Nairobi, 6 June 2025 (IITA) – World Pest Day is observed on June 6th to raise awareness about the impact of pests on human health, food, and the environment and the role of R&D in combating pests. Plant pests and diseases cause up to 40 percent of crop losses annually, amounting to around US$220 billion, disproportionately affecting Low- and Middle-Income
By: Hailemariam Ayalew, Faith Kimaiyo, Sally Kimathi, Michael Keenan, and Clemens Breisinger Fertilizer subsidies have played a prominent role in Kenya’s agricultural policy since 2007, helping farmers reduce production costs and improve yields. From early programs like the National Accelerated Agricultural Input Access Program (NAAIAP) to the current National Fertilizer Subsidy Program (NFSP), the government has invested heavily to
By Kalle Hirvonen and Olli-Pekka Kuusela June 6, 2025 As global temperatures rise and climate-related disasters become more frequent, the need to adapt is rapidly increasing. That need for adaptation—from adjusting farming practices to diversifying livelihoods and strengthening infrastructure—is most acute in vulnerable low- and middle-income countries such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Haiti and Viet Nam. Despite contributing a negligible share of historical global
“This collaboration has been driving climate action in agriculture since 2015, aiming to transform agri-food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.” In 2012, the idea of creating a regional mechanism to promote the exchange of practices and foster collaboration in agriculture to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean began to
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is an outstanding example of countries coming together to address an issue that affects us all. It provides a vital backup for genebanks which conserve, study and share crop diversity.
As Africa strives to nourish its growing population, the challenge extends beyond simply producing more food. It is about producing sustainably. Through its groundbreaking research and field activities, including under the AICCRA project in Mali, Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) is pioneering climate-smart innovations that boost rice productivity while significantly reducing plastic dependency in both farming and post-harvest processes. This integrated
As the global population steadily increases – expecting to reach 9.8 billion people by 2050 – and the effects of climate change intensify, sustainable agriculture has become both a necessity and a challenge. The need to develop resilient, high-yield, and environmentally friendly crop varieties is more urgent than ever. Participatory approaches agricultural research have gained traction as an effective means to meet these goals.
The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), in collaboration with its national research and development partners in Tunisia, has engaged in concerted efforts over several years to enhance feed and forage crops and associated technologies. This initiative recognizes that the scarcity of sufficient and nutritious feed poses a significant challenge to Tunisian animal husbandry. To address