International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

25/09/2026

25/09/2026

On this day 31 years ago, IITA and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) strengthened their collaboration on integrated rural development with the launch of a national seed multiplication programme at the NYSC farm in Iseyin, Oyo State.

Under the programme, NYSC established pilot farms in different parts of Nigeria, while IITA supplied improved seeds for multiplication. The initiative focused on increasing the availability of high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties of maize, cowpea, soybean, rice, yam, and cassava for farmers.

The collaboration represented an important step in transferring improved agricultural technologies and extension information to farming communities. It also demonstrated IITA’s efforts to work with national institutions to expand access to improved planting materials and strengthen agricultural development across Nigeria.

Source: IITA Bulletin, 1995

CGIAR National Youth Services Council-NYSC IITA Madagascar IITA Benin Officiel Radio IITA IITA TV

24/09/2026

24/09/2026

🚜 📲 Can a digital copy of a farm help it prepare for climate shocks?

A “digital twin” is a virtual, continuously updated version of a real-world system. In agriculture, it can combine sensor, weather and satellite data with models to monitor conditions, test scenarios and help farmers make decisions about things like irrigation, fertilization and harvest timing.

📄 A new systematic review examined 40 studies published between 2019 and 2025 to understand how far this technology has progressed in agriculture — and what it could mean for food security and climate resilience in sub-Saharan Africa.

The potential is significant: in one study from Spain, digital twin-based irrigation reduced water use by 30–45% during drought conditions while maintaining profitability.

☝️ But the review uncovered a major gap.

Not one of the 40 studies was led by an institution in sub-Saharan Africa and none tested the technology on key regional crops such as maize, cassava, sorghum or cowpea.

Researchers from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and partners propose a framework designed specifically for the realities of African agriculture, including low-connectivity environments and smallholder farming.

🤲 The takeaway: Digital twins could help farmers anticipate risks, use water more efficiently and make better decisions. But the technology needs to be designed and tested in African farming systems, not simply transferred from elsewhere.

Read more: https://on.cgiar.org/4dvAYUS

24/09/2026

NPBA CONFERENCE: Egesi Calls for Faster, Smarter Plant Breeding🍀🍠🫚🥔

The Executive Director/CEO of the National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike, Prof. Chiedozie Egesi, fnpba, has urged Nigerian plant breeders to embrace modern technologies, strengthen partnerships and deliver innovations that directly benefit farmers.

Speaking at the 4th International Conference of the Nigerian Plant Breeders Association - NPBA in Abuja, Prof. Egesi called for the use of , artificial intelligence, speed breeding, and data systems to accelerate crop improvement and strengthen food security.

He also challenged the NPBA to develop young breeders, connect professionals across institutions and become a stronger voice for plant breeding and seed systems in Nigeria.

“Success is not measured by the number of crosses, trials or papers we produce, but by whether our innovations reach farmers and improve productivity, incomes, resilience and food security,” he said.

Prof. Egesi, who is the Pioneer President of the NPBA, reaffirmed NRCRI’s commitment to improving , , , , and other root and tuber crops through stronger collaboration and impactful research.

“The future of agriculture begins with the seed—and behind every great seed is a breeder who dared to imagine something better,” he concluded.

Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Umudike Seeds International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

24/09/2026

🚨 Today at 11:30 AM EAT, at the Main Tent🌍

Join us at the CGIAR in Nairobi, Kenya for a crucial session on "From Innovation to Investment: Building a CGIAR-IFI Pipeline for Impact at Scale"!

This high-level panel discussion explores how and International Financial Institutions ( ) can bridge the gap between agricultural research, country priorities, and investment pipelines.

By leveraging practical models like and testing the proposed Innovation Clearinghouse, the session aims to accelerate moving climate-smart innovations into large-scale implementation.

Key Contributors & Speakers:

✔️Dr. Timothy J. Krupnik, Director of the ScalingforImpact Cgiarling for Impact

✔️Dr. Inga Jacobs-Mata, Strategic Program Director, International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

✔️Dr. Farris OKOU (PhD), Agriculture and Rural Development Analyst, African Development Bank Group

✔️Dr. Solomon Assefa Gizaw, Head of the TAAT Clearinghouse (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

• Key representatives from the the World Bank Group and AIM for Scale

📍 Main Tent, ILRI Campus
⏰ 11:30 - 12:30 EAT (Today, 24th September 2026)



Gates Foundation, CORAF, Sasakawa Africa Association, ASARECA, East African Community, CCARDESA, AUDA NEPAD,

24/09/2026

23/09/2026

What if the answer to banana disease resistance is already within the crop's genetic diversity?

IITA researchers screened 95 banana accessions and identified 11 new potential sources of resistance to Black Sigatoka, one of the most damaging banana diseases.

These accessions can be used as parents in breeding programs to broaden the genetic sources available for developing resistant varieties.

That discovery gives breeders more options for building durable disease resistance into future bananas.

Finding resistance is one thing. Finding new sources of resistance for breeding is where the science makes a difference.

Read more: https://iita.org/news-item/study-identifies-new-sources-of-resistance-to-black-sigatoka-in-banana/?utm_

Banana and Plantain Breeding Program Lead: Dr Rony Swennen
https://iita.org/staff/swennen-rony/

CGIAR Breeding for Tomorrow IITA Madagascar IITA Benin Officiel Radio IITA IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture-RDC IITA TV

22/09/2026

us today at the CGIAR in Nairobi, Kenya!

📅 Tuesday, 22 September
📍 ILRI, Nairobi
🚪 Room 720
⏰15:00 - 16:00 EAT

This is an interactive Side Quest titled: "From innovation to investment: Embedding in development finance for impact at scale."



African Development Bank Group, Gates Foundation, ScalingforImpact Cgiar, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), ILRI, CORAF, African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), CCARDESA, ASARECA, East African Community, Sasakawa Africa Association, Global Center on Adaptation, Solomon Assefa Gizaw,