As the world recently marked the International Day of Rural Women, I took some moments to reflect on the plight and prospects of women in Nigeria’s rural communities. Nigeria boasts hardworking women across all sectors, from the North to the South, whether in the city or rural hinterland. Indeed, in some communities, women’s involvement in agriculture, whether in production or
Seed systems play an important role in food security and agricultural productivity. However, the subsector faces several challenges, including limited access to quality seeds, seed market monopolization, a lack of seed diversity, and climate change. As part of efforts to solve the challenges in Tanzania, IITA–CGIAR, through its PROSSIVA (Program for Seed Systems Innovations for Vegetatively Propagated Crops in Africa) project,
Dr. Simeon Ehui, Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), recently stated in an exclusive interview with our correspondent that China’s agricultural development experience holds valuable lessons for Africa. This insight stems from China’s rapid progress in agricultural modernization and its focus on improving food security. In recent years, Africa has faced multiple challenges, including insufficient agricultural
IITA and China Agricultural University (CAU) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in agricultural research, technology exchange, and capacity building. The MoU, which aims to foster research cooperation between Africa and China, was signed by Dr Simeon Ehui, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, and CAU President Qixin Sun. The agreement sets the stage for a
The Soils4Africa initiative recently held a transformative training workshop in Luanda, Angola, between 30 September and 5 October 2024. This event, hosted by IITA and supported by the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, gathered researchers from across Angola to hone their soil sampling, field assessment, and agricultural land management skills to develop soil information systems. The workshop focused on empowering
In its bid to enhance agricultural productivity, increase job creation, improve the livelihoods of youths, and contribute to food security in Nigeria, the IITA Youth in Agribusiness (YAS) project has donated farm input and machines to participants of the project in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The YAS project, supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, donated
In a significant step towards improving the quality of seeds and strengthening the agricultural sector in Togo, IITA has successfully trained 35 seed certification officers from six regions of the country. The officers, hailing from the Maritime, Kara, Savanna, Plateau East, Plateau West, and Central regions, underwent an intensive training program focused on the certification protocols for yam, cassava, and sweet potato,
IITA–CGIAR hosted a two-day “Tricot on-farm trial workshop” at the institute’s headquarters in Ibadan on 4 and 5 October. The workshop was designed to enhance the implementation of soybean on-farm trials by integrating the Triadic Comparison of Technologies (Tricot) approach. This approach prioritizes farmers’ context to overcome the limitations associated with traditional trials, thereby fostering soybean productivity in Africa. In addition