IITA News

Study shows way to influence youth performance in agripreneurship

To address the challenge of unemployment in Africa, it is imperative that governments across the continent tackle factors responsible for impeding youth engagement in agribusiness. There has been much controversial discourse about whether the youth population surge across the African continent is a ticking time-bomb or a blessing in disguise. A study under the IFAD-sponsored…

How gender norms prevent women from using technology to shell maize in Tanzania

“Shelling maize by hand is an easy task and should be left to women. Men should do tough jobs”, said an agro-dealer from Central Tanzania in 2018 during an interview. Gundula Fischer, a gender expert at IITA, picked up on this topic; her research tells a different story. Fischer investigated the drudgery of maize shelling…

ENABLE-TAAT Open Day: Reaching out to youth and farmers in Awe

The youth-in-agribusiness compact of Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) organized an Open Day for youth and farmers on 27 April. The event took place at Oyo state-IITA Youth Agribusiness Incubation Park Center (Agri-Park), Awe. The youth compact, also known as ENABLE-TAAT, presented modern agricultural technologies to participants through an exhibition of various agricultural value…

IITA Director General in return visit to Baale of Araromi

The Baale of Araromi Idi-Ose, Chief Rahman Adebayo Sakariyau, chiefs, and members of Idi-Ose land—the host community of IITA—welcomed IITA’s Director General Nteranya Sanginga, Deputy Director General Corporate Services Hilde Koper, and other management staff, as they paid a return visit to the Baale, and his community. In his welcome remarks, Chief (Engr.) O.W.A. Ajagbe,…

SEFAN/SWEAN stakeholders develop empowerment strategies for women in agribusiness

The Support to Women Entrepreneurship in the Agri-food Sector in Nigeria (SEFAN/SWEAN) project hosted a writeshop for stakeholders from several institutions to brainstorm practical training solutions to empower women in agribusiness in Kaduna and Oyo states from May 2021. The training is in line with the fulfillment of the project’s mandate over the next 16…

Improving human health with plant extracts

Healthy eating starts with healthy food choices, improving health, and preventing malnutrition and a range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and health conditions. However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization, and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. Also, the exact make-up of a diversified, balanced, and healthy diet varies depending on…

IITA receives Service Support Award from NAQS

NAQS honors IITA with “Service Support Award” for phytosanitary capacity development

A long-time collaborator and partner, the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS), honored IITA with the “Service Support Award” for excellent support and collaboration towards the achievements of its mandate. The plaque was given during the passing out ceremony of new NAQS staff on 16 April 2021, at the Regional Post Entry and Diagnostics Centre, Moor…

Incoming BoT member commends IITA’s work in upscaling research for impact

On 21 April, Professor Felix Kolawole Salako, Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), visited IITA to reacquaint himself with the Institute and find areas of collaboration between IITA and FUNAAB. Prof. Salako is an incoming member of the IITA Board of Trustees (BoT). Prof. Salako was a researcher at IITA from 1989 to 2000. “I am an…

IITA supports production of Tanzania’s national cassava development strategy

IITA-Tanzania has handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture 2000 copies of the National Cassava Development Strategy, a roadmap to guide cassava commercialization and industrialization initiatives in the country. IITA had offered to support the government in editing and printing the copies. The books were handed over to the Ministry at their headquarters in Dodoma…

Experts examine plant health from a One Health approach

Sustainably feeding the growing world population and safeguarding the environment we depend on for food requires a one-health approach. This assertion was the foundation of the fourth webinar in the CGIAR-organized International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) Webinar Series on 31 March. Plant health is critical in the one health approach to ensure food security,…