Agribusiness

The Federal Government of Nigeria has commended the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and its partners for their impact on the Nigerian seed system, especially in the cassava sector. The commendation came during the IITA launched the second phase of the Building an Economically Sustainable and Integrated Cassava Seed Systems (BASIC II). The first phase... (africasciencenews.org)

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and its partners are working to provide African cassava farmers with regular and reliable access to high quality planting materials to boost yields and incomes Speaking ahead of the launch of the Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS) programme, Dr Nteranya Sanginga, Director General, International Institute... (africasciencenews.org)

By Checky Abuje The One- Acre Fund initiative has pledged to support the county government of Busia and by extension Western, Kenya boosts food security situation currently dwindling following the natural calamities like floods that have recently hit the region leaving agriculture and agricultural activities in limbo. According to One-Acre Fund Public Relation Officer, Lilian... (africasciencenews.org)

  The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), through its Youth in Agribusiness office, is partnering with the Mastercard Foundation in Nigeria to implement the Young Africa Works strategy. The partnership aims to enable 242,724 young Nigerian women and men to build skills and secure dignified and fulfilling work opportunities in the agrifood value chain... (africasciencenews.org)

Money flows in agricultural development are still reinforcing damaging industrial models in Africa, according to a new report by Biovision, IPES-Food and the UK-based Institute of Development Studies. The Money Flows report looks at investments in sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the biggest philanthropic investor in agri-development, Switzerland,... (africasciencenews.org)

Africa has grappled with the sustainable diffusion of improved cassava varieties due to a weak and uncoordinated dissemination strategy that has denied farmers improved varieties hence keeping production low. However, the project— Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS) has demonstrated that the cassava seeds system can be profitable for the players involved... (africasciencenews.org)

After long and distinguished service as a maize breeder and senior manager at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Stephen Mugo has retired from the organization. A Principal Scientist and Maize Breeder at CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program, Mugo also served as CIMMYT’s Country Representative for Kenya and CIMMYT’s Regional Representative for Africa. He... (africasciencenews.org)

When the maize lethal necrosis (MLN) outbreak happened in Kenya in 2011, scientists knew they needed to act fast. This viral disease, new to Kenya, was decimating maize fields. Within a few years, the viral disease spread rapidly in eastern Africa, through both insect vectors and contaminated seeds. If the virus were to spread into... (africasciencenews.org)

County governments in Western Kenya have jointly launched a plan to cushion farmers against the devastating impacts of floods in the region. According to Ruth Mukhongo, a technocrat and a senior officer in the county government of Busia, hunger is looming large across the country following the restrictions of COVID 19 and effects of floods... (africasciencenews.org)

Joshua Masinde The pursuit for higher and more stable yields, alongside better stress tolerance, has dominated maize breeding in Africa for a long time. Such attributes have been, and still are, essential in safeguarding the food security and livelihoods of smallholder farmers. However, other essential traits have not been the main priority of breeding strategies:... (africasciencenews.org)

By Joshua Masinde East African countries are battling the worst desert locust invasion in decades. The locusts are devouring crops and pasture leaving in their wake a region that is staring at a potential food crisis. The swarms have swept across Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with some of... (africasciencenews.org)

An initiative launched in 2017 with a $3.1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is fast-changing fortunes of dairy and poultry smallholder farmers in East Africa. The East Africa Growth Accelerator (EAGA) initiative has delivered a Social Return on Investment (SROI) of almost 250% for, their families and other stakeholders in the... (africasciencenews.org)

Scientists from World Agroforestry (ICRAF) have found modest, yet statistically signi�cant, improvements in the livelihoods of farmers involved with an agroforestry-development program in Kenya. According to Karl Hughes, leader of the study and head of monitoring and evaluation at ICRAF, agroforestry has been widely claimed to improve the livelihoods of smallholding farmers, rehabilitate degraded landscapes,... (africasciencenews.org)

Policymakers in Nigeria have lauded efforts by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on digital agriculture. At the meeting tagged: ‘Presentation of Digital Tools: Disruptive Innovations in Cassava and Maize Farming systems’, the Commissioners for Agriculture in Ondo and Ekiti states, Messrs Adegboyega Adefarati and Folorunso Olabode appreciated the IITA-led African Cassava Agronomy Initiative... (africasciencenews.org)

By Joshua Masinde   For two decades, most of the population in northern Uganda lived in internally displaced people’s camps and depended on food aid and other relief emergencies for their livelihoods due to the insurgency by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Over the past few years, Gulu, one of the affected districts, has been... (africasciencenews.org)

