March 2019 - Page 3 of 3

SUN project participant in her maize field.

Women’s achievements celebrated

The important role of women in agricultural production is a given, with research showing that women’s contribution to farm work is as high as between 60% and 90% of the total farm tasks performed. Despite the dominant and important role women play in agricultural production, they are hardly given any attention in the area of…

Brigitte Uwimana, IITA Scientist planting a sucker.

Interview with Brigitte Uwimana, Banana Molecular Breeder

Brigitte Uwimana is IITA Banana Molecular Breeder from Rwandan based in Uganda. In this interview, she shares some of her experiences working as a researcher. Q: As an upcoming young female scientist at IITA, did you always want to do science? A: Science has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. I always…

Dr Leena Tripathi, IITA Principal Scientist observing her crop yield.

One on one with Dr Leena Tripathi, IITA’s Biotech superstar!

Dr Leena Tripathi is Principal Scientist and Deputy Director for IITA Eastern Africa Hub based in Nairobi, Kenya. She is also head of IITA’s Plant Transformation Research and, in this interview, reveals what makes her tick and her inspiration for being a scientist. Q: Tell us about how you were as a kid. A: (Laughing) I…

Mercy Diebiru Ojo, IITA Scientist obsesving SAH cassava ready for transplanting.

IITA: Championing the rise of a new generation of women in research

As an equal opportunity employer and champion of gender equality in the workplace, IITA has had a good number of accomplished female scientists and researchers over the years. They have paved the way for more women to engage in agricultural research. One of the younger scientists in IITA Ibadan is Cassava Seed System Assistant Specialist…

The founder of NEWDAY Afrika, Prince Bobo Tangabanga, talking to a secondary school student on the school farm.

IITA initiates STEP to encourage participation of school children in agribusiness

At the 2018 Africa Food Prize (AFP) ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda, IITA Director General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga reiterated his commitment to invest in the future of Africa’s younger generation and emphasized the importance of raising the ambition of primary and secondary school students to guarantee a food- and nutrition-secure continent. With the $100,000 AFP prize…

Muacheia Acacio Groundnut farmer applying Aflasafe in Muriaze, Nampula Province, Northern Mozambique, during field efficacy trials conducted during the 2016/2017 cropping season.

Aflasafe registration gets approval in Mozambique

After almost five years developing and field-testing an innovative but simple way to control aflatoxin in groundnut and maize in Mozambique, Mozambique’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on 20 February approved the registration of two Aflasafe products. Aflasafe is a 100% natural solution to aflatoxin contamination. Each product is composed of four native-to-Mozambique, non-poisonous…

ACAI and Cassava Weed Management Project merge

The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) project and the IITA Cassava Weed Management Project (IITA-CWMP) have become a single project. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funds both projects under its Agricultural Development program. The ACAI project has been carrying out research to develop tools that will increase the availability of appropriate and affordable technologies…

(L-R) Opening by Dr Bernard Vanlauwe (IITA), Daniel van Gilst (NORAD), Dr Emmanuel Agyemang Dwomoh (COCOBOD), and Dr H.K. Dzahini-Obiatey (Cocoa Research Institute Ghana).

CocoaSoils partners discuss ways to strengthen agronomic research and dissemination

The maiden Annual CocoaSoils Forum was held in Accra, Ghana on 24 January. The forum followed a three-day Science Committee meeting in which research and project partners came together to assess project implementation, assure transparent and accessible dissemination of research outcomes, and provide inputs into the research of the different partners. The forum brought together…

IITA, Bayer, NARS meet to modernize cowpea breeding

Representatives from the Global Breeding/Analytics and Pipeline Design team of Bayer–Crop Science, met with IITA’s cowpea breeding program team and scientists from some national programs on 4-7 February to review ongoing collaboration. The meeting also aimed to fine-tune models through which IITA and national partners can benefit from Bayer’s expertise in modern crop breeding. The…