The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has announced the release of more than 200 improved crop varieties, developed in collaboration with Nigerian research institutions and global partners, in a major push to strengthen food security and agricultural resilience.
IITA Director-General and Regional Director for Continental Africa at CGIAR, Simeon Ehui, disclosed this during the 3rd International Conference of the Nigerian Plant Breeders Association (NPBA) in Abuja. He noted that the milestone reflects decades of innovation, research, and collaboration aimed at transforming farming systems across Nigeria and Africa.
Ehui highlighted that through the International Association of Research Scholars and Fellows platform, IITA has mentored and nurtured a new generation of scientists who are now driving advances in plant breeding and crop improvement. He assured that the institute, working hand in hand with NPBA, remains committed to promoting career growth for young professionals in agricultural science.
Commending researchers, breeders, and scientists for their groundbreaking work in the fields and laboratories, Ehui stressed that the next phase of plant breeding requires bold, coordinated action. According to him, future innovations must focus on resilience, nutrition, equity, and demand-driven breeding to meet the realities of climate change and global food insecurity.
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“We must develop crops that can withstand heat, drought, salinity, and emerging pests. This is not just science, it is survival,” he said.
Ehui urged stakeholders to envision a future where farmers no longer fear failed harvests, children are free from hunger, and no community is excluded from the benefits of agricultural innovation. He emphasized that the future of agriculture “is not written, but bred, nurtured, and cultivated through collective effort.”
With climate change, biodiversity loss, and the urgent need for sustainable farming systems, the IITA believes that the release of these improved crop varieties marks a new chapter in Africa’s quest for food security and agricultural transformation.
