CAGAYAN, Philippines (02 April 2025) — Diabetes is a global health issue, currently affecting 6.6 million people in the Philippines, with numbers steadily increasing. Among the major contributing factors are poor dietary choices, particularly excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates such as white rice. As consumers become more health-conscious, there is a growing demand for healthier food alternatives such as
Written by Ruvicyn Bayot CGIAR Science Week highlights how combining crop breeding with market intelligence from the very start of the process can contribute to identifying opportunities, promoting equity, and achieving greater impact. NAIROBI, Kenya (11 April 2025) — At the sidelines of the 2025 CGIAR Science Week, the CGIAR Market Intelligence Team shared their latest research findings with
NAIROBI, Kenya (10 April 2025) — Building on over two decades of experience in global climate research, CGIAR launched a Climate Action Program that focuses on strengthening the climate resilience of over 600 million smallholder farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Globally, a third of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission comes from agriculture, forestry, and land use industries.
A group of production managers from Rwandan seed companies recently embarked on a transformative journey to Nigeria, seeking to revolutionize seed production in their home country. With the pressing need for high-quality, climate-resilient maize seeds, IITA–CGIAR, in collaboration with Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resource Board (RAB) and the National Seed Consortium, facilitated an immersive training program to bridge the gap between research outputs
The session, moderated by IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa Dr Simeon Ehui, spotlighted successful strategies implemented during Dr Jonathan’s administration to address food insecurity and strengthen agrifood systems in Nigeria. Organized by CGIAR in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Science Week aims to catalyze global action on food security and climate resilience. It brings
LOS BAÑOS, PHILIPPINES (March 12, 2025) – Bacterial panicle blight (BPB), caused by the seed-borne and seed-transmitted pathogen Burkholderia glumae , is an emerging threat to rice production. Aside from yield losses, which can result in up to 70%, BPB also poses significant risks to seed production, international seed trade, and biodiversity. Although its prevalence remained low for many
In transforming African agriculture, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is tapping into cutting-edge genome editing tools to fast-track crop improvement. With technologies like CRISPR at its core, IITA is pioneering a new era in plant breeding—where precision, speed, and innovation are driving the development of resilient, high-yielding crops tailored for the continent’s toughest challenges. For decades, conventional breeding
In this opinion editorial for IRRI’s 65th Anniversary, IRRI Regional Director for Africa Dr. Abdelbagi Ismail and IRRI Country Representative for Uganda and Gender and Livelihoods Research Leader Dr. Jummai Yila explain that sub-Saharan Africa is capable of being rice self-sufficient, but it necessitates continued partnerships with both public and private sectors, a bold and targeted policy reform, and investment