by Melanie Connor, Alexis Ndayiragije, Joseph Bigirimana The Republic of Burundi lies in the center of East Africa and has emerged as a pivotal player in advancing regional food security through the strategic activities of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Since the establishment of the IRRI Regional Crop Improvement Hub in Bujumbura in 2013, it has become a center
The third cohort of the Africa Plant Breeding Academy (AfPBA) CRISPR Course has officially graduated, marking another milestone in strengthening Africa’s capacity for advanced crop improvement technologies. This cohort hosted eleven scientists from five African countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. The training, hosted at the IITA–CGIAR Biotechnology Platform in Nairobi, on the ILRI campus and at CIFOR-ICRAF, is part of a
At the IITA Forest Center, sustainability goes beyond conserving trees to creating opportunities that allow forest communities to thrive. The Forest Center continues to explore innovative, profitable, and environmentally sustainable ventures that transform non-timber forest products into viable livelihoods. These efforts directly support several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including No Poverty (SDG 1), Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Decent Work and
The world came together on 16 October 2025 to commemorate World Food Day under the theme, “Hand in hand for better foods and a better future.” The theme was a call for collective action to strengthen food systems and value chains, making food affordable, healthy, and accessible to all. In Zambia, IITA–CGIAR hosted a vibrant food fair that brought together key players
In a country where a good percentage of the population are farmers, there is extreme poverty, which, according to a World Bank report, affects over two-thirds of the population. In South Sudan, the heavy reliance on food importation is not a tale, but a pressing national crisis. Despite 95% of the population relying on agriculture, over 78% live in poverty. As one of the
In October 2025, conservationists, policymakers and academics gathered in Abu Dhabi for IUCN’s World Conservation Congress, to establish a 20-year Strategic Vision for nature conservation, titled “United for Nature”. This vision aims to ensure that societies around the world conserve nature’s integrity and diversity, use natural resources equitably and build a just and nature-positive future for all. An important part
By Maha Al-Zu’bi (IWMI & CGIAR Scaling for Impact Program AoW2 Focal Point) In an era of climate stress, water scarcity, and geopolitical complexity, one truth stands out: managing water, energy, food, and ecosystems separately no longer works. The challenges are deeply intertwined -and so must be the solutions. That’s the spirit driving the upcoming regional webinar “Scaling for Impact:
An African Development Bank-funded pilot project to support digital agriculture in Djibouti, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, takes shape through its launch and participatory design across regions. View original article .wysiwyg a::after {margin-left: 10px;top: -1px;}