IITA News

Africa needs empowered youth to keep pace with its population explosion—Youth champions

With Africa’s population predicted to double by 2050, creating challenges such as high unemployment rates, low income, food insecurity, and persistent poverty, there needs to be a systemic change targeting the continent’s youth, who will make up about 60% of the overall population. IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga highlighted some of the required systemic changes…

Awe Community seeks to strengthen public-private partnership to enhance youth participation in agriculture

IITA has a culture of promoting good relationships. In Oyo State, IITA continues to build on its partnership with the government and people of the State in agriculture and agribusiness activities. Over the years, past and present governors and other groups in the State have collaborated with IITA to boost economic development through agriculture. A…

Ecobank Nigeria and Vanguard newspapers seek collaboration with IITA

In preparation for the upcoming Ecobank Agribusiness Summit on “Digitizing the Agricultural value chain for unlocking productivity, growth and food security”, a six-member delegation from Ecobank Nigeria and Vanguard Media, publishers of Vanguard, paid a visit to IITA to formally introduce the group and seek collaboration opportunities on potential strategic initiatives. The team led by…

Exploring the dynamics of farm and non-farm employment among Nigerian youth

Varying factors often determine youth employment dynamics in different developing countries, ranging from economic conditions to government policies. Understanding these dynamics has continued to attract research interest due to the unabated unemployment crises in the continent, home to 50% of the world’s young population. With Africa’s workforce growing much faster than other regions in the…

Healthy eating: Improved quality biscuits

Biscuits are consumed globally for their nutritional value and can be stored for about six months or more, depending on the packaging and recipe. Biscuits are available in a wide range of shapes, fillings, colors, and toppings, so they are accepted by consumers of all age groups. The basic characteristic that separates a biscuit, cookie, or…

Zambian President commends IITA’s youth-in-ag initiative

Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) recently facilitated an exhibition program with the theme: “Crop diversification and alternative food”. A team of young people under the ENABLE-TAAT compact of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation participated in the event to showcase the modern cassava value chain technologies. Zambian Head of State, His Excellency, President Edgar Chagwa…

NEXTGEN Cassava breeder receives Cornell Africa Fund Fellowship

A member of the Next Generation Cassava Breeding Project (NextGen Cassava), Moshood Agba Bakare, has been awarded the Cornell Africa Fund Fellowship for his PhD program at Cornell University. The plant breeding and genetics researcher went to Cornell from IITA, Ibadan, where he worked with Peter Kulakow, head of Cassava Breeding. Bakare is researching to…

IITA partners with Nigerian Breweries for Olokemeji Reforestation

Every year, the world loses 10 million hectares of forest to indiscriminate poaching activities and the felling of trees. The depletion of our natural resources and increased emission of greenhouse gases contribute to climate change. The IITA Forest Center, the Nigerian Breweries, and the Ogun State Ministry of Forestry are undertaking a 10-year project to…

IYPH integrated pest and disease management

The third of four webinars earmarked by CGIAR to celebrate the International Year of Plant Health was held on 10 March 2021. The webinar focused on “Integrated Pest and Disease Management” and examined the different collaborative approaches employed in the sustainable management of transboundary pests and crop diseases, looking at how they impact our food…

COVID-19: Leading the fight from the front lines

IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga and other frontline staff receive the vaccine as the vaccination rollout begins at the Institute. The vaccination at the IITA Clinic is part of the first wave of the vaccination program in the country after Nigeria has taken delivery of the first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. IITA has requested…