IITA News

IITA and partners launch new project to improve cassava seed distribution and disease control in Rwanda

IITA and Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), together with Dutch partners, SPARK and Wageningen University, launched the Cassava Agribusiness Seeds System (CASS) project on 18 July in Kigali. The CASS project’s main objective is to help farmers have better access to clean cassava seed. Farmers’ access to clean cassava seed is identified…

IITA and the Chadian Government earmark opportunities to strengthen collaboration

An official delegation from IITA led by the Deputy Regional Director of IITA Central Africa Hub, Zoumana Bamba, was in Ndjamena on the invitation of the Chadian Minister of Production, Irrigation and Agricultural Equipment, Mrs Lydie Beassemda, from 8 to 11 July. The visit came at a time when the Government is resolutely engaged in…

ATASP-1 project promotes commodity value chain products at launch of 2019 farming season in Anambra State

Sorghum, rice, and cassava value chain products of the ATASP-1 Project were displayed and promoted at the annual flag-off of farming season activities for 2019 in Awka, Anambra State. The event, organized by the Anambra State Government, was to encourage farmers and crop producers to intensify their efforts in production and other value chain activities…

Researchers support district experts and farmers in Climate Risk Profiling

The agriculture sector in Uganda is largely rain fed; this includes Nwoya District located within the Acholi sub-region, Northern Uganda. Drought and floods, exacerbated by climate change, present significant and increasing risks to agricultural production in the district, which according to the five-year district development plan employs 98 percent of the population. The CGIAR Research…

Governor of Mai-Ndombe Province in DRC seeks IITA’s support

On 5 July, IITA-Kinshasa hosted the Governor of Mai-Ndombe Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mr Paul Mputu Boleilanga. Agriculture Provincial Minister, Faustin Mbanzami and Environment Provincial Minister, Marius Trésor Boleko, accompanied Governor Boleilanga as he met with IITA-DRC Country Representative, Zoumana Bamba, and other IITA senior staff to discuss agriculture and fishing potentials…

RMRDC partners with IITA to train FCT farmers on Best agronomic practices

To ensure that agricultural products meet international market standards, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), in collaboration with IITA, held a sensitization workshop for members of the Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association of Nigeria (FACAN) on Wednesday, 15 May 2019 at the RMRDC Conference Room in Abuja. Beatrice Aighewi, IITA-Abuja Yam Seed System…

IITA wins NIRSAL Agricultural Value Chain Award

The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) has presented IITA with the Agricultural Value Chain Award. The presentation of the award was held on 23 May in a ceremony at Statement Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja. NIRSAL nominated IITA in recognition of the Institute’s contribution to increased agricultural production and value addition in…

Visiting Scientist discusses transfer of technologies on yam breeding between IITA and Jamaican Institution

Ryan Francis, Head of Biotechnology Department, Product Research and Development Division of the Scientific Research Council (SRC), Jamaica, is on a visit to IITA. He is visiting from 15 to 27 July and is exploring opportunities for partnership and transfer of technologies across institutions. Francis is representing SRC in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy…

The Ambassador of the United States to Cameroon visits IITA-Cameroon

His Excellency, Peter Henry Barlerin, the Ambassador of the United States to Cameroon and five members of his team visited the IITA Cameroon Station on 12 July. During the visit, the Ambassador’s first to IITA, he learnt about various projects implemented in the context of the Congo Basin Institute (CBI) with US partners. The Ambassador…

Empowering Congolese women: IITA participates in UN Women’s conference

As part of its interventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), IITA participated in the 13th edition of “Café Genre” on women empowerment through the processing of local agricultural products. The United Nations Women organized the conference on 5 July in Kinshasa, with the National Minister of Gender, Family and Child, her Excellency Mrs…