News Overview

By Pieter Rutsaert, Agnes Mbugua, Moti Jaleta, Kevin Pixley  The Opportunity Crops and Soils movement, previously known as the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS), focuses on developing efficient and impactful breeding programs for seven “Opportunity Crops”, including: Bambara groundnut, Finger Millet, Okra, Sesame, Taro, Amaranth, and Pigeon Pea. Representing diverse categories – nuts, cereals, vegetables, roots and tubers,

By Arelene Julia Malabayabas, Melanie Connor, Arielle Sandrine Rafanomezantsoa, Edgar Twine, Jane Nabikyu, and Ruvicyn Bayot Rice is an important crop for Uganda’s future. As the country’s second most important cereal crop both in terms of production and caloric contribution, it plays a vital role in food security and sustains thousands of rural households. The rice milling industry serves as an

The Kano State Government has commended the Youth in Agribusiness (YAS) for the success of the YAS project, “Enabling scaling of innovative technologies for sustainable food solutions.” The project made a significant contribution to driving youth involvement in agriculture, bolstering better livelihoods, and increasing food availability in the state. The Commissioner of the Ministry of Women, Children, and Persons with

Collaboration is essential for transforming Nigeria’s food systems and IITA–CGIAR continues to champion this cause through its open-door policy for inclusive partnerships. On 16 October, IITA welcomed a four-member delegation from Heifer International Nigeria, led by Dr Lekan Tobe, the Country Director and IITA alumnus, alongside Grace Dangana, the Signature Programme Technical Lead; Onyekachi Ayevbuomwan, the Program Lead; and Engineer Gift Umor, the Crop

The African Plant Breeders Association (APBA) Conference 2025 was an inspiring experience for members of the IITA International Association of Research Scholars and Fellows (IARSAF) as they took the center stage during various sessions, sharing their research, exchanging ideas, and representing the spirit of scientific excellence that defines vision of the community. Several scholars, including Uzoma, Chizaram Oluebube, Marvelline Chifamba, Olamide Afolarin,

The Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Cassava Compact, led by IITA-CGIAR, has partnered with ENABLE-TAAT to strengthen private sector participation in cassava value chains across Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The collaboration aims to promote the adoption of proven TAAT technologies that enhance productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and boost agribusiness profitability. In September 2025, the ENABLE

Agriculture production in Liberia faced a major challenge, i.e., limited access to high-quality seeds of important African food crops, including soybeans. Most farmers relied on informal seed networks for the next production season. These networks are crucial for agricultural continuity among farmers, who often lack the technical skills required to determine seed quality. As a result, yields have been low,

Cali, Colombia, October 23, 2025: The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT has been selected as one of 15 global teams awarded funding through the Bezos Earth Fund’s AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge, receiving up to $2 million USD to scale artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges — ranging from biodiversity loss, food