IITA News

Healthy eating: Improved quality biscuits

Biscuits are consumed globally for their nutritional value and can be stored for about six months or more, depending on the packaging and recipe. Biscuits are available in a wide range of shapes, fillings, colors, and toppings, so they are accepted by consumers of all age groups. The basic characteristic that separates a biscuit, cookie, or…

Zambian President commends IITA’s youth-in-ag initiative

Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) recently facilitated an exhibition program with the theme: “Crop diversification and alternative food”. A team of young people under the ENABLE-TAAT compact of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation participated in the event to showcase the modern cassava value chain technologies. Zambian Head of State, His Excellency, President Edgar Chagwa…

NEXTGEN Cassava breeder receives Cornell Africa Fund Fellowship

A member of the Next Generation Cassava Breeding Project (NextGen Cassava), Moshood Agba Bakare, has been awarded the Cornell Africa Fund Fellowship for his PhD program at Cornell University. The plant breeding and genetics researcher went to Cornell from IITA, Ibadan, where he worked with Peter Kulakow, head of Cassava Breeding. Bakare is researching to…

IITA partners with Nigerian Breweries for Olokemeji Reforestation

Every year, the world loses 10 million hectares of forest to indiscriminate poaching activities and the felling of trees. The depletion of our natural resources and increased emission of greenhouse gases contribute to climate change. The IITA Forest Center, the Nigerian Breweries, and the Ogun State Ministry of Forestry are undertaking a 10-year project to…

IYPH integrated pest and disease management

The third of four webinars earmarked by CGIAR to celebrate the International Year of Plant Health was held on 10 March 2021. The webinar focused on “Integrated Pest and Disease Management” and examined the different collaborative approaches employed in the sustainable management of transboundary pests and crop diseases, looking at how they impact our food…

COVID-19: Leading the fight from the front lines

IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga and other frontline staff receive the vaccine as the vaccination rollout begins at the Institute. The vaccination at the IITA Clinic is part of the first wave of the vaccination program in the country after Nigeria has taken delivery of the first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. IITA has requested…

IITA scientist joins advisory panel of Norwich Institute for Sustainable Development

IITA’s Director for Eastern Africa Hub and leader for Biotechnology research, Leena Tripathi, has been selected to be part of the External Advisory Panel of the newly launched Norwich Institute for Sustainable Development (NISD), UK. NISD is a world-leading institute that fosters sustainable development through transdisciplinary research and innovation. It is a partnership of leading…

NextGen Cassava project develops new gari product for consumers in Benue, Imo, and Osun states

Traditionally, the cassava mash used for gari production in Nigeria is left to ferment between 48 and 96 hours, depending on its quality. Thus, there is high variability in the sensory attributes and consumer acceptability of the gari Additionally, the fermentation process takes longer in some communities where highly sour gari is preferred, reducing the…

Young Africa Works-IITA Project trains over a thousand youth in three centers across Nigeria

The Young Africa Works-IITA Project has concluded the first cohort of its training program, which commenced on 1 February in Lagos, Kaduna, and Kano states. The six-week training program targeted young people between 18 and 35 years. It introduced the participants to agribusiness through classroom training, practical sessions, excursions to successful agribusiness firms, mentorship, sharing…

TAAT Cassava Compact: Rebranding the cassava value chain in the Central Africa Republic

IITA, through the TAAT Cassava Compact, in partnership with The Savannah-based Agricultural Value Chains Development Support Project (PADECAS), has launched an initiative to strengthen the technical and organizational capacities of seed multiplier farmers and seed companies in the Central African Republic (CAR). The Project, funded by the Central African Republic government through a grant from…