CGIAR-IITA Archives

Teamwork delivers results in addressing cassava virus diseases!

“If you want to go quickly, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.” The meaning of this African proverb is well manifested by the Virus Vector Ecology Group (VVEG) team at IITA’s Eastern Africa Hub as James Legg, IITA Plant Health Scientist and team lead, shared on its progress and successes towards…

IITA and partners rename improved cassava varieties for the international market

The Federal Government of Nigeria recently approved new names for 10 improved cassava varieties as part of efforts to brand the root crop for easy identification, cultivation, and marketing of cassava stems. The renamed varieties comprise six released varieties and four yet-to be-released varieties. The released varieties and their new names are IBA961632 (Farmer’s Pride),…

Charismatic root and tuber champion passes on

Professor Felix Nweke, whose work on cassava and other tropical root and tuber crop like yam left a lasting impact on agricultural value chains in multiple African countries, passed away last month, August, in the US. A forerunner of value chain research and transformation in Africa, former IITA senior economist, and Michigan State University professor,…

IITA and Ministry of Agriculture, DRC consolidate cooperation

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has signed an enhanced cooperation agreement with IITA regarding the development of DRC’s agricultural sector for the next 5 years. The signing ceremony took place on 9 September in the capital city, Kinshasa. IITA Country Representative in DR Congo, Zoumana Bamba said the agreement…

Dr Nteranya Sanginga, IITA Director General

DG Sanginga’s tenure extended to ensure stability

The CGIAR-IITA Board of Trustees (BoT) has announced a one-year extension for Director General Nteranya Sanginga’s leadership tenure. Board Chair, Dr Christian Borgemeister, disclosed this to the Institute’s staff in a video address, where he explained the rationale for the decision to have the DG stay until November 2022. “Our reasoning as the IITA Board…

AGRF 2020 highlights Africa’s internal $250 billion agricultural trade opportunity

In its 10th anniversary summit, the recent African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2020, which took place in Kigali, Rwanda, focused on Africa’s rapidly expanding cities and food markets. Multiple speakers talked about the current African city markets that represent a US$250 billion opportunity, a value five times bigger than our present export markets. A video…

STEP plans expansion to more schools in Oyo State

From 19 to 20 August, the IITA Start Them Early Program (STEP) in Nigeria organized an implementation workshop towards the rapid expansion of STEP in six secondary schools across the six geopolitical zones in Oyo State. This is in line with the STEP-Oyo State project initiated after the inauguration of STEP in Fasola Grammar School,…

Female youth agripreneurs in the field, gathering data on pearl millet.

ICT adoption can increase crop productivity among young farmers in Tanzania!

Studies have shown that the involvement of Africa’s youth in rural development and agriculture will not only boost food security on the continent but also strategically provide solutions to the prevailing problem of unemployment plaguing African societies. However, youth participation in these areas in most African countries is very low. Many factors are responsible for…

Mbongo Daud Batson explaining the qualities of the new matooke varieties, called NARITA, during the Nane Nane at Mbeya-Uyole.

Tanzania spotlights its first-ever matooke hybrids at the 2020 national farmers’ exhibition “Nane Nane”

The East Africa Highland cooking banana, matooke, is a hugely popular food in Tanzania. With the impending release of the first-ever high-yielding hybrids of matooke on the horizon, researchers took the opportunity to exhibit them at this year’s annual agricultural show “Nane Nane” in Tanzania. The new hybrids created much excitement among the attending farming…

YIIFSWA-II Project Leader Norbert Maroya showing the feeding system and the established roots and tubers of yam plants in the aeroponic system.

Influential yam producer visits YIIFSWA-II for mass propagation of seed yam

The Chief Executive Officer of Napetsa Farms, Joseph Adewale Fosudo, has been growing yam for decades in Epe, Lagos, and in northern Nigeria. The yam producer, considered a top commercial farmer, visited CGIAR-IITA on 4 August to learn about using single-vine seedlings from high ratio propagation technologies (HRPTs) for seed yam tuber production. “I came…