Every year, we reaffirm our commitment to women and girls in science. We host panels, share statistics, and celebrate role models. These efforts matter, but in Africa today, they are no longer enough.
On World Pulses Day 2026, the theme chosen by the Food and Agriculture Organization, “Pulses of the world: from modesty to excellence,” could not be more timely. It captures a quiet transformation already unfolding across kitchens, streets, and food labs, especially in low- and middle-income countries where pulses have long anchored diets, livelihoods, and resilience.
Meeting the agricultural challenges of today while preparing for the needs of tomorrow requires a constant expansion of the tools available to farmers. At the heart of this effort is the Future Seeds genebank, managed by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, which serves as a global resource for identifying plant materials that can adapt to changing environments and production demands. By diversifying the options available to producers, it becomes possible to provide farmers with a wider range of options tailored to their land.