IITA News

Picture of display of healthy seedlings.

Seedling exhibition for vegetable farmers held in Uganda

Planting healthy vegetable seeds significantly reduces the use of chemical pesticides on vegetable farms thereby limiting exposure to the associated health and environmental risks.

Picture of Research Leader of the Africa-wide Aflasafe Initiative at IITA, Ranajit Bandyopadhyay (left),with Abdou Konlambigue of ATTC (rightmost) and other dignitaries showing off packs of Aflasafe GH02 at its launch in Accra.

Getting to grips with aflatoxin in Ghana with Aflasafe

Aflatoxin is a major threat to health, food security, and trade but positive change was heralded in Accra recently, at the official launch of Aflasafe GH02.

Picture of Irongo Women’s group following discussions on how to better manage household budgets and business activities.

Understanding women’s financial capabilities in South Kivu, DRC

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), women’s opportunities to gain skills in enterprise development and participate in formal savings opportunities are severely limited and high rates of gender-based violence (GBV) further marginalize women from gaining access to microfinance.

Picture of IITA DG Nteranya Sanginga receives the Africa Food Prize on behalf of the institute.

IITA awarded 2018 Africa Food Prize for research leadership and innovation!

IITA is this year’s recipient of the Africa Food Prize. The award was given by the African Green Revolution in Agriculture (AGRA) and was announced during the Award Ceremony and Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Gala Dinner on 7 September in Kigali, Rwanda.

Picture of BASICS Project Director, Hemant Nitturkar (right) with IITA DG Nteranya Sanginga.

NASC lauds BASICS project for active participation at Africa Expo

The Governing Board and the management of National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) have recently expressed appreciation for the active participation of the members of the Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System in Nigeria (BASICS) project at the maiden edition of SeedConnect Africa Expo 2018, which was held in Abuja, Nigeria, on 5–6 June.

Picture of Sougrynoma Zainatou Sore, Head of IITA Capacity Development Office, giving a presentation on IITA’s activities from inception to date.

Ivorian delegates visit IITA; acquire knowledge for ENABLE Youth implementation

As a sequel to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between IITA and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to replicate the ENABLE (Empowering Novel Agri-Business-Led Employment) Youth program in the country, 10 delegates from the Ivorian government visited IITA Headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria on 27–31 August

Improving cocoa productivity through integrated soil fertility management

Cocoa plantations in West Africa are sometimes not as productive as expected, yielding low income for farmers. To compensate and improve their livelihoods, some farmers have expanded their farms into forests.

Picture of Prof Boga (right) handing over a copy of the EAC policy briefs on aflatoxin control after the launch to IITA’s Victor Manyong, East Africa Hub Director.

EAC launches policy briefs on aflatoxin prevention and control developed with IITA

A set of policy briefs outlining key strategic policy recommendations and actions to prevent and control aflatoxin contamination along food and feed value chains in East Africa, were officially launched at a two-day regional forum in Nairobi, Kenya, 15–16 August.

Picture of Dr Bussie Maziya-Dixon speaking at a recent Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH)

IITA scientist to receive NSN honorary award for work on nutrition

IITA Senior Food and Nutrition Scientist Bussie Maziya-Dixon has been nominated as a recipient for an honorary award from the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN).

Picture of Team Lead from Sterling Bank; Mrs Bukola Awosanya addressing the participants at the workshop

Sterling Bank explores partnership with IITA on agribusiness financing

A commercial bank in Nigeria, Sterling Bank Plc is exploring areas of partnership with IITA on an agribusiness financing loan scheme for “agripreneurs” who have been trained and mentored by the Institute.