IITA News no. 2551 Archives

New disease-resistant cassava varieties introduced in Rwanda

Rwandan farmers lack improved cassava varieties resistant to the main cassava diseases; Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) and Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD). The diseases have affected cassava productivity, threatening the income and food security in the country. “There are two main diseases that attack cassava in Rwanda and the region, CMD and CBSD. The latter…

Undeterred Africa RISING adapts operations for continuity despite COVID-19-related restrictions

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues globally, the Africa RISING Program has had to make critical operational adjustments to facilitate continuity of its activities, strategies, and approaches. “This is the ‘new normal’ and we have to adapt,” noted Mohammed Ibrahim, Africa RISING Site Coordinator in Tigray, Ethiopia. The immediate effect of the pandemic reduced the implementation…

STEP plans expansion to more schools in Oyo State

From 19 to 20 August, the IITA Start Them Early Program (STEP) in Nigeria organized an implementation workshop towards the rapid expansion of STEP in six secondary schools across the six geopolitical zones in Oyo State. This is in line with the STEP-Oyo State project initiated after the inauguration of STEP in Fasola Grammar School,…

New insights to help advance cassava breeding worldwide

Researchers at IITA, along with partners from the NextGen Cassava Breeding Project, have uncovered new details about the genetic architecture of cassava, which is one of Africa’s most vital crops. The findings will make it easier for breeders to identify traits for crop breeding. The scientists carried out a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and outlined…