Plantain is one of the major crops of smallholder farmers in Nigeria. It is produced both for food consumption in the households and for cash through its transformation into various products that are marketed. Using Humidtropics' integrated systems approach, a team of researchers from FARA and IITA is working with key actors in the Nigeria Action Site to improve the plantain value chain (i.e. to effectively deliver valuable plantain products to the market, and to customers). Using the Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innovation Systems (RAAIS) diagnostic tool, the four Innovation Platforms … [Read more...]
Scientists Call for Systems Research in Agriculture to Realize the Sustainable Development Goals
From March 3 to 6, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) hosted the global systems research and development community at the International Conference on Integrated Systems Research for Sustainable Intensification in Smallholder Agriculture. Social and agricultural scientists participating in the conference are stressing the importance of agricultural research to be done with a holistic systems perspective, and for better links between research on improvements in specific commodities and natural resources management. Dr. Frank Rijsberman, CEO of the CGIAR Consortium, … [Read more...]
Humidtropics is Spreading its Wings in West Africa
Developing the Capacity to Innovate in Cameroon and Nigeria. R4D Platform members in Cameroon and Nigeria received a special capacity building training on how best to set up Innovation Platforms and work in an interactive fashion with the stakeholders involved. The two workshops were organized by FARA and IITA: the first was held in May at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and the second in June at Centre Touristique de Nkolandom, Ebolowa, Cameroon. Dr. Wole Fatunbi, Program Officer, Partnerships and Strategic Alliances at FARA, facilitated the … [Read more...]