IITA News no. 2504 Archives

IITA launches STEP at planning workshop

A 3-day planning workshop for the Start Them Early Program (STEP) is ongoing at IITA Headquarters, Ibadan. The purpose of the workshop is to launch STEP and make plans for its operations in the next one year. STEP is currently operating in Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Nigeria, with the vision of transforming African…

R4D Special: Scientists show which genetic loci are associated with bunch weight in highland banana

Scientists have, for the first time, located major quantitative trait loci associated with bunch weight and its component traits in Matooke, the East African Highland cooking banana. This is an important breakthrough in efforts to speed up breeding of improved high-yielding varieties for both food security and improved household incomes in the region. Increasing banana…

IITA joins push for gender-responsive climate change action in Tanzania

IITA in Tanzania, alongside other actors in the field of climate change, organized a session for members of Tanzanian Women Parliamentary Group (TWPG) to create awareness about the importance of gender responsive policies, plans, and strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The parties, under the umbrella of the Tanzania Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (TCSAA),…

Biodiversity focus: IITA Forest Center monitors bird populations with mist nets

The IITA Forest Reserve is one of 27 sites designated as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) in Nigeria. The 350-ha forest qualifies as an IBA because it holds 67 bird species that are restricted to the Guinea-Congo Forest Biome, and the entire IITA-Ibadan Campus, which consists of other habitat types, is a haven for…