yam Archives | IITA News

Early adopter of YIIFSWA-promoted improved yam varieties enjoys “fantastic” yield

Beaming with pride, Chief Joshua Ojedele showed off his 2-hectare yam field cultivated from improved varieties that he got from the Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) project. His farm was lush green with healthy foliage, promising a good harvest. All the mounds had at least one yam plant with…

COVID19 – Work in shifts, researchers advise yam seed producers and farmers

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, governments all over the world have instituted specific measures such as physical distancing and staying at home. Unfortunately, for farmers, time is of the essence since the rainy season is here and it will soon end, – whether we are facing a pandemic or not. For farmers, the rains…

IITA BIP team sets new production per hectare record for yam farmers in Nigeria

The Business Incubation Platform (BIP) of IITA has set a new record of 23 t/ha for yam production in Nigeria. This record, which was achieved through a controlled trial, has been set to guide farmers in achieving increased yields from their yam farms. Yam is the common name for plant species of the genus Dioscorea…

YIIFSWA-II participates in Plant and Animal Genome Conference (PAG XXVIII) in San Diego

Billed as the largest Plant and Animal Genome meeting in the world, scientists from around the world converged at San Diego, California, USA, for PAG XXVIII from 11 to 15 January to promote research discoveries, exchange ideas, and gain new insights on plant and animal genome research and development. YIIFSWA-II scientists, Norbert Maroya and Morufat…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo joins the bandwagon, elated about recent seed yam harvest

Wind back to mid-2019, to be exact 25 May. At the commissioning ceremony of the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Ring Road, Agricultural Transformation Building, and presentation of the OYSG Agricultural Policy Framework developed by IITA and NISER, President Olusegun Obasanjo expressed interest in setting up a one-hectare seed yam production for quality seed yam. This he…

YIIFSWA-II participates in Plant and Animal Genome Conference (PAG XXVIII) in San Diego

YIIFSWA-II exhibits at Annual NASC Seed Fair and Farmers Day

The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) held its annual Seed Fair and Farmers Day on 17 October, at their headquarters in Sheda, Abuja. The theme of this year’s event was “Making quality seeds available, accessible and affordable to Nigerian farmers.” The new Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono indicated that there…

IITA yam breeding team visits yam processing company in Japan

The IITA yam improvement team consisting of Asrat Amele, Head of Yam Breeding, Patrick Adebola, Project Leader of AfricaYam, and Ryo Matsumoto, Yam Agronomist, visited the Maruko Foods yam processing factory in Japan together with IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga and IITA Board Member, Dr Shuichi Asanuma, on 27 August. Also in the delegation were…

IITA yam breeders trained on Yamcross, a mobile application for data management

From 5 to 9 August, IITA yam breeders were trained on the use of Yamcross, a mobile application for data management in yam breeding. The application manages the activities of seed and tubers in yam breeding programs. The training was held in IITA Ibadan and was facilitated by Margaret Karanja, Research Assistant and Associate at…

Jamaican research organization seeks collaboration with IITA for food security

A representative of the Scientific Research Council (SRC) of Jamaica, is on a visit to IITA to discuss possible areas of collaboration with the Institute. The representative, Ryan Francis who is the team leader of the Biotechnology Department at SRC said the institution seeks to collaborate with other institutes engaged in similar activities. Francis’ visit,…