IITA News

R4D Special: Scientists discover factors influencing FAW damage in African maize fields in Eastern Zimbabwe

Since the presence of the fall armyworm (FAW, Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) was reported in Central and Western Africa in early 2016, and later in most of sub-Saharan Africa, it has become a serious threat to food security in the region. Although the immediate reaction of governments was to invest in chemical pesticides and their…

Radio IITA launched

More than a thousand listeners tuned in to the Radio IITA launch and Communication Open House held yesterday at the IITA Conference Center. The launch program featured a live talk show called “Good morning, IITA!” during which the IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga and Director of Development and Delivery, Dr Alfred Dixon were interviewed. Sanginga…

World Bank to work with IITA in DRC

On 8 August, World Bank Country Director in Africa, Dr Jean-Christophe Carret, embarked on a successful tour of the IITA Kalambo Station in the Democratic Republic of Congo. IITA Director General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga, accompanied Dr Carret as he was given an overview of IITA’s work on the African continent in general and DRC in…

‘STEP’ identifies school for training in agribusiness

Fasola Grammar School (FGS) in Oyo, Oyo State, has been identified as a training center for the Start Them Early Program (STEP). The program, which is designed with the objective of erasing the bad perception of agriculture among secondary school students, aims to raise a generation of young leaders with education in agribusiness. IITA Director…

IITA reiterates the importance of alignment with agricultural goals of African countries

On 24 July, Dr Kwesi Atta-Krah, Director of Advocacy and Country Alignment Function (ACAF), presented a seminar at IITA-Ibadan on “Country Alignment and Advocacy” in the context of ensuring impact and resource mobilization at country level. Alignment is necessary to ensure that IITA’s activities, including research, incubation, and delivery, contribute to the strategic goals of the countries in…

US and Nigeria launch GFSS Country Plan to improve food security

The Federal Government of Nigeria and the US Government have formally launched a Feed The Future (FTF) Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) Country Plan for Nigeria. The launch and signing of a Declaration of Partnership took place during an official ceremony at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on 18 July. Following welcome remarks by the Director,…

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…