June 2016 - Page 2 of 3

First report of outbreaks of the “Fall Armyworm” on the African continent

Following severe armyworm outbreaks in maize fields occurring simultaneously in several countries of West and Central Africa, the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)—an alien, invasive moth native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas—has been detected for the first time on the African continent. First observations on armyworm attacks attributed to…

Local army chief visits IITA

General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Major General L.C. Ilo and his entourage paid a courtesy visit to IITA, Ibadan on 27 May, to explore partnership opportunities in the areas of agriculture and security. In his first official visit, Major General Ilo met with IITA management and IITA security manager, David Oluwadare. Topics of discussion centered on…

AVEC-BF holds cowpea fair and stakeholders meeting to strengthen cowpea value chain

The Appropriate Varieties of Early maturing Cowpea for the Burkina Faso project (AVEC-BF), collaborating with the Institut de l’Environnement et des Recherches Agricoles in Burkina Faso (INERA) organized a cowpea fair and stakeholders’ meeting in Burkina Faso on 4 June. The convergence aimed to promote interaction among key players and further strengthen the value chain…

Future of coffee and cocoa farmers under threat from soaring temperatures

The livelihoods of millions of small smallholder farmers growing coffee and cocoa―and foreign exchange of countries dependent on the two crops―are facing a shaky future if the planet continues to get warmer and no urgent action is taken. This was said by IITA scientist Laurence Jassogne at a recent seminar titled “Towards climate smart intensification:…

Study on fertilizer perception, quality, and use under way in Tanzania

A study has been initiated to dig deeper into factors influencing the use of fertilizers by smallholder farmers in Tanzania and in particular those around quality and pricing issues. The study “Mineral fertilizer quality: implications for smallholder farmers” is being conducted by Anna Fairbairn, an MSc student in Agriculture and Applied Economics at the University…

Using video to promote improved potato seed quality in southwestern Uganda – Preliminary results from a randomized intervention

In Uganda, low quality of potato seed is a major contributor to low potato yields among smallholder farmers. This finding was one of the main conclusions from an ongoing policy research project (PASIC). The research, led by the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF) with support from IITA, IFPRI and EPRC, collected…

YIIFSWA organizes workshops to share experiences among yam farmers after exchange visits

The goal of the Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) project is to work towards its 10-year vision of doubling the incomes from yam for three million smallholder farming families who depend on the crop in West Africa, and contribute to food security for producers and consumers. In the next…

Stakeholders map out STMA workplan for West Africa

West African stakeholders involved in the implementation of the project Stress Tolerant Maize for Africa (STMA) convened at IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria, to take stock of the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) Project and map out its 2016/17 workplan. During the workshop, held 30 May−–2 June, participants from the West African target countries (Benin, Ghana,…

IITA youth wins in the SUPA youth agribusiness camp 2016

Beckie Nakabugo, youth coordinator of Uganda Youth Agripreneurs, emerged among the top five winners that automatically entered the Consortium for Enhancing University Responsiveness to Agribusiness Development (CURAD) competition that will give the overall winner a prize of US$5000 to grow their business ideas. This was during the “SUPA Youth in Agribusiness Camp” that was organized…

DRC governor cites IITA efforts to combat food/nutritional security

At the closing ceremony of a 3-day international conference that put nutrition at the top of the development agenda, the Governor of South Kivu Province of DR Congo, His Excellency Marcellien Cishambo, commended IITA for its bold steps to address food and nutritional security in the country and especially in South Kivu. According to the…