Tag: IITA

IITA, EAGC journey towards producing aflatoxin-free grains to ensure health safety, boost trade

Editor

EASTERN AFRICA – The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) have signed an agreement to work together to tackle aflatoxin contamination of grains in the region. IITA is a not-for-profit research institution that generates innovations to address major agricultural challenges in Africa, while EAGC is a membership organization that brings together key players across the grain value chain in Eastern and Southern Africa. The MoU will leverage each organization’s comparative advantage to promote mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of advocacy, research, capacity…

Read More

Bill & Melinda Gates foundation funds International Institute of Tropical Agriculture US$14.3m for cassava project

Editor

AFRICA – The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and its partners working towards building a sustainable cassava seed system in Africa, have received US$14.3 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to kick-start the second phase of Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS-II) in both Nigeria and Tanzania. The 5-year project will be led by IITA, working in partnership with Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), IITA GoSeed, Umudike Seed, Sahel…

Read More

Tanzanian firm to invest US$ 1.52m in developing tech to curb aflatoxin

Editor

TANZANIA – Tanzania’s A to Z Textile Mills has unveiled plans of investing US$1.52million (Tsh 3.5bn) in establishing a factory that will be producing Aflasafe, a technology to combat aflatoxin in grains and cereals. This follows an agreement between A to Z and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in conducting research on aflatoxin that saw successful development of the product. Mr Kalpesh Shah, chief executive of A to Z Textile Mills, said the firm was particularly proud of being part of a committed team that had researched for…

Read More

Olam partners IITA to help Ugandan coffee farmers build climate resilience

Editor

UGANDA – Olam International, a multinational agribusiness company has joined forces with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to improve Ugandan coffee farmers’ resilience to climate change. Olam, as a major coffee exporter in Uganda, is co-funding the project in the Mt Elgon region in the country as it seeks to promote cost saving initiatives in the short-term with an overall aim of creating a more sustainable supply. IITA and Olam have identified three main challenges facing coffee farmers in Uganda in the face of climate variability and low…

Read More

Can Africa sort out the Aflatoxin problem?

Editor

SPECIAL REPORT: Can Africa sort out the Aflatoxin problem? Africa faces many challenges on the food front. The continent is grappling with efforts to feed its increasing population, projected to reach 2 billion by 2050, by the African Union. The presence of aflatoxin in foods has adversely affected not only the grain milling sector of the economy but also the health of the population and the ability of the Continent to trade with the rest of the World. Perhaps no issue straddles the cereals sector in Africa like the issue…

Read More