IITA News

Picture of Participants learn key aspects of phenotyping for yam diseases.

AfricaYam project strengthens yam breeding capacity

The AfricaYam project is hosting two weeks of training, 20 June to 1 July, at IITA, Ibadan, to effectively equip yam research personnel on techniques for phenotyping yam for disease and developing pest resistant varieties. Yam has been plagued by anthracnose, nematodes, and viruses, with a high number of these integrated in its DNA. The…

Picture of IITA and JCU discuss possible areas of collaboration.

IITA and Office of the Vice President of Nigeria explore areas of collaboration

IITA and the Job Creation Unit (JCU) under the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria are exploring areas of possible collaboration with a view to creating jobs for youth in the country. At a meeting in IITA in Ibadan on 10 June, Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director General for Partnerships for Delivery and Alfred Dixon,…

IITA upgrades to fraud management policy

IITA has revised and upgraded its Whistleblowing Policy to a Fraud Management Policy following a survey carried out on staff’s awareness of the Institute’s policy on whistleblowing. The objective of the policy is to set out the Institute’s stance on fraud and to reinforce existing systems, policies, and procedures of IITA aimed at deterring, preventing,…

Picture of PPSMV identified by Lava Kumar during his graduate research. The discovery was recognized for its overall contribution in controlling the destructive Sterility Mosiac Disease.

IITA scientist presents to IARSAF members

There is no substitute for self-motivation. No one can put success in your pocket,” IITA Virologist Lava Kumar said at the IARSAF journal club, held 10 June, at IITA, Ibadan, where he chronicled his graduate research experience and advised the student researchers to remain zealous in their academic pursuits. Kumar’s presentation, titled “Chasing unknown viruses─recounting…

Picture of Victor Manyong highlights IITA’s pivotal role in poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa.

Tracking impact: IITA technologies lift over 4 million people in Africa out of poverty

Evidence from research have shown that IITA had—by 2015—contributed to lifting over 4,306,621 people in sub-Saharan Africa out of poverty through the adoption of improved agricultural technologies developed by the Institute and its partners. This is the evidence from four completed case studies that were presented by Dr Victor Manyong, IITA Director for Eastern Africa…

IITA unveils new state-of-the-art generating set for liquid nitrogen

A new generating set that will guarantee a steady supply of liquid nitrogen for the long- term preservation of clonally propagated crops conserved at IITA’s Genetic Resource Center (GRC) was recently launched. In line with implementing the global conservation strategy of clonal crops, the new liquid nitrogen generator (LNG) for cryobanking will ensure that the…

IITA organizes Risk Awareness Week

On 27 to 29 June, IITA will be hosting Risk Awareness Week across the hubs and stations. The activity is expected to increase awareness and appreciation among staff of the risks inherent in all IITA-related business processes and inculcate a more nuanced risk management culture in the community. The week, themed “Consider the risk, Improve…

What about climate change and coffee production?

A groundbreaking study in Tanzania has revealed figures quantifying the impact decades of climate change has had on coffee production with increasing night time temperatures shown to be the biggest climatic cause of diminishing coffee yields. While scientists had long predicted that global production of the Coffea arabica species would suffer from climate change, this…

IITA launches Open Access awareness campaign

The IITA community, including scientists and research support staff, are reminded once again and encouraged to actively support the Institute’s decision to implement an Open Access policy for research starting this year. Open Access means that IITA’s research publications and data should be available for the world to read, to learn from, and to build…

Full registration for Aflasafe approved!

Aflasafe SN01, a new biocontrol technology that protects grains from aflatoxin in the field and after harvest, was approved for full registration by Le Comité Sahélien des Pesticides (CSP) of Comité Inter-Etate pour la Lutte contre la Sécheresse au Sahel (CILSS) in its May 2016 meeting. With this registration, Aflasafe SN01 can now be used…