Strengthening climate resilience and agricultural transformation through TAAT technologies and ZAMWIS integration The IITA–CGIAR, in collaboration with the Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) successfully facilitated national validation workshops in Mozambique and Zambia under the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Zambezi…
Tunde Ajayi
Breeding chickens, raising dreams: Building youthful and community livelihoods through poultry farming in Mozambique
In 2024, IITA–CGIAR in Mozambique, in partnership with 15 national and international organizations, began implementing the Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I), which integrates components such as access to improved seeds, adoption of improved and climate-resilient agricultural practices, nutrition and food security,…
From forgotten crop to future food: Nigeria designs the next generation of Bambara groundnut
For decades, Bambara groundnut has been quietly feeding families across Nigeria. In rural communities stretching from the savannahs of the north to the forest zones of the south, farmers (many of whom are women) have relied on this hardy…
Turning evidence into action: Co-designing guidelines for implementing gender-transformative interventions in the cassava seed entrepreneurship ecosystem in Tanzania
Building a functional formal cassava seed system is critical to Tanzania’s agriculture. It is the foundation for providing high-yielding, disease-resistant, and climate-resilient cassava varieties to smallholder farmers. Yet the very people who form the backbone of cassava production, women…
Unlocking opportunity crops to combat food insecurity: VACS professional fellows equipped with modern breeding tools to accelerate genetic gain
IITA, in collaboration with CIMMYT and other CGIAR centers, brought together breeders from across Africa for a five-day intensive training on breeding pipeline optimization and market intelligence, to accelerate genetic gain in the continent’s neglected yet highly nutritious “opportunity crops.” From Bambara groundnut cultivated in the savannahs of Ghana to Okra harvested in the humid forests…
Inspired by Nature’s Signals: How Soil Health is Shaping West Africa’s Climate Future
World Environment Day 2026 calls global attention to a simple but urgent reality: the planet is sending signals—and climate action is about how we respond. With the theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” this year’s observance…
One crop, three identities: What Bambara groundnut teaches us about the future of pulses
By Mercy Lung’aho, IITA On World Pulses Day 2026, the theme chosen by the Food and Agriculture Organization, “Pulses of the world: from modesty to excellence,” could not be more timely. It captures a quiet transformation already unfolding across…
By Mercy Lung’aho, Food Security, Nutrition and Health Program Lead, IITA Every year, we reaffirm our commitment to women and girls in science. We host panels, share statistics, and celebrate role models. These efforts matter, but in Africa today,…








