Nigeria and the rest of Africa is facing mounting food security challenges, like a lot of the staple crops, yam, a crop feeding millions across West Africa is experiencing declining yields due to poor seed quality, limited access to improved varieties, and inadequate farming techniques. As climate change and population growth intensify pressure on food systems, smallholder farmers urgently need
The Black Soldier Fly production unit, established in Kofisah, hosted a training session on the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) technology for over 15 officers of the Ghana Prisons Service (GP) from 15 to 18 July 2025. The training organized by the IITA–CGIAR led BSF for Bio-circular Economy and Environmental Sustainability (BBEST) project in partnership with the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI),
IITA–CGIAR is empowering National Plant Protection organizations in Africa to effectively detect and manage Potato Cyst Nematodes (PCN), a microscopic pest devastating potato crops across the region. Nematodes are tiny worms that attack potato roots, stunting their growth and can wipe out potato yields by up to 100 percent. PCN has been reported to be highly prevalent in four countries in
By Biswanath Das, Enable Area of Work Lead, CGIAR Breeding for Tomorrow ENABLE is the coordination and support engine of CGIAR Breeding for Tomorrow (B4T) — a cross-functional Area of Work that connects people, processes, and priorities across CGIAR crop improvement networks. We work behind the scenes so that breeding pipelines — national and regional — run more smoothly, partnerships
IITA–CGIAR Director General, Dr Simeon Ehui, has emphasized that youth involvement is crucial to the future of agriculture and global food security. He noted that youth play a strategic role in driving the adoption of innovative agricultural practices that boost productivity while safeguarding the environment. The DG, represented by the Deputy Director-General, Partnerships for Delivery, Dr Tahirou Abdoulaye, spoke in Ibadan recently at
Reducing global undernutrition remains one of CGIAR’s most pressing opportunities for impact. For two decades, HarvestPlus has led investments in breeding crops enriched with zinc, iron, and provitamin A, ensuring that nutrition traits reach millions of farming households. Today, as CGIAR redefines its strategic priorities, nutrition is no longer a niche add-on – it is moving to the core of
Scientists from The James Hutton Institute have introduced two new potato varieties to Kenya, which are now included in Kenya’s National Variety List. The project was a collaboration with the University of St Andrews, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Potato Center (CIP), and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), as well as the Kenya Plant
CGIAR’s participation in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has expanded markedly in the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) cycle. In AR7, a total of 13 scientists from CGIAR centers have been selected as IPCC authors , a substantial increase from the 5 CGIAR scientists who served as authors in the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). This growth in representation shows