News Overview

On 22 January, the IITA–CGIAR Deputy Director General Partnerships for Delivery (P4D), Dr Kenton Dashiell, accompanied by a team, paid a courtesy visit to Aletheia University, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria. Highlight of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties to advance agricultural research, capacity building, and sustainable development in Nigeria. In his opening remarks, Aletheia University Vice-Chancellor,

Kicking off the IITA Knowledge Café series for 2025, Shakiru Quadri, the IITA Technical Advisor for the CGIAR Fragility, Conflict and Migration (FCM) Initiative, delivered an insightful presentation on his research work. The discussion, which was held on 22 January and coordinated by IITA Director for Sahel Africa Hub Tahirou Abdoulaye, focused on the impact of climate change on household food security in the

One critical observation stands out in the evolving landscape of agricultural development especially from farmers’ engagements: farmers often understand their agricultural contexts better than anyone else. However, many development and research projects are implemented, with the assumption that the innovations conceptualized by scientists and high-level developers are inherently suitable and can be readily adopted by farmers. The reality is more

The French Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Marc Fonbaustier, on a courtesy visit to IITA headquarters in Ibadan, reinforced the shared commitment between France and IITA to agricultural development, private sector engagement, and agricultural knowledge exchange. Expressing admiration for IITA’s work in a meeting with IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, Ambassador Fonbaustier praised the Institute’s dedication and

IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, recently visited IITA-Uganda’s Sendusu station, reaffirming the institute’s commitment to advancing agricultural innovation. A key highlight of his visit was the innovative cassava stem multiplication tunnel, a groundbreaking system inspired by the Kitovu Jani innovation—an adaptation of Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponics technology. This pioneering solution has effectively tackled the longstanding challenge

On 16 January 2025, a 19-member team from the Nigerian Association of Women in Agriculture (NAWIA), in collaboration with the Society of Underutilized Legumes (SUL), visited IITA–CGIAR. The courtesy visit aimed to deepen their understanding and explore the integration of underutilized legumes for potential product development. Idayat Ibrahim-Raji, Osun State Coordinator NAWAI along with Prof Kehinde Soetan, SUL-National Vice President representing

Climate resilience and food security are central to Australia’s Regional Development Program for Africa. In October 2024, the Australian Government announced the African-Australian partnership for climate-responsive agriculture, pledging a $76.4 million investment over the next six years to support the African continent. In line with this initiative, delegates from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), accompanied by Calum Walker, Second Secretary

Farmers’ access to improved yam varieties is vital for boosting yields and improving livelihoods. In Benue, Cross River, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger and Oyo states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, yam farmers are adopting the newly released varieties from IITA–CGIAR as these varieties promise higher yields and better resilience. Over the past two decades, yam cultivation has declined due to the