Scientists, experts and scaling partners of the African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) are set for their 4th annual review and planning meeting. The aim is to discuss and unveil the progress made in cassava agronomy and how such efforts are addressing the low yield per hectare on farmers’... (africasciencenews.org)

About 30,000 farmers from Abia, Benue, Oyo, Ogun and Osun state will benefit from the training on the Six Steps to Cassava Weed Management & Best Planting Practices, says Godwin Atser, ACAI Digital Extension & Advisory Services Specialist today. The training is aimed at empowering farmers with the knowledge to boost cassava and maize productivity... (africasciencenews.org)

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on Friday unveiled a suite digital tools that are helping in transforming farming, improving yield and livelihoods of farmers. The digital tools include the cassava, Goseed and yam seed trackers; Akilimo, IITA Herbicide Calculator, e-commerce site and IITA News App. Dr Nteranya Sanginga, IITA Director General who marks... (africasciencenews.org)

Kenya has now officially joined the International Dairy Federation (IDF), the leading global source of science-based dairy expertise since 1903. This year the IDF General Assembly was delighted to welcome two new members, Russia and Kenya, into the IDF. Commenting, Dr Judith Bryans President of the IDF said: “We’re very happy to welcome both Russia... (africasciencenews.org)

Nigeria needs $29 billion to tackle malnutrition, Alh. Sabo Nanono, State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Friday. “Addressing malnutrition challenges is not only social service but economic strategy,� Nanono, who was represented by the Director of Agriculture, Engr. Frank Satumari, said at the press conference held at the in International Institute of... (africasciencenews.org)

Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to invest in agriculture and particularly cassava, soybean, cowpea and plantain. Speaking during the official inauguration of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Kalambo research station in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by the country’s President, Felix Tshisekedi, Obasanjo... (africasciencenews.org)

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Kalambo Station – located in South-Kivu Province, in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo – will be named “The President Olusegun Obasanjo Research Campus” by His Excellency the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mr Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo. The efforts of this former Nigeria... (africasciencenews.org)

By Checky Abuje The Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture programme working across counties in Western Kenya has expressed commitment to the establishment of Aqua parks across the region in a bid to promote fish farming as a way of empowering riparian communities in the lake regions. Speaking during a visit to the border county of Busia, the... (africasciencenews.org)

Blockchain technology is a game changer. It is transforming agriculture by enabling smallholder farmers in Africa to improve their production and enhance their trade through a platform of trust.  Blockchain is a decentralised, digital ledger which works through a series of digitally connected records where information can be shared openly and publicly verified through a... (africasciencenews.org)

Henry Opondo Fifteen African countries encompassing 315 million people and with average child malnutrition rates of 38 per cent could significantly improve food security and nutrition by developing their seed industries, according to a new report from the Nairobi-based Seed Systems Group (SSG). SSG analysis reveals that even if only one-third of the farmers in... (africasciencenews.org)

Dr Nteranya Sanginga, Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has advised Nigeria to double investment in the agricultural sector. In addition, Dr Sanginga said this should be backed by a vibrant rural infrastructural network development. “No matter our good intentions, we will not see a transformation in agriculture if we continue... (africasciencenews.org)

By Habimana Brian Participants at the high-level Africa Food Security Leadership Dialogue hosted by the Government of Rwanda in Kigali urged Africa to build resilience to respond to climate change. Africa’s food and agriculture sectors are among the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change. Small-holder farmers, small entrepreneurs, and their families, whose livelihoods depend... (africasciencenews.org)

The youth program of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has won the 2019 International Innovation Award for sustainable food and Agriculture. The award is in recognition of IITA’s commitment to improving both agribusiness opportunities and creditworthiness of youth across Africa. The award which is the first of its kind and funded by the Government... (africasciencenews.org)

Leading scientists meet to assess the climate impact of the agri-food sector in a review of sustainable eating habits… In the climate change debate, the environmental footprint of agriculture is often under discussion, with much of the recent discourse around food focusing on the potential impact of cattle. However, not all information in circulation stands... (africasciencenews.org)

Nigeria’s former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi on Saturday commissioned two key projects at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan— an Agricultural Transformation Building dedicated to research and delivery of innovations to farmers across Nigeria in particular and Africa in general, and a 10.5Km ring road... (africasciencenews.org)

Agriculture experts from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) have called for an intensive scale-up of climate-resilient seeds and climate-smart innovations, including drought-tolerant seeds and soil and water conservation practices in Eastern Africa. The call comes against rising drought impacts in Kenya and other parts of East Africa. In Kenya, farmers are eager... (africasciencenews.org)