Why a soybean breeding network in East Africa makes sense now

By Dr Godfree Chigeza, Soybean Breeder, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dean Muungani, Product Manager – Grain Crops, IITA, and Lennin Musundire, CGIAR Accelerated Breeding TRANSFORM Lead for East Africa

As climate variability increases, fueled by rapid population growth, changing diets, and expanding livestock and aquaculture sectors, demand for protein-rich crops, such as soybeans – a long-underutilised crop in East Africa – is stepping into spotlight. Yet, the region remains heavily reliant on imports, missing out on the economic and nutritional opportunities that a strong domestic soybean value chain could unlock.

To address this, a regional soybean breeding network is gaining traction, and experts say the time couldn’t be better. With funding support from the Gates Foundation, the network is being coordinated by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in collaboration with   national research programs, private sector players and universities, working together to operationalize  a regional soybean breeding network across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.

Read more