CGIAR IITA Cassava Breeding

30/07/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮?

Few days after breeders and scientists from 10 countries came together for the West and Central Africa Breeding Network (WCABNet) Product Advancement Meeting hosted by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan. We asked them that question.

Their answers said it all. Different voices with one shared vision.

A future powered by science, shaped by farmers' needs, strengthened through regional collaboration, and driven by data and innovation.

If you had to describe the future of cassava breeding in one word, what would it be?

Kindly share in the comments!

28/07/2026

What happens after an improved cassava variety is developed?

For many people, that's where the story ends. But for farmers, processors, and seed producers, that's where the real journey begins.

That is exactly what the 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 (𝗗𝗖𝗧𝘀) under the 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗲𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 PROSSIVA are designed to achieve.

DCTs are the bridge between research and reality. They bring breeders, seed companies, farmers, and processors together to ensure that improved varieties are not only developed but also adopted, multiplied, processed, and transformed into sustainable economic opportunities.

You may remember when we shared the first phase of the DCTs and the excitement of establishing the fields. Today, we are excited to share the next chapter.

About 𝟭𝟯𝟰 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀 have now been successfully established across five states in Nigeria.

Here's how each state performed:

𝗢𝘆𝗼: 33 fields established (Target: 37)

𝗕𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲: 30 fields established (Target: 29)

𝗘𝗸𝗶𝘁𝗶: 27 fields established (Target: 25)

𝗘𝗱𝗼: 26 fields established (Target: 25)

𝗢𝗴𝘂𝗻: 20 fields established (Target: 23)

Total: 𝟭𝟯𝟰 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱.

But these trials are about much more than numbers.

They are about creating 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁.

Through PROSSIVA, 23 medium- to large-scale cassava processors are directly linked with 110 cassava farmers, using quality planting materials supplied by the private seed company IITA GoSeed.

Instead of producing cassava and hoping to find a buyer later, farmers are growing varieties that processors have already expressed interest in, creating a stronger connection between seed, production, processing, and markets.

This approach helps answer some of the biggest questions facing cassava farmers:

1. Which varieties do processors actually want?

2. Can farmers produce what the market demands?

3. How do we ensure quality seed reaches those who need it?

4. How can improved varieties translate into better incomes?

Early observations from the field have been encouraging. Farmers and processors have been impressed by the vigour and productivity of the improved varieties, reinforcing confidence in their potential to strengthen Nigeria's cassava value chain.

Successful breeding isn't measured only by the varieties we release. It's measured by the farmers who grow them, the processors who use them, and the livelihoods they improve.

What do you think is the biggest challenge to increasing the adoption of improved cassava varieties?

Kindly share in the comments.

28/07/2026

25/07/2026

Today, we celebrate 59 years of scientific excellence, innovation, and impact at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). 🥳🎊🎉

For nearly six decades, IITA has worked alongside farmers, governments, development partners, and research institutions to develop solutions that improve food security, strengthen livelihoods, and build resilient agricultural systems across Africa.

As we mark this milestone, we celebrate the scientists, staff, partners, alumni, and farming communities whose dedication continues to transform lives through science.

Here's to advancing innovation, empowering communities, and shaping the future of agriculture for generations to come.🥂

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

23/07/2026

What makes a cassava variety a breakthrough product?

It's a variety that farmers prefer, adopt, and choose to grow; markets demand it, processors value it, and consumers enjoy it.

This shared vision brought together breeders and scientists from 10 countries at the West and Central Africa Breeding Network (WCABNet) Product Advancement Meeting hosted by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan this week.

Representatives from Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, DRC, Rwanda, Benin, Sierra Leone, Gabon, Burundi, and Côte d'Ivoire came together to plan, advance breakthrough cassava products.

The meeting also welcomed key National Agricultural Research and Extension System (NARES) partners, including National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike, Nigeria, Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute, INERA (DRC), CSIR (Ghana), and national research partners from Benin, Cameroon, and Côte d'Ivoire. Their expertise ensures that regional breeding priorities remain grounded in women, men, and youth farmers' needs and local realities.

The meeting also focused on strengthening regional capacity through training in breeding data management and analysis, empowering national programmes to independently manage and use data to inform breeding decisions.

Dr. Ismail Yusuf, Head of the Cassava Breeding Program at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)) and Global Cassava Breeding Network Lead, reminded participants that:

"A breakthrough product is not just a genetic achievement; it's a product that farmers want, markets demand, and communities benefit from. It must cross borders, adapt to diverse environments, and deliver tangible value. And it can come from any country."

Setting the tone for the meeting, Dr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy Banda outlined the objectives for advancing breakthrough products through stronger regional collaboration.

Professor Michael Abberton, Director of the IITA West Africa Hub, emphasized that genetic resources are a shared regional asset and that every country has the potential to contribute breakthrough products to the breeding pipeline.

Dr. Hapson Mushoriwa, Head of Plant Breeding at IITA, concluded with a powerful reminder:

"𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙫𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙗𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨."

