News Overview

IITA–CGIAR is proud to announce the in-person participation of Dr Adewale Awoyemi in the NESST-Smithsonian convening hosted by the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) in Washington, DC. Dr Awoyemi is the IITA Forest Center Manager, Conservation Biologist, and NESST Scientist Ambassador at the 2025 Network for Emergent Socio-Scientific Thinking (NESST). The convening was the first since the founding of NESST in

By Ayorinde Ogunyiola December 2, 2025 Digital agricultural technologies such as precision farming, mobile phone-based advisory platforms, smart irrigation, and satellite crop monitoring systems promise increased efficiency, environmental sustainability, and farm productivity. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence-based applications—in new tools and integrated into existing ones—is accelerating this trend. Yet these digital tools can have significant downsides for many

In Kenya’s Central Highlands, the future of feeding communities while conserving biodiversity is at a crossroads. Production systems in the region are hindered by erratic and declining rainfall, soil fertility loss, watershed degradation, and increasing climate stress. Furthermore, intensive farming, land fragmentation, shrinking land and water sources, and overgrazed rangelands are degrading the very ecosystems that sustain rural livelihoods.

The diet of Guatemalans has deep roots in the Mayan worldview, which relied on the milpa system composed of maize, beans, and squash—foods that continue to be consumed daily by the population. However, between May and August 2025, it was estimated that nearly 19% of the Guatemalan population was experiencing an acute food insecurity crisis, struggling to access not only these traditional foods but also others essential for diet diversification. This situation stems from a combination of socioeconomic and environmental factors, ranging from rising prices of the basic food basket to extreme climate conditions that lead to crop losses and, therefore, reduced food reserves.

Many of us have accidentally eaten a bitter almond: an unpleasant surprise that today is an exception to the rule. Thousands of years ago, a ‘spontaneous genetic mutation’ ‘switched off’ almond tree's production of amygdalin: the cyanide-releasing compound present in bitter almonds.

By Glenn Concepcion A new opinion piece published in Climate Research argues that effectively tackling the climate crisis requires a radical shift in focus: moving beyond technological fixes and institutional policy to prioritize human and societal transformations.   Authored by a multidisciplinary team from various organizations, including climate scientist Dr. Jon Hellin from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the

In the face of complex challenges, the Alliance finds hope in coalitions established at COP30: three initiatives to boost resilient landscapes and measure carbon removal. Countries’ continued commitments and climate-smart investments offer a model to inspire further food systems transformation.

How can Latin American countries demonstrate their commitment to climate action? Representatives from Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador met in Guatemala City for the GIC-LAC Regional Workshop in 2025. Over three days, they shared experiences and developed strategies to improve how their country monitors and reports greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the agricultural and the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sectors.