By Abdallah el-Kurebe I July 31, 2025 I The International Potato Center (CIP) has announced the launch of the 2023–2024 Best Sweetpotato Scientific Paper Competition, inviting researchers across the globe to submit outstanding scientific publications focused on sweetpotato innovations and impact. The competition aims to highlight and reward top-tier scientific research that advances the understanding, development, and application of sweetpotato in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods—especially in low- and middle-income countries. The winning entry will receive a $500 cash prize, to be presented at the International Symposium on Tropical Root and Tuber Crops (ISTRC) scheduled to hold in India, from…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Board of Directors of the Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS) on Thursday held a strategic meeting with the new Executive Director of the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), Dr. Lilian Lihasi, at the AFAAS Secretariat boardroom in Ntinda, Kampala. The engagement was aimed at introducing the Uganda Country Forum leadership to Dr. Lihasi, who recently assumed office as AFAAS Executive Director. AFAAS is a continental umbrella body that coordinates and supports agricultural extension and advisory services across Africa. During the meeting, Dr. Lihasi commended UFAAS for its active contribution to the growth and consolidation of…
By Abdallah el-Kurebe I July 31, 2025 I Niger State has firmly established itself as a dominant force in Nigeria’s agricultural sector in 2024, according to the latest rankings (data) from the Statisense Agricultural Productivity Survey. The state seized the top spot nationally in the production of both rice and yam, highlighting its pivotal role in feeding the nation. The 2024 rankings underscore Niger State’s broad agricultural strength: it came in first place for rice and yam, secured second place in maize production, and held third place for both groundnut and soybean. Additionally, Niger State ranked sixth in millet, seventh…
By Abdallah el-Kurebe I July 31, 2025 | The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) unveiled its 2024 Annual Report, showcasing a transformative year marked by deepened country-led initiatives, enhanced climate resilience, and strengthened market competitiveness across 12 African nations. With a bold strategy firmly rooted in national priorities and continental frameworks, AGRA accelerated implementation of its Strategy 3.0, committing over USD 164 million in programmatic resources to empower smallholder farmers—the backbone of Africa’s food security. Key Highlights: Building Resilience Through Innovation: AGRA’s partnership with governments and local institutions saw significant gains in regenerative agriculture in eastern Kenya,…
Toward an equitable healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa, global healthcare company Novo Nordisk and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) have announced a strategic three-year partnership to strengthen sickle cell disease (SCD) care across seven African nations. The initiative will support the Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA) Community Health Worker (CHW) program, targeting Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. This collaboration aims to significantly improve outcomes for children diagnosed with SCD by training community health workers in early diagnosis, education, and care coordination. The goal is to bridge healthcare gaps in underserved communities and improve care retention,…
By Abdallah el-Kurebe | July 30, 2025 | A historic leap for African science and innovation has been made by a Nigerian space scientist and Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) alumnus, Temidayo Oniosun. He is sending Egusi seeds — a beloved West African delicacy — into outer space as part of a pioneering agricultural research experiment. The mission, which will launch on July 31 at 12:09 PM EDT (5:09 PM Nigerian time) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard NASA’s Crew-11 resupply flight to the International Space Station (ISS), marks the first time in history that seeds from Nigeria will be…
A massive 8.8 magnitude undersea earthquake struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Tuesday, July 30, 2025, triggering powerful tsunami waves that swept across parts of Russia, Japan, the United States, and other Pacific nations, setting off widespread evacuation orders and emergency responses. Russia: Towns swamped, residents evacuated The quake’s epicenter was located southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a shallow depth, intensifying its destructive force. In Severo-Kurilsk, waves reportedly surged between 3 and 5 meters, inundating streets and properties. Residents were swiftly evacuated as emergency crews responded to rising water levels and building damage. Minor injuries were reported, and authorities warned of…
A wave of xenophobic protests erupted across parts of Ghana this week, with demonstrators chanting “Nigerians must go” in a disturbing echo of past tensions between the two West African nations. The protests, which took place in key cities including Accra and Kumasi, were reportedly driven by allegations that Nigerians were contributing to rising crime and dominating local businesses. Protesters carried placards accusing Nigerian nationals of various crimes, including prostitution, ritual killings, child abductions, and land grabbing. Some claimed Nigerians were responsible for installing an “Igbo king” in Ghana and called for what they described as the “reclamation” of their…
Australia is leading the way in using advanced drone technology to restore ecosystems damaged by the country’s increasingly severe and frequent bushfires. This innovative approach dramatically accelerates tree planting efforts, with drones capable of planting up to 40,000 seed pods daily—a scale and speed far beyond traditional methods. The technology utilizes aerial drones equipped with GPS mapping and artificial intelligence to precisely identify optimal planting locations, especially in rugged or hard-to-reach regions ravaged by fire. Each drone carries specially designed seed pods containing native tree seeds embedded with essential nutrients and protective coatings. These coatings improve seed survival by shielding…
The International Press Centre (IPC), through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) Hub, has condemned what it described as a disturbing rise in clampdowns on press freedom across Nigeria. In a statement issued in Lagos, the IPC SPJ-Hub said data collected from its press freedom monitoring between January and June 2025 revealed an unrelenting trend of attacks on journalists and media practitioners. The centre cited three alarming incidents between June and July as evidence of the growing hostility towards the press. The incidents include the prolonged detention of Dr. Tekena Amieyeofori, a former staff member of Africa Independent Television…