IITA News

BOWEN strengthens partnership with IITA to promote student and youth entrepreneurship

IITA continually partners with government and private organizations, including universities, to advance agricultural activities and promote digitalization in Africa. BOWEN University has been a partner of IITA for many years, especially agricultural and capacity development programs. On a recent visit, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, Vice Chancellor, BOWEN University, accompanied by the University’s principal officers, sought to…

IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga speaking with the Governors on revitalizing state economies through agriculture.

Agriculture: The key to state-level development in Nigeria

IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga has highlighted the need for state governments in Nigeria to prioritize investment in agriculture to develop and revitalize state economies. He said this in a presentation to the recent PDP Governors’ Forum, which took place in Ibadan, Oyo State. Speaking to the 12 Governors in attendance, DG Sanginga highlighted the…

IITA partners with French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enhance women’s livelihoods

On 11 June, IITA officially launched the Support to Women Entrepreneurship in the Agrifood Sector in Nigeria (SWEAN) project at its headquarters in Ibadan with the Ambassador of France and the Oyo State Governor. The project was awarded to Nigeria by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (Embassy of France in Nigeria) through…

IITA research fellows to partner with national research institutes for development

The International Association of Research Scholars and Fellows (IARSAF) at IITA went on a working visit to selected national research institutes (NRIs) in Nigeria on 8-10 June. The educative tour sought to identify challenges, opportunities, and possible innovative solutions to transfer knowledge for national development. The tour also served as an opportunity to meet IITA…

A machine for making yam mounds?

Yam is the “king of crops” in West Africa and one of the most important energy sources for many African countries. However, cultivating and preparing it is tedious for farmers because yam is planted in mounds (30 to 50 cm high and 1 or 2 m apart). The advantage of the mound system in yam…

Policymakers approve Aflasafe testing in Burundi

IITA-Burundi officially unveiled Aflasafe by presenting two Aflasafe products—Aflasafe BU01, a country-specific product, and Aflasafe KE01, the regional product—for field testing in Burundi. The Institute presented the products to stakeholders at the IITA-Burundi office in April. The IITA Country Representative, Emmanuel Njukwe, urged national and development partners to adopt practices that minimize aflatoxin contamination, particularly…

Banana project applauded for making record progress amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

IITA management and the Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) of the Accelerated Breeding Better Bananas (ABBB) project—the biggest banana breeding project—have praised the project for its solid achievements in improving the production and productivity of banana in Tanzania and Uganda, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. Notable achievements include the official release of new banana hybrids…

ENABLE-TAAT success story: Mentorship helps beneficiary overcome COVID-19 impact

A beneficiary of the ENABLE-TAAT capacity development exercise has affirmed that beyond technical training for youth, mentorship and training in soft skills and business development are valuable to provide a soft landing for new enterprises. In 2019, Aderemi Adekunle Oke participated in an aquaculture training provided by the program compact because of the ample opportunities…

Study sheds light on banana’s defense mechanism against the deadly Fusarium wilt disease

IITA scientists have identified the defense mechanisms for Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) in resistant and susceptible cultivars with or without biological control agent (BCA) inoculation as part of efforts to identify effective ways to control Fusarium wilt of banana. Fusarium wilt is a disease caused by the soilborne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp….

IITA signs Aflasafe manufacturing and distribution agreement in Mozambique

Food safety took a step forward in Mozambique as IITA signed a Technology Transfer and Licensing Agreement (TTLA) with AflaLivre Moçambique S.A. (AflaLivre) to manufacture and distribute Aflasafe in the country. The renewable agreement, signed on 7 May, defines the framework of operations and responsibilities of each party. Read more…