News Overview

Agriculture production in Liberia faced a major challenge, i.e., limited access to high-quality seeds of important African food crops, including soybeans. Most farmers relied on informal seed networks for the next production season. These networks are crucial for agricultural continuity among farmers, who often lack the technical skills required to determine seed quality. As a result, yields have been low,

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

Soil is the basis of human existence. After decades of neglect, deforestation, and a lack of reliable data eroding this natural foundation, a bold new initiative launched in Monrovia is set to restore hope, rebuild knowledge, and redefine how Liberia nurtures its soils and land resources. IITA–CGIAR, in partnership with the European Union (EU), International partners, and the Government of

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