A presentation of who we are and what we do.

1. Who we are
Our research for development activities
have delivered over 70% of the CGIAR's
positive impact on the food security and
livelihoods of over 500 million people in
sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
www.iita.org
www.iita.org

2. R4D context
“Africa is the 2nd largest continent, but
the least industrialized.” - FAO
“75% of the world’s poor continue to
depend on agriculture for the
foreseeable future.” - DFID
“There are 48 researchers/million
sub-Saharan Africans compared to
3,000/million people in OECD countries.”
- UNESCO 2005.
“To reduce extreme poverty and hunger,
we should produce more food in a way
that creates wealth and addresses
producer risks.” - IITA
www.iita.org

3. Where we are
Our R4D activities reach
approximately 85% of
national systems in Africa.
www.iita.org

4. What we do
We work with partners in Africa
and beyond to reduce producer
and consumer risks, enhance
crop quality and productivity, and
generate wealth from agriculture.
www.iita.org

5. R4D programs
Agriculture and Health
Poor food quality risks health,
restricts trade, and reduces labor
productivity of millions of people
in Africa.
We improve diets, health, and
productivity through research on
micronutrient content, food toxins,
and nutrient patterns.
We help ensure that
young and old Africans
alike enjoy and benefit
from high-quality, nutritious
food and food crops.
Photo by IITA.
www.iita.org

6. Agrobiodiversity
Africa’s biodiversity is rich but
vulnerable.
We use biotechnology and new
diagnostic tools for the efficient, long-
term conservation and sustainable use
of genetic resources of staple and
underutilized crops and non-plant
organisms.
A genebank scientist checking in
vitro culture-conserved seedlings of
banana landraces we use in our
breeding program to produce
hybrids. Photo by IITA.
www.iita.org

7. Opportunities and Threats
Food security and livelihoods in
Africa face many risks.
We examine and analyze the
environmental, social and
economic dynamics that affect
food security and livelihoods, and
develop strategic plans to manage
them.
Selling maize in a market.
Better planning result in
better economic
opportunities.
Photo by IITA
www.iita.org

8. Banana and Plantain
Banana and plantain yields have
been declining in Africa.
We enhance knowledge on the
crops’ agroecology, develop new
varieties and improve the quality
and variety of plantain-based food
products to promote their
productivity and profitability.
Harvesting a bunch from
an IITA-developed hybrid
TMH3x 9187s-8.
Photo by IITA.
www.iita.org

9. Cereals and Legumes
Cereals and legumes are important
to many households in Africa, but
production is unstable.
We develop and disseminate
improved varieties, natural resource
management approaches and new
production technologies to enhance
and sustain productivity.
A soybean trader at one
of the many farmers’
markets in Nigeria.
Photo by IITA.
www.iita.org

10. Roots and Tubers
Roots and tubers such as
cassava and yam are produced
and consumed by most people in
Africa, but face many threats.
We reduce pre- and postharvest
losses, increase productivity, and
improve processing technologies,
marketing and profitability.
Using her mobile phone, a
trader obtaining current
market prices of yam
through the Market
Information System we
established. Photo by IITA.
www.iita.org

11. Horticulture and Tree Crops
Vegetables and tree crops support
the income of Africa’s rural poor.
We develop and promote production
and postharvest technologies that
sustain productivity and increase
incomes in socially and
environmentally responsible ways.
A cocoa farmer-beneficiary
of our Sustainable Tree
Crops Program (STCP).
Photo by IITA.
www.iita.org

12. Systemwide Program on
Integrated Pest Management
Pests cause high crop losses and
reduce quality of agricultural produce.
We coordinate and participate in the
CGIAR System-wide Program on
Integrated Pest Management
(SP-IPM) which develops knowledge
and technologies that responsibly
tackle crop pests.
Cassava green mite being
attacked by a predator.
Photo by IITA.
www.iita.org

13. IITA’s research-for-development model
www.iita.org