IITA News

A second New World hoverfly, Toxomerus - floralis (Fabricius) (Diptera: Syrphidae)

Discovery of a second New World hoverfly newly introduced into the Afrotropics

In the framework of collaboration between IITA and the Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium, hoverflies preserved in IITA’s biodiversity center at Cotonou were recently studied using molecular biology techniques in support of morphological identification. Surprisingly some specimens from Benin and Cameroon could not be identified using existing morphological keys for Syrphidae of the…

Picture of IITA’s Uchenna Ene demonstrates the use of the cassava weeding machine to training participants.

IFAD/ IITA/HQCF value chain project provides Kwara farmers with a weeding machine

Young cassava farmers and outgrowers of Arogunjo Farm Limited, in Kwara State, Nigeria, were given a cassava weeding machine last December 2015 to ease the back-breaking work of removing weeds from their fields. The machine was donated by the IFAD/IITA High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) Project in collaboration with the IITA Cassava Weeds Management Project….

Picture of Gregory Nwaoliwe, HQCF Project staff, gives 10% HQCF-Wheat bread to participants during the field day.

IFAD/ IITA/HQCF value chain project organizes farmers’ field day

The IFAD/IITA HQCF Value chain project organized a field day at Ijoga-Orile on 8 December 2015, bringing together HQCF master bakers, extension agents, farmers, financial institutions, input suppliers, local machine fabricators, marketers, nutritionists, processors, researchers, transporters, youth, and students. The event was hosted by project partner Open Door International Ltd. More than 120 project and…

Agricultural challenge: where ICT play a role

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in agriculture has been identified as one of the best ways to enhance access to finance for smallholder farmers and transform unproductive farming activities in Africa into sustainable means of livelihood. Rita Kimani, the co-founder of FarmDrive, said this on 12 January during a seminar organized by…

2016 is the Year of E-Research and Open Access in IITA!

IITA management has declared 2016 the year of E-Research and Open Access (OA). This was highlighted in the new year messages of Management in last week’s issue of the IITA Bulletin. This move will see scientific papers and articles from the Institute’s research becoming fully published online, unrestricted, and available for free reuse, albeit with…

Picture of a happy cassava farmer shows off his field planted to IITA improved varieties.

IITA improved cassava varieties reduce food insecurity in Eastern DR Congo

A recent assessment on IITA improved cassava varieties released in the Moba region of DR Congo has shown that the crop contributes significantly to food security for households in the region. The varieties were introduced in 2010 during the first phase of the USAID-funded Development Food Assistance Program (DFAP) implemented by IITA and Food for…

Picture of Dr Akinwumi Adesina receiving his cap and gown during the conferment ceremony.

IITA celebrates with AfDB President on conferment of honorary doctorate degrees

The Director General of IITA, Nteranya Sanginga and the IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) joined other well-wishers to celebrate with Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees of science award (D.Sc., honoris causa) by the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun State and Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba (AAUA)…

Picture of Dr Nteranya Sanginga speaks at the press conference in IITA

IITA, CFIL launch the first reality TV show on agriculture

IITA and its partner, the Corporate Farmers International (CFIL), organized a press conference at IITA headquarters in Ibadan in December 2015 to announce plans for Nigeria’s first agribusiness television reality show. The reality TV show aims to promote and attract youths to get actively involved in agriculture and agribusiness using the reality show platform as…

New Year messages

Nteranya Sanginga Thank you all for your hard work and dedication in 2015. Over the past four years we have worked together as a team and this approach will continue to be the major factor in our continued progress and success. Challenges lie ahead as always but as we embrace change and adapt, we have…

Picture of participants at the CGIAR Site Integration Workshop, Tanzania.

Agriculture stakeholders in Tanzania hail CGIAR move on integration

Stakeholders in the agricultural sector in Tanzania support the move by CGIAR to integrate the activities of the different centers and research programs (CRPs) and to better align with the country’s priorities in developing its agriculture sector. The stakeholders agreed on this at a national consultation workshop on CGIAR “site integration” that was held in…