In February 2025, a delegation from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT conducted a mission in Guinea to kick-off the Sustainable Cocoa Value Chain Programme in West Africa. Funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), under the framework of the Piano Mattei per l’Africa, this initiative aims to support local governments in designing
Food safety and security threats from aflatoxins have hampered the health and livelihoods of many African consumers and farmers, frequently affecting staples such as maize, groundnut, and sorghum. These harmful toxins are produced by a fungus called Aspergillus flavus and can cause liver cancer, suppress the immune system, and stunt children’s growth. They also make it harder for farmers to sell their
As an institute committed to partnerships with both government and the private sector, IITA–CGIAR was pleased to host Nigeria’s Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, at its headquarters in Ibadan on 2 May. The Minister’s visit aimed to explore how digital innovation can be leveraged to transform agricultural outcomes in Nigeria through strategic collaboration between the Ministry and
In a significant step to reinforce national agricultural institutions through deeper collaboration with IITA–CGIAR, the Honourable Minister of State for Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Safety (FMAFS), His Excellency Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, paid a working visit to IITA’s headquarters in Ibadan on 30 April. The IITA Director for West Africa Hub and Head of Genetic Resources Centre (GRC), Michael Abberton, outlined the
IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, has co-authored a pivotal article in the Brookings Institution’s Foresight Africa 2025–2030 report with Dr Khuloud Odeh, CGIAR Global Director for Digital and Data. The article spotlights the transformative potential of digital agricultural innovations for smallholder farmers across the continent. In the article “Digital solutions in agriculture drive meaningful livelihood improvements for African smallholder
At the dissemination workshop for Malawi’s roots and tuber crops markets, the Malawi government has asked producers and processors to take advantage of the import ban directive on some products to produce more to meet the domestic market demand. The order prohibits the importation of products, including potato tubers, maize meal, rice, fresh milk, and peanut butter. IITA-CGIAR, under the
The U.S. National Academy of Medicine (NAM) recently convened the first in a series of four information-gathering workshops to shape the roadmap for transformative action to achieve health for all at net-zero emissions. Titled “The ‘what’ of systems transformation: Anchoring climate action in health,” the two-day event brought together global experts to explore how health can serve as both a foundation and a
Originally published by World Vegetable Center Growing vegetables in a garden to enhance a family meal, with surpluses shared with neighbors or sold, is an age-old practice common everywhere. Its contribution to people’s diets varies by location and season, but is likely to be substantial. Gardening in cities is also common, with many city folk finding unusual spaces to grow—on