systems in Africa through research and delivery of innovations that will overcome seed system bottlenecks.
The project has five major components: banana, cassava, sweet potato, yam, and a cross-cutting component that addresses issues common to several VPC crops. The project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), will be implemented by 25 partner institutions comprising CGIAR centers, national research institutions, and private sector partners across five countries—Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. As a CGIAR project, PROSSIVA will work hand-in-hand with CGIAR Initiatives in the Genetic Innovations Action Area that seek to boost farmer access to an ever-growing pipeline of the best varieties.