IITA News

ADWG presents policy brief to new Agriculture Minister in Nigeria

On 16 December, the Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, received a high-level delegation of the Agriculture Donor Working Group (ADWG) in Abuja. The occasion was the presentation of the ADWG Policy Brief, which was prepared as a contribution of development partners towards the shaping of agriculture in Nigeria….

The Kingdom of Eswatini celebrates milestone with the launch of nationally significant nutrition books

The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, in collaboration with IITA, has launched a Food Composition Table and a National Recipe Book for foods commonly consumed in the southern African country. The ceremony to unveil the books took place in the legislative capital of Lobamba in October 2019. Chief Research Officer at the Ministry of…

IITA scientists seek to improve soybean yields to bridge SSA demand gap

IITA scientists through research, have revealed the current status of soybean in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), while exploring options that could reduce import dependency on soybean in SSA despite the challenges from climate change. A paper published in the Food and Energy Security journal revealed that this research is the first to analyze plausible futures for…

How the right planting season can boost cassava yields

Every farmer wants high yields from their crop to get more income. But, do farmers know the best planting time if they are to reduce losses and maximize returns? Do they also know what happens when they replant stems from the previous cassava crop year after year? Answers to the questions above can be found…

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,…

Why it’s essential to pay attention to plant health

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH). The objective of IYPH is to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development. IITA joins the rest of the world in commemorating IYPH. Over the…

IFAD-CARE contributing to policymaking through research

With Africa’s population set to double by 2050, according to a report from the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) in Washington, there is a growing sense of urgency about the need to address the issues of food insecurity, youth unemployment, and poverty across the Continent. Studies have shown that to address these key issues, which can…

IITA-ACAI trains Liberian extension workers on weed management and agronomy best practices

As part of efforts to transform the Liberian cassava sector, a team from the IITA-led African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) trained about 70 extension service providers from across Liberia in Bentol, Montserrado County. The training, which took place in October 2019, centered on the IITA-ACAI developed agronomy toolkit known as the Six Steps to Cassava…

IYA to commence training of youth in Niger Delta

The IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) will commence another training for youth in the Niger-Delta region under the Community Youth in Agribusiness Group (CYAG) project funded by Chevron Nigeria Limited. The training, which will run from 27 to 31 January in Warri, Delta State, will focus on catfish and cassava production and processing. They will also…

DG Sanginga calls for intensified youth engagement in agribusiness at “Future of Food Forum”

About 250 professionals from six countries and 19 states attended the University of Florida’s “Future of Food Forum”, sponsored by the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The forum comprised farmers, researchers, chefs, aquaculturists, students, and academics. One-third of the registered audience were from the private sector. The forum had five panels, each comprising recognized…