News Overview

As highlighted during the 2024 Global Child Nutrition Forum in Japan, integrating neglected and underutilized species (NUS) into school meal programs offers a promising pathway to transforming food systems so they better serve both people and the planet. These climate-smart, nutrient-rich foods not only enhance dietary diversity; they also support smallholder farmers and contribute to local food systems and economies.    However, successfully incorporating these

Through the ASEAN-CGIAR Innovate for Food and Nutrition Security Initiative, the Alliance commits to strengthen partnership with DOST-FNRI by sharing experiences on Vietnam’s food system innovations, governance models, and policy frameworks during the delegation’s visit to Hanoi on 16-20 June. Key innovations shared included:   Food systems assessments along rural urban transects in Vietnam, conducted under the CGIAR Research Program on

By Prem Raj Bhatt, Rabin Kushma Tharu, Mosharaf Hossain, Swati Nayak In Nepal, women form the backbone of agriculture. More than 70% of Nepalese women are engaged in farming, especially in rural areas where agriculture remains the main source of livelihood (World Bank, 2019). Despite their significant contributions, many women still lack access to training, quality inputs, decision-making opportunities,

When people think about agrobiodiversity, they often imagine seed banks, crop trials, or ecosystem services. But behind every saved seed and managed landscape are people–often Indigenous Peoples, smallholder farmers, and the women who are part of local communities, whose knowledge, labor, and leadership sustain this agricultural diversity. On May 21, 2025, Dr Marlène Elias (Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT)

There, under the shade of a tree and in the middle of a candid exchange with community leaders, I heard something that stayed with me:  “You can give us all the alternatives to deforestation-free livelihoods, but as long as people in cities keep needing charcoal, someone here will cut down trees to supply it.” 

In an inspiring display of leadership, innovation, and community spirit, 11-year-old Joshua Ayankanmi, a grade five student of the International School of IITA, led a special outreach to Akinyele Local Government, Moniya, on 19 June. The initiative, organized as part of Joshua’s Primary Years Programme (PYP) Project Exhibition, focused on the critical theme of sustainable agriculture. Joshua planted vegetables in his

Enhancing efforts in developing agricultural technologies is key to revolutionizing the agriculture sector. Such innovations can significantly reduce losses caused by plant diseases and empower smallholder farmers to make informed decisions throughout the production process. Prof. Amal El-Ghazaly from Cornell University delivered a powerful seminar and valuable insights to the IITA–CGIAR breeders and scientists on “Sensing underground crops to understand the interdependence

In a compelling show of research-community collaboration, the IITA–CGIAR recently hosted its annual Cassava Farmers-Processors Outreach Program—a flagship event jointly organized by Radio IITA and the Cassava Breeding Program (CBP). The event brought together farmers, processors, researchers, and communication experts with a common goal: to transform cassava productivity through innovation, knowledge sharing, adoption of improved varieties, and value addition. Farmers and processors from Osun,