50 years leading research to transform African agriculture

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May 16, 2026 · May 16Original Source

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IITA's research has boosted cassava yields in Ghana by over 40% since the 1970s, benefiting smallholder farmers in the Ashanti and Eastern Regions.
The institute's improved maize varieties now cover more than 60% of Ghana's maize-growing areas, enhancing food security in the Northern Region.
IITA's biological control methods against cassava green mite have saved Ghanaian farmers an estimated $200 million in crop losses over the past two decades.
The development of high-yielding, disease-resistant cowpea varieties has doubled productivity for women farmers in the Upper West Region.

IITA was founded in 1967 in Ibadan, Nigeria, as a CGIAR research center focused on solving agricultural challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana.
Over 50 years, IITA has collaborated with Ghana's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and universities like the University of Ghana to adapt technologies locally.
The institute has addressed major threats to Ghanaian crops like cassava mosaic disease and banana bacterial wilt, which once caused losses up to 100% in some farms.
IITA's research-for-development model emphasizes participatory breeding and farmer field schools, reaching over 300,000 Ghanaian farmers since 2000.

Ghanaian farmers now access improved planting materials for cassava, yam, and plantain that are more resilient to drought and pests, reducing crop failures in the Volta Region.
IITA's integrated soil fertility management has boosted maize yields in the Brong-Ahafo Region by 30%, while reducing fertilizer costs for smallholders.
Post-harvest technologies, such as improved storage for cowpea and cassava, have cut losses by 25% in the Central Region, increasing farmer incomes.
Training programs for extension officers in Ghana have transferred knowledge to over 10,000 rural farming communities, empowering women and youth.

Dependence on IITA-bred varieties may reduce genetic diversity in Ghana, making some crops vulnerable to new pests like the fall armyworm if not managed.
Funding cuts to IITA could stall the development of climate-resilient crops needed to adapt to Ghana's changing rainfall patterns in the Savannah regions.
Improved yields may encourage deforestation if farmers expand into protected areas, especially in the Western Region, without proper land-use planning.
Intellectual property restrictions on some IITA technologies could limit access by poor farmers in Ghana's rural areas unless negotiated wisely.

Smallholder cassava farmers in the Ashanti, Eastern, and Volta Regions are directly affected by IITA's disease-resistant varieties and yield improvements.
Women cowpea farmers in the Upper West and Northern Regions benefit from shorter-maturing varieties that fit into their seasonal calendars.
Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the CSIR rely on IITA's research to inform national food security policies and extension programs.
Agri-processing firms in Ghana, such as those producing cassava flour or animal feed, depend on IITA's stable supply chains for raw materials.

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