Radio IITA and CBU Widens Cassava Farmers Varieties Options; Moves to Bridge Seed Market Gaps

Cassava farmers drawn from several communities in Oyo and Lagos State converged for this year’s edition of the outreach program organized by the breeding program in collaboration with Radio IITA, bringing together beneficiaries of improved cassava stem varieties to share experiences and deepen their knowledge of modern cassava production and…

𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐰𝐩𝐞𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝

Cowpea, popularly called the “poor man’s meat,” is a staple in Nigeria’s agricultural and nutritional landscape. With about 25% protein, alongside carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, the legume plays a critical role in ensuring food security for millions of households. For decades, however, farmers have struggled with pest infestations, declining yields,…

𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬

To strengthen banana and plantain production in Nigeria and beyond, Radio IITA, in collaboration with the plantain and banana breeding program of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA  organized an intensive outreach program for over 30 smallholder farmers. The training, held on July 25, 2025, is part of the…

𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐈𝐈𝐓𝐀 𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚

In 2024, RadioIITA’s Farmers Outreach Initiative continued its mission to empower smallholder farmers with cutting-edge agricultural knowledge and practical tools, transforming livelihoods across Nigeria. Through strategic collaborations with IITA’s specialized crop breeding programs of yam, cassava, maize, soybean, cowpea, plantain, and banana, the outreach addressed critical challenges, introduced innovative techniques,…

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧/𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐈𝐈𝐓𝐀 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬

Recently, RadioIITA, in partnership with the IITA Plantain/Banana Breeding Program, hosted a wide-ranging training session for local farmers to improve plantain and banana yields and promote sustainable agricultural methods. The training addressed several critical areas, including choosing high-quality planting materials, soil amendment, sucker management, mulching, staking, and other best practices…

𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

RadioIITA 88.5 recently hosted a successful farmers’ outreach event in collaboration with the maize improvement program. The event, held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), aimed to equip local farmers with advanced agricultural knowledge and practices. It drew a significant number of eager participants looking to enhance their…

𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐈𝐈𝐓𝐀 /𝐂𝐨𝐰𝐩𝐞𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐰𝐩𝐞𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚

Nigeria, the world’s largest producer and consumer of cowpeas, faces a paradox: despite its leading position, over 40 percent of cowpeas consumed in the country are imported. This is largely due to the crop’s vulnerability to infestations from insects such as pod borers, whiteflies, and various seed-sucking bugs. In response…

𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐈𝐈𝐓𝐀’𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬

RadioIITA, broadcasting at 88.5FM, serves as a beacon of agricultural enlightenment in the bustling city of Ibadan, Nigeria. Recently, the station embarked on a transformative three-day survey outreach, venturing through the diverse landscapes of Ibadan to forge direct connections with farmers and listeners, thereby amplifying its impact on agricultural knowledge…

𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐈𝐈𝐓𝐀 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲

  Access to information on innovation and research results is a key factor for Africa to address the issue of agricultural development and achieve zero hunger. Communicating agricultural information is essential for smallholder farmers to increase their productivity and livelihood. In Africa, using radio, television, and social media platforms to…