IITA News

CRI-Ghana scientists visit YIIFSWA yam aeroponics facility at NRCRI Umudike

Scientists from the Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI), Ghana, visited the newly established Aeroponics Facility at the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike last December to view some of the progress being made by their Nigerian counterparts on pre-basic and basic seed production. The scientists, Emmanuel Otoo, Deputy Director, CRI; Braima Haruna, YIIFSWA Country Manager,…

Participants in front of the gate to the ‘Sanctuaire des singes de Drabo Gbo’.

IITA-Benin hosts training workshop for the sustainable conservation of endangered primates of Benin and Togo

A workshop was organized at IITA-Benin on 7-14 January to strengthen the research capacities of 14 young researchers already active in nature conservation from universities and NGOs in Benin and Togo. The workshop also aimed to demonstrate the standardized procedures for observing monkeys and empower the participants to launch new projects in national and international…

A big male red-belly holds court and protects his female and young, who sit in the trees above the well looking back at the trainees.

Study details measures for conserving rainforests in Africa

Reporting on the strategies employed in rehabilitating and conserving four rainforests in Benin and southwestern Nigeria, Deni Bown, Head, IITA Forest Unit; Peter Neuenschwander, IITA Benin; and partners from CREDI-ONG demonstrated that a combination of closed-off reserves, clear and secure land ownership, donor support, education for and engaging with locals as well as strong government…

Team at IITA Tanzania preparing the Aflasafe in the laboratory.

IITA supports Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique in developing Aflasafe to reduce aflatoxin contamination

IITA has produced and dispatched over 10 tons of experimental biological control products (Aflasafe), which will be tested in field trials for their efficacy to reduce aflatoxin contamination in three countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. The production took place at IITA’s research facilities in Tanzania. This is part of the Institute’s efforts to develop…

The First World Congress on Root and Tuber Crops held in Nanning, China,

Global congress unveils huge scientific evidence on root and tuber crops

The World Congress on Root and Tuber Crops (WCRTC), held in Nanning, China, on 18-23 January, provided a wealth of scientific information on roots and tubers—more than has been imagined. More than 540 abstracts were presented, cutting across breeding, value chain, and genomics. Being the first of its kind, the WCRTC brought together more than…

Picture of Farmers shelling maize at Yohana Isaya’s farm during the postharvest training organized by the Africa RISING–NAFAKA scaling project in Ndurugumi village

Tanzania farmers save on labor and cut food losses

For 56-year old Yohana Isaya, a farmer from Ndurungumi village in Kongwa District, central Tanzania, maize farming was always a losing game: a stressful, but extremely important subsistence venture. He has to do something or how else would he feed his family? To begin with, shelling the maize harvest from his 5-acre plot was a…

Former IITA staff member gets prestigious pan-African award

NewAfrican―Pan-Africa’s best selling magazine has named John Godson, a former IITA staff member, one of the 100 most influential Africans in 2015. Godson was recognized for his laudable efforts to change Polish attitudes about Africa. The magazine wrote: The Nigerian has managed to accomplish one of the most interesting feats in the Diaspora. He became…

IITA appoints deputy directors

Three IITA scientists have been appointed to provide administrative support for the Research for Development (R4D) Directors in the East, Southern, and West Africa Hubs: Leena Tripathi, Plant Biotechnologist and country representative, Kenya for East Africa; Stephen Boahen, Legume System Agronomist and country representative for Mozambique for Southern Africa; and Michael Abberton, Head, Genetic Resources…

Picture of Participants at first ACAI Meeting in Ibadan

African Cassava Agronomy Initiative to change the fortunes of cassava farmers

The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) project kicked off on 27 January, with plans to improve the livelihoods and incomes of cassava farmers in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, and DR Congo through research and tapping into and implementing best-bet agronomic practices. The project, which is led by IITA with funding support from the Bill &…

IITA clarifies position on 3.2 million Kshs received from the National Irrigation Board (NIB)

Recently a daily newspaper in Kenya wrote two articles that put IITA in a negative light in relation to monies paid to the institute by the National Irrigation Board of Kenya. The Institute wrote a right of reply to provide more details on the payment which was published on 27 January 2016. Below is an…