News Overview

The recently concluded Kilimo Biashara Expo at KALRO Seeds Headquarters marked a significant milestone in Kenya’s agricultural landscape by introducing a groundbreaking section dubbed “Promoting youth in agriculture” for the first time. This strategic addition transformed the traditional agricultural exhibition into a dynamic platform that bridged experienced farmers with emerging young agripreneurs. The expo showcased remarkable innovation, as young entrepreneurs displayed an

More than 40 scientists from the IITA–CGIAR gathered in Accra, Ghana, for the annual retreat of the West Africa and Sahel Regional Hubs (WASH) recently. From 18 to 21 March, the four-day event served as a crucial platform to assess past achievements, refine strategies, and strengthen efforts toward advancing nutrition, food security, breeding, and agricultural innovations across the region. Speaking during the

A landmark visit to Rwanda set the stage for deeper collaboration in agricultural research and innovation as IITA and the Government of Rwanda explored new avenues for partnership. During the visit, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, met with Prime Minister, Right Honorable Dr Edouard Ngirente, to discuss strategies for leveraging scientific advancements to transform Rwanda’s

In a major development to strengthen agricultural mechanization and enhance food security in Togo, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and AfricaRice, under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-funded Zero Hunger Project, officially handed over 29 newly fabricated processing machines to the Togo’s Ministry of Agriculture, Village Water Resources and Rural Development. The equipment, designed to improve rice and cassava processing efficiency,

As part of efforts to assess the progress of the Zero Hunger Project in the region, IITA Director of Private Sector Partnerships, Dr Debo Akande, spearheaded a high-level engagement among IITA, AfricaRice, Togo’s Ministry of Agriculture, Village Water Resources, and Rural Development recently. The meeting also focused on formulating a strategic policy framework to scale its successes through upcoming national and international initiatives, including

In a move to deepen collaboration in agricultural research and innovation, the High Commissioner of Rwanda to Nigeria, Ambassador Christophe Bazivamo, visited the IITA headquarters in Ibadan recently. The visit marks a renewed commitment to building strategic partnerships between Rwanda and IITA in advancing agricultural transformation across Africa. Welcoming the Rwandan delegation, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui,

In Uganda, approximately 75% of farmers cultivate ‘Matooke’ and other banana varieties, covering an estimated 38% of the total cultivated land. However, production has declined over the past three decades, primarily due to soil fertility depletion, drought, and attacks from pathogens such as banana bacterial wilt, black Sigatoka, and fusarium wilt. Additionally, pests like the banana weevil and burrowing nematodes

The IITA-Youth in Agribusiness (YAS) Project has distributed input and equipment to another cohort of young farmers trained in the Federal Capital Territory. At the event, which was recently held at the Abuja station of the institute, over 100 trained young farmers received electric-powered egg incubators, de-feathering machines for poultry farmers, a fish smoking kiln, fertilizers, poultry feed, fish feed, herbicides,