Mariam Abass and Rukayya Muhammad were subsistence farmers in northern Nigeria, producing just enough food to feed their families, until they came across an agribusiness training program that changed their lives. This program has equipped them with the knowledge and skills to start and grow their businesses, significantly increasing their productivity and putting them on a sustained profitability path. For
In a bold move to accelerate agricultural transformation in Nigeria, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, joined the Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari – representing Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, and the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, and other dignitaries at the groundbreaking
As part of the mission dedicated to championing climate-resilient agri-food systems and ensuring food security for millions of farm families in sub-Saharan Africa, IITA–CGIAR is partnering with the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) to provide technical assistance for phase two of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) project in Anambra, Ekiti, and Niger states in Nigeria. A two-day preparatory workshop was held from 11 to 12
Rwanda’s livestock farmers are grappling with rising feed costs, particularly maize-based ingredients, which now sell for around 400-600 Rwf (USD 0.28-0.41) per kilogram. In contrast, High-Quality Cassava Peel (HQCP) mash, produced from processed cassava peels, costs only 200-250 Rwf (USD 0.14-0.17) per kilogram, yet delivers the same nutritional value as maize in feed formulation. To address gaps in livestock feed
To mark the 100th birth anniversary of the late Professor M. S. Swaminathan — a pioneer of the Green Revolution and an enduring advocate for agricultural transformation — global leaders in food systems and farming convened in India for the Evergreen Revolution 2.0 plenary. The International Conference on Evergreen Revolution – The Pathway to Biohappiness, hosted by the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF),
The Omo Forest Reserve, an important biodiversity hotspot in Southwest Nigeria, is home to endangered forest elephants and diverse plants and animals. Thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, there have been no recorded cases of elephant poaching in the Reserve for over ten years. Earlier this season, during activities related to World Ranger Day, Wild Africa, one of IITA-CGIAR’s partners, organized a reporting trip in
Nigeria and the rest of Africa is facing mounting food security challenges, like a lot of the staple crops, yam, a crop feeding millions across West Africa is experiencing declining yields due to poor seed quality, limited access to improved varieties, and inadequate farming techniques. As climate change and population growth intensify pressure on food systems, smallholder farmers urgently need
The Black Soldier Fly production unit, established in Kofisah, hosted a training session on the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) technology for over 15 officers of the Ghana Prisons Service (GP) from 15 to 18 July 2025. The training organized by the IITA–CGIAR led BSF for Bio-circular Economy and Environmental Sustainability (BBEST) project in partnership with the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI),