News Overview

The Crops Research Facility of the Kiboko Research Station, an essential agricultural research station in Makueni County, Kenya, has undergone a significant upgrade. With over $2.5 million in funding from Germany, administered in phases by the Crops to End Hunger (CtEH) program, the facility now features world-class infrastructure and equipment, which will accelerate further crop breeding and strengthen food security

By Deep Banerjee, Vikram Patil, Arindam Samaddar, Bidhan Mohapatra, Prakashan Chellattan Veettil Odisha, an eastern Indian state, faces a dual challenge of climate variability and low agricultural productivity, primarily due to rice monocropping. Rice dominates over 65% of the cultivated land, yet yields only 2.3 tonnes per hectare—well below the national average of 2.8 tonnes per hectare. This productivity gap

By Rosa Jauregui, Tropical Forage Plant Breeder, Urochloa spp. and Megathyrsus maximus, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT  A major step in the development of resilient guinea grass – a cornerstone in The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT’s (The Alliance) tropical forages breeding program – has been reached with the release of the crop’s reference genome. It was

Workers check the quality of potato chips at a factory in Kenya. (Photo by Potatoworld) by Diego Naziri, André Devaux, Pieter Wauters, Guy Hareau, Agnes Mbugua Gitonga Potato is a major staple crop in many Eastern African households, but its role is expanding beyond the dinner table. Across Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, the potato processing industry is experiencing rapid growth,

Sweet sorghum breeding trial at ICRISAT, India. (Photo by ICRISAT) by Swamikannu Nedumaran, Ephrem Habyarimana, Judy Thomas As fuel prices climb and climate goals intensify, the world needs fresh solutions. The latest contender is sweet sorghum, a resilient, high-sugar-content crop poised to power up the biofuel industry without draining food supplies. With its unique ability to grow on degraded soils,

Participants visit the World Vegetable Center gene bank in Arusha, Tanzania, 23 October, 2024. by Mwasilwa Ambali, Herbaud Zohoungbogbo, Mathieu Ayenan, Rachidi Francisco The World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), in collaboration with the CGIAR Initiative on Market Intelligence, hosted a pivotal workshop on tomato and pepper market segmentation for Central and Southern Africa on 23–24 October in Arusha, Tanzania. The event

Example of the sorting exercise by a male participant selecting 20, 10, and the final 5 traits. (Photo by Melanie Connor) by Melanie Connor and Sugandha Munshi Direct-seeded rice (DSR) is gaining popularity in India, particularly in the Eastern Gangetic Plain, to enhance resource use efficiency, especially water use efficiency, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Unlike traditional methods, DSR eliminates

Multistage rice mill, Mwea, Kenya. by Melanie Connor, Arelene Malabayabas, Arielle Rafanomesantzoa, Lucy Muthoni, Ruvicyn Bayot The rice milling industry in Kenya has seen significant advancements, playing a crucial role in the country’s rice value chain and bridging the gap between rice farmers and consumers. Recent advancements in this sector highlight the importance of quality traits in rice, such as