News Overview

In the quest for agricultural advancement, adopting enhanced plantain varieties through breeding programs is crucial to meet market demands. Unlike traditional approaches where breeders solely determine breeding priorities, plantain breeding has embraced a demand-driven approach. In this progressive method, stakeholders across the plantain value chain—farmers, seed producers, transporters, processors, marketers, and consumers—are actively involved from the inception to outline desired

As part of activities during the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit, IITA and partners launched the Fertilizer and Soil Health Hub in Nairobi, Kenya. The hub, an initiative targeting improved soil health, increased agricultural productivity, and sustainability in West Africa and the Sahel, is designed to strengthen capacity, support policy, and enhance awareness. With the West African region and the Sahel

In a three-day high-level event ending with a Stakeholder Engagement in Abuja, IITA–CGIAR has realigned commitment to increasing efforts towards addressing food insecurity, malnutrition, and gaps in agricultural innovation scaling on the continent. The strategic event focused on key areas like the role of IITA and the integration of IITA’s Genetic Innovation Science Area in the CGIAR Mega-Programs, among other areas discussed

The ENABLE-TAAT project of IITA has provided agribusiness training for no fewer than 249 youths in Zimbabwe, as part of its drive to deepen its presence in southern and western African countries as well as equip young people to lead sustainable and profitable agribusiness ventures. The training, which took place in Mashonaland West and Manicaland provinces, with the support of the Department of Fisheries

On 16 May, the IITA Kano Station hosted a one-day meeting organized by the Cowpea Breeding Team of the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, in collaboration with the IITA’s Cowpea Breeding Program. The meeting aimed to develop a product profile for upcoming cowpea varieties to consider the requirements of both cowpea consumers and growers in developing new varieties for Nigeria. This

Rwanda’s cassava sector has faced significant challenges over the years, primarily due to the devastating effects of cassava viral diseases, mainly the Cassava Mosaïc Disease (CMD) and Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD). These two diseases have severely threatened food security and the livelihoods of many cassava farmers nationwide. In 2014/2015, the Kinazi cassava plant, a franchise business established to address

IITA-CGIAR Banana Breeder Rony Swennen has emerged as the 411th best scientist in Plant Science and Agronomy. Rony has been recognized thrice in a row with the Research.com Belgium Leader Award in Plant Science and Agronomy since 2022. In 2024, he ranks seventh in Belgium and 411th in the world. Research.com is a leading academic platform that profiles the best researchers, scientists, schools, and papers

In a concerted effort to advance agricultural biotechnology in Africa, IITA, the University of California-Davis, and the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) recently organized two pivotal workshops on biotechnology in Kenya from 8 to 10 May and Zambia from 13 to 15 May. IITA Director for Eastern Africa Hub and Biotechnology Leader Leena Tripathi stated, “Biotechnology holds the key to sustainable