To most eyes, deserts look like the end of the line for agriculture – too dry to grow, too hot to handle, and too degraded to offer much promise. But that assumption is being overturned by a science-driven rethink of agriculture in places long considered beyond saving. Across the drylands of the Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa,
To breed resilient, productive, and nutritious bean varieties, accurate, efficient, and cost-effective data collection is essential. Traditionally, breeding programs depended heavily on human observation, sometimes supported by mobile data collection apps. But, manual phenotyping is time consuming, labor intensive, prone to error, and slows down selection cycles and drives up costs of breeding. In early 2025, researchers at the Alliance
A top-level delegation from the Kingdom of the Netherlands and its Embassy in Nigeria recently visited the Abuja Hub of the ‘Youth in Agribusiness: Enabling scaling of innovative technologies for sustainable food solutions’, also known as the YAS project. The visit enabled the delegation to witness the project implementation outcomes first-hand and examine the critical sustainability areas. While welcoming the
Networking remains a cornerstone of academic and professional growth, offering far-reaching benefits beyond social connection. It enhances the visibility and credibility of one’s research, unlocks access to funding opportunities, supports career mobility, and fosters innovation through new ideas and collaborations. Recognizing the power of networking and the evolving landscape of research careers, the IITA–CGIAR International Association of Research Scholars and Fellows (IARSAF)
IITA–CGIAR and the Plateau State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance agricultural development and deepen food and nutrition security in the state. The collaboration aims to help the state adopt agricultural innovations and technologies, sustainable farming practices, and environmental sustainability, generating employment, increasing productivity, food and nutrition security, and economic development. The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development,
Lomé hosted a three-day workshop to advance and promote Togo’s Soil Information System (SIS), known as FertiTogo. The SIS provides information on soil fertility maps, which are valuable for ensuring sustainable farming and boosting food security. The Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel organized the workshop from 17 to 19 June 2025. They were hosted
As part of efforts to support and encourage MSMEs, cooperatives, and stakeholders to showcase products and services that respond to climate-related challenges in the agriculture sector, the Zambia Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise provided an enabling space for key actors at the 2025 Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show under the theme “Adapting to Climate Change.” From 30 July to 4
Since 2007, Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources has hosted the agricultural exhibition, widely known as the Agrishow. The event brings together many stakeholders, including farmers, youth, development partners, research institutions, and private sector actors, working to advance Rwanda’s agricultural development through innovation, knowledge exchange, and capacity building. IITA Rwanda and other CGIAR centers in Rwanda have actively participated in this crucial