News Overview

The International Association of Research Scholars and Fellows (IARSAF) held its 28th annual symposium at the IITA–CGIAR headquarters in Ibadan from 28 to 31 October. The four-day event explored how science and systems thinking can serve as powerful levers for building climate resilience and transforming nutrition across Africa’s food systems. Through engaging discussions and mentorship sessions, participants were challenged to rethink their

With one successful year down, the Yam Optimized Architecture through Gene Editing (YOAGE) project team convened in Nairobi for its annual review meeting. The gathering brought together colleagues from IITA–CGIAR and project partners from Pairwise, USA, to assess the progress made and chart the path forward. Dr Nic Bate, Senior Program Officer from the Gates Foundation, also joined in to listen to

In Mozambique, 37% of children under 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition, according to government data (2023). The northernmost provinces of the country present a more critical situation, with between 44 and 47% of children under 5 years of age suffering from chronic malnutrition, despite having high agricultural production nationwide. Among the main causes of this challenge are a lack of

IITA–CGIAR hosted another enlightening edition of its monthly Knowledge Café seminar series, featuring a captivating presentation by Molecular Breeder, Agre Paterne. The hybrid seminar, held on 23 October, focused on “Cutting-edge genomic and bioinformatic applications in yam breeding: Current advances.” Moderated by Cassava Breeding Program Lead, Ismail Rabbi, the session spotlighted the remarkable progress achieved in yam breeding through the application of advanced

Across Cameroon, agriculture remains the backbone of rural livelihoods. Yet, most smallholder farmers continue to rely on rudimentary farming tools and traditional methods, often using non-certified planting materials that limit yields and worsen challenges such as food insecurity and malnutrition. Recognizing this gap, the IITA–CGIAR, in collaboration with the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (MINRESI), has introduced Farmer Field Days

A global research team co-led by the University of Cambridge’s Crop Science Centre (CSC) [https://www.cropsciencecentre.org] is unlocking the potential of Bambara groundnut in a pioneering project to combat food insecurity and climate change. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is a crop with huge potential to address global food and nutrition security challenges. It thrives in poor soils, supports soil health through

As the world gathers in Brazil for COP30, the conversations are once again focused on how to turn climate ambition and food security into real-world action. For the CGIAR Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA), one question stands out: how can data and technology help build the resilience that smallholder farmers, vulnerable communities, and agricultural ecosystems urgently need?  At DTA, we believe

By Khalid Siddig and Steven Were Omamo November 13, 2025 Sudan’s humanitarian emergency is worsening amid the country’s ongoing internal conflict, with devastating impacts on food security. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis (November 3, 2025) shows that nearly half the population continues to confront high levels of acute food insecurity. Famine (IPC Phase 5) has been confirmed in the cities