February 2020 - Page 3 of 4

IYA celebrates success in its youth empowerment programs for 2019

Since its inception in 2012, the IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) has been working tirelessly, creating capacity development programs and projects to engage youth in agribusiness. Although IYA has experienced challenges in accessing funds and credit facilities to assist some of the trained youth in establishing and expanding their agribusinesses, about 7,000 youth have benefited from…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo joins the bandwagon, elated about recent seed yam harvest

Wind back to mid-2019, to be exact 25 May. At the commissioning ceremony of the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Ring Road, Agricultural Transformation Building, and presentation of the OYSG Agricultural Policy Framework developed by IITA and NISER, President Olusegun Obasanjo expressed interest in setting up a one-hectare seed yam production for quality seed yam. This he…

IYA celebrates success in its youth empowerment programs for 2019

YIIFSWA-II participates in Plant and Animal Genome Conference (PAG XXVIII) in San Diego

Billed as the largest Plant and Animal Genome meeting in the world, scientists from around the world converged at San Diego, California, USA, for PAG XXVIII from 11 to 15 January to promote research discoveries, exchange ideas, and gain new insights on plant and animal genome research and development. YIIFSWA-II scientists, Norbert Maroya and Morufat…

IITA trains cassava processors and bakers in Rwanda

According to the 2018 data published by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, cassava is the second most grown crop after banana in terms of cultivated area. The same data indicates that cassava is the fourth most consumed staple crop in Rwanda, as freshly harvested roots or as transformed recipes majorly ugali made from…

Aflasafe can reduce exposure to cancer-causing toxins and promote farmer access to premium markets

“If someone eats this maize, which may contain high aflatoxin levels, they may die and their death may be attributed to something else,” Dr Alejandro Ortega-Beltran a Plant Pathologist with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) says as he scrolls through pictures of nasty looking maize. Nasty, because it is rotten and covered by…

The more crops farmers grow, the more food, nutrition and income secure they are – study

It is common for smallholder farmers in Africa to grow multiple crops on their farms. However, policies do not often consider crop diversity as an option for fostering innovation in agriculture. Researchers set out to examine how crop diversity relates to household food security and income derived from the sale of multiple crops. To find…

Survey identifies Black Sigatoka banana disease hotspots in Uganda and Tanzania

Survey also finds disease is well established and more widespread than previously thought Both Luwero District in Uganda and Mbarara District, Kagera Region in Tanzania have been identified as the areas most affected by the deadly banana disease, black Sigatoka which is caused by a fungus. The disease, which was found to be more severe…

IITA to work with Osun State in raising agribusiness ambassadors

On 23 January, the Osun State Commissioner for Education, Hon Folarunsho Oladoyin visited IITA Ibadan campus with his Assistant, Bukola Elufisan and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Jamiu Olawumi. The purpose of their visit was to collaborate with IITA through the IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) and Start Them Early Program (STEP) platforms,…

IITA signs major project agreement with the EU to enhance livelihoods in Northern Uganda

IITA has signed an agreement with the European Union and Uganda Government to start the implementation of a three-year, multidisciplinary program that seeks to enhance food and nutrition security, increase household incomes, and improve maternal and child nutrition and health in Northern Uganda. The project will, among others, promote diversified food (production; commercialization of agriculture;…