IITA News

Nutrition guide for community workers/ Guide de nutrition pour travailleurs communautaires

This document is a working guide for the agricultural and health extension workers specifically in Mali where Africa RISING is currently implementing different agriculture- and nutrition-focused research activities. It is meant to help them to improve their knowledge, skills, and nutrition practices to ensure greater returns on investments in agricultural research for nutrition and health…

IITA-ATASP-1 youth corps member bags prestigious state award

For meritorious service to his country and host community, Azeez Akanni Salawu, an ex-IITA National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program, Phase One (ATASP-1) project, has earned the 2017 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) State Honors Award as “the most outstanding National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in the FCT-Abuja.

Polish investors went around the IITA-Abuja station.

Polish investors visit IITA-Abuja

Agricultural investors from Poland have indicated interest in partnering with IITA to help in improving Nigeria’s agricultural development. This was announced during the visit of a three-person team of Polish investors led by Ewa Olszewska, the International Project Manager, Poland−Africa Partnership and Cooperation, to IITA Abuja station on 3 February. The visitors expressed satisfaction with…

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…

Picture of the participants pose with the Station OIC Chris Okafor (center, wearing a cap) after the workshop.

CCPC operators in South Kivu, DR Congo, meet to chart action for steady progress

For two days, 9—10 May, managers of eight community cassava processing centers (CCPCs) in Kavumu, Katana, Mulamba, Bunyakiri 1, Bunyakiri 2, Kamanyola, and Luvungi as well as technicians in charge of production met at IITA Kalambo to take stock, exchange experiences, share knowledge, and articulate strategies on the way forward.

Picture of students, with Forest Center team members, displaying items made from plastic waste. Photo O.Olubodun

Celebrating World Environment Day 2018: combating plastic pollution

World Environment Day (WED) occurs every year on 5 June, and is the United Nation’s principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of our environment.

Picture of Africa RISING management team delegation in Zambia during a visit to Good Nature Seed Ltd.

Africa RISING management completes monitoring visits to project sites in East and Southern Africa

The leadership team of the IITA-led Africa RISING project in East and Southern Africa recently concluded monitoring visits to project sites in Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania to assess the status and progress of implementation of various project activities by partners. These took place between 15 and 22 February in Malawi and Zambia, and 21 and 31 March in Tanzania

Tracking adoption of improved varieties in informal seed systems using GBS markers: A case study using cassava

Assessing the impact of crop improvement has been a concern for agricultural researchers as varieties tend to look alike. Improved varieties of cassava, a clonally propagated crop, were mostly disseminated through informal seed systems, making the task of variety tracking difficult. However, researchers from IITA, Michigan State University, and Ghana’s Council for Scientific and Industrial…

Manual weeding is labour intensive and cumbersome which causes farmers to delay weeding their cassava fields. Weeds account for over 30% in yeild loss

Scientists recommend additional herbicides for weed control in cassava farming

Cassava is the second most-consumed staple food after maize in sub-Saharan Africa, feeding more than 300 million people. Nigeria is the world’s biggest producer of cassava at 59 million tons per year. However, this food security crop that can tolerate prolonged droughts is yet to attain its yield potential. Smallholder farmers in Africa harvest 8‒12…

Picture of DG Nteranya Sanginga leads the meeting with CORAF Executive Director Abdou Tenkano.

CORAF/WECARD explores areas of collaboration with IITA

A call has been made for the establishment of potential avenues from which national centers could gain from the rich basket of capacity building programs and technologies at IITA. Abdou Tenkouano, the Executive Director of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD), an IITA alumnus, made the call on 10…