July 18, 2025. In 2023, cassava farmers in remote French Guiana watched in shock as their crops withered. They pulled dilapidated stems from the ground. Instead of unearthing massive root bunches, which are cornerstones of diets across South America, they found nothing larger than carrots. Local agencies (FREDON in French Guiana and Rurap in Brazil) informed on the scale of
As highlighted during the 2024 Global Child Nutrition Forum in Japan, integrating neglected and underutilized species (NUS) into school meal programs offers a promising pathway to transforming food systems so they better serve both people and the planet. These climate-smart, nutrient-rich foods not only enhance dietary diversity; they also support smallholder farmers and contribute to local food systems and economies. However, successfully incorporating these
Through the ASEAN-CGIAR Innovate for Food and Nutrition Security Initiative, the Alliance commits to strengthen partnership with DOST-FNRI by sharing experiences on Vietnam’s food system innovations, governance models, and policy frameworks during the delegation’s visit to Hanoi on 16-20 June. Key innovations shared included: Food systems assessments along rural urban transects in Vietnam, conducted under the CGIAR Research Program on
By Prem Raj Bhatt, Rabin Kushma Tharu, Mosharaf Hossain, Swati Nayak In Nepal, women form the backbone of agriculture. More than 70% of Nepalese women are engaged in farming, especially in rural areas where agriculture remains the main source of livelihood (World Bank, 2019). Despite their significant contributions, many women still lack access to training, quality inputs, decision-making opportunities,
When people think about agrobiodiversity, they often imagine seed banks, crop trials, or ecosystem services. But behind every saved seed and managed landscape are people–often Indigenous Peoples, smallholder farmers, and the women who are part of local communities, whose knowledge, labor, and leadership sustain this agricultural diversity. On May 21, 2025, Dr Marlène Elias (Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT)
There, under the shade of a tree and in the middle of a candid exchange with community leaders, I heard something that stayed with me: “You can give us all the alternatives to deforestation-free livelihoods, but as long as people in cities keep needing charcoal, someone here will cut down trees to supply it.”
In an inspiring display of leadership, innovation, and community spirit, 11-year-old Joshua Ayankanmi, a grade five student of the International School of IITA, led a special outreach to Akinyele Local Government, Moniya, on 19 June. The initiative, organized as part of Joshua’s Primary Years Programme (PYP) Project Exhibition, focused on the critical theme of sustainable agriculture. Joshua planted vegetables in his
Enhancing efforts in developing agricultural technologies is key to revolutionizing the agriculture sector. Such innovations can significantly reduce losses caused by plant diseases and empower smallholder farmers to make informed decisions throughout the production process. Prof. Amal El-Ghazaly from Cornell University delivered a powerful seminar and valuable insights to the IITA–CGIAR breeders and scientists on “Sensing underground crops to understand the interdependence