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IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga.

IITA Director General appointed to integral position in One CGIAR operational structure

Director for West and Central Africa. The One CGIAR Executive Management Team (EMT) announced this in an email to all CGIAR staff on 26 May, as part of appointments of CGIAR Center/Alliance Directors General to key managerial positions. Read more

Governor Seyi Makinde commissioning the STEP Agribusiness Building.

STEP-Oyo bets on the next generation to secure food security

Oyo State has realized that the interest of teenagers and youth can be captured through modern agriculture. In partnership with IITA on the Start Them Early Program (STEP), the Oyo State government (OYSG) commissioned the first STEP-Oyo project at the Methodist High School, Ibadan, on 28 May. The project was established to introduce this initiative…

Dr Lilian Nkengla-Asi (Middle), after a brief introductiory discussion on gender research with men and women banana farmers in Idologun community/study site.

Understanding the gender dimensions of the spread of banana diseases in Nigerian communities

Seeds are essential agricultural inputs in food production, biodiversity conservation, and overall crop yield. However, seeds can carry plant pathogens and serve as vehicles for pathogen spread, naturally and through formal and informal seed distribution, from one season to the next, and within and between geographies. The global spread of the banana bunchy top virus…

Improving entrepreneurial-p1.jpg: The Government of Benin is implementing various initiatives to promote youth and women entrepreneurship in agribusiness.

Improving the entrepreneurial orientation of young female agribusiness owners in Benin

With agriculture accounting for about 20% of GDP in the Republic of Benin and employing over 50% of the nation’s workforce (aged 15‒64) according to statistics, various initiatives have been implemented to promote youth in agribusiness in the country. However, there seems to be an inability to develop businesses for sustainable income among the youth,…

New study: Use of genome editing confers resistance to Banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) disease

Disease-resistant varieties developed through genome editing are an effective strategy for managing diseases in food crops, a new IITA study shows. The study shows that recent advances in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing can accelerate banana improvement. The study, published in May in the Plant Biotechnology Journal, was conducted at IITA-Nairobi between 2019 and 2020. ‘‘It is…

IITA partners in launch of Tanzania’s national cassava strategy

IITA and other cassava stakeholders came together for the official launch of the National Cassava Development Strategy by Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture on 7 May in the country’s capital, Dodoma. IITA was also among the main sponsors and played a key role in organizing the event, which provided a forum for stakeholders to discuss how…

British government strengthens partnership with IITA while planning for more areas of collaboration

On 21 May, His Excellency, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, the new British Deputy High Commissioner, visited IITA headquarters, accompanied by his Political Adviser, Wale Adebajo. His visit aimed to explore and understand the activities and technologies of IITA contributing to climate-smart agriculture (CSA), combating climate change, increasing yield, and supporting food security on the continent. During the…

GRC expands facilities for cryobanking and conservation

On 19 May, IITA Genetic Resources Center (GRC) inaugurated its revamped, ultra-modern gene bank and office complex at the Institute’s headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria. The new building provides more workspace and facilities for cryobanking—the long-term conservation of crops such as cassava, maize, plantain and banana, cowpea, soybean, yam, and some of the important underutilized crops…

Circular economy: The driving force for sustainable coffee production in DRC

As part of the Rural-urban nexus: Establishing a nutrient loop to improve city region food system resilience (RUNRES) Project, IITA and its partners embarked on a field mission to Bukavu residential areas. They visited households to create awareness about separating biodegradable from non-biodegradable waste and waste from coffee. This activity in the Democratic Republic of…

Addressing nutritional deficiencies using dried small fish

Fish, especially small fish, is an important animal food source among vulnerable populations and increases the nutritional quality of their diets. Dried small fish has been found to significantly enhance nutrient deficiencies in the diets of pregnant or lactating women and young children. A recent study carried out by a group of researchers, including IITA’s…