June 2017 - Page 2 of 3

IITA West Africa holds second retreat

IITA West Africa scientists, specialists, and support staff came together in Cotonou, Republic of Benin in April, for their second retreat.

IITA50-LookingBack: Biafran War almost impeded IITA establishment! [History]

The official legislation that would eventually construct IITA was just being reviewed by representatives of the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations when Nigeria’s first military coup took place on 15 January 1966.

Picture of participants at the commodity management workshop.

IITA hosts US-Nigeria commodity management workshop

On 30 May-1 June, IITA Ibadan hosted participants from Africa and the US who attended the seventh joint commodity management workshop of the United States and Nigeria.

Picture of the participants pose with the Station OIC Chris Okafor (center, wearing a cap) after the workshop.

CCPC operators in South Kivu, DR Congo, meet to chart action for steady progress

For two days, 9—10 May, managers of eight community cassava processing centers (CCPCs) in Kavumu, Katana, Mulamba, Bunyakiri 1, Bunyakiri 2, Kamanyola, and Luvungi as well as technicians in charge of production met at IITA Kalambo to take stock, exchange experiences, share knowledge, and articulate strategies on the way forward.

R4D Special: Has agriculture research failed to deliver on the fight to reduce poverty in Africa?

Over 50 years of agriculture research in Africa has not delivered the expected results in terms of self-sufficiency in food production and reduced poverty in many countries in the continent.

Picture of Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Head of State, 1966-1975.

IITA50-LookingBack: The Nigerian Government’s role in the establishment of IITA

IITA’s 1000-hectare land was actually a donation of the Nigerian government, with an annual rental fee of one peppercorn (if demanded).

IITA50-LookingBack: Peppercorn used as IITA annual rental

The 1000-hectare land that the IITA campus rests on was donated by the government to the Ford and Rockefeller foundation.

Picture of agripreneur shows propagation activities for cucumber.

IITA establishes two incubation centers for IYA initiative in Imo state, Nigeria

Nteranya Sanginga, IITA Director General, goes on a 2-day site visit on 8 -9 May to inspect the progress made on the development of two new agribusiness incubation centers spearheaded by the IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) in Imo state.

Ugandan journal says IITA’s breeding efforts to benefit no less than 15,000 farmers

Recently, the NEW VISION journal of Uganda, reported that IITA’s laudable efforts breeding banana with desirable characteristics will benefit at least 15,000 smallholder farmers in the country.

Picture of participants at the CBSD Workshop, DR Congo.

IITA hosts workshop on CBSD

The project tagged “Preventive actions against the propagation and expansion of Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo”, has successfully organized a work plan development workshop on 20—21 April, at Mbanza-Ngungu, 150 km West of Kinshasa.