The future of cassava breeding in West and Central Africa will be built through collaboration, shared expertise, and a commitment to delivering varieties that create real impact for farmers, processors, and consumers.

What does a breakthrough variety mean to you in your country?

Please share in the comments!

21/07/2026

Does planting cassava closer together mean you will harvest more?

A question that shapes farmers’ decisions in fields across Nigeria every planting season.

Some farmers plant closer than the recommended spacing to maximize the land they have. Others plant wider, believing it gives each plant more room to thrive.

What spacing truly delivers the best balance of yield, root quality, and plant performance?

The IITA Cassava Breeding Unit is putting this question to the test.

We met Mrs. Adebukola Ogungbesan during the Rep 2 harvest of our ongoing Density Trial, now in its second year. The trial evaluates how different planting densities—0.5 m, 0.75 m, and 1 m spacing influence plant architecture, root development, and yield across 12 cassava genotypes.

Why does this matter?

Because a breakthrough variety alone is not enough, farmers also need the right agronomic practices to unlock its full potential.

By understanding how different varieties perform under different planting densities, researchers can generate recommendations that help farmers make the most of their available land, labour, and planting materials.

This is especially important for smallholder farmers, many of whom cultivate small plots and often adjust spacing based on experience, resource availability, or land constraints.

The findings from the first two harvests are already revealing exciting insights:

- Clear differences in plant growth between the 0.5 m and 0.75 m spacing.

- Impressive yields, with many roots reaching market-preferred Size 7.

- Strong uniformity in root shape across several genotypes.

- Excellent dry matter content among the top-performing entries.

The team continues the meticulous work behind every breeding decision, sorting marketable and unmarketable roots, counting, weighing, and recording every observation. These data may seem routine, but they provide the evidence needed to develop recommendations that benefit farmers.

As cassava breeding continues to evolve, the focus is also about understanding how improved varieties perform under different management practices so they can deliver value across diverse farming systems.

The future of cassava improvement lies in combining better genetics with better agronomy, ensuring that improved varieties perform well not only under ideal conditions but also on small, medium, and big farm sizes managed by women, youth, migrants, and men farmers

Because when breeding and agronomy work together, gender-diverse and less-resourced farmers are able to produce, reap, and gain more with the resources they already have.

If you grow cassava, what spacing do you normally use, and why?

We would love to hear from you in the comments.

17/07/2026

Behind the scenes of our NRCRI collaboration: a glimpse into the field tour that's shaping the future of root crop breeding in Nigeria.



Video credits: National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike

17/07/2026

Strengthening ties for better roots and tubers!

IITA's Breeding team, led by Dr. Hapson Mushoriwa, paid a 2-day visit to National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike to deepen collaboration on taro, cassava, and yam breeding from lab to field to seed hub.

Great things happen when institutions work together for farmers.



Photo credits: National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike

16/07/2026

For decades, breeding crops like cassava, banana, plantain, and yam came with unique challenges. Unlike cereals and legumes, these vegetatively propagated crops have complex genetics that make genetic improvement slower and more difficult.

Today, that story is changing.

A new review published in Frontiers in Plant Science (2026) highlights how genomics-assisted breeding is transforming the future of these important food crops. From expanding genomic resources to accelerating the discovery of valuable traits, the review explores how modern breeding tools are helping scientists develop improved varieties more efficiently than ever before.

It also examines the latest advances in genome editing for banana, cassava, and yam, showing how these innovations are opening new possibilities for crop improvement.

For cassava, this progress reflects the ongoing commitment of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Cassava Breeding Program (CBP) to harness genomics for faster breeding cycles and the delivery of improved, farmer-preferred varieties that are more productive, resilient, and better suited to meet future food demands.

📖 Read the full paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1744272/full

Roots, Tubers, and Bananas (RTB), including banana and plantain, cassava, yam, sweetpotato, and potato crops, share several defining features that set them a...

14/07/2026

We are excited to see this distinguished group of leaders, researchers, policymakers, and agribusiness experts from across North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia coming together to shape the future of global agriculture.

At CGIAR IITA Cassava Breeding Unit, we recognize the power of collaboration, bringing science, policy, and innovation together to build resilient food systems and support farmers worldwide.

We look forward to the impact this Council will have on advancing global food and nutrition security.

Congratulations to all the newly appointed members!
We celebrate our Prof. Chiedozie Egesi on this milestone.

Read more: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BR5yzUjjf/

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬

The World Agriculture Forum is proud to welcome an outstanding group of global leaders, researchers, policymakers, agribusiness professionals, and development experts to our Global Council.

Representing North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, these distinguished members bring decades of experience across agriculture, food systems, research, sustainability, trade, innovation, and rural development.

Their collective expertise will strengthen WAF’s mission of fostering international collaboration, shaping progressive agricultural policies, promoting innovation, facilitating investment and trade, and advancing resilient and sustainable food systems worldwide.

Together, we look forward to building stronger global partnerships that empower farmers, accelerate agricultural transformation, and contribute to global food and nutrition security.