Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company announced Wednesday that it received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to provide sustainable development solutions to address food insecurity in East African countries. The commitment will work to improve animal health and productivity in dairy herds and poultry flocks for smallholder…
IITA donates 35,930 kilos ‘Seeds of Renaissance’ to Nigeria
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Monday donated about 35,930 kilograms of seeds to the Borno state government as part of efforts to cushion the humanitarian crisis in the northeastern part of Nigeria. The donation, which is perhaps the largest quantity of seeds being offered to Nigeria in recent times, is an initiative of…
Orange-fleshed sweetpotato in school meals improves nutrition in Nigeria
The inclusion of Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) in wheat bread and school meals has led to the boost of the nutritional status of children and could help Nigeria to reduce its imports of wheat drastically. Developed by the International Potato Center (abbreviated by Spanish acronym CIP) and partners, the OFSP varieties are rich in Vitamin…
Revised Handbook of West African Weeds launched
A team from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture managed Cassava Weed Management Project has published a revised version of the Handbook of West African Weeds. Launched Tuesday in Ibadan, Nigeria by the Senior Program Officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lawrence Kent during the annual review and work planning meeting of the…
Drought and Resilience in East Africa
By Paola Nano Today, April 22nd, is Earth Day. Exactly one year ago, the landmark Paris Agreement was signed, potentially marking a historic turning point against anthropogenic climate change This is not a matter of preventative measures we must take to avoid a future problem: climate change is already happening, and the effects have been…
Cassava: Over 100 trained as spray service providers
Close to a hundred people have trained as spray service providers on herbicides application, safety and use in Abia state, Nigeria. The training, which came at the onset of cassava planting season, was conducted by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture led Cassava Weed Management Project in partnership with the National Root Crops Research Institute,…
Kenyans turn to ecological farming
By Gitonga Njeru in Machakos, Kenya Increasing numbers of Kenyan farmers are venturing into ecological farming. They say the benefits are much better than conventional farming. This is a partnership with the farmers and Greenpeace Kenya and several other organizations. “Ecological farming brings me more income per acre as compared to the normal type of…
Economically sustainable seed businesses to transform cassava production in Nigeria
Seed sector professionals have said businesses selling improved varieties and high quality cassava stems for cultivation could help African farmers significantly raise their productivity. This will mean more earning from the same land, inputs and effort. The benefits of this raised productivity will be enjoyed by all the stakeholders across the value chain in a…