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…
One Acre Fund to boost food security in Western Kenya
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…
IITA partners with Mastercard Foundation in Nigeria to implement Young Africa Works
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…
Industrial agriculture receiving the bulk of Africa’s agricultural development funding
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,…
How BASICS is changing Nigeria’s cassava seed sector, creating seed entrepreneurs
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…
Two decades on, Dr Stephen Mugo exits maize research
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…
Battling devastating viral diseases, also in plants
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…
Floods and COVID-19: Kenyan counties launch plan to safeguard farmers
